Footage from Garmin-Sharp in the Tour Peloton

More pro teams are using on-bike cameras to film the inner workings of the pro peloton.

Garmin-Sharp, the American-based team using Cervelo bikes, used cameras several times during the Tour. Here's the latest offering.

slipstreamsports.com

We don't know about you, but our heart rate goes up just watching this video. The speed is so high, the other racers are so close and the conditions (rain, wind, corners, cobble stones) are just treacherous. 

The video is also a celebration of strength and grace. Watch how the riders pedal, when they don't pedal to conserve energy, look at the positions on the bike, and watch how they handle their bikes through the challenging conditions. You can see the speed and conditions in the lower right.

That's why bike riding is so damn beautiful.

Get Your Polish Moon Bike Tour T-shirt, Food Early

The Wisconsin Bike Federation is hosting the first annual Polish Moon Bike Tour on Friday, August 22. 

Click on the link and check out the fun. It's a ride around Walker's Point, Silver City, and Lincoln neighborhoods, the historical Polish neighborhoods of Milwaukee.

It's going to be huge fun, and we at Ben's are going to be right there in the middle of it. 

Starting at 6, we'll be grilling our famous Polish sausage. Then we'll join the ride and celebrate this great new Milwaukee event.

We even created a very limited edition t-shirt to commemorate this event.  We have both men's and women's style t-shirts. 

We're offering a special deal to raise funds for the Bike Fed: buy the limited edition t-shirt and a sausage for $15 before the ride and $20 day of ride. We're only printing a small number of t-shirts so make sure you get yours by pre-ordering.

If you want to purchase the shirt and sausage before the ride, please follow these instructions:
1. Log into your paypal account and My Paypal.
2. Click on Send Money.
3. Click on Pay for Goods and Services
4. In the email, type in: "polishmoon@benscycle.com"
5. Make sure you add a note "Polish Moon." with the size of your shirt. We did order women's style t-shirts as well.
6. Your sausage and t-shirt will be ready for you at the ride!

Mark Your Calendars! Cross-Shooshko Cyclocross Race on Oct. 4

On October 4, the Milwaukee Bicycle Company Race Team and Milwaukee Bicycle Company will host Cross-Shooshko, a cyclocross race at the historical Kosciusko Park in Milwaukee.

Here is the basic course map for the race. It is roughly 1.8 miles. The pit will be in the main field and have access from both sides. We'll use the hill in several devious and fun ways! 

We are planning a community festival with music, food trucks, even a rummage sale of bike parts! And there may be Permissable Beverages Ready for hand-ups, give-aways. 

More information with specifics to come soon! 

Milwaukee Bicycle Company Launches Facebook Page

The Milwaukee Bicycle Company has launched a new Facebook page!

On it, you'll find news, information, and special offers for the famous Milwaukee Bicycle Company bicycles and brand merchandise. 

Fugitive

Milwaukee Road

The Milwaukee Bicycle Company recently released the Mettle, its race-ready cyclocross bike. The Fugitive, the MBC gravel/touring bike, is schedule to arrive in early September. 

The Mettle

MBC supports the Milwaukee Bicycle Company Racing Team, a group of riders racing cross, mountain, and road bikes. 

Grit

MBC also has a number of events planned: 

• cyclocross clinics on August 11, 18, and 25 at Kosciuszko Park. 

• Cross-Shooshko Cyclocross Race Oct. 4, 2014 at Kosciuszko Park.

 

• a fat tire bike race this winter. 

Ben's and Milwaukee Bicycle Company Offer Cross Clinics

Cyclocross is the fastest growing type of racing in the U.S.

And it's the most fun you can have on two wheels. 

Cross racing is typically held in parks, where cyclists ride over grass, through sand, around obstacles, pick up the bike and run up hills and over barriers. It's generally an obstacle course on bikes. 

Curious? 

The Milwaukee Bicycle Company Racing Team, supported by Ben's Cycle and Milwaukee Bicycle Company, is hosting a series of cyclocross clinics in August to teach beginners the basics of cross.

These clinics, held on three consecutive Mondays, focus on the skills you'll need to try out cross for the first time.

Races last 30 minutes for beginners so while the ride is a challenge, it doesn't require huge training or a huge commitment of time. 

At the very least, learning to race cyclocross helps you develop cornering and riding skills, while also learning how to handle your bike on different surfaces.

 

The experienced riders of Milwaukee Bicycle Company Racing Team, which races cross, mountain bike, and road events throughout the Midwest, is hosting the clinics. The team, which promotes the Milwaukee Bicycle Company bikes including the Mettle, the cyclocross race bike, is also promoting the Cross-Shooshko Cyclocross Race Oct. 4.

Here is the Wisconsin Cycling Association schedule of races. Here is the Chicago Cross Cup schedule.

Tour Round-Up: Nibali, Martin on Specialized; Busche Finishes First Tour

Specialized bicycles played a huge role in the Tour de France that ended yesterday in Paris.

Specialized decorated Nibali's Tarmac.

Overall winner, Vincenzo Nibali won on his Specialized. Nibali, an Italian who rides for the Astana Team. 

Here is his specially-designed yellow jersey edition bike.

Nibali used this Venge to win a stage of the TdF

Nibali rode a S-Works Tarmac for most of the stages and a Shiv for the time trial. 



Tony Martin, a German who rides for the Omega Pharma-Quick Step team, crushed the time trial on Saturday with his Specialized Shiv. Martin, who is the reigning world time trial champion, is called "The Bull" because of his sheer power on the bike. 

Specialized made his a special Shiv for the Tour time trial. It featured a 58-tooth front chain ring. Most mere mortals run a 53 in the front, sometimes a 55 for time trials. A 58-tooth ring takes an amazing amount of power to turn over.

In non-Specialized news, Wauwatosa-native Matt Busche of the Trek Factory Team, finished his first tour. Here is the story on cyclingnews.

Fizik Has Special Edition Tour Saddles Available on our Website.

Fizik, maker of high-quality saddles, is celebrating the Tour de France by offering limited edition saddles that reflect light

Aliante (Bull) is made for more rigid spine flexibility.

Since the Tour is lighting up the Eiffel Tower in Paris to welcome the riders to the city, Fizik re-crafted its "spine-concept" saddles to honor the race and its history. 

The Fizik saddles light up with reflection

Fizik created three different saddles to match rider flexibility. 

The Aliante ($199)is made for someone who has a fairly rigid spine. The Antares ($249) is made for someone who has moderate flexibility. And the Arione ($249) is made for more flexible spine. 

Each of these saddles is available on our website by following the links.

Antares (Chameleon) is made for moderate spine flexibility

It realizes that cyclists have varying degrees of flexibility and human flexibility affects riding behavior when cycling in a high performance position. - See more at: http://www.fizik.it/saddles/limited-edition/arione-r3-k-ium-limited-edition/#sthash.dMrReoKp.dpuf

It realizes that cyclists have varying degrees of flexibility and human flexibility affects riding behavior when cycling in a high performance position. - See more at: http://www.fizik.it/saddles/limited-edition/arione-r3-k-ium-limited-edition/#sthash.dMrReoKp.dpuf

It realizes that cyclists have varying degrees of flexibility and human flexibility affects riding behavior when cycling in a high performance position. - See more at: http://www.fizik.it/saddles/limited-edition/arione-r3-k-ium-limited-edition/#sthash.dMrReoKp.dpuf

Arione (Snake) is made for more flexible spines.

Craziest, Most Fun 24 Hours of Riding a Bike Ever

It is most likely the craziest, most fun 24 hours of continuous bike riding in the world. 

When the first group of riders take off on Pierce Street in the Riverwest neighborhood of Milwaukee tonight at 7, they embark on 24 hours of crazy checkpoints, little sleep, and general huge amounts of fun known as the Riverwest 24 bike race.

Bicycling Magazine called it the "Best Day of the Year."

 
Ben's employees have raced - and won - the RW24 in the past, and we're supporting the event with prizes for the winning teams. 

Even if you're not riding, the RW24 is amazing to watch. The neighborhood is electric with energy, businesses stay open late or even all night, and the neighbors cheer on the riders. 

Milwaukee Bicycle Company Fuels Rider's Passion

Darwin C., of Milwaukee, has owned his Milwaukee Bicycle Company Milwaukee Road bike for three years. He added some special touches including Velo Orange wheels with the high flange hubs, a Brooks saddle, and a piece of leather he crafted to fit the Wald rear rack. 


He says he has other bikes, but the MBC Milwaukee Road is his "go-to" bike: versatile, dependable, sturdy, and responsive. 

The Importance of a Bicycle Helmet

There are many ongoing debates surrounding bicycles and one that continually gets brought up is the effectiveness or necessity of wearing a helmet.

Here's one in favor of the headgear: in the event of a collision, it will take the crack so your head doesn't have to.

Our sales associate Jakub was riding into work this morning down 1st St. when he rode over a small scrap of wood. It seemed unassuming enough, but the scrap kicked up between his front spokes, locked up against the fork, and stopped his bike in its place, sending Jakub over the bars.

The front of his Giro helmet took the brunt of the collision with the pavement, and Jakub credits the helmet as possibly saving his life. Even with road rash on the nose, chin, arms and legs, and a bent fork and spoke, Jakub continued his commute into work (all teeth intact too!). He'll need a new helmet and fork, but feels lucky knowing it could have been much worse.

Nevermind a few drips of blood from the continued ride on

Nevermind a few drips of blood from the continued ride on

It's an unfortunate reality of cycling, but accidents and crashes happen, and when riding anywhere, it's always best to equip yourself with the proper safety equipment, none more important than a helmet.

You may do the same route hundreds of times on your bike without an accident, but wearing a helmet keeps you safe for that one unfortunate moment.

Garmin-Sharp team uses high-tech at Tour

Science geeks and watt watchers take heed: The Garmin-Sharp Pro Cycling team, which uses the same Cervelo bikes we stock at Ben's, uses high-tech at TdF. #wewant! http://www.bicycling.com/tour-de-france/tour-features/oh-geekery?cid=social_20140723_28339566

Discovery World Bike Campers Design Commuter Bikes, Plan Bike Routes

The bike riders of the future want gears on their commuter bikes and protected bike lanes. 

Josh explaining bike systems

The middle and high school students who attended Discovery World's Bike Shop Summer Camp spent one day with Ben's Cycle learning about how bicycles work in order to create a perfect urban commuter. 

During the morning at Ben's,the campers learned how the different parts of a bicycle work together from Josh, the lead mechanic at Ben's. Josh explained about gears, singles-speeds, side-pull and disc brakes, and different wheel sizes and tire material. The purpose was to understand what choices a bike designer had in creating a commuting bike that would be affordable to everyone, easily maintained, and durable. 

Campers fixing flats.

The campers also had a chance to repair flat tires and dissect an internal gear hub. 

Paul giving campers options for commuter bikes

The group returned to Discovery World and began to plan out specific commuter bike routes from different points in the area to downtown and Discovery World. They used maps from the Wisconsin Bike Federation to plan routes along bike paths and city streets. 

Each group of campers chose to use protected bike lanes - which separate riders from traffic using flexiposts and/or parking lanes - to create safe cycling routes. 
 
Finally, the group got to work on creating their ideal bikes. Rather than the single-speed disc-brake options the adults chose, all of the students picked geared bikes - although some with internal hubs. 

These students are all interested in design, and with more and more people using bikes for transportation, this camp gave these young people a chance to explore bike design and city planning. 

The future of bike design is in good hands. 

All photos by Peter DiAntoni peter@cogmag.com

This is Why Customers Keep Coming Back...

What makes Ben's Cycle the place to turn to for any cycling question is our staff's vast knowledge and experience in all things cycling-related.

For example, our internet guy Matt just spent 45 minutes on the phone with a customer from Vermont who had bought the wrong bottom bracket from another shop.



Without the aid of a picture of the bike or bottom bracket in question, Matt got out his ruler, a pad of paper and pen, and clicked open our parts catalog. 

He found the customer the right bottom bracket, and he set up the order to ship it the same day. 

That's what we do at Ben's. 

We are a staff of highly experienced cyclists. We ride mountain bikes locally and across the country, we take long tours on bikes, we race the road, cyclocross, mountain bike, track, and gravel, we commute every day into the shop. 

We've broken every part on our bikes and fixed or replaced them to ride again. 

We ride what we sell. We know our products. 

That's why when a customer comes to Ben's once, either in the shop or online, they keep coming back. Customers have come back to Ben's Cycle since we opened in 1928.

One More Week of Tour de France Bike Sale!

Ben's Cycle is offering huge deals on Specialized and Cervelo bikes, the brands used by Pro Tour teams in the Tour de France. Every bike is at least 30 percent off retail, saving you hundreds, even thousands of dollars.

Specialized is the bike sponsor for overall race leader Vincenzo Nibali of Astana. The Saxo-Tinkoff team, for which Alberto Contador rides, also rides Specialized bikes. 

American Andrew Talansky, who had to withdraw from this year's tour due to injuries, of Garmin-Sharp was another contender for the podium in Paris. The American team rides Cervelo bikes. 

Here is the list of Specialized Tarmacs, Roubaixs, and Cervelos that we are closing out. All bikes are at least 30 percent off retail prices.

This deal applies to in-store and online sales. Just tell your salesperson that you're calling about the "Tour de France Sale." 

Prices are good through the end of the Tour on July 27, 2014.

Ben's Cycle Tour de France Bike Sale: Prices Good Through July 27, 2014
Specialized Tarmac	MSRP	TdF Sale Price	Percent Off MSRP
2009 Expert frameset 58cm (xl)	2100	420	80
2013 Sport Grn/Blk 56 cm Frame/ Fork (blem)	1299	699	46
2010 Expert SL X2 red/carbon 54cm	3300	2099	36
2010 Comp X2 char/Carb 54cm	2700	1699	37
2012 Elite 56cm carbon/ yellow	2750	1799	35
2012 Ui2-equipped SL4 56cm bike, white/ black	5500	3500	36
2012 Comp M2 wht/blue 54cm	3300	2100	36
2012 Comp X2 54cm, Charcoal/ Carbon	2700	1749	35
2012 Comp M2 Wht/Blue 58 cm	3300	2100	36
2012 Pro SL4 SRAM Red M2 Blk 54cm	5300	3400	36
2012 Pro SL4 SRAM Red M2 Blk 56cm	5300	3400	36
Specialized Roubaix	MSRP	TdF Sale Price	Percent Off MSRP
2011 Elite SL2 Apex C2 Carb 52cm	2000	1399	30
2011 S-Works SL3 DI2 C2 Carb 54cm	9900	6940	30
2012 C2 blk/wht 49cm	2000	1299	35
2012 Elite C2 Wht/carb/gold 54cm	2750	1799	35
Cervelo	MSRP	TdF Sale Price	Percent Off MSRP
2011 R3 Ultegra 56 cm wht/blue	4000	2600	35
2011 P3 Ultegra 54cm White/Black	3600	2399	33
2012 S2 SRAM Rival 58cm Blk/Red	2800	1950	30
2012 R5 VWD 54 cm FRAMESET Black/Green	4900	3099	37
2012 R5 VWD 58 cm FRAMESET Black/Green	4900	3099	37
2012 R3 Team Ultegra 54 cm	4300	2699	37
2013 P2 Ultegra 6700 54cm silver/wht	2600	1799	31
2012 P2 Ultegra 6700 58cm Black/red	2600	1799	31
2013 P3 Ultegra 6700 Compact 54cm silver/wht	2600	1799	31
2013 P3 Ultegra 6700 Compact 56cm silver/wht	2600	1799	31
2013 P3 Ultegra 6700 58cm blk/wht/red	3700	2399	35
2013 P5 Red 58cm blk/red	6000	4100	32

Ben's Cycle is offering huge deals on Specialized and Cervelo bikes, the brands used by Pro Tour teams in the Tour de France. Every bike is at least 30 percent off retail, saving you hundreds, even thousands of dollars. Specialized is the bike sponsor for overall race leader Vincenzo Nibali of Astana. The Saxo-Tinkoff team, for which Alberto Contador rides, also rides Specialized bikes.  American Andrew Talansky, who had to withdraw from this year's tour due to injuries, of Garmin-Sharp was another contender for the podium in Paris. The American team rides Cervelo bikes.  Here is the list of Specialized Tarmacs, Roubaixs, and Cervelos that we are closing out. All bikes are at least 30 percent off retail prices. This deal applies to in-store and online sales. Just tell your salesperson that you're calling about the "Tour de France Sale."  Prices are good through the end of the Tour on July 27, 2014. Ben's Cycle Tour de France Bike Sale: Prices Good Through July 27, 2014 Specialized Tarmac MSRP TdF Sale Price Percent Off MSRP 2009 Expert frameset 58cm (xl) 2100 420 80 2013 Sport Grn/Blk 56 cm Frame/ Fork (blem) 1299 699 46 2010 Expert SL X2 red/carbon 54cm 3300 2099 36 2010 Comp X2 char/Carb 54cm 2700 1699 37 2012 Elite 56cm carbon/ yellow 2750 1799 35 2012 Ui2-equipped SL4 56cm bike, white/ black 5500 3500 36 2012 Comp M2 wht/blue 54cm 3300 2100 36 2012 Comp X2 54cm, Charcoal/ Carbon 2700 1749 35 2012 Comp M2 Wht/Blue 58 cm 3300 2100 36 2012 Pro SL4 SRAM Red M2 Blk 54cm 5300 3400 36 2012 Pro SL4 SRAM Red M2 Blk 56cm 5300 3400 36 Specialized Roubaix MSRP TdF Sale Price Percent Off MSRP 2011 Elite SL2 Apex C2 Carb 52cm 2000 1399 30 2011 S-Works SL3 DI2 C2 Carb 54cm 9900 6940 30 2012 C2 blk/wht 49cm 2000 1299 35 2012 Elite C2 Wht/carb/gold 54cm 2750 1799 35 Cervelo MSRP TdF Sale Price Percent Off MSRP 2011 R3 Ultegra 56 cm wht/blue 4000 2600 35 2011 P3 Ultegra 54cm White/Black 3600 2399 33 2012 S2 SRAM Rival 58cm Blk/Red 2800 1950 30 2012 R5 VWD 54 cm FRAMESET Black/Green 4900 3099 37 2012 R5 VWD 58 cm FRAMESET Black/Green 4900 3099 37 2012 R3 Team Ultegra 54 cm 4300 2699 37 2013 P2 Ultegra 6700 54cm silver/wht 2600 1799 31 2012 P2 Ultegra 6700 58cm Black/red 2600 1799 31 2013 P3 Ultegra 6700 Compact 54cm silver/wht 2600 1799 31 2013 P3 Ultegra 6700 Compact 56cm silver/wht 2600 1799 31 2013 P3 Ultegra 6700 58cm blk/wht/red 3700 2399 35 2013 P5 Red 58cm blk/red 6000 4100 32