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Bicycle Business News of the West

Cycling West
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By Kevin Dwyer —

Retail

Salt Lake City Bicycle Company founder, Brent Hulme, is going for a long bike ride across the US, after selling the store to Trek Bicycle Corporation. Opened in 2008 as the area’s first Trek concept store, SLCBCo offers a comprehensive line of Trek products and specializes in custom fitting through its fit studio. After more than 30 years in the bicycle industry, Brent has decided to take a break, and make a coast to coast run with an old friend. He assures us, that when he is back in the fall, he will be applying himself to other bicycle ventures, likely with a shorter commute from his Utah county home. In the meantime, SLCBCo will continue operations at 247 South 500 East in SLC with the same staff and Trek offerings. Look for expanded hours, events and greater access to new Trek products soon!7 SOUT

Go-Ride.com is on the move, defying its gravity oriented roots by moving the 33rd South mothership up the hill to a new 21st South and 21st East location. The new location, across the street from the Blue Plate Diner, boasts over 5000 sq feet with high ceilings and open rafters (a bicycle collection, perhaps?). After successfully opening a Go-Ride store in Draper last year, near the Corner Canyon Trails, Owner, Scott Crabill, is excited about being located near the PRATT Trail and Hogle Zoo access to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. Always a specialist in suspension, and now dropper post, service, Go-Ride will continue to provide custom tuning and suspension set up utilizing Shock Whiz analytics, combined with their own data driven algorithms and spreadsheet analysis. As SLC’s MTB specialty shop, look for the new location to open in early May, giving you the chance to easily demo a bike on the BST or get your bike primed for the Utah Gravity Series.

Moab is certainly in the running for cities with the most bike shops per capita, especially now that Dustin Dickey and Pat Scherer are opening Double Down Bike Shop. A veteran of Poison Spider Bicycles, Dustin is striking out on his own with a specialty shop that features 35 Canfield Brothers MTBs and shuttle services from Porcupine Shuttle. Double Down, which gets its name from a favorite Amasa Back-Ahab-Jackson’s combo of Dustin’s, will be renting Riot, Balance and EPO models from its Williams Way location, just west of the Rio Restaurant, on your way to the dirt jumps or Amasa Back. Look for the store to open by June, so that you can demo a steed or get your own some overnight service or suspension tuning.

In other Moab shuttle news, The Whole Enchilada Shuttle Company, operated by Kyle Mears, has decided to combine forces with Poison Spider Bicycles, who has been offering a limited shuttle service out to the Moab Brand trails. Both operations will be operating under Poison Spider Bicycles permit, which will enable them to offer a broad range of shuttle services, including custom routes and vehicle transport. Just north of the store, Scott Newton, owner of Poison Spider Bicycles has developed convenient auxiliary parking for shuttle riders and customers.

Manufacturing

The Rossignol Group, a leading ski and snowsports manufacturer, with US offices in Park City and Ogden, Utah has purchased Felt Bicycles. Founded in 1994 in Irvine, CA, Felt initially developed triathlon bicycles, later expanding to a diverse lineup that includes virtually every bicycle category from beach cruisers to MTBs. Like many ski areas developing MTB parks, in an era of climate change, Rossignol’s move counters the seasonality of the winter sports business, while moving into an adjacent market that utilizes similar composite construction manufacturing. Rossignol expects to launch a line of bikes in 2018.

Patents

9,561,834-Yeti Non-orthogonal Link Suspension

Peter Zawistowski appears to have had plenty of time to play with an X-link suspension and shock actuation system that he developed for Yeti Cycling, disclosed in the ‘834 patent. Utilizing 2 or more links in a crossing fashion, Zawistowski has applied this motion control, similar to how some flat screen TV support/extension arms work, to a variety of rear triangle and/or shock actuation applications. The links, each comprised of two hinged pieces, unlike a single-pivot, have the ability to control the wheel path in either an arcing or straight vertical path. With the multitude of configurations and claims, it may take some time before the precise and best applications for this technology are Yeti ready.

9,550,394-Reynolds Asymmetrical Carbon Rim

The ‘394 patent describes a new type of carbon rim developed by Paul Lew for Reynolds Cycling. Radically asymmetric, with one rim wall vertical and the other arcing, the rim design accounts for the differential spoke stresses caused by dishing a wheel to accommodate for the gear cluster. Interestingly, the patent discloses very precise wall thicknesses and ratios for drive and non-drive side construction. Because of these and the verticallity of one rim wall, the rims are most likely to be developed in a deep aero profile for time trialists and triathletes.

9,545,972-Williams Magnetic Clipless Pedal

Inventor, David Williams, has developed a new clipless pedal system that relies on an array of magnets to hold the cleat to the pedal. Observing that it is possible to twist magnets apart, the ’972 patent allows a cyclist to add and subtract magnets, also possibly with different strengths, to accommodate a wide range of user strength and experience. Marketed under the MagLock name and started with a Kickstarter, the pedals had a coming out at the recent North American Handmade Bicycle Show. There, inventor Williams showed off the unique float properties and flat pedal-style construction that makes the pedals readily street shoe compatible and comfortable.

We are looking for news leads about the bicycle business in the region. Please send tips to [email protected]

North American Handmade Bicycle Show: Bicycles for Commuting, Road Touring and More

Lou Melini
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North American Handmade Bicycle Show: Bicycles for Commuting, Road Touring and More

[Editor’s Note: This article is about the 2017 NAHBS in Salt Lake City. Things are different now.]

By Lou Melini — The North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS) was held in Salt Lake City on March 10-12, 2017. There were numerous beautifully handcrafted bikes and accessories in front of my eyes. I was in a constant state of dehydration due to drooling over them. I went to the show specifically to look at bikes built specifically for commuting in style to work or around town. I also wanted to look at bikes that would take me out on the road or dirt path for a month long self-supported bike tour. Bikes fitting my interest were in the minority at the show, but there was enough of them to keep me busy for 2 of the 3 days. Touring bikes by Tout Terrain, Co-Motion and Steve Potts caught my eye. A wooden commuter bike (one of a number of bike companies working with wood or bamboo) also caught my eye. The Shimano booth had a couple of exquisite commuting bikes (without frame names) to show off their new commuter brake/drivetrain componentry.

Bicycles for Extended Touring

Tout Terrain (pronounced too-ter-ahn)

Tout Terrain brought a fleet of bikes and child carriers from Germany. In name recognition, Tout Terrain, is to German touring bikes what Ortlieb is to panniers. Their bikes have traveled around the world. A couple of Tout Terrrain bikes have been temporarily housed in my garage, owned by bike travelers that spent time as guests of Julie and I. Unique features of the Tout Terrain include a rear rack that is brazed onto the frame and a head tube stop so that in the event of the bike falling, the handlebar won’t hit the top tube. Drivetrain choices include a traditional cassette and rear derailleur, a Rolhoff rear hub or a Pinion gearbox that forms the bottom bracket plus a couple of other options. With a design that (I believe) is specific to Tout Terrain, the rear drop out can be changed to accommodate any drive train, including a single speed setup. You can also have lights powered by a dynamo front hub and The Plug USB charging port on the stem.

A Tout Terrain hand crafted bicycle with Pinion gearbox and Gates belt drive. Photo by Lou Melini

Every Tout Terrain is custom built in Freiburg, Germany. http://www.en.tout-terrain.de/bicycles/. The website currently lists 5 touring bikes for extended touring including the Silkroad and the Tanami. For ordering contact Cycle Monkey, www.Cyclemonkey.com, [email protected] or 510-868-1777 in Richmond, California (near Berkeley). For a more complete review of the Tanami look at the review in Adventure Cyclist: https://www.adventurecycling.org/adventure-cyclist/online-features/road-test-tout-terrain-tanami-xplore/.

Co-Motion

Eugene, Oregon based Co-Motion started in 1988, as I remember, as a maker of tandem bicycles. They have since expanded with bikes specific for nearly every use one can imagine on a bike. Their initial touring model, the Americano, is immensely popular. The Pangea with 26 “wheels, ridden for tens of thousands of miles by Park City’s Darren Alff of Biketouringpro.com fame (now DarrenAlff.com), followed the Americano. http://bicycletouringpro.com/new-touring-bicycle-comotion-pangea-black/ Co-Motion has recently introduced two new touring models, the small rider/women’s Ochoco with 650B wheels and the incredibly affordable Deschutes. For an off-road tour of the Great Divide trail consider the aptly named Divide bike.

The Co-Motion handbuilt and affordable Deschutes touring bike. Photo by Lou Melini

I was a bit stunned when I looked at the Deschutes and then the price tag. How can this be? At only $2,495, this is a true touring bike, with appropriate gearing for extended tours, wheels that will withstand the rigors of a long tour, and the necessary braze-ons for racks, fenders and 3 water bottles. It has a traditional touring build with a shiny, tough paint job in everyone’s favorite color, Lusty Red. If you are thinking about a Surly Long Haul Trucker or something similar, stop for more than a moment and check out this bike. It will truly be worth your time and consideration.

With the price, one would think that Co-Motion is now making bikes overseas but the Deschutes is built in Oregon. The engineering of the frame was worked to minimize labor without affecting the Co-Motion quality and it shows in the frame. The show bike was beautiful. It comes in 5 sizes as a complete bike only. The drivetrain components are a combination of Shimano 105 (derailleurs/shifters) and FSA (crank) great choices given the price of the bike.

If you wish for a higher end component group, a custom fit, a Rolhoff hub or a choice of paint schemes, then look at the Americano that starts at $1965 for the frame. Other options for the Americano include a pinion gearbox, couplers so you can take apart your bike to fit in a suitcase, and a pathfinder package (Schmitt dynamo hub, lights, and USB port in the top cap of the stem). For smaller riders, the Ochoco has frame sizes down to 42 cm (50 cm top tube, 66.5 stand over height).

co-motion.com. Local Utah dealer Bingham Cyclery stocks Co-Motion. For dealer information in other areas go to http://co-motion.com/dealers

Bicycles for Commuting:

You may have noted that people bike to work on a variety of bikes, so defining what makes a bike a “commuter” primarily depends on its usage. There are many bikes that have been built with the necessary accessories for commuting, rear rack for carry stuff, dynamo hubs to provide power for lights, a Gates belt drive system to stay clean and ease maintenance and perhaps a pedal-assist battery to help you to get around quicker. But few commuters are built with the elegance of wood and that is what caught my attention at the Cedarville Wooden E-bike booth. There is even a GPS chip installed in the bike in case you lose it.

The Cedarville Wooden E-bike is a project bike from Cedarville University in Ohio. It is collaboration between the departments of Industrial Design, Engineering and Business. I spoke with Jay Kinsinger, the main person behind the project from the school of Engineering, Alejandro Camacho from the School of Business and Amy Sririntrachai, a senior student from the school of Industrial Design. She hails from Thailand, coming to Cedarville University to study Industrial Design, the current number 5 ranked school in that field of study.

The Cedarville University wooden e-bike was one of several wooden bikes at the 2017 NAHBS. Photo by Dave Iltis
Note the rear dropouts on Cedarville University wooden e-bike at the 2017 NAHBS. Photo by Dave Iltis

There were over a half-dozen wood (and bamboo) bikes at the show, but the Cedarville bike was the only commuter model on display. Having never ridden a wooden bicycle, my first question was: “Why wood? I was told that wood is superior to carbon and metals at shock and vibration absorption. Wood also has a longer fatigue life than metals, it is a more sustainable product than metals or carbon and production processes with wood are less polluting than either metal or carbon. If you scratch the frame a little sanding and stain will bring it back to new.

The Cedarville project bike is not to be considered a one-time experimental project. The wooden bikes have over 4 years of field-testing including a cross-country trip on a wooden tandem by Mr. Kinsinger and his son. In the making of the show bike there were 8 engineering students involved in the process but Amy was the only industrial design student, a testimony to her talent. The bike was elegant and the booth was continually busy with visitors.

Eventually the Cedarville bike will be spun off into a separate company, so at this time there isn’t a website, though there are many articles when I Google “Cedarville Wooden Bikes”. For information on the bike you can contact [email protected].

NAHBS Overview

The NAHBS primarily featured bicycles but there were many booths that featured accessories and bikes for specific needs. DirtySixer bikes are made for tall or large people. At this time the bikes are marketed to professional basketball players. Don Walker’s booth (one of the founders of the NAHBS) had a trike perfect for people that might have issues with balance and coordination and are unable to ride a 2-wheeled bike. Thompson had a flared handlebar, perfect for my touring bike, but unavailable until after July. Silca made a small, lightweight tool kit that would take the place of my currently multitool.

There were also several booths from local or regional companies. Blaze bicycles (Moab), Kelson (Rexburg, Idaho) and Sixth Law Cycles (Salt Lake City) as well as Mercury wheels are companies that I hope to talk about in future columns.

This is the first, and perhaps the last time, that the NAHBS will be in Salt Lake City. I made a pitch to Don Walker congratulating him on an excellent show and encouraged him to return. Utah bicycle enthusiasts will again fill the arena if it returns.

The 2018 show will be held in Hartford, Connecticut from February 16-18. For more information, see nahbs.com.

 

SLCBAC News for April 2017 – Committee Members Wanted

Cycling West
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SLCBAC News for April 2017 – Committee Members Wanted

By Ian Scharine – It is hard to believe that it is already April and spring is in effect. The past month was packed with activities for bicycle enthusiasts including the North American Handmade Bicycle Show right in our own backyard, the Utah Bike Summit and the National Bicycle Convention in Washington D.C. SLCBAC is happy to say that they had representatives at each event. Not only does each offer great opportunities with industry and grassroots individuals, but it fills an educational service in understanding more about the evolving world of bikes and challenges facing developing communities. Salt Lake County is just beginning the process of determining how it will use the funding from its Federal Tiger Grant. The committee is hard at work making sure that bicycles get their share of the funding and we can use your help and input at meetings.One of the first objectives the committee needs to address is to fill out its membership board. Recent months have seen several members retire from service to the Salt Lake County Bicycle Advisory Committee. While their contributions will be missed, this provides the openings to add new members with new energy, perspectives and expertise. The committee specifically hopes to attract residents from outlying counties (west, south) to better get an understanding of the directions and needs of communities such as South and West Jordan, West Valley, Daybreak, Kearns, Magna, Herriman, Bluffdale and Draper. If you are from one of these communities and are interested, or know someone who wants to make a difference, please check out Salt Lake County’s volunteer page at the following link:

http://www.slco.org/volunteer/forms/

Our meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month at the County Government Center. Currently, we are without a permanent meeting room for the year and expect to resolve this by the next meeting. You can find more information by checking the county website at www.slco.org/bicycle or by requesting to join our mailing list or the MBAC mailing list. Salt Lake County needs your efforts, keep riding and let us know what you want to see for the future of bicycling in our beautiful community!

 

Bike Mechanic: Tales from the Road and the Workshop

Steven Sheffield
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Bike Mechanic: Tales from the Road and the Workshop

When I first read the brief description of BIKE MECHANIC: TALES FROM THE ROAD AND THE WORKSHOP by Guy Andrews and Rohan Dubash, I was anticipating a quick read filled with profiles of team mechanics and humorous anecdotes of life on the road and the daily grind of cleaning and repairing bikes during events like the Tour de France.

What I was not anticipating was a beautiful 272 page coffee table book by the founder & editor, technical writer, and photo editor for Rouleur magazine, not only delving into the world of the professional race mechanic, but the tools of the trade.

image bike mechanics pave paris roubaix
Soigneurs with spare wheels are spread all along the race. Extreme events like Paris-Roubaix can mean up to 20 extra mechanics and team helpers out on the course. Photo by Taz Darling.

BIKE MECHANIC: TALES FROM THE ROAD AND THE WORKSHOP is divided into three mains parts: On The Road, Hardware, and The Bike.

Part 1: On The Road deals with the nitty-gritty of life on the road and the impact that the professional race mechanic can have on the outcome of a race; from the early days of bike racing when there was no such thing as standardization, and mechanics had to improvise parts and repairs, such as before the 1955 Giro d’Italia when Ernesto Colnago noticed that the knee problems Fiorenzo Magni was suffering with that year were being caused by misaligned cottered cranks, and had to fashion and file new cotter pins in order to effect the repair. Magni went on to win his third Giro d’Italia that year, ahead of the great Fausto Coppi.

This section also goes into how the now ubiquitous neutral service cars and motorcycles at major races were a relatively recent innovation by Mavic, first appearing in 1972 at the Critérium du Dauphiné-Libéré when one team director’s car broke down before one day’s stage. Bruno Gormand, then the head of Mavic loaned the director his own car, and then came up with the idea of having a branded neutral service car as part of the race convoy, available to help any rider with fresh wheels after a puncture or a quick mobile repair when the rider’s team car was not available.

Thus began the history of one of most recognizable vehicles in the race caravan; the yellow Mavic car. Why yellow, you may ask? Similar to how Henri Desgrange chose a yellow jersey to represent the race leader, so that spectators would be able to easily discern the current race leader in the peloton, Gormand chose yellow because the cars would be easier to see in photos and on television.

Part 2: Hardware is the shortest of the three sections, but deals lovingly with the tools of the trade from the lowly but vital hex key, to facing & chasing tools, dropout alignment tools (seldom used in modern times with the disappearance of steel bicycle frames from the professional peloton), to torque wrenches to ensure bolts are tightened properly, tensionometers and micrometers for wheelbuilding, and my personal favorite: the Campagnolo 15mm hex spanner, colloquially known as “the peanut butter wrench” for its perfect shape to scoop and spread peanut butter from the jar during a marathon repair session.

Part 3: The Bike is the longest section of the book, comprising roughly half of the total 272 pages, serves as a basic repair manual, from frame preparation for a new build, gluing and mounting tubular tires, to cleaning and lubing the drivetrain, stunningly photographed as with the rest of the book. While there are more extensive repair manuals out there, I would wager that none are as extensively photographed, and for true bike geeks like me, it shows the tools from Part 2 in action.

image bike mechanics at sping classics
A fast wheelchange in the snow at Milan-San Remo courtesy of Vittoria’s neutral support crew. Photo by Taz Darling

For nearly 8 years, from 1994-2001 I worked in one of the top bicycle shops in the San Francisco Bay Area: A Bicycle Odyssey, in Sausalito. I learned many things from working at the shop, such as the importance of proper bike fit and that when you treat people as clients rather than customers, they have a tendency to come back. I also learned that when it comes to building and repairing bicycles, I was a fair-to-middling mechanic at best; that mechanics are craftsmen in their own right, worthy of much respect, and often underappreciated.

I would often find myself hanging out in the shop after closing with the owner and other mechanics while they finished repairs, just geeking out on their skills and hoping to absorb as much as I could. Unfortunately, I could never quite get the skills to translate from my brain to my hands, but some people are born to be wizards of the wrench.

BIKE MECHANIC: TALES FROM THE ROAD AND THE WORKSHOP is an homage to these wizards, their tools, and their craft. Buy and read the book, absorb the photography, and then go out and buy your favorite mechanic a bottle (or six) of their favorite libation to show them how much you appreciate what they do to keep your bike on the road and in perfect working order.

Bike Mechanic: Tales from the Road and the Workshop, by Guy Andrews and Rohan Dubash. Photography by Taz Darling. 7 1/4″ x 9 3/8″, 272 pp., $24.95, ISBN 9781937715182. Paperback with flaps. Full-color interior with photographs throughout.

 

Bike Mechanic by Rohan Dubash and Guy Andrews
Bike Mechanic by Rohan Dubash and Guy Andrews

 

Le Ride Documentary on Retracing 1928 Tour de France to Show in Salt Lake City on April 6 – Benefits Huntsman Cancer Institute

Dave Iltis
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Le Ride Documentary on Retracing 1928 Tour de France to Show in Salt Lake City on April 6 – Benefits Huntsman Cancer Institute
Le Ride, a documentary on retracing the route of the 1928 Tour de France, will show in Salt Lake City at the Megaplex at Jordon Commons at 7 pm on April 6, 2017.
Le Ride, a documentary on retracing the route of the 1928 Tour de France, will show in Salt Lake City at the Megaplex at Jordon Commons at 7 pm on April 6, 2017.

April 5, 2017 – Le Ride, a documentary on retracing the 1928 Tour de France, will show for one night only in Sandy, Utah on April 6, 2017. Utah winner of the Amazing Race, David O’Leary will be present, along with director Phil Keoghan. Proceeds from the showing will benefit the Huntsman Cancer Institute. The movie will show at 7 pm at the Megaplex at the Jordan Commons on April 6, 2017. (Tickets here)

Some stats:

Some days, 20000 vertical feet.

132329 vertical feet total.

3338 miles in 22 days.

164 riders started. 41 finished.

The race was won by Nicolas Franz of Luxembourg.

More race details here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1928_Tour_de_France

 

Maurice Geldhof.jpg
By Nationaal Archief – Te voet over de col Aubisque / Climbing the Aubisque on foot, No restrictions, Link

 

 

Press Release from CBS: LE RIDE is about the first English speaking team to ride in the toughest sporting event on earth, The Tour de France. In 1928 a small under-resourced, untested team from New Zealand and Australia lined up in Paris next to Europe’s best riders. One hundred and sixty riders started and only 41 finished!

Phil Keoghan has literally brought this remarkable underdog story back to life riding an original 1928 steel bicycle with no gears, retracing the exact route and sticking to the same schedule. It was an average of 150 miles a day, completely circumnavigating France for a total of 3,338 miles in just 26 days, including the ‘Death Stage’ which took Phil almost 24 hours to complete.

“ … it’s the most brutal challenge I’ve ever faced, insane distances over the world’s toughest mountains, but this is a story I really felt I had to bring back to life,” said Phil Keoghan. “Many experts considered the Australasian team to be a complete joke. More riders failed to finish the 1928 tour than any other in history. This was a hell on wheels race of attrition that was designed to eliminate as many riders as possible, most of the roads were unpaved; the course was almost twice as long as today’s Tour de France and the bikes weighed twice as much as a modern racing bike.”

LE RIDE is the first 4K (equivalent to Super 35mm film) documentary feature shot with Sony’s F55 camera and supported with Angenieux Optimo Lens, delivering a true love letter to France, featuring stunning cinematic aerial shots in the Pyrenees and French Alps. .

LE RIDE recently screened at SXSW and was the second highest grossing film at the New Zealand Film Festival. Le Ride was the opening night film at the Louisville International Film Festival where it won the Festival Favorite Award.

After THE AMAZING RACE season 29 premieres on CBS March 30th at 10pmET/PT, Phil started his nation wide tour as the Opening Night Film at the American Documentary Film Festival and won the Best Director Award.

Regal Entertainment Group have generously agreed to give 100% of LE RIDE’S Box-Office to various charities including Variety; Multiple Sclerosis; iMentor and the Huntsman Cancer Institute.

Tickets are on sale now and benefit the Huntsman Cancer Institute:

https://www.megaplextheatres.com/jordancommo%E2%80%A6/tickets/276473

The Jordan Commons is located at 9335 State St, Sandy, UT 84070.

Cache County Trails News

Cycling West
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Cache County Trails News

By Dave Iltis — Cache County is looking into converting its canal pathways to bike and pedestrian trails. There will be an open house on April 12, 2017.

Secondly, Cache County is working on a Trails and Active Transportation Master Plan starting in May and June, 2017. Look for their table at farmer’s markets and other public events later this spring.

For more information on both, see trails.cachecounty.org

 

Northern Ogden Commuters have much to look forward to in 2017

Turner Bitton
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Northern Ogden Commuters have much to look forward to in 2017

By Turner Bitton — Last year when the Ogden City Council approved the city’s Bicycle Master Plan, it was met with much enthusiasm by local cyclists. Commuters and recreational cyclists alike had many things to celebrate. Tucked in the nearly $8 million budget for Phase One of the plan were projects ranging from cycling boulevards to smaller infrastructure designed to promote cycling in the city’s various neighborhoods, especially the resurgent downtown core.

Drawing on the strength of neighborhoods and existing facilities such as schools, parks, and Weber State University, Ogden devised an ambitious agenda to connect the city with a system of cycling infrastructure. In order to ensure success and establish realistic timelines, the city developed a phased infrastructure improvement timeline to coincide with the city’s other development priorities, ensuring that improvements made sense in both economic and cycling-friendly ways.

Now, a year later, Phase One of the plan is under full implementation and projects across the city are underway and being completed. Current projects underway range from Shared Lane Markings to the expansion of the Grant Avenue Bicycle Promenade. These projects will increase Ogden’s bicycle infrastructure significantly – a welcome sign for all cyclists in the city. This piece is part one of a three-piece series where I will detail the progress being made in different parts of Ogden City. This piece focuses exclusively on my neck of the woods, the Northern part of the city.

Here are a few of the highlights of what is in progress or completed to-date in Northern Ogden City proper.

North-facing view of Harrison Boulevard with new bike lane markings and new traffic light at 2nd Street and Harrison Boulevard shown. Photo by Turner Bitton
North-facing view of Harrison Boulevard with new bike lane markings and new traffic light at 2nd Street and Harrison Boulevard shown. Photo by Turner Bitton

Harrison Boulevard Shared Lane Markings

One of the most welcome projects is the creation of bike lanes on Harrison Boulevard between 12th Street and the North Ogden-Ogden City boundary. This stretch of roadway boasts one of the most residential areas in the city and is in close proximity to the 9th Street bicycle park. Harrison Boulevard is the gateway to Ogden City for many commuters living North of 12th Street and the new bike lanes, which include two-stage left turns, will be a welcome source of safety for commuter and recreational cyclists alike.

These bike lanes connect with another piece of important infrastructure being developed, the 2nd Street route, which will run from Depot Drive within the Business Depot of Ogden (BDO) and Harrison Boulevard. With plans in process to build a Frontrunner station in BDO and the large residential population of the area, this route is likely to see significantly increased cycling travel when the upgrades are finished.

2nd Street and Washington Boulevard Improvements

The busiest gateway to Ogden City is Washington Boulevard, which is also in line for a significant upgrade. The project of painting bike lanes along Washington Boulevard from 2nd Street to 12th Street will add safety and security to the countless cyclists who commute from North Ogden into Ogden.

As mentioned above, the Harrison Boulevard project links with the new 2nd Street bicycle boulevard that will soon be constructed in conjunction with the construction of a new school at the corner of Harrison and 2nd Street. The newly designed traffic light and 2nd Street corridor will create a continuous loop for cyclists traveling in the Northern part of the city. The high number of commuters who travel from East to West in the city along 2nd Street should expect a safer and easier ride come this time next year.

View of the intersection of North Street and Monroe Boulevard. Construction equipment can be seen in the far distance preparing North Street for reconstruction. Photo by Turner Bitton
View of the intersection of North Street and Monroe Boulevard. Construction equipment can be seen in the far distance preparing North Street for reconstruction. Photo by Turner Bitton

North Street and Monroe Boulevard

Currently Monroe Boulevard ends just North of North Street and is not a through street. The end of Monroe Boulevard is the furthest North you can go without switching to either Washington or Harrison Boulevard. The city is currently exploring options to expand Monroe Boulevard into North Ogden thus creating one more thoroughfare for traffic of all types to enter the city. Phase One of the Bicycle Master Plan calls for the construction of buffered bike lanes to span the length of Monroe from the Northernmost part of the city to 20th Street in the heart of the city. This 2.3 mile stretch of road links the residential areas of the North Central part of the city with the downtown core. With buffered bike lanes running the length commuters will have serious options for a safer, smarter commute downtown.

North Street is quite a different story because it is an East-West road that marks the near Northern-most part of Ogden City proper and has long been the joke of cyclists because of the rough and thorny nature of this stretch of road. Most of the street does not have sidewalks and yet serves as a very important corridor between the Northeastern Bench of the city and the shopping centers in Northern Ogden City, the Ogden-Weber Applied Technology College, and the shopping centers in Harrisville. Cyclists and commuters will be well-served by the new sidewalks, shared lane markings, and repaved road that is currently under construction.

While Phase One is still in progress, the changes recommended by the Bicycle Master Plan are nothing short of great news for cyclists of all kind in Ogden. Those wishing to learn more about projects being constructed by Ogden City should see https://www.utah.gov/pmn/files/196203.pdf

Park City Working to Preserve Bonanza Flat – Looks to Community to Raise Funds

Cycling West
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Park City Working to Preserve Bonanza Flat – Looks to Community to Raise Funds

By Tom Diegel — If you’re a mountain biker in the Wasatch you’ve undoubtedly ridden Round Valley’s rolling singletrack, Park City’s aspen-laden alpine trails, and the iconic Wasatch Crest trail. How about having a new and convenient area that is as-yet undeveloped with trails, is twice the size of Round Valley, has all the rolling aspen potential of Park City, and not only potentially alleviates the notorious parking cluster at the Guardsman Pass trailhead but also connects to the new Wasatch Over Wasatch (WOW) trail? What/where is this amazing land located? Enter Bonanza Flat!

The Wasatch Crest Trailhead at Guardsman Pass is part of the Bonanza Flat parcel. Park City is looking to preserve the land, but needs to raise approximately $3 million more out of $35 million total. Photo by Slyfox Moonwillow

Bonanza Flat is the big area that lies below Empire Pass at the top of Park City and to the east of Guardsman Pass where it goes over into Big Cottonwood Canyon. No doubt many riders mounting up for the Crest at the Guardsman trailhead have looked down towards Midway and thought “wow, there’s a lot of great trail potential down there!” and indeed there is. Mountain Trails could have a huge canvas to put in not only a big network of great mountain bike trails but also winter fat bike and Nordic trails. But there’s a big catch: it is currently privately owned and The Community needs to step up to transform this opportunity into reality!

Bonanza Flat has long been a target for developers; not only is the gently rolling terrain fairly easy to build on, it’s adjacent to the tony areas of Park City and Deer Valley, and has great views into the Wasatch Back. It also has water rights, which is the golden egg for real estate developers in the local mountains. Talisker – the Canadian company that owns The Canyons and much of Park City Mountain Resort, which it has in turn leased to Vail Resorts – was the owner of this 1350 acre parcel at the top of Big Cottonwood, and had grand plans to develop it a la what they did to The Canyons. Fortunately for The Community, Talisker was unable to develop the land, which went into foreclosure, such that a bank ended up with the land, and now the bank wants to sell it. The agreed-upon price is $38 million, and once The City of Park City (not PCMR) found out it was available, the City immediately put up a $25M bond to the PC voters who overwhelmingly approved it. That leaves a $13M shortfall to be raised. There is a high level of confidence that other local government entities will be able to make up $10M of that deficit, which leaves $3M in question.

Utah Open Lands has a long history of purchasing vulnerable lands in Utah and is spearheading a coalition of nine local non profits to get their constituents to make up that $3M difference. In addition to Utah Open Lands, Wasatch Backcountry Alliance, Save Our Canyons, Mountain Trails Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Summit Land Conservancy, Sierra Club, , Friends of Alta and Winter Wildlands Alliance are all rallying their members for donations. Zions Bank recently to donating $100,000 and pledged a $300,000.00 matching grant.

According to Mountain Trails Foundations’ trail master Rick Fournier, Bonanza Flat represents a huge opportunity for new trails. Not only is the rolling terrain almost perfect for a mountain bike park, but it has the opportunity to put this park in as a connection from the Crest and Park City’s trails to the WOW trail, for an unprecedented connection from the Wasatch Front to the Back on killer singletrack. It’s important to note that the existing Crest parking area at Guardsman Pass is within the Bonanza Flat parcel, and though Park City’s developers have generally been good about maintaining trailheads, it’s likely that they will be more focused on creating an “exquisite mountain experience” for wealthy homeowners than they are on improving traffic-challenged trailheads. If the Bonanza Flat area is preserved, Fournier estimates that there will be multiple nearby trailheads with connections to the Crest to disperse the parking load. And if you think that global warming may not necessarily be a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese, note that Park City’s wintertime fat biking and Nordic ski opportunities may need higher elevations to create viable snowy trails, which Mountain Trails is looking forward to generating as well.

The Wasatch has long had a history of private entities generating development plans and fighting against the public that seeks Mountainous open spaces for solace and recreation, etc. With few opportunities for large parcels to be purchased and preserved for public use, this is the best time in recent memory for mountain bikers and others to step up and purchase valuable land that will result in great new trails. The deadline for donations is March 15th, so take the opportunity now to go to Utah Open Lands website (www.savebonanzaflats.org) and create a donation to help preserve land and create new trails!

[Editor’s Note: Bonanza Flat was acquired by Park City in June 2017, after approval of a $25-million dollar bond was approved by Park City residents and nearly $13-million in corporate and individual donations to close the funding gap.]

Salt Lake City Seeks Responses to Parks and Open Space Needs Survey – Cyclists Encouraged to Respond

Dave Iltis
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Salt Lake City Seeks Responses to Parks and Open Space Needs Survey – Cyclists Encouraged to Respond
2 riders on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. The BST is a key part of Salt Lake City's open space. Photo by Dave Iltis
2 riders on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. The BST is a key part of Salt Lake City’s open space. Photo by Dave Iltis

March 31, 2017 – Salt Lake City has made available a Parks and Open Space Needs Assessment public survey that is the start of a process to guide parks and public lands within Salt Lake City over the next 20 years. Eventually, the Parks and Public Lands Department will produce a Master Plan that will facilitate this. The open lands in the foothills of Salt Lake City is a key area for mountain biking and has potential to have a much improved trail system. Salt Lake City is concurrently working on a trails master plan that will be adjunct to the larger open space and parks plan. Additionally, there are a number of bike parks, pump tracks, jump parks in Salt Lake City that are key parts of the park system. Bicycle Polo needs a home, and there is potential to have a facility within Salt Lake City.

Cyclists and all park and open space users are encouraged to respond to the survey. The survey is just an initial step in the process. It will be followed by more open houses and opportunities to comment once the needs of Salt Lake citizens are assessed. Once the public input portion is concluded, the needs assessment will be created and out in November of 2017.

Take the Survey, Click Here

Salt Lake City’s statement on the survey and link to take it are below:

Salt Lake City Parks and Public Lands is embarking on a new project to plan our growth for the next twenty years. From the earliest days of settlement, parks have been a key element of City planning and our quality of life. That commitment has extended to natural open spaces with a concerted effort over the last 10 years to protect undeveloped natural lands. The City’s 820 acres of parks and more than 1,200 acres of natural lands need regular improvements and maintenance so that they can be enjoyed every day by the community. We want to make sure we make improvements in a way that reflects community needs and priorities.

To get started we are asking you to take a short survey letting us know a little bit about how you use and value the Salt Lake City Parks and Open Spaces. Please Take the Survey or find out more by visiting the project website at http://www.slcplays.com/ .   get started we are asking you to take a short survey letting us know a little bit about how you use and value the Salt Lake City Parks and Open Spaces.

We will also be hosting two public workshops in April please mark your calendars and attend if you can.

Wednesday, April 26, 2017, 6:00-8:30 p.m. Sorenson Multicultural Center 855 W. California Avenue Salt Lake City, UT 84104

Thursday, April 27, 2017, 6:00-8:30 p.m. Forest Dale Golf Course Clubhouse 2375 South 900 East Salt Lake City, UT 84106

 

Cycling Utah’s responses to the Survey:

  • What is working well in Salt Lake City’s parks and open space today?

    There is great access to parks and open space. Salt Lake City has been blessed with an awesome greenbelt so close to the city.

  • What is not working well in Salt Lake City’s parks and open space today?

    SLC needs a trails master plan for mountain biking and hiking. SLC needs a recreational cycling plan (submitted previously: https://www.cyclingwest.com/advocacy/a-proposal-for-a-salt-lake-city-recreational-cycling-plan/ )
    Also, many of the facilities are in disrepair such as the Lindsay Gardens tennis courts, 900 E and Sugarmont (?) tennis courts. The Fairmont Park court is right next to the Boys and Girls club, and could be a great facility for that group.
    There’s no facility for the fast growing sport of bike polo. One of these tennis courts could be converted.
    Often in the foothills there are issues with some off leash dogs whose owners don’t control their pets well.
    Basketball is left up to the schools mostly. This is ok, but only if the nets are in good repair. Basketball is a great outlet for all ages, and keeping the court and net in good repair is easy, but often overlooked. Some partnership with the SLC School system is needed.

  • Which park or open space do you visit the most?

    Bonneville Shoreline Trail

  • How do you get to that park or open space?
    • Other – Bike and car
  • How often to you visit Salt Lake City parks and open spaces?
    • Weekly
  • What amenities do you most commonly use when visiting parks and open spaces? (choose up to five)
    • Benches and shady areas
    • Basketball
    • Open grassy areas
    • Hiking or biking trails
    • Natural open space
  • What are the most important functions of parks and open spaces? Please rank by sorting the list below from most important to least important.
    1. Protection of environment and ecosystems
    2. Outdoor fitness, health and staying active
    3. Opportunities to connect with nature
    4. Community and neighborhood quality of life
    5. Spending time with family and friends
    6. Cultural events, such as live music and festivals
    7. Space for organized sports, such as intramural or competitive leagues
  • Anything we didn’t mention? Additional comments:

    There needs to be a network of trails and bike routes to connect the various parks. Each park should be accessible by biking or walking.
    Liberty Park and Sugarhouse Park would benefit from having a bike share station, especially Liberty Park.
    SLC needs to resume its Bike Park Plan. This was started a few years ago, but never completed.
    Also, see the Recreational Cycling Plan https://www.cyclingwest.com/advocacy/a-proposal-for-a-salt-lake-city-recreational-cycling-plan/ as mentioned previously.
    Lastly, why hasn’t the Recreation Bond been revisited? The SLC Council was going to revisit this in 2016, but so far hasn’t. This would be of great benefit for SLC.

Give to local Bicycle Charities – Love Utah, Give Utah Day is March 30, 2017

Dave Iltis
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Give to local Bicycle Charities – Love Utah, Give Utah Day is March 30, 2017

FB Instagram Square_HexagonMarch 30, 2017  – Love Utah, Give Utah Day – March 30, 2017 –   sponsored by the Community Foundation of Utah is a fundraising drive that benefits Utah charities. For donations made today, Utah bicycle charities (and of course many other non-profits) qualify for challenge grants and prizes that extend the value of the donation. Both small and large donations are welcome. Donations will be accepted on other days too.

The following bike and trail related charities are participating:

Weber Pathways

Trails Utah

Bonneville Shoreline Trail Committee

Jordan River Foundation

Bikes for Tykes Utah

Karma Bike Shop

Head Into Summer – Helmets For Kids through Karma Bike Shop

Ogden Bicycle Collective

Provo Bicycle Collective

Bicycle Collective

Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective Expansion Project

Logan Blue Bikes Community Bike Share

South Summit Trails Foundation

South Main Clinic (Bicycle Helmet giveaway)

Bike Utah

Brain Injury Alliance of Utah (for $5 helmets for kids)

Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation (bike at their venues, like Soldier Hollow)

Utah Open Lands to Preserve Bonanza Flats

Other bike related groups not participating but that you can still donate to: 

Parley’s Trail (PRATT)

Corner Canyon Trails

To donate to any of these great bike related non-profits, visit: http://loveutgiveut.razoo.com

Brown, Powers, Jenkins, Wright, and Rogers take RMR Wins on March 18, 2017 – Photo Gallery, Report and Results

Dave Iltis
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Brown, Powers, Jenkins, Wright, and Rogers take RMR Wins on March 18, 2017 – Photo Gallery, Report and Results
Cortlan Brown (Canyon Bicycles) solos to victory at the Rocky Mountain Raceways Criterium 3-18-2017. Photo by Dave Iltis/cyclingwest.com
Cortlan Brown (Canyon Bicycles) solos to victory in the A Flite at the Rocky Mountain Raceways Criterium 3-18-2017. Photo by Dave Iltis/cyclingwest.com

March 18, 2017 – Cortlan Brown, Canyon Bicycles Pro Racing, soloed to an impressive win in the A flite of the Rocky Mountain Raceways weekly criterium series. The long running race series is a mainstay in the Utah scene, and one of key reasons that Utah has a large number of road racers per capita. Brown’s win was impressive in that the conditions were windblown, albeit sunny and mild.

In the B flite, Scott Powers, Zone 5 Racing, won a two-up sprint over Contender Bicycles rider Josh Bromley, with Zone 5 Racing speedster Taylor Edwards picking up the field sprint palmares in 3rd place.

In the C flite, Jim Jenkins of America First Credit Union Racing took the win. 

And, in the Masters, Stephen Rogers, Zone 5 Racing, soloed in, with Nathan Barnes (Canyon Bicycles) and Andre Gonzales (Ski City) taking second and third respectively. Gonzales went after Rogers, and Barnes after Gonzales, all soloing in, with Barnes passing Gonzales at the end. Darin Boyd came in right on the heels of Gonzales in the field sprint.

Dianna Wright of Project Hero won the women’s event over Kelly McPherson (Zone 5).

Photo Gallery of all racers and all categories: http://www.gallery.cyclingwest.com/v/2017-bike-racing-photos/Rocky+Mountain+Raceways+Criterium+3-18-2017/

To sign up and race, visit utahbikeracing.com

Dianna Wright won the women's flite at the Rocky Mountain Raceways Criterium 3-18-2017. C's and Masters. Photo by Dave Iltis/cyclingwest.com
Dianna Wright won the women’s flite at the Rocky Mountain Raceways Criterium 3-18-2017. C’s and Masters. Photo by Dave Iltis/cyclingwest.com
The Masters on course at the Rocky Mountain Raceways Criterium 3-18-2017. C's and Masters. Photo by Dave Iltis/cyclingwest.com
The Masters on course at the Rocky Mountain Raceways Criterium 3-18-2017. C’s and Masters. Photo by Dave Iltis/cyclingwest.com

Rocky Mountain Raceways Criterium 3-18-2017 Results

A Flite
1 Cortlan Brown Canyon Bicycles Pro Cycling
2 Michael Booth Canyon Bicycles Pro Cycling
3 Joe Waters Bingham Cyclery Peak Fasteners
4 Jason Castor Contender Bicycles
5 Nathan Barnes Canyon Bicycles Shimano
6 Trevor Jackson Caliber SBR Cycling
7 Vigen Sarkisian Mountain Peaks
8 Gavin Storie Team Endurance 360
9 Michael Ferrell Team Feral Catz
10 Stephen Rogers Zone Five Racing
11 Jason Goodfellow Canyon Bicycles Shimano
12 Tanner Soelberg FFKR Contender
13 Ira Sorensen Canyon Bicycles Shimano
14 Joshua Frick Team Beyer Auto
15 Tom Gosselin Unattached
16 Daniel Sellers Cicada Racing
17 Jared Brewer Ski City Cycling
18 Ben Schmalz Cicada Racing
19 John Mckone Squadra FlyingTigers
20 Mike Underhill Canyon Bicycles Shimano
21 Todd Taft KUHL
22 Breanne Nalder Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling
23 Jon Gallagher Cole Sport
24 Tom Millar SBR
25 Zack Butterfield Canyon Bicycles Shimano
26 Tom Gosselin Unattached

B Flite
1 Scott Powers Zone Five Racing
2 Josh Bromley Contender Bicycles
3 Taylor Edwards Zone Five Racing
4 Sean Hoover Canyon Bicycles Shimano
5 Alex Whitney America First Credit Union
6 Mike Pratt Canyon Bicycles Shimano
7 Travis Gilliam Canyon Bicycles Shimano
8 Preston Edwards Zone Five Racing
9 Braden Hudspeth Canyon Bicycles Shimano
10 Chad Chenoweth Plan 7
11 Al Michini Canyon Bicycles Shimano
12 Adam Uribe Pavestone Capital Cycling
13 Jason Olsen America First Credit Union
14 Steve Pace Zone Five Racing
15 Jim Sawka Zone Five Racing
16 Lance Heaton Unattached
17 Andrew Robinson Zone Five Racing
18 Billy Rappleye Zone Five Racing
19 Ben Derieg FFKR Racing
20 Enoch Pitzer Bountiful Bicycle
21 Jacob Santini Contender Bicycles
22 Moses Fernandez Canyon Bicycles Shimano
23 Kjarsten Christensen Saltcycle Intelitechs
24 Jared Weber Bountiful Bicycle
25 Mark Miller Canyon Bicycles Shimano
26 Ryan Mauser Zone Five Racing
27 Grant Simonds Ski City Cycling
28 Patrick Morton Stay Park City
29 Mary Emerson Plan 7
30 Teal Buchi Unattached
31 Travis Martin America First Credit Union
32 Jase Hoover Canyon Bicycles Shimano
33 Morris Pusey America First Credit Union
34 Troy Huebner Zone Five Racing
35 Steve Pace Zone Five Racing
36 Chris Davidson Ford Cycling
37 Jacob Bouck Canyon Bicycles Shimano
38 James Straton Noble Cycling
39 Andrew Robinson Zone Five Racing
40 Heidi Roundy S2C Bosch Pearl Izumi
41 Guy Roundy S2C Bosch Pearl Izumi
42 Jeff Hogg America First Credit Union

C Flite
1 Jim Jenkins America First Credit Union
2 Greg Guest Zone Five Racing
5 Hayden Johnson Canyon Bicycles Shimano
6 Jack Shuckra FFKR Racing
7 Nate Furman Unattached
8 Cameron Scott Zone Five Racing
10 David Hansen Zone Five Racing
11 Kelly Callister America First Credit Union
12 Christian Moreno Caliber SBR Cycling
14 Tim Hanson Zone Five Racing
15 Lamond Crook Contender Bicycles
16 Matt Tennison Team Plan7
17 Brian Kieran Unattached
18 Andrew Yapias Unattached
19 Javier Compos Saltcycle Intelitechs
20 Collin VanHook Unattached
21 Adrian Ulibarri Intermountain Livewell
22 Steve Holden Project Hero Utah
23 Charles Owen Zone Five Racing
24 Michael VanHook Unattached
25 Rich Campbell Zone Five Racing

Masters
1 Stephen Rogers Zone Five Racing
2 Nathan Barnes Canyon Bicycles Shimano
3 Andre Gonzalez Ski City Cycling
4 Darin Boyd Zone Five Racing
5 Andrew Love Zone Five Racing
6 Scott Powers Zone Five Racing
7 Robert Lofgran Ski City Cycling
8 Alex Whitney America First Credit Union
9 Andrew Robinson Zone Five Racing
10 Morris Pusey America First Credit Union
11 CJ Wolf Unattached
12 Steven Parry Zone Five Racing
13 Mark Alston Unattached
14 Daniel Frederick Zone Five Racing
15 Vigen Sarkisian Mountain Peaks
16 Billy Rappleye Zone Five Racing
17 John Rech America First Credit Union
18 Jim Sawka Zone Five Racing
19 Evan Brady Unattached
20 Ken Louder FFKR Racing
21 Travis Martin America First Credit Union

Ladies
1 Dianna Wright Project Hero Utah
2 Kelly McPherson Zone Five Racing

Tour of the Gila Announces UCI Team Selection for 2017 Men’s and Women’s Race

Cycling West
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Tour of the Gila Announces UCI Team Selection for 2017 Men’s and Women’s Race

TouroftheGila2017Womensjerseys

Utah Teams Visit Dallas-DNA Pro Cycling and Canyon Bicycles Pro Cycling to Race Women’s and Men’s Race Respectively

Press Release: March 28, 2017 (Silver City, NM) – More than two-dozen men’s professional cycling teams and a dozen women’s teams have accepted invitations for the 31st edition of the Tour of the Gila. The race is once again proud to be hosting top veterans and young talent from North America and around the world. The 5-day stage race will begin on Wednesday, April 19 and end Sunday, April 23 with the infamous Gila Monster road stage that includes over 9,000 ft. of climbing for the men, and 5,500 ft. for the women.

Several teams will be racing Tour of the Gila for the first time including foreign teams in the men’s race – Canel’s Specialized from Mexico, Mobius Racing from Australia and Movistar Team Ecuador, and in the women’s race – Rise Racing from Canada.

The challenging terrain at the Gila has long become a showcase for the rising stars of professional cycling, helping to launch the careers of national champions, Olympic medalists, and international stars. 2016 UCI Men’s overall winner, Lachlan Morton, signed to the WorldTour team Dimension Data after winning the Gila kicked-off a stellar season for the Australian.

“I first rode this race in 2010 when I was 18 years old and that was the first big race I had done,” Morton said at the finish in Pinos Altos last year. “This has always been my favorite race in the US Calendar. To win it means a lot to me…what’s going on right here is what the domestic scene is all about; this is where guys get their start.”

Record breaking, 6-time champion of the UCI women’s race, Mara Abbott, made the difficult decision to retire after representing the United States at the Rio Summer Olympics. With both defending champions absent, the race is sure to be an exciting and interesting one! 

“The Tour of the Gila always has a great mix of professional and amateur talent from all over the world. If you excel here, you can race with the best,” occasional racer and Co-Owner of Gila Hike & Bike, Chris Schlabach said. “It’s a real racer’s race. Amateurs can come here to ride the hardest stage race North America offers. Pros get to prove their bona fides and hone their fitness for even bigger races.  It’s always a great week of spectating or participating.”

In the women’s race, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling’s Lauren Hall and Katie Hall will be hoping to lead their team to overall victory. Looking to block their efforts, will be Team Colavita/Bianchi with Abby Mickey and Amber Pierce, both having enjoyed past success at the Gila. Rally Cycling will return, planning to add to their stage wins from last year, while Team TIBCO’s Lex Albrecht makes her return to domestic racing after spending last season overseas. Look for the Canadian to be a force on the steep climbs, while her teammate, Lauren Stephens, hopes to repeat her previous win in the Tyrone Time Trial. Others to watch are Scotti Lechuga from Hagens Berman | Supermint squad, and the always-competitive Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling and Sho-Air Twenty20.

TouroftheGila2017Mensjerseys“It’s going to be a fight all the way through,” explains Amber Pierce. “This race is never a foregone conclusion, and I love having that finish on the Gila Monster stage! So much can happen on that day that it’s not like a lot of stage races, where the GC is set 2 days in and then everybody else is going for stage wins the rest of the time. There is so much you can battle for, all the way through to the end, so it’s going to be tough.”

A stellar field will return once again for the men’s race. All eyes will be on UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling since recruiting Janier Acevedo over the winter to re-join his Colombian compatriot, Daniel Jaramillo, who won the Gila Monster stage in 2016. The two raced together for several years on the recently defunct Jamis-Sutter Home team. The task will not be easy with the young guns from Axeon Hagens Berman and Silber Pro Cycling nipping at their heels, along with Jelly Belly and Rally Cycling, both with multiple past stage wins and overall GC titles.

Not to be forgotten are the fast men of the peloton. While the general classification is often battled for in the mountains, the Gila offers plenty of opportunities for sprinters. A look at the preliminary roster previews what will surely be epic showdowns.

For the first time in Silver City, WorldTour lead-out man, Greg Henderson, previously of Lotto Soudal and Team Sky, will be part of the blue train of UnitedHealthcare. The veteran will likely be leading out Travis McCabe, last year’s winner of the points classification and multi-time podium visitor. Fighting him to the line will be ex-teammate, Robin Carpenter of Holowesko | Citadel, Ulises Castillo of Jelly Belly, and Eric Marcotte of Cylance Cycling among others.

The action will begin with a road race up to Mogollon on day 1, followed by the Inner Loop to Ft. Bayard for stage 2. Stage 3 will see the time trial specialist test themselves, with the general classification leaders looking to gain valuable seconds ahead of the Gila Monster. The spectator-friendly downtown crit is set for stage 4, before the fireworks for Sunday’s finale. 

For more information, or to register for the amateur categories, see: http://www.tourofthegila.com/

Participating Tour of the Gila professional teams:

Men’s Pro Continental & Continental Teams

Aevolo Cycling

Axeon Hagens Berman

Canyon Bicycles Pro Cycling

Cylance Pro Cycling

Elevate KHS Pro Cycling

Holowesko | Citadel Racing Team p/b Hincapie Sportswear

Jelly Belly p/b MAXXIS

Rally Cycling

UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling

Men’s Domestic Elite Teams

303 Project Cycling Team

Foundation Cycling New York City

Gateway Harley Davidson/Trek U25 Cycling Team

Landis/Trek

Pacific Premier Bank

Storck-CCN Development Team

Support Clean Sport/SeaSucker/Guttenplan Coaching

Men’s Foreign Teams

Canel’s Specialized

H & R Block Pro Cycling

Mobius Future Racing

Movistar Team Ecuador

Silber Pro Cycling

Women’s UCI & domestic professional teams

Amy D Foundation

Colavita/Bianchi USA

Cylance Pro Cycling

Hagens Berman Supermint Pro Cycling Team

Landis/Trek

Rally Cycling

Sho-Air TWENTY20

Team TIBCO – Silicon Valley Bank

UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling

Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling

Women’s foreign teams

Conade-Visit Mexico-Specialized

Rise Racing

* Rosters are subject to change

Video: Mitch Ropelato Rips the Streets of Salt Lake City

Cycling West
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Video: Mitch Ropelato Rips the Streets of Salt Lake City

March 27, 2017 – Check out this video of local ripper Mitch Ropelato on the streets of Salt Lake City, Utah. 

Film by burst-media.com

 

Mitch Ropelato rips the streets of Salt Lake City. Video by Burst-Media.com
Mitch Ropelato rips the streets of Salt Lake City. Video by Burst-Media.com

Greenbike Salt Lake City Completes Successful First Winter of Bike Sharing

Cycling West
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Greenbike Salt Lake City Completes Successful First Winter of Bike Sharing
GreenBike, the Salt Lake City bike share program, just completed a successful first year of winter bike sharing. Photo by Dave Iltis
GreenBike, the Salt Lake City bike share program, just completed a successful first year of winter bike sharing. Photo by Dave Iltis

To Combat Inversion, GREENbike Stays Open Year-Round for the First Time;

Non-profit bike share extends season without raising prices

Press Release: SALT LAKE CITY, UT (March 21, 2016) – For the first time in its five-year history, GREENbike, Salt Lake City’s non-profit bike share program, did not close for the winter. Typically, the non-profit’s season runs from April through December. According to GREENbike management, the decision to stay open was to provide more transportation options during the valley’s winter inversion.

“The single largest contributor to our region’s air quality problem is cars. If we’re going to call ourselves a transportation alternative, we should be available to our community all year,” said GREENbike executive director Ben Bolte.

Some annual passholders have already conveyed their gratitude. Kyrene Clarke, GREENbike Member since 2015, “I’m thrilled that the bikes have stayed out and available through the winter. Because of this, I’ve been able to maintain my daily routine and rely on the convenience of GREENbike (rain, shine, or snow) to get me to and from work.”

According to GREENbike, 1,800 people have taken 13,000 rides since December 15th, 2016, the date GREENbike typically closes for the season. 82% of those rides were taken by people who had already purchased annual passes.

Though their season has increased by three months to 365 days a year, GREENbike promises not to increase annual pass prices, which range in cost from $35-$75 per year ($.10-$.20 per day).

“This decision isn’t about making money. It’s about helping clear our air,” said Bolte. “I’m thrilled we’re giving our annual users more days of riding for the same price. Thanks to SelectHealth’s renewed commitment, we can provide this extended service and make a larger positive impact.”

For more information on greenbike, see https://greenbikeslc.org/

Tour of Walla Walla Stage Race Cancelled for 2017

Cycling West
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Tour of Walla Walla Stage Race Cancelled for 2017

Cycling West magazine logoMarch 23, 2017 – The Tour of Walla Walla Stage Race, a mainstay in the Northwest and Intermountain West road racing calendar for the last 21 years, announced today that the 2017 edition has been cancelled. Race organizers Michael and Kathryn Austin sent out a note to the community explaining their decision:

To all of our dedicated Tour of Walla Walla racers, volunteers, and community members- After many sleepless nights, phone calls and much time spent staring at previous years’ registration information, I have decided to “pull the plug” on the 2017 edition of the Tour of Walla Walla. Several factors have resulted in this decision.

1. Road races throughout the Pacific Northwest are suffering. We all believe the severe winter and lack of spring riding have played into this, as has an interest switch from road racing. Numbers for races all over the west coast are down, and it pains me to include the TofWW in this number.

2. Nationwide riders are waiting later and later before registering for races, this creates a difficult situation for Promoters. With an event like the TofWW – a 3 day event and a very large operating budget, the financial risk is significant and it’s a huge risk not knowing if ‘enough’ riders will preregister before the event. We need about 300 racers to break even. Last year we missed that mark and lost about $6500. Given our current pre-registration numbers (currently we have 40 folks registered 1 month before the event) and projecting registrations we would expect to see in the next month, the event would stand to lose between 6 and 9 thousand dollars. I just can’t ask my family or my business to assume that risk.

Making this decision is not easy and is quite upsetting to Kathryn and I, especially after a long and successful 21-year run of this race, but the reality of this year just can’t be denied at this point, we truly feel that any “hopeful thinking” will only prolong the inevitable and make cancelling that much harder for us and for the riders who have registered. To the folks who have already signed up (or who hold a registration voucher from a previous year), thank you for your registration and commitment, I will be working to facilitate refunds over the next several days. Thank you to all our dedicated racers, volunteers, and community members. It has been our pleasure to provide an elite level of road racing here in Walla Walla for the last 20+ years, and our sincere gratitude goes out to this community and all involved. We look forward to hearing more from our community about what sort of event riders can support in the future, and reevaluating how we can continue to provide an outlet for cycling and racing in our region moving forward.

Thank you all- Michael Austin – Race Coordinator

Kathryn Austin – Assistant Race Coordinator

For more information on the event, see tofww.org

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