We just received word that the Specialized demo fleet will be in Colorado Springs on Saturday, August 7th from 9-4 at Red Rock park on US 24 just west of 31st.

This fleet includes many models of 2011 road and mountain bikes that are not yet available to dealers.  We will certainly be there to ride them, in order to determine what to add to our regular inventory.  Customers are welcome to try out the bikes, which include S-Works bikes, as well as the many carbon models in 26″ or 29″ wheel diameters.   Fortunately, there is a big hill into Garden of the Gods right there, so there will also be a good test of the climbing ability of the Tarmacs and Roubaix models.

Customers who take a ride will receive a pair of Criterium socks in exchange for your impressions of the new models.  Just come by Saturday or Sunday to let us know what you liked about the bikes that you rode.

We have the new Roulux road bike designed by Roger Minkow at Criterium now in a men’s large, and a women’s medium.  These are not in the demo fleet, so come by the store if you want to try them out.  This is a great bike for folks who don’t like the traditional road bike position, but plan to ride on pavement most of the time.

Criterium’s new favorite team is the US MILITARY CYCLING TEAM.

These racers are active duty personnel stationed all over the world. They are a club, riding for the pure joy of bicycle racing.

We have always been partial to racers who hold day jobs!

All of the team gear is for sale at Criterium, so that you can show your support for these men and women.

Photo by Anthony Skorochod, used here by permission

Catch the day’s stage at Criterium 3 times a day with the Versus broadcast.  The live stage starts about 6:30 a.m., and moves into the final miles when we open the store at 8 a.m.  The finish is usually between 9:30 and 10 a.m.–plenty of time to catch up after your early morning road ride, or before your mountain bike adventure.  Don’t forget to sign up for the Specialized drawing for Tarmac SL3 road frames, here in the shop, or at I am Specialized.com.

Our Ironman-style triathlon bikes are on sale for July, as well as many of our rental wetsuits.

We also have the first of the 2011 Specialized road bikes–the Secteur Elites with the new SRAM Apex group–all at a friendly price to get you out on the road.  If you have been contemplating a jump from mountain biking to road riding, we recommend a days’ rental to make your decision.  Your rental fee will be deducted from the purchase price of any bike at Criterium.

Our customer, Bryce Hiigel, describes the move from mountain to road riding as ‘moving from a ropin’ horse to a cuttin’ horse.  There’s a western metaphor for Colorado riding!

The 4th begins on Saturday the 3rd for cyclists all over the world, as the Tour de France begins 21 days of road racing.  Fast guys kick off the Tour with the weekly  9 a.m. Saturday ride from Criterium.

A great trail ride for Saturday morning begins at Criterium (or further north at the Northgate Trailhead of the Santa Fe Trail) and continues north to Monument, where the best small town 4th of  July parade will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday the 3rd.  Pick up a token for free beverages from the Monument Ride Center on your way into town.

Criterium will have our traditional sale for the 4th beginning at 10 a.m. on Sunday morning.  It sounds unbelievable, but we cannot purchase enough replacement bicycles this month to replace our rental fleet.  Instead, we will feature bikes from the 2010 inventory.  And, as always, the rental bikes at the Monument Ride Center have a ‘Buy It Now’ price for those customers who prefer our superb selection of well-maintained used bicycles.

Stop by to enjoy the Tour’s highlights.  We speak cycling!

The Elephant Rock Ride kicks off the season for many riders in our region.  If you missed registration, it is still open for registration at the start on June 6th. www.elephantrockride.com.

Elephant Rock also includes a 24-hour race at the Douglas County Open Space on June 5-6.  If you have never watched a 24-hour race, this is just 15 minutes away via I-25 at the Greenland exit.

June is Bike Month here in the Pikes Peak Region:  www.springsbikemonth.com for the full menu!

The Monument Art Hop-n-Roll will be Saturday June 17th, 5:30-8:00 p.m. at the Monument Ride Center.  Bring your townie or cruiser, and enjoy the small town feeling.  Monument has another festival on Saturday, June 19th with a band right next door to the Ride Center.

There are a few great bargains left from the Memorial Day rental sell:  Carbon Rize 2 full suspension demo bikes in medium and large, and a tall (21″) Rockhopper Expert mountain bike.  We will have more full suspension mountain bikes, and the road bike fleet for sale on July 4th.

All bikes are sold ‘As-Is.’  How are they?  Well, they were rentals, so they had maintenance before every single rider.  That puts them in the top 1% of all used bikes for overall condition.

Yes, we have even more rentals for sale:    Check out the rental bikes at the Monument Ride Center.  They all have a ‘BUY IT NOW’ price which goes down as the bikes are used.  488-5761, or www.monumentbicycles.com for directions and hours.

Both Criterium and the Monument Ride Center will be open 10-6 on Sunday so that Moms can celebrate by riding bicycles, just as they have for over a hundred years.

Come by Criterium to see this season’s practical and flattering riding clothes.  We have some fabulous reds, although the styles are slightly different than the vintage poster…

…the Monument Ride Center opens Saturday, May 1st.  It is 15 miles upstream via the Santa Fe Trail through the USAFA.  If you are continuing on to Palmer Lake, that is 18.1 miles total, and there are an additional 8.5 miles available across the county line in the Douglas County Open Space.

Stop in at Criterium to sign up for our early-season ride incentive before you head north.  During May we will have prizes for riders who complete the 15-mile ride to Monument for the first time this season.  There will also be incentives for completing the road loop from Monument going north via 105, through Larkspur, and back on Spruce Mtn Road–about 30 miles.

The Ride Center has a separate rental fleet, same-day minor repairs, and little stuff that you forgot to bring along, as well as a schedule of on-bike riding classes:  www.monumentbicycles.com

Beaches and boardwalks, summer afternoons with picnic baskets, 1950’s sandlot America: whatever images come to mind, cruisers are back on the bicycle scene in a big way. With the resurgence of cycling as a lifestyle, cruisers are currently one of the most popular forms of relaxed urban transportation. Most feature coaster brakes, balloon tires and cushy seats, wide handlebars, and of course, snazzy accessories.

The culture of the cruiser is communal. Cruisers mean meeting up with friends, noticing and being noticed, then ringing the bell and heading down the path in search of summer adventure, but always within earshot of mom’s call to dinner. On a cruiser, the only race is to the corner and back, and the greatest prize is a best friend’s high-five.

So this year we put the the Cruiser back into Criterium with Phat Cycles.

Descending the South Canyon Trail in Palmer Park

These April days have been shaping up right nicely for some primo riding conditions. The expanding daylight hours with fall like evening temperatures are providing excellent after work riding opportunities. Even after that seemingly major snow last week, by the mid afternoon the ground was dry and ready to go! If you were in doubt, the season is upon us so LET’S RIDE !!!