Last year, we spent several would-be-ride-days enjoying local singletrack with the help of this large flat footwear. As a result of this new found appreciation, Likin’ Bikin’ will add out first non-bike winter gear to inventory this year. Dion Snowshoes.

Why Dion? After talking to reps and researching several brands, we (as bike people) were overwhelmed by hundreds of features and models. Then with their quality shoes made in Vermont and in just 4 completely customizable frames to cover the range of ” just right for everyone”, Dion easily rose to the top. Simply pick your frame, binding, and cleat (or go with our pre selected packages), and you’re all set. No 50 shoe catalogs with gender specific colors to confuse you (or us). Just base selection on how you plan to mostly use ‘em:

Running/Racing - Dion 121 (shown with Quick Fit binding and standard cleat)

Running/Fitness - Dion 132 (shown with Quick Fit binding and standard cleat)

Hiking - Dion 166 (shown with Secure Fit binding and stainless steel ice cleat)

Back Country - Dion 220 (shown with Secure Fit binding and deep cleat)

All in stock and ready for you here at the shop.

And check this out, according to a pleasant voiced lady with fancy YouTube graphics, snowshoeing will keep your cycle muscles from winter hibernation. See if you can spot the difference here:

(couldn’t find “Snowshoeing”, but it’s like Walking, just with more lift)

Find that difference? If you said the banner in the background, you’re correct. And how can you argue with pleasant voiced ladies on YouTube?

Scheduled snowshoe outings to follow. Watch for updates via FB and Twitter.

Likin’ Bikin’ is a bicycle shop. And we are especially proud to be a bicycle shop all year, with two weekly rides throughout the winter!

Likin’ Bikin’ is aslo a bicycle shop located in Alton NH (average seasonal snowfall of 67″), and we’ve been known to sometimes mix-it-up with other outdoor winter activities. So many activities!

Due to our location, we’re lucky enough to have excellent snowboarding, skiing (alpine, xc skate and xc classic), and snowshoeing, all readily available to us via local trails as well as a ski area just minutes away.

So, starting this year, we’ll begin to embrace that white stuff out there and officially schedule some out-of-the-shop wintery fun (in addition to the wintery fun of the semiweekly studded-tire MTB rides of course)

First up, starting this week (tonight) we will be having Tues Night Slidin’,  snowboard/alpine ski night at Gunstock. Night skiing is 4-9pm. Lift tickets are $30, however!… Tues is 2-for-1 night  So, non-season pass holders just need to pair-up and it’s 15 bucks each.

Next, we’ve partnered up with locally (VT) made Dion Snowshoes, which are in-stock at Likin’ Bikin’ now! (Next blog post will have details on the shoes themselves) We are working on some outings along with Alton Parks. Stay tuned for dates and times. Also, you can contact Gunstock Nordic Center for tours there, including lift accessed ridge tours (not LB related, but highly recommended)

And finally, we are now Swix and Toko dealers, and offering waxing, edge tuning, and base repair of boards and skis of all types. So bring your gear in for pre Tues Night  Slidin’ tune-ups. We’ll get your set-up slidin’ fast and carvin’ strong. (or kickin’ and glidin’ if Nordics your thing).

Hope to see you tonight!

Now we all knew they’d be awesome (from last week’s FB post)  “Really, with custom US made hubs (White Ind.), 25mm No Tubes rims laced with SAPIM hardware in Rolf’s paired spoke technology, these are impossible to deny as some of the best wheels available. And available they are! (LB)”

Now that they’re in-hand, the pics and super-stats still don’t do these babies justice. Serious 29″ round beauty! (talking about bicycle wheels here people, focus).

The first set, ordered as QR front/135mm QR rear, showed up with skewers and fully tubeless ready (Stan’s yellow tape and valve stems included). Run’em tubed if you want, but here’s your chance to try tubelessness.

The first sets are 29ers, with a set weight of 1655gm (750gm front / 905gm rear). Awesome numbers for stiff 29er’s with 25mm rim width.

How do they look?

Rolf Prima Ralos9 29er MTB Set QR/135mmQR

Front & Rear American made Hubs by White Ind. and Tubeless Readiness by Stan’s

Here at Likin’ Bikin, we’ll be carrying mostly the Ralos9 sets. Due to the various axle configurations (Front: QR, QR15, 20mm thru / Rear: QR 135mm or 142mm x 12mm), please contact us with your exact wheel needs.

If you’re 26ing it, or would like any of the road line, please do not hesitate to contact us. We’ll gladly get your set here quickly and conveniently.

Getting back into it, there’s too much to catch up. So we’ll just pick up at the present.

And presently, we have our first sets of Rolf Prima Ralos MTB wheels in the house….

The day started early, with Taylor (master pumpkin carver), Bri, and Dan (me) setting up the L’B’ spread. We brought bikes from Misfit, KHS, BlkMrkt, and Pivot for test ridin’, loads of Kali helmets and various accessories for sellin’, and Meetinghouse Sodas for sippin’.

Throughout the day, the Pivot and Killswitch each got lots of attention (of course), and the Misfits were out on test rides almost the whole time.

We all had a great time. The scene was festive, and the people were awesome.

As the day wound to a close, we tallied up the waivers and determined we had 1,000,001 test riders on the Misfits. Wow!

Thanks to our friends and crew: Taylor, Kyle, Quiet-Mike, Denunzio, and Jim for helpin’ out. And to Darla for the delicious “monkey bread”!

And to Mr. NEMBA, Philip. We’re already lookin’ forward to next year.

How ’bout a look around?

A little history? You asked for it! (Sorry, but I’m from CA, and I’m still fascinated by how stuff in NH is so much older)

When we opened the shop in Alton, I was told the place was built in 1810 as “Savage Tavern”. But after some research, it seems the initial build was in 1830 as a hotel called Cocheco House. So that makes the actual building we’re in now 20 years OLDER than the state of California. I know!

Earliest picture I could find is this first shot of George Savage (he bought the place in 1850) and his horse “Old Tom”.

As “Savage Tavern”, the building was used as an enlistment post for the Twelfth New Hampshire Regiment in the Civil War.

The second picture was taken sometime after 1896, which is when that monument was erected to Savage and approx 23 of his men who died in that war.

So there you have it. That’s Monument Square in Alton.

We’ve been here a little over a year, and each time I look around the place, or walk by those granite hitching posts outside, I’m reminded of  it’s age and place in American history… of which Likin’ Bikin’ is now a part.

As the event’s name suggests, lots of friends, bikes, and good times filled the day, and the night.

Check out the pictures here.

The day started off with a trail ride through Pittsfield, and the “Hussey-Fuzzy Trail”. Once back to Taylor and Carrie’s bike ranch, the festivities began.

Plenty of good food and drinks were on hand for an afternoon of mingling with friends and riding any of the countless bicycles strewn about. The “skinny” boards were a big attraction.

Then, as evening fell, the competition heated up.

First, the Short Track Beer Race. A single loop time-trial which put 3 strategically placed cups of beer between the riders and victory. The results:

• 1st – Quiet Mike
• 2nd – Taylor Clark
• 3rd – Kyle Clark
• 4th – Anthony Catauro (crashed)
• 5th – Judy Webber
• 6th – Ray Webber (rode fast, but drank too slow)

Then, the “Huffy Toss”, the results of which are still the source of major controversy.  All I have to say is, if you’re gonna sneakily move the marking-cone to greater distances, make sure you move it to a realistic range. And never-ever try to prove you can hit that distance later, while everyone is watching! Not mentioning any names here… KYLE! (ok, I guess it took a good bounce, we’ll give it to him)

As is tradition, after the Huffy is tossed, it meets it’s end via the season capping bonfire. While we watched it burn, some reflected on a year of EFTA races, some considered the fumes rising from the exploding tires, some watched Caddy Shack… but I personally watched with an especially warm feeling. Yes, a joyful tear welled up in my eye as I observed this department-store-bike dying a slow death.

Bike Fest Highlights:

Thanks Clark Bros, Suncook Valley Fattire Club, and all involved. We’ve had so much fun this year, and continue look forward to what is always much more than just riding bikes.

Today is the CBR (Clark Brothers Racing) Bike, BBQ, & Brew Fest. An end of race season celebration for this group of Likin’ Bikin’ sponsored XC racin’ animals… well sort of ‘end of season’. Due to a little problem with a hurricane, there is one more EFTA race coming up Oct 16th.

So how’d they do? The two teams are currently sitting 1st and 2nd in the overall team points! And as for the individual accomplishments, too many poduims to list, but in the overall:

• Kyle Clark is currently 2nd in his class.
• Taylor Clark  (Misfit diSSent) and Anthony Catauro (Pivot Mach4) are 2nd and 3rd in their class
• Ray Webber (Flagstaff) and Larry Webber are in 3rd and 6th in their class
• Mike “Q” Lanigan is sittin’ in 4th
•  Colleen Raiche and Judy Webber are in 1st and 4th
• Glenn Raiche and Judson Belmont are both 1st in their classes!

Photos and race recaps on the CBR blog. Congrats guys and gals!

Besides the delicious bbq and Switchback Ale on tap, today’s festivities include a morning trail ride, Huffy toss, and the short-track beer race. (results and pics to follow)

The CBR Lounge is prepped!

See you all on the other side!

So if any of you ladies are lookin’ to test some awesome bikes, please come out and join us!