Miscellanea

I want to apologize for VO being out of so much stuff right now. Due to some production delays our latest container was shipped over a month late, but will arrive in two weeks. Another shipment is about 4 weeks out, so we should be re-stocked on almost everything pretty soon. Wheels will take a little longer since they must be built up after the rims arrive.

We were taking inventory this week and found a bunch of miss-marked boxes of stainless steel fenders. How did that happen? They are 58mm wide and made for 650b wheels, but are also an excellent fit on 26" wheels.  We're blowing them out. Need fenders for your 26" LHT?

I'm a little disappointed that our regular front racks are outselling the models with integrated front decaleurs. I just want to tell you that the integrated front decaleurs are the way to go. They put the decaleur at the perfect height on any size frame. They weigh less than a separate decaleur and rack, and they are easier to install. If you don't need the decaleur you can just install the U-shaped "plug". They are the only type of front rack I would put on my own bikes, except for the Porteur rack.

My 12-year old son got a new (used) bike yesterday. Alec has been into road racing since his training wheel days. I think watching the Tour de France in person at age 6 has something to do with it. When I offered to get him a Surly Cross Check to replace his 24-inch wheeled cyclocross bike he wanted no part of it. He wanted a "real road racing bike," no fenders, no wide tires, no canti-brakes, and no racks allowed, but carbon fiber is cool. (Where did I go wrong?) I know that it's more likely that he'll use a bike that he really likes, so we bought him a used aluminum Trek with a carbon-fiber fork and seat post and 23mm tires. It can be really really hard being a dad sometimes! (Anyone want a nice used 24-inch wheeled Redline CX bike for their kid?)