Race With a Friend! Cross the Rock Relay Aug. 30!

Some things are better done with a partner. 

And Team Velocause is giving you a chance to pair up with someone to race cyclocross at The Rock!

Velocause, one of the teams sponsored by Ben's Cycle, is promoting Cross the Rock, a cyclocross relay race on August 30. Each person does one lap, then dismounts from the bike, and high fives the partner who goes on to do the next lap.

Save time by registering early.

Plus, there is a patio bar at The Rock, in Franklin, laser-cut trophies, and a DJ putting out the sound on the hill! 

We will be there supporting the racers and perhaps sampling what the Umbrella Bar has to offer!

Too Old to Ride? Jim Marx Destroys That Excuse

The gray-haired man who passed you on the Oak Leaf Trail? The same guy bombing down the gravity trails at The Rock? The same guy who rolls his mountain bike through the singletrack at the Kettles?

His name is Jim Marx. And we at Ben's Cycles were pleased he chose a Milwaukee Bicycle Company cyclocross frame as his road bike.

Marx is almost 70, yet he rides a bike every day. This morning, for example, he was out on the Alpha Trails at The Rock and rode a double black (or really, really hard) section of the downhill. 

Marx has been putting a lot of miles on bicycles in Wisconsin for the last 40 years. 

He started with the Wisconsin chapter of the National Mountain Bike Patrol in 2006, but since then has helped expand the bike patrol to non-mountain biking events, including triathlons, marathons, adventure triathlons, and the Wisconsin Cycling Association cyclocross series. 
 
 Last weekend, he patched up a member of the Milwaukee Bicycle Company racing team at a mountain bike event at Emma Carlin after a hard crash. He's a first responder on a bike.

He bought his Milwaukee Bicycle Company cyclocross frame 18 months ago and built it up over the winter in 2012.

His first ride on the MBC? A 450-tour across central Florida. He was 68 years old. 
 
"I built up the cross frame as a touring bike," he says. He put on front and rear racks, built up high-quality wheels with White hubs, and put wider tires on the rims. 

He bought a second MBC bike for his wife last year for a 40th anniversary gift. Since his wife has some challenges lifting her leg over a regular frame, Marx said Vince at Ben's helped design a frame that met her needs. 

"The Milwaukee gave me the opportunity to have a more pliable steel frame that felt good under me," Marx says. "I like the quality of the MBC. The cross frame worked really well for me."

Milwaukee Bicycle Company frames and forks are manufactured in Waterford, Wisconsin and sold through Ben's Cycles in Milwaukee. Customers at Ben's are able to customize paint, components, and styles. 

This is the first in a series of Milwaukee Bicycle Company customer profiles. If you have an MBC with an interesting story, contact us!

The Rock Bike Park Hosts Rad Events!

The Rock, located in Franklin at the intersections of 76th Street, Hwy. 36, and Rawson, is hosting some awesome events, which we at Ben's/Milwaukee Bicycle Company happily and proudly support.

Bikefest
   On May 31, kids and bikers of all ages can learn about safe biking and spend some time learning to ride on the skills course. 
   This is a free bike safety event sponsored by Wheaton Franciscan and the Midwest Orthopedic Specialty Hospital in Franklin. 
    Riders will get a free bike fit and safety check, provided by Ben's Cycle. In addition, they will learn rules of safe riding, ride on a skills course, get free injury assessments from a certified trainer from MOSH, and learn about bike fitness and health from Wheaton Franciscan. 
    Learn more and register at http://www.rockcomplex.com/event/bikefest/ 

Wednesday Night Mountain Bike Races
    Once again, The Rock is hosting the Wednesday night race series. Ben's Cycle/Milwaukee Bicycle Company will provide weekly prizes!
    The first race is June 4. 

Dirt Farm
    New to cycling and need some bike skills? Dirt Farm is a five-week program that focuses on teaching first-timers and beginners the skills they need to safely ride. 
    You'll learn fundamentals, bike handling skills, and riding techniques. 
    Plus there are programs for the gravity park and BMX racing! 
    Learn more at http://www.rockcomplex.com/bike-parks/dirt-farm/

Short Video: Milwaukee Bicycle Co. Carbon 29er Rippin' Down The Rock

This is an awesome short video by 14 Degree Films for Ben's Cycle/Milwaukee Bicycle Co. shot at The Rock Sports Complex in Franklin, WI.