RIDE UP YOUR ALLEY

It’s a blast!

Posted on Aug 1, 2017 | Comments Off on It’s a blast!

With road work along FR26 and FR99, the north side of Mt St Helens’ Windy Ridge (the Blast Zone) is seeing very little activity this summer. And so when a group of friends had in mind to take on the Ape Canyon/Smith Creek Epic we knew we would have a chance to enjoy “surfing the pumice” minus any crowds.

Lunching

Alex on Windy Ridge

A Fine Line

View up from Ape Canyon. The traverse is getting to be a bit sketchy.

An Ape Canyon Classicâ„¢

A lurking volcano

Shtoked

Shready!

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Gateway to Adventure

Posted on May 12, 2017 | Comments Off on Gateway to Adventure

Out past Bremerton, Seabeck, Holly and Dewatto, the hills offer context and texture to the Hood canal and Tahuya Penninsula. You know you’ve arrived when you reach the Lost Highway.
Stop in at our Radventure Emporium, enjoy a libation at our Counsultation Station and start your next radventure with us. 

Open M-W 9am-6ish, Thurs-Fri 9-8pm

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2017 is for buggin out.

Posted on Apr 19, 2017 | Comments Off on 2017 is for buggin out.

All roads are for riding. Travis get’s dowwn with his Rohloff equipped Crust Evasion, WTB Ranger 3.0 fast rollers wrapped around Velocity Dually’s, Jones carbon bar, XT M8000 hydro stoppers, White Industries G30 cranks, SON 28 dyno powered Luxos U. Eriksen Ti Sweet Post proping up the Cambium 17, Chris King headset and bottom brisket. Stick an Atomic Cyclewerks BYOBB into that Wald 139, and start your digging. Pretty damn near the bees knees.

Want a closer look? Click image 🙂

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SHOP EXPANSION – May 5th Open House

Posted on Apr 15, 2016 | Comments Off on SHOP EXPANSION – May 5th Open House

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*BRING ON THE SPRING! OUR SHOP EXPANSION WAS A SUCCESS, AND WE’RE READY TO DIAL YOU IN FOR THE ROAD AHEAD!* SEE YOU ON MAY 5TH FOR OUR OPEN HOUSE – Cinco de Mayo, My oh, My oh, My, What a Nice Bike Shop! *

 

Hi Folks – we’re growing!! And to express our gratitude for our awesome customers, we’re closing the shop 4/14 and 4/15 (and working throughout the weekend) to create our new and expanded Service Laboratory and Radventure Emporium. We’re stoked about our new check-in counter, adding an additional work stand, our new wheel-building station, expanding our product lines, and our casual custom Consultation Station. Pretty cool stuff!

So while you’re free to stop by and entice us with your weekend adventure plans, we’re gonna stay to course so we can open up on Monday 4/18. We’ll take the next couple of weeks to complete the vision, so as to get things in order for our May 5th Open House.

Thanks for your patience. Stay pumped up!!

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BOOM! Shop Hoodie!!

Posted on Mar 9, 2016 | Comments Off on BOOM! Shop Hoodie!!

Last October, we had a visitor from Maine who came wanting to rent a sweet Bridgestone RB-2 for several days. Happy to oblige, I asked what brought him to Seattle. “I’m here doing a bit of research for a book I’m writing” he replied. I nodded, “right on, riding bikes helps me ‘peel back the layers of the onion’ too. You’ve picked a fine destination.” He was looking forward to exploring the San Juans and taking in the sweet vistas while diving into some family history. We set him up, and sent him on his way… A couple of days later he shows up while we’re opening up for the day, with a couple of coffees for us and a huge smile. It’s clear he’s having a good time. He’s chatty in a burly upper-east coast way, telling stories in a physical manner. He’s a pleasant older gentleman with a robust vocabulary, a fairly deep knowledge of cycling, and a seemingly pure love for life.

Just hanging out in front of the shop, sipping coffee, he’s with the rental RB-2, and he’s talking us up. He’s lived a life full of hardships and explains that he grew up with 6 brothers, 4 of them now dead from drugs. Growing up, the brothers would play a game called “Stun”, or “nuts, backwards”. He explained the rules of the game- 1 point for hitting a brother in the nuts. 3 points for dropping him to his knees. 5 points for making him cry. To illustrate his point, he chucks the rental helmet against the brick wall, “BOOM, CAN OF SOUP. 5  POINTS”

We’re proud to offer you our first Back Alley Bike Repair Shop Hoodie. Featuring the comfy, midweight full-zip, Gildan hooded sweatshirt, custom screened by a polo homie. Jake the Snake cooked up a sweet image that celebrates the funky times of Boom, Souplife. We’re sporting a brown sleeveless version around the shop, but we’re stoked to offer this version to you with sleeves, in Black. It’s slightly warm. It’s perfect. Boom! Soup. $40 + $4.95 s/h.

 

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Portland Design Works (PDW) Full Metal Fender Road

Posted on Feb 16, 2016 | Comments Off on Portland Design Works (PDW) Full Metal Fender Road

Love ’em or hate ’em, fenders help make the wheels go round during Pacific Northwest winters. I’ve been using the PDW Full Metal Fenders on one bike or another over the last 3 winters. Initially, I was using them on a tight-clearance road bike that did not have front or rear eyelets for mounting fenders. They worked perfectly, as advertised. Which means that with a lil bit of initial fidgeting, these wrapped elegantly around 23c tires and protected toes and drivetrain alike.

Typical with all fenders, there is the occasional “ticking” of road debris that can get picked up by tires. PDW’s thoughtful mounting hardware helps create as much clearance as your frame will allow as the slim Full Metal Fender profile occupies a mere 1mm. Or about the thickness of a credit card. These fenders include 2 sets of eyeleted washers that work with front and rear hub skewers.

Below, you can see my current “winter commuter/training wheels” set up on my fixed gear. I’ve actually squeezed 25mm tires under these 30mm wide fenders. I went a bit further into customization and drilled out the eyeleted washer to accept 9mm and 10mm solid axles. Without a rear brake or drilled out seat stay bridge, I went with a small rubberized P-clamp and then drilled out the fender. Clearance is adequate yet I would not attempt to permanently mount a rear light to this fender with these tires.

Since these were introduced 3+ years ago, PDW has added a wider 45mm version as well as a black version (if you ask nicely) sold only through your local bike shop. At $120 a pop, these will allow you solace while you grind through those winter base miles, or get caught out beyond a sunbreak.

PROS

Clever mounting hardware.

Effective design- slight fluted aluminum construction, incorporated (and replaceable) mudflap, relatively light-weight, and gun metal anodized good looks.

Durable.

CONS

Not well suited for loose gravel (though The City 45mm fender would cover that territory).

Typical of most fenders, slight modifications/customization is usually in order (but that’s why LBS, right??!) to get optimal fit.

VERDICT– Well thought out solution to full fenders for tight clearance road bikes without provisions for fenders. Now with the 45mm wide The City version, these modern and stylish mudguards invoke confidence while preserving your drivetrain and dignity.

Full Fender Croll

 

 

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