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Cancer sucks. When writing of something so tragic and heartbreaking it can be near impossible to choose the right words. So, suffice it to say cancer sucks. The reach of the disease is wide- most of us in some way have been affected by the affliction. When facing such a challenge it may be easy to relent and give up. For all of those that are currently fighting or will pick up the fight in the future- we ride. The Pan-Massachusetts Challenge is the country's original bicycle charity ride to raise funds for cancer treatment and research. For the 35th consecutive year thousands of people will ride from central Massachusetts to Cape Cod to raise awareness of the plight of cancer patients. Last year alone PMC riders raised 39 million dollars for the Jimmy Fund and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. You heard that right 39 million dollars. The total amount raised since the PMC's inception in 1980 has been $414,000,000!  This year, PMC riders are striving to surpass a fundraising goal of 40 million dollars. We aren't talking chump change. Not only has all that money been raised, but EVERY cent of it has gone directly to the beneficiaries. It is quite a feat that the PMC organization along with its 3,000 volunteers is able to put on such a huge event and is still able to donate 100% of the proceeds to charity. Huckleberry Bicycles mechanic, Mike Jacobson, will be riding in his fourth consecutive PMC. Along with 18 friends and family, Mike will be riding for the Jaunt for Jake team. Last year the team raised over $100,000 bringing their three year total to over $300,000. The team hopes to exceed last year's staggering sum. It will not be easy, and that is why they need your help. Mike, along with his peers in the service department, strives to exceed all expectations and provide the best possible service. We ask that if you are thrilled with the service you receive to consider donating money digitally through the Jaunt for Jake team page. We understand that money is tight for many of us, and for that we appreciate you considering this incredibly worthy cause. Thank you again from everyone here at Huckleberry Bicycles for supporting our mechanic, Mike, in his journey across the country to help support those affected by cancer.   Sincerely, Your Huckleberries

  

The quality of road surfaces in San Francisco is embarrassing at best.  It ranges from nice, fast, and smooth to the decaying rubble of humanity, and I want my bike to comfortably and confidently party on through all of it.  The steel-frame bike has made a huge comeback making it easier to enjoy plush rides with fatter tires and an overbuilt relaxed position without having to ride your knobby-tire hard tail or the twitchy skinny-tire road bike to get around the city.  Salsa came out with an overbuilt do-it-all bike that is at home vacuuming up urban miles day in and day out, but that is only the tip of the iceberg for this baby.  The Vaya is a full-fledged touring bike that can be fitted with a number of rack/pannier options and loaded down with the weight of the world.

There are three Salsa Vayas: the Vaya Travel, the Vaya 2, and the Vaya 3.  Let me break it down.  At $1400, the Vaya 3 is the tried and true quality machine put out for the masses.  It’s got quality components in all the right places to keep the cost down and is ready to get into trouble right outta the box.  I personally like this one best simply because of the stock Shimano bar end shifters.  At $1899, the Vaya 2 is an upgraded version of the 3 boasting top-shelf components and modern integrated levers.  This thing is hot.  And at $3950, the Vaya Travel is the beautiful boutique touring bike with S&S couplers allowing the frame to pull apart and pack into a smaller box for airplane checking, trunk stuffing, train-hopping fun.  It of course reps top of line everything.  Do not be fooled, all versions of this bike work like a farm truck while riding like a Caddy. Ballin’ ain’t easy.

Labeling a bike a "touring bike" is a tricky thing.  On the one hand, it presupposes that the owner of the bike is a bike tourist or is going to bike tour.  On the other hand, it is a re-popularized genre of bicycle that inevitably gets lumped into “touring bike."  Make no mistake; you do not have to tour on a touring bicycle.  It is simply a way to let folks know that the bike has a stretched out geometry to carry stuff and built with components to handle anything you throw at it.  Salsa nailed all of these with a few bells and whistles to boot.

First off, the Vaya can accommodate nice thick tires in order to negotiate variable terrain.  If you want to get a little further out there on gravel this beast will do so with championship flare since they sport Continental Tour Rides right off the floor (bangin’ tires).  Second, when a front basket or panniers are weighing your rig down the stretched out geometry will actually serve to stabilize the whole situation.  Whether I’m on a fun overnighter up north with a bottle of whiskey or slamming the streets with groceries bobbling out of the basket the Vaya had me feeling in control.  And third, there is way more space for fenders to keep the slimy street grit off the khakis with a crease.

There is a bit of a debate about the use of disc brakes on an adventure-style touring bike (small parts, difficult to field repair, etc…), but it falls in line with the vibe of the Vaya 2 since Salsa uses a more contemporary upgraded version with integrated shifters.  Another big plus to disc brakes is increased braking power on such steep grades in the city.  Frame eyelets allow for secure rack and basket attachment and with two eyelets for a third bottle cage water shouldn’t be an issue on bigger rides or longer days way out there.

Unfortunately, the converted mountain bike or the converted road bike will pale in comparison to the fairyland fantasy ride of a Salsa Vaya tweaked exactly to your fit.  Throw some sweptback bars, a big front basket, and a Brooks saddle on it and call it a day.  Or keep the road drops and rack it up front to back for streamlined commuting with panniers and more efficient power for the climbs.  I would probably dress this baby up in shellacked cotton and a pretty little canvas handlebar bag.  Salsa has a flagship product here that’s screaming to get test-ridden.  So come on down to Huckleberry town and check one out!

 

Sometimes I think of the wide-eyed, one-eyed, cross-eyed army dragging one leg behind them closer and closer to my prized bike as if they were the undead working tirelessly to pick clean the fresh meat and all the dried up carcasses that line the streets here in San Francisco.  Organized bicycle crime is here to stay and so are the hoards of cycling enthusiasts (who are increasing in number every day).  What to do?  Let go of the nagging worry that something horrible will happen to your bike every time you are out enjoying the city we live in.  There are simple and affordable ways to do just this.

The $15 Abus Saddle Chain Lock is a relatively new-ish idea that has been put to patent and has had little competition.  The basic idea is that when a zombie comes out of the brutal dark corner of punishment to swoop your brand new Brooks for pennies on the dollar you can have it locked straight to your frame.  The only way to access the saddle would be to cut the saddle chain or the frame.

Kryptonite locks have a long history dating back to the 70’s and have really ramped their product line up for the aggressive and high-theft urban areas.  While they do have higher security, heavier, and more intense locking systems than the two I want to highlight, the $71 Evolution Series 4 1055 Mini Chain and the $40 Kryptolok Series 2 Mini 7, these are the most manageable and comfortable to navigate the city with.

Pinhead Locks are probably the most innovative and functional locking devices that can transform a bike from a vulnerable little kitten into a quiet confident lion.  Their product line includes small intuitive locking mechanisms to secure your tank: front and rear wheel locking skewers, headset lock, seat lock, and their patented and unique multicombination key.  They offer a few cool separate options and a few package combos.  Just to wet the whistle on prices their Stem and Fork Lock goes for $40 while the big Security-Pack 4 goes for $80 (incl. front & rear wheel skewers, seatpost, stem and fork, and the multicombo key).  Most people stick to the $55 Security-Pack 2 (includes just the locking wheel skewers). Pinhead products are the secret to a safe bicycle IN CONJUNCTION with a secure lock.

A side note on safety and theft; buy lights that are easy-on easy-off.  Knog Blinders are great lights with USB charging capabilities, bright as hell, and come right off with ease.  The other cool thing about them is that they don’t have a stupid black collar that has to stay on your handlebars wasting space even when you are not using them.

I have never lived in a city where bike theft was so rampant and the topic of so much conversation amongst friends and colleagues.  The question still remains; Why are so many bikes and bike parts stolen everyday when the resale return to the thief is marginal at best?  Those who are looking for a “free lunch†can do so with ease, explains our friend Rohin Dhar, author of “What Happens to Stolen Bicycles†on Pricenomics.com.  Dhar goes a bit further by saying that while bikes are not very lucrative for resale, thieves can take refuge in the fact that there is little to no risk of consequence so the couple of bucks they do get is easy and doesn’t include the fear of big punishments.  A simple cost-benefit analysis fleshes out why bike thieves are so ferocious.  He also discusses resources.  Officers will not be taken off of a homicide case to be reassigned to a bike theft case.  It just won’t happen.  However, a few companies continue to put out great options to keep thieves at bay, and they are worth looking into, because at the end of the day the safety of our bicycles are in our own hands.  So get yourself a good locking set up and rest assured that you will have your bike for a long time.

 

It's on like Donkey Kong! We are having a party with DZR Shoes this Friday evening. Call it a party, call it a late "Happy Hour," call it what you will. We will be there, DZR will be there, you will be there, beer will be there, and a couple of new shoes from DZR will be there -- the Pigeon and the Purp. As you can see, the folks at DZR share our love of purple and rock doves. Seriously. DZR Shoes get better with each round of fresh rubber. If you haven't seen 'em yet, they are shoes you can wear to the bar but function like shoes you'd wear on a mountain bike ride. O yes, you can put SPD cleats in them! So come on over Friday night and get yourself a beer and a new pair of kicks. Here are the details: Where: Huckleberry Bicyceles, 1073 Market Street (under the scaffolding!) When: Friday June 21, 7:00 - 9:00 What: DZR Paaaaartay! Why: Cuz free beer isn't all that bad of an idea. Who: You, me, and DZR. See you Friday!

Hey there Huckleberries. [caption id="attachment_3757" align="alignleft" width="600"] No more Scuffling, Eh!![/caption] Hope you've all heard the news about our expansion. Pretty Exciting Stuff. The scaffolding (a.k.a. scuffling) is down and we've got way more space to display our amazing selection of performance and lifestyle apparel. And it's ready just in time for the arrival of a brace new cold-weather gear. We have fresh collections from all our clothing vendors. Pedaled, Giro New Road, Castelli, Giordana, Levi's, and Cannondale have all come through with some amazing peices for the cool weather months. And we also still have a good selection of warm-weather gear that we have to clear out. We've expanded our store, now it's time for you Huckleberries to expand your wardrobes! So here's how the sale breaks down: -All Apparel is 20% off! That's right! Buy it now and save big! All outerwear, tights, knickers, long-sleeve jerseys, base-layers, and other accessories are marked down. -Short-Sleeve Jerseys are 20% off, **PLUS** you get a free pair of Cannondale arm warmers!! -Cycling Shorts are 20% off, **PLUS** you get a free pair of Cannondale knee warmers!! And Select Closeouts are marked down up to 40% off!! From Pedaled we have some very fashion forward, yet highly technical pieces. [caption id="attachment_3743" align="alignleft" width="600"] The Pedaled Rainfrog Jacket looks amazing, whether you wear it over your backpack or not...[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3745" align="alignleft" width="600"] Feel as good as you look, both on and off the bike. The Pedaled Hacking Jacket.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3744" align="alignleft" width="600"] The Pedaled Urban Jacket won the Euro-bike Gold Medal for innovation. [/caption] From Castelli we have a great selection of classic wool jerseys. [caption id="attachment_3746" align="alignleft" width="600"] The Castelli Vittore Gianni jersey. A true classic. [/caption] [caption id="attachment_3747" align="alignleft" width="600"] The Pampaego Jersey looks great on the bike, or at the office.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3748" align="alignleft" width="600"] The Castelli women's Opera Wool Jersey. Bellissima! [/caption] [caption id="attachment_3749" align="alignleft" width="600"] The Castelli Gino Wool Jersey. Classic style, right on trend this season. [/caption] From Giro New Road we have more California-made wool jerseys, plus some great new outerwear. [caption id="attachment_3751" align="alignleft" width="600"] Giro New Road Softshell Jacket. Professional style, with full functionality.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3752" align="alignleft" width="600"] "Doc! you've got to help me get back to 1985!!!" The Giro New Road Insulated Vest. It'll take you back...[/caption]

Party time again at Ye Olde Bike Shoppe! This time, in addition to there being a DJ and beer, there will be an actual race to start before the party! Sweet. When: October 18th. Where: Race ends, party starts @ Huckleberry Bicycles. 1073 Market Street. See you there!

This is your chance to look way more dapper than the person riding next to you on Market Street! We have a new stash of PedalED apparel -- the finest duds from Japan. We all know that there has been a huge increase in the number of lifestyle cycling apparel offerings in the past few years. Giro and Levi's are two of the larger brands to jump into the game, but the smaller brands continue to put out some quality stuff. PedalED is no exception. The Gufo jacket. hacking jacket rainfrog garage shirt jacket workman trousers

Electronic shifting is here, and it is here to stay. If you haven't tried it out yet, now is the time, because we have some great deals on your first electronic-shifting bike. We just picked up a six-pack of Cannondale road bikes with Shimano Ultegra Di2 ten-speed drivetrains: the CAAD10 and a SuperSix EVO. Just look at how smooth these bikes are: Cannondale's award-winning SuperSix EVO continues to crush! Now it crushes electronically. Typically this bike sells for $4,700 but now we can sell it to you for a healthy discount at $3,500. This bike is ridiculous. The CAAD10 has long been the champion of aluminum race bikes, and this is the sickest model yet: the "Black, Inc." CAAD10 with Shimano Di2. Black with subtle gold touches make this bike irresistible. You probably won't see this color scheme again, so get one while the gettin' is good. These bikes originally retailed for $3,700 but now we have them for $2,700. O wow! All this talk of electronic shifting reminds me of an American classic--this is how you are going to feel when you ride home on one of these bikes: Call us or come on by and see whether we have one just for you. We are your Huckleberries!

The new 2014 Salsa Vayas are available, and we have all sizes now in stock. We love this bike. It is one of many touring-worthy steel-frame bikes that we carry, and it is arguably the best out-of-the-box touring bike around. This year Salsa made some changes to the Vaya, and we think that the changes are upgrades. Most notably, Salsa replaced the bar-end shifters on the lower-priced Vaya 3 model with integrated shifters. The now Shimano Sora-equipped Vaya 3 feels sportier than the 2013 model and sportier than other touring bikes like the Surly Long Haul Trucker, which comes with bar-end shifters. The Vaya 3, pictured above, looks lovely in green this year, and has upgraded disc brakes in addition to the integrated Sora shifters. The price also went up a bit this year to $1500. The Vaya 2, pictured above, also has a sweet paint job this year in sky blue. As before, the Vaya 2 is an upgrade from the Vaya 3 in almost every way, except for the frame. While the 3 comes with a Shimano Sora triple crankset, this comes with a Shimano 105 triple crankset and 105 components all around. This year's Vaya 2 complete bike is $1950, but it is also available as a frameset alone. We also still have a couple of Vaya Travels from 2013, which are gorgeous! They Vaya Travel comes with couplers and so you can break the bike down for easy traveling. It also comes with Ultegra-level components making it an amazing bike. This bike carries over for 2014 unchanged. The Vaya Travel frame, in addition to having S&S couplers, is made of stainless steel. Like a Delorean... I found a review of the Salsa Vaya over at the Path Less Pedaled here. They do a great job of comparing the Vaya to the Long Haul Trucker, another awesome touring bike. Salsa hasn't updated their Web Site yet to reflect the 2014 models, but they have put out a catalog, which you can look at here. And don't forget, we also stock the epic 29er touring bike, the Salsa Fargo, if you wan't something a little more heavy duty. Runs. Over. Everything.

My good friends from Maine are coming to San Francisco next week for their project with my favorite shoe brand, Sperry Topsider. Come to this event! Details are below: The Sea Project Exhibit & Book Release Party With nearly 10,000 submitted images from contributors across 6 continents & 37 countries - The Sea Project by Sperry Top-Sider has shaped up to be an impressive collection documenting what the sea inspires in all of us - and now - it's time for the long-awaited Gallery Exhibit & Limited Edition Book Release Party. Held at The Popular Workshop, San Francisco, California this September 12th, the opening reception will feature vinyl spun by SF legend PRIMO, libations & light fare, a massive exhibit of thousands of submitted photographs and the release of the Limited Edition hardcover coffee table book documenting the global project. Doors open at 6pm and is free to all for opening night - with extended exhibit viewing 12 - 6pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday 9/13 - 15th. Not in the San Francisco area for the event? No worries - the Limited Edition Sea Project Book will be available for purchase online at www.sperrytopsider.com and in select Sperry Top-Sider retailers nationwide following the exhibit. For more information visit the Facebook Event Page or www.the-sea-project.com.

Now is a great time to buy a Cannondale road bike. The 2013 models are slowly being replaced by the 2014 models, and that means the bike you want is now on sale, heavily discounted, actually affordable. We have loads of these dream bikes on the sales floor right now, and Cannondale has even more in their warehouse that we can order for you. So you can buy one, plus another! Take a look at what we have on the sales floor right now. In carbon we stock Cannondale's award-winning SuperSix series, including the the super lightweight, comfy, and smooth EVO frames:

Cannondale SuperSix EVO with SRAM Red was $4000 now $3200.

 

SuperSix EVO with SRAM Red, in Cannondale team colors, was $4000 now $3200.

 

Cannondale SuperSix 4 with SRAM Rival was $2500 now $2175.

 

Cannondale SuperSix 5 with Shimano 105 was $2100 now $1825.

We wouldn't be the world's smoothest Cannondale dealer if we didn't have stock the BEST aluminum road bike frame in the world, the CAAD10. Here's what is on the floor:

Cannondale CAAD10 3 with Ultegra was $2200 now $1800.

 

Cannondale CAAD10 4 with SRAM Rival was $1800 now $1599.

 

Cannondale CAAD10 5 with Shimano 105 was $1550 now $1299.

  But since our smooth-osity knows no bounds (and because we don't have enough room for all the bikes) there are still dozens more Cannondale road bike models available on sale! You can seriously, no joke, buy a full-on, electronic-shifting, Shimano Ultegra Di2 bike for $2900 right now. And it is all black with gold highlights. Oh wow! We will figure out what size frame you need if you aren't sure, and order your bike from Cannondale at the closeout price. Take a look at a couple of gems in the Cannondale warehouse waiting for homes:

The final stop on the Cannondale Train. Yes, this bike is available in a couple of sizes. It is one of the most beautiful road bikes ever made, the SuperSix EVO with BallisTec NANO Carbon, Black Edition, was $12,000 now $10,440.

 

Another beauty, the Cannondale SuperSix EVO Ultegra Di2 Electronic Shifting, was $5200 now $4089.

 

Cannondale CAAD10 Black, Inc. with Shimano Ultegra Di2 was $4000 now $2700.

  If you've been waiting all year for that ridiculous bike to go on sale, it finally has. For the next few weeks or so, the dreamiest of dream bikes are priced to move. Make that dream a reality and get ready for the San Francisco summer, the best time of year to to ride the best bikes on the best road-biking roads in the country. Here is your long list of some of the best Cannondale road bike Closeout Specials: [table caption="" width="960" colwidth="320|60|320|" colalign="left|left|left"] Model,Original Price,Sale Price Supersix Evo Black Edition,$12000,$8000 Supersix Evo Hi-Mod Dura Ace Di2,$10500,$7500 Supersix Evo Team,$9300,$7200 Supersix Evo Hi-Mod Dura Ace 9000 Mechanical, $7200,$5300 Supersix Evo Hi-Mod Red Racing Edition, $6500,$4500 Supersix Evo Ultegra Di2,$5200,$3500 Supersix Evo Red,$4000,$3200 CAAD10 Ultegra Di2 Black Inc, $3700, $2700 CAAD10 2 Force Racing, $2500, $2000 CAAD10 3 Ultegra, $2200, $1800 CAAD10 4 SRAM Rival, $1800, $1600 CAAD10 5 105, $1550, $1300 Supersix Evo Hi-Mod Women's Red,$7000,$6000 Supersix Evo Hi-Mod Women's Dura Ace 9000 Mechanical,$6000,$5200 Supersix Evo Women's Ultegra Di2,$4700,$4000 CAAD10 Women's Ultegra Di2, $3700, $2800 CAAD10 3 Women's Ultegra, $2200, $1800 CAAD10 5 Women's 105, $1550, $1300[/table] Believe it or not, there are even more Cannondale bikes on closeout that aren't listed above. In other words, you really should call or e-mail us with any inquiries about Cannondale! We're your Huckleberries!

Mike built up this 2013 CAAD10 with Ultegra Di2 electronic shifting for a customer yesterday. It came out beautifully. This is the first time I've seen the Black, Inc. version of the Cannondale CAAD10 frame. Black and gold, understated--it looks rad. And the price of this bike right now is ridiculous. Normally $4000, now $2900. Yes, an electronic shifting bike for under $3000 on the sickest aluminum race frame around. Cannondale still has a lot of these available, and we can order them for you, no problem! The CAAD10 Black, Inc. Di2 bike is just one of MANY Cannondale closeout models available right now. We can't stock all of them in our shop, but we can order any of them for you at the closeout price. Give us a call, send us an e-mail, or stop on by to find the right Cannondale for you! Also in a stand at that moment was Cannondale's 2014 version of the Bad Boy Commuter ($750), which is like 2013's Bad Boy 9 but with fenders! Great move Cannondale! And this gorgeous custom Tandem, handmade in he USA by Co-Motion Cycles, with couplers(!) was in a stand getting put together for our friend Murphy. It was a great day for building bikes!