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How to True a Bent Wheel

We get a lot of calls and requests in the store about wheel truing.  Constant bent rims can be quite expensive to maintain, so here is a great D.I.Y. article written by Dan Goldwater from monkeyelectric.com.  Be careful… it’s very easy to overdo it !!!’

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We are very honored and grateful to Bristol County Sheriff’s department, who recently chose Yesteryear Cyclery as the official supplier of service bicycles. The sheriff’s department use these bikes in many community endeavors throughout the county including community policing, crowd control and parades.

Lieutenant Paul M. Douglas  chose 4 shiny new 2016 Giant Revel 3 mountain bikes in various sizes which will be distributed amoung different officers during their duties. Paul is a Lt. in the K-9 unit and an avid cyclist himself. We equipped their SUV with an Allen 544RR 4 bike reciever hitch rack and the 4 bikes fit flawlessly.

The Bristol County Sheriff’s Office SUV “loaded” with 4 brand new Giant Revel 3’s in Black.

 

The Sheriff’s Dept has already purchased 4 other bikes used on patrols in the past year which brings their total to 8 Giant bikes !!! We also supply them with white Giro helmets for a perfectly uniform look.  These brave men and women keep us safe everyday and now along with new bikes are helping themselves to stay in better shape as well.  WIN – WIN !!!!

 

 

 

All about Helmets

When we sell a bicycle, we always ask whether you have a good helmet, too. Why? Because we know that head protection is the most important safeguard when cycling. In fact, according to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, if they’d been wearing helmets, 90 percent of bicyclists who were seriously injured or died in accidents in recent years would have survived with treatable injuries.

The thing that makes helmets so important is how high your head is above the ground when you’re riding. That’s a long way to fall and quite an impact if you strike your head. Fortunately, all our helmets offer outstanding protection. They’re even tested by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to ensure that they’ll do their job. Here are some guidelines for choosing from the many models and styles we carry.

Features and Benefits

Apart from their life-saving potential, helmets provide other benefits. One of the most surprising is their ability to cool your head. While this may seem counterintuitive, better helmets actually insulate the head from heat. They provide shade, of course. And, they’re made of polystyrene, which is similar to what coolers are made of; a foam-like material that keeps heat out. Also, modern helmets venting systems force air through providing a constant cooling breeze. Tests have shown that these features actually make a helmeted rider cooler than a bareheaded one, even on a hot day or tough climb.

Another great feature, especially for off-road riding or touring on a bike with an upright seating position, is a visor. These keep sun out of the eyes improving visibility by reducing glare and cutting down on sunburn. Plus, when you’re riding off road and the sun is low in the sky, the visor helps block rays flashing strobe-like through the trees. They’ll also knock away small branches that might hit you in the face as you ride past on narrow trails.

Modern helmets are also brightly colored, a clear signal to motorists. And because they’re on the top of your head, the highest point on your body, they make you much more visible in traffic.

Find a Fine Fit

Head and helmet shapes vary so the most important rule is to try on several models and brands to find the type that fits your head best. Start by trying on any helmet to see what size you are. Or you can measure your head just above the eyebrows with a tape measure to get an idea (small is roughly 20 to 22 inches; medium: 22 to 23.5 inches; and large: 23.25 to 24.5 inches).

Usually helmets come in at least three sizes depending on the manufacturer. You’re looking for one that offers a snug fit. Ask us for help if you have questions. We’re happy to help and we have the experience to point you toward a helmet that’s right for your head shape, riding style and budget.

Generally speaking, there are round and oval heads and helmet shapes that match. You can tell when the helmet fits right. It’ll feel snug all the way around. To test it, try moving the helmet side-to-side and front-to-back. If there’s more play side-to-side than front-to-back, you’ve probably tried on a round-shape helmet and you probably have a more oval-shaped head.

Keep in mind that all helmets come with fitting kits. These pads adhere to the inside of the helmet to customize it to your head. The helmet however, should almost fit your head before you add any fitting pads. Otherwise, you may have to put in a lot of pads to get it to fit, which will compromise the fit. In a really good fit, you may need no pads or only two pads, one on either side or end to snug the helmet a bit.

Fit doesn’t depend only on pads and helmet size. Most helmets today include retention devices, which are comprised of wide straps or plastic web-like retainers built into the back of the helmet that hold the base of your head. These are adjustable to fine-tune fit. And, when the retention device is properly set, it helps hold the helmet in place. This is a great feature when you’re riding over bumpy terrain.

Selecting Your Helmet

You can spend from $30 to $200 for a bicycle helmet today. Surprisingly, almost all quality models protect equally well. How can you tell a good one? Look for a sticker inside the helmet that says CPSC. If it has this sticker, the helmet has passed rigid testing standards. All our helmets have passed these tests.

Consider how you’ll use the helmet, too. As we mentioned, a visor is a handy feature for off-road use. You may not want it for road use, however, because if you ride with your head down, the visor can block vision a bit. Many helmets today come with removable visors though, which allow you to use the same helmet and customize it for the conditions.

As you spend more for a helmet, you don’t get more protection. What you get is more vents for increased cooling, lighter weight, which makes an energy-saving difference on long rides, and slightly more advanced strap and retention systems. Also, better helmets feature molding technology that incorporates the helmet’s hard shell into the polystyrene body. This helps keep the helmet in good condition longer through daily wear and tear.You might feel a difference worth paying for by trying on these helmets and if so, you should buy one. Usually, the more you ride, the more you’ll notice the design enhancements.

When trying on helmets, after fit, look for comfortable straps and ones that have a secure locking device (so they don’t change adjustment all the time). You want soft pads too that can’t chafe your head, an overall design that appeals to you, and a price that suits your budget. Remember: you don’t have to spend a lot. You’ll find very nice, perfectly safe helmets that look almost identical to the big-buck models in the $45 to $90 price ranges.

Other Considerations

When you get the helmet home, don’t ignore the owner’s manual. Study it. Even if we adjusted the helmet to your head, it’s important for you to understand how the helmet should fit and how to adjust it because as you wear the helmet, the straps may change adjustment.

Many people make the mistake of tipping the helmet back on the head when adjusting it because they think it’ll fell cooler that way (see the girl’s helmet in the photo). That’s a big mistake because a tipped-back helmet can’t protect your face in a crash.

The helmet must sit squarely on the head (see the policewoman’s photo) so that the front of the helmet will hit first if you go over the handlebars. The straps are what adjust the helmet so it will remain in this position naturally when you put it on. Adjusted correctly, you should be able to lightly tug on the helmet and it shouldn’t move or tip excessively. It should want to return to the proper position automatically. Also, the small strap buckles on either side should rest just beneath the ear lobes. Instructions in the owner’s manual explain in detail how to adjust the straps for the proper helmet fit. Be sure to ask us for help if you’re not sure.

Another important thing you can find out about in the manual is the guarantee. Some makers offer replacement policies for crashed helmets. You won’t get a helmet for free but you may save some money by returning your helmet with a letter describing what happened.

Finally, helmets don’t last forever. Helmet manufacturers recommend getting a new helmet at least every 5 years. This is important for your protection in a crash. Helmet materials break down slightly over the years and helmets just naturally take a beating in use as you toss them in the truck, drop them and ride.

We look forward to showing you some helmets!

I pride myself on being somewhat philanthopic.  I’m no Bill Gates but I try to share some of my good fortune with less fortunate people when I can.  Whether it be a homeless Hispanic woman with 3 kids in tow pushing a shopping cart on the street or a down and out customer who just can’t afford to pay for his bike repair, I try to do my part and help them out.  Everybody probably has one or two charities that they favor or like more than all the others.  Whether its Jerry Lewis and MD or Marlo Thomas and St. Judes Children’s Hospital, there are a ton of great causes out there.  I personally have chosen a more local charity as my “go to” group.

A few years ago I was introduced to Jim Stevens, director and CEO of Gifts to Give.  GTG is a non profit, local organization founded by Jim and their sole purpose is to help out Southcoast families who are either homeless or needy.  Gifts to Give was located 1 Cove St. in the south end of New Bedford in a dilapidated old brick mill and recently relocated to a much more modern facility formally operating as one of Titelist Golf’s Mfg plants.  It is located at 1 Titlelist Drive in Acushnet, just over the NB line.  This massive production is housed on the entire 2nd floor of this mill and is staffed by over 250 people ALL of whom are voluteers !!!

Gifts to Give accepts donations of good used clothing, toys and other non perishable goods.   I have seen computer monitors, paint sprayers and air compressors even !!! They also just recently opened the Gifts to Give  store which features many great items for sale at ridiculously prices.  From tap dance shoes to designer clothes, great deals can had there and all proceeds go to benefit the center.  They are open Saturdays only from 10-2.  

Where do I and the bike shop fit in to all of this ???  We offer customers the ability to trade in/up older bikes for new ones.  We also sell refurbished used bikes as well.  Sometimes customers bring in bikes to trade that are as well shall say, “Not quite up to Yesteryear’s standards ! “.  That’s not to say they aren’t decent bikes, just cycles that we would not sell in our used bike dept.  We ask the customers to “donate” them to us and we affix a “GTG” tag on them and pile them up in the back shop.  Once a week, usually on Saturday, myself and the service staff drag them out and get them fixed up, using old parts and such.  We make them safe to ride and decent enough to use.  I then pile them, sometimes 2-3 or as many as 8-10 in the company truck and drop them off at the center on my way home from work after GTG is closed.  ( I’ve got my own key !! )

                                               Me                 Jim            Andy

 

Lots of folks just donate their old bikes to Gifts to Give with other items from their homes and these bikes get piled up in the far corner at the center.  When the pile gets too big Jim or one of his associates contact me and we spend a day  in the “corner” refurbing all the old bikes.  This month it totalled 51 broken or needing service bikes, trikes and scooters !!! I piled a bunch of tires, tubes and cables and headed over with my very good friend Andy Laubi and we met up with Jim Stevens and went to work.  When we were done there was a nice neat pile of ready to go rides for tons of local kids and adults.  

 

It’s truly a rewarding and great experience doing this and just my way of paying it foward.

 

In the post WW II fourties, the bicycle began its great rise in popularity to what it is today. Bicycles were recognized as a major means of both exercise and transportation. This educational documentary from the British film council illustraits just how many steps are involved in the making of a basic Raleigh 3 speed bicycle. We at Yesteryear actually sold the model, called the DL1 which this film documents. This bicycle sold for $79.95 in 1953 !!! It featured a Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub, rod actuated hand brakes and 28″ tyres. It was considered a “luxury” bike and the top of Raleigh’s model line. It was available in mens only and came in one color…. the one you’ll see. ENJOY !!!

The New Bedford Bicycle Committee ( www.nbbc.org ), met at the shop last night for a memorial 11 mile ride organized by Darrin Ramos. We had 8 brave souls show up and with Kim driving the YESTERYEAR Cyclery “Please Don’t kick Me ” van we totalled 9 people. The ride was exactly 11 miles long ( 5.5 each way ) so the numbers worked out pretty cool. The club made great time averaging 12 miles per hour on city streets with lots of red lights. We arrived at the Acushnet 911 memorial, located on the lawn in front of the fire station on Main St. They were in the middle of their 4th annual dedication ceremony. It was GREAT. Lots of accolades to all the fallen heros both civilian and pubic servants. Then 5 beautiful young ladies got uo and sang the national anthem and got a huge round of applause. After they finished, the speaker recognized the group from “Yesteryear” who had made the vigil there and ridden 11 miles to commemorate the occasion and WE got a big round of applause and taps on the back. They then announced that it was sunset and the flag which had been flying at half mast all day would now be raised. We all turned and watched as a fireman raised the flag to full staff. It was very patriotic and touching. After some schmoosing we gathered up and trekked back to YY. A few of the “guys” hung out for some liquid refreshments at the shop and we all talked “bike”.

It was a great night and lots of fun. Please join us on future rides… we have a blast., everyone is very low-key, and easy going. No hotshots or show offs. we ride short easy rides with no pressure. Very family oriented and Kim always drives the “sag” wagon on the rear to warn traffic of bikes ahead and make sure all bikes are running well. YOu can see our schedule rides in many cyber-places:

www.nbbc.org www.yesterryearcyclery.com Facebook ( yesteryear cyclery / New Bedford Bicycle Committee )

TAX FREE WEEKEND !!!! Open Saturday 9-5 and SUNDAY 12-5. Save tons of bux AND get a FREE Hot Dog… Chips and Soda or Lemonade grilled to perfection by the lovely and talented KAREN !!!