We're baaack!

Wheelhouse is open for the 2010 season with lots of new stuff in store. Keep checking our blog for info about advocacy in Detroit as well as rides we sponsor (formally and informally!). But what we'd like to share with you at the moment is details about the bikes we have in-stock for sale. So here goes! Kona Smoke. This the bike that started it all. The Smoke is a mountain bike equipped for the urban jungle. It's got monster tires, comes equipped with fenders and looks downright badass. MSRP $425.

Kona Dew. This is like the Smoke's slightly more sophisticated older sibling. Its narrower tires and aluminum frame make it fast and light -- and sharp! MSRP $449.

Kona World Bike. A three-speed internal hub keeps the World Bike tight and simple. And affordable. MSRP $399.

Origin8 Cutler 7. Seven speeds and sleek, this bike has won us over with its steady handling and recession-friendly pricing. $300.

Sun Ruskin. This bike is tailor-made for comfortable cruising city streets at a casual pace. 2009 Model available in Red/Black for $300.

We are also able to order any Kona, Origin8, Surly or Sun bicycle that we don't currently have on the floor. Come by and take a bike for a test spin!

March E-Blast re-post

Hey, if you are not on our email list, you're missing out! We don't bug you much, there's just one email a month that details our tours, service specials, sponsored rides, sales and what's going on with bikes in Detroit in general. Here's our March E-Blast that went out yesterday. If you like what you see, sign up at wheelhousedetroit.com.

Hello dear Wheelhouser,

We missed you so much over the winter and are thrilled to be sending you this missive. We officially open for the season at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 19! We'll be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. through April -- we go to a seven-day-a-week schedule beginning May 1. Swing by and say hello!

Shop Local, Shop Wheelhouse! We are reopening full-steam ahead, with new 2010 Konas in stock, including our trusty favorite the Smoke ($425), the fast and light Dew ($450), the handsome Dew Drop ($800) and a wicked three-speed World Bike ($400). We also have a couple of 2009 bikes still available and soon, we will have some sweet Origin8 Cutler 7s as well. Meanwhile, stay tuned for more bikes. Per usual, we have tubes, tires, fenders, locks, lights and more...so stock up for a new season!

Get your steed in shape! Real quick, we are offering a spring tune-up special. Drop off your bike by April 16 and get a full Ron Shelton tune-up for just 40 bucks. Yes, it's ridiculous, we know. Karen says to hurry in before we change our minds.

Tour the D! Last year, our tours really took off. This year, we're going even further, with almost 50 being offered. We are keeping all of our neighborhood faves, but adding lots of themed tours -- think Industrial Heritage, Underground Railroad, Arts Incubators, Urban Agriculture, Indie Boutiques. Some tours are in the morning, some are in the afternoon and a few are even in the early evening. We have informative stops and expert guides lined up. Check out the selection and sign up for one -- or several! -- at our Tours page. We also want to make sure you know that we do private group tours, which are great for corporate team-builing exercises, non-profit fund-raisers and pre-wedding excursions. Give us a call at 313-656-2453 and we'll set something up!

What else to expect in 2010? We have so much up our sleeves for the year that we can hardly stand it. For starters, the Tour de Troit is set for September 25. We are also sponsoring Bike the Bridge on June 13, the Colin Hubbell Memorial Bike Ride on June 19 and Compuware's Motor City Bike Ride on August 28. We will be sure to let you know about registration opportunities for them all.

In closing, we really can't thank you enough for your past support of Wheelhouse, and are really looking forward to another year exploring the Motor City on two wheels with you.

Sincerely, Your Friends at Wheelhouse Detroit

1340 E. Atwater Detroit, MI 48207 313-656-BIKE (2453) www.wheelhousedetroit.com wheelhousedetroit.wordpress.com Become a Facebook Fan of Wheelhouse Detroit Bike Shop!

Bike Summit 2010

Kelli attended the 2010 Bike Summit in Washington, DC last week and came back brimming with ideas from around the country. A random sampling of thoughts and ideas...

(Kelli on a pedicab on Capitol Hill!)

• Revolution Cycles in DC has added a fourth location that functions as bike share, rentals, service and retail accessories. It was interesting to hear a larger retailer talk about rentals turning more people into cyclists, ultimately helping his business. We would concur!
• Learned a bit about the cycling commuter tax benefit, although more research is in order. Certainly, our employees would qualify...
• Adventure Cycling, an organization we first encountered last year when they came to town to discuss the Underground Railroad Cycling Route they are working on, talked about cycling tourism as a growing industry. This is a concept we are really trying to nudge our Convention & Visitors Bureau to "get." So far, not a whole lotta luck, but we'll keep plugging away.
• Quebec's La Route Verte bicycle route looks amazing. Road trip 2011?
• The Michigan delegation at the summit, which included -- among others -- Todd Scott of Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance, John and Wes from PEAC, John Lindenmeyer from League of Michigan Bicyclists, Rory Neuner from Safe Routes to School and two guys from Copper Harbor that are building an amazing trail system up there in the UP, spent a day meeting with staffers from the offfices of Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow as well as members of Congress. We discussed Complete Streets and other issues near and dear to our hearts, and heard many comments about how much more sophisticated and persuasive the bike lobby has become over the last decade.
• All in all, it was a great experience. Special thanks to the National Bicycle Dealers Association for the new bike shop scholarship that afforded Kelli the trip!

Detroit = Bike Friendly

So it's not Portland, but Detroit's low density and wide streets mean great riding. And now, the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance is getting the opportunity to prove it to the rest of the world. They've just received a $15,000 grant from REI and Bikes Belong to help earn us a Bike Friendly City designation. Kudos! Kelli just returned from the National Bike Summit in Washington, DC, so she'll be posting a re-cap soon on some exciting initiatives and ideas that were generated on Capitol Hill!

Meanwhile, enjoy this early spring while it's here!

It's the Final Countdown!

The biggest day of the month is surely March 19, when Wheelhouse opens its orange garage door again for the season. We are literally counting down the days, ordering bikes and some new product lines and all that good stuff. Just to put things in perspective, here are some other things to look forward to this month. March 15:  St. Patrick Parade, Corktown. 2 p.m. A raucous day to say the least...in some ways the beginning of Spring! (If you want to see Kelli at her bitchy-bartender best, she'll be slinging drinks at PJ's Lager House. Do not under any circumstances ask her for a martini.)

March 19, 20, 21: We are open! from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. You best come visit!

March 20: Our friends at Detroit Bikes! are having their first group ride of the year. This one is sports-themed and takes off at 10 a.m. from the Millennium Bell at Grand Circus Park.

March 21: The first annual Marche du Nain Rouge.

Slightly less organized than the St. Pat's Parade, expect a bunch of freak flags flying on Cass Ave. Yeah, we'll be there.  3 p.m. at the Third Bar is the meet up.

Click here to see the poster: Marche_8.5x11_color

March 25: Alley Cat, 6 p.m. @ The Hub. Looks like it's to be followed by some bike-oriented films at the Burton Theatre. Sweet!

March 28: Second Annual Colin Hubbell Memorial Fund Event @ The Majestic. A fun afternoon with bowling, an art auction and even cornholing, er, beanbag tossing. Find out more here.

We've started posting our tours at wheelhousedetroit.com/tours, so keep checking and start registering!

We reopen on March 19!

Less than a month from now, Wheelhouse Detroit will be back in action. We reopen on March 19.  Through April, we'll be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m., then May through September, we are open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. We've started uploading tours to our website. We are really excited about this year's roster. We've brought back favorites like Hamtramck, Architecture, Southwest Detroit and Creekside, and are adding some new ones, like Industrial, Civil War and Cycling History, Art Incubators, Galleries, Churches, Urban Agriculture...and lots more. Keep checking www.wheelhousedetroit.com/tours, we are regularly updating the site.

Our tours always include expert information and are led by a tour leaders that is certified by the League of American Bicyclists. We also provide maps and a ride sweeper that is able to care for any mechanical problems or someone that is having trouble keeping up. We ride with a maximum of 15 cyclists to ensure safety.

Miliken State Park is open

According to m-bike, Miliken State Park is finally open to the public. This means that the Riverfront doesn't dead end at Rivard Plaza anymore, but continues east for a bit. There is a trailhead to the Dequindre Cut that is part of the park, but apparently that isn't quite done yet. Any progress is good progress -- although we cannot wait until the day when Bridge to Bridge becomes a reality.

Read more here.

2 Riding Opportunities

What a great November for cycling! Not too windy, not too cold, we've been pretty lucky these last few weeks! We thought we'd share a couple of organized rides coming up. This Saturday, November 14, Detroit Bikes! is hosting their Third Annual Java Junket. Starting Location: Biggby Cafe, 4501 Woodward Ave. just south of Forest Scheduled stops include Cafe 1923 in Hamtramck, Cafe con Leche in Mexicantown, 1515 Broadway Cafe Downtown and Good Girls Go to Paris Crepes in the Park Shelton. The ride starts at 9 a.m. sharp and will conclude at about 1 p.m. Ride length is about 18 miles. The cost is FREE, but riders are encouraged to bring cash to patronize the stops. Bonus: Biggby is offering a free apple cider donut with purchase of a grande beverage before the ride, so get there a bit early.

On Wednesday, November 18, Wayne County is hosting its annual Bike Through the Lights on Hines Drive. It's about a 10-mile ride previewing the great light display that lines Hines for the holidays. It starts at Merriman Hollow, which is off Merriman between Ann Arbor Trail and Warren. Lights and helmets are required. Onsite registration is $20 and includes a long-sleeved t-shirt. There are prizes for decorated bikes. Ride starts at 7 p.m.

So long, farewell...

Many thanks for a wonderful 2009 season. We'll be back in business on March 19, 2010. So stay warm this winter and we'll see you then! Sincerely, Your friends Karen, Kelli, Ron, Lisa, Alex & Raymond at the Wheelhouse

Special Wheelhouse Weekend

With the arrival of November, so comes the end of the Wheelhouse's 2009 season. But there are afew ways to stave off the pain a bit, so join us at one or all of the following:

• Critical Mass, Friday, Oct. 30 @ 6:30 p.m. @ Grand Circus Park.

• Alleycat Race, Friday, Oct. 30 @ 6:30 p.m. @ Hart Plaza.

• End-of-Season Sale, Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Save on bikes, tubes, tires, baskets,  racks, lights and bags. Stock up for the winter or buy some holiday gifts now!

• Fare-Thee-Well Soiree,  Sunday, Nov. 1, 5 to 7 p.m. Swing by to take advantage of our sale and enjoy some snacks and brew...and say goodbye for the year!

We hope to see you!