FutureCycle Application Open!

We’ve launched our 2020 FutureCycle application!

Are you 16-24 and looking for a paid internship opportunity? Know a young person that could benefit from workskills training? Work with youth and want us to ride over and deliver a presentation on career opportunities in the bike industry?

Apply here! And reach out to bridget@renobikeproject.org with questions!

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Read October’s Newsletter

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Fall Color Rides Out of Reno

From the workbench of shop manager, Kurstin Graham

It’s that time of year to see vegetation change color in the high desert! My favorite rides/hikes/drives out of Reno are the following:

1. Peavine Road: From the Stead side of the mountain, this well maintained road “corkscrews” for thousands of feet above our home. The North Valleys and Truckee Meadows have great trees and the road gives 360 degree views of the area on your way to the radio tower summit. Along the way there are unique drainages and springs hosting a variety of flora including aspen groves with their own brilliance. Beyond Peavine Rd there is a great selection of trails and roads to explore by bicycle or foot.
2. Galena Creek Park: Washoe County Regional Parks and Open Spaces provide so many outdoor experiences. Galena Creek Park is a trailhead for Jones/Whites Creek and Dry Pond mountain bike and hiking trails. I especially like the “Tahoe feel” in the mixed forest at this mid-elevation trail system.
3. Six-Mile Canyon/Fort Churchill Roads: Out of Virginia Cty, Six Mile Canyon Road is an exhilarating descent through giant cottonwoods.  Once through Mark Twain/Dayton you cross Highway 50 and the road becomes Fort Churchill Rd. This follows the Carson River to the Fort Churchill State Historic Park. The brilliance of the cottonwoods going through the fall change is beyond compare. The State Park is worth a day’s exploration including the river trail to Buckland Station.
4. Lockwood to Lagomarsino Petroglyphs: To the east of Washington Mine out of Lockwood is the direct route along Long Valley Creek. I recommend this as a hike or a very adventurous hike-a-bike. The views up this canyon and the little side canyons are worth it! The foliage against the rugged geology is picture perfect. All of this comes before visiting the petroglyphs, a true heritage site. For an easier bike ride stay to the west of Washington Mine and loop around to the petroglyphs via Louse Town Rd.
5. The Tahoe-Pyramid Trail: Not enough can be said about this national gem of a trail shared between Nevada and California. Between Lake Tahoe and Reno the trail shows off the Sierra portion of the Truckee River. Between Reno and Pyramid Lake is a slightly less sung portion of the trail but none less noteworthy. Between Mustang and Patrick the McCarran Ranch area showcases the Nature Conservancy’s effort to rehab the river to support wildlife. Between Wadsworth and Nixon the trail takes you through unique geology between the Pah Rah and Truckee Ranges and through some of the largest Cottonwoods I have seen. The Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Museum and Visitor’s Center is definitely worth a visit.

If I can help with more specifics you can find me in the shop Tuesday through Friday. Otherwise I am out exploring more Nevada backroads. See you out there!

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4th St Shop Closed Until Further Notice

We wanted to let you all know that after Friday 9/6, our shop at 635 E 4th St will not be open to the public until further notice. Please visit our bike shop at 216 E Grove St:
Sunday—CLOSED
Monday: 10 AM—5 PM
Tuesday: 10 AM—5 PM
Wednesday: 10 AM—5 PM
Thursday: 10 AM—6 PM
Friday: 10 AM—6 PM
Saturday: 10 AM—5 PM
We are sorry for any inconvenience. Thank you for your support!

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Read September’s Newsletter

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Post-Burn: Maintaining your Human Playa Vehicle

By shop manager, Kurstin Graham

What do you do with that playa-caked bicycle after the dust has settled? To stave off a high repair bill, we recommend you don’t wait 11 and a half months to tune it up.

First, pre-wash: Remove decorations and accessories. Re-decorating your bike from year to year is fun! The decorations often are in the way of tuning your bike. Evaluate your lights and remove batteries.

Then:

1. Wash your bike: I start with a bucket of warm water and dish soap. Sometimes I get fancy and use car washing soap. I rinse the bike, top to bottom, then follow with a vigorous scrubbing top to bottom. Focus on brake and shift levers, underside of seat, headset, hubs, bottom bracket, gears, derailleurs, chain, pedals (all lubed parts that have caked playa dust on them). Rinse top to bottom. Repeat. I bounce the bike a couple of times, and then dry it with a rag.

2. Clean, dry, and lube your chain: a little time here is worth it. Using a brush and a rag there should be no dirt on your chain. WD40 is a good solvent for drying your chain but you will need a lube on top of that dry, clean chain. Tri-Flow is a great all-purpose lube. Finishline 1-Step is also very good. All lubes are better than no lube. If this is too much, a new chain is $7-20, and KMC makes a variety of Rust Buster models.

3. Replace cables and housing: gummed up cable systems are a common problem. Replacing or reducing the numbers of cables and housing on your bike is the solution. Replacement costs are $4-25 for basic cable kits.

4. Overhaul bearing surfaces: since most cheap bikes do not have sealed bearings bottom brackets, rear hubs, front hubs, and headsets (listed in order of importance, vulnerability, and most common problem areas), they are vulnerable to dust, moisture, damage and failure. Re-packing these bearings with fresh grease is key. New bearings are $1-2 per race.

5. Grips, Seats, Pedals, Tires: clean with an “Armour-All” type product. Evaluate for comfort and replace if needed.

6. Freewheel: blast out with spray-lube, drip in something heavier such as Phil Wood Tenacious Oil, or replace.

Come see us in the Public Work Stations to check off the above list. While these are tips for post-Burning Man, as one who tours in Nevada, this is also my standard post ride tune to ensure my bike is ready for my next adventure.

See you out there!

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Grove St Closed Tomorrow (Sunday, 8/25)

216 E Grove St is closed tomorrow (Sunday, 8/25)! Thank you to our Reno community for your patience as we work through Burning Man! We’ll reopen for regular hours on Monday (10AM–5PM).
Our Burning Man shop (at 635 E 4th St) will be open 10 AM–8 PM.
If you’d like to volunteer, we’d appreciate any extra hands at 4th St tomorrow. Thank you, too, to anyone that’s donated some time thus far!

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Burning Man Hours!

Check our extended Burning Man hours at 4th St & reduced services at both shops!

Grove St: 
Public workstations & retail available; no bike repairs (can drop off though)
Friday, August 23: 10A–6P
Saturday, August 24: 10A–5P
Sunday, August 25: 11A–4P
Monday, August 26: 10A–5P

4th St: 
Our Burner Shop pop-up; no public workstations or non-burner retail/repairs
Friday, August 23: 10A–8P
Saturday, August 24: 10A–8P
Sunday, August 25: 10A–8P
Monday, August 26: 10A–8P

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Closed Sundays at Grovetown for the next two weeks

FYI! For the next two weeks (August 11th & 18th), we’ll be closed Sundays at Grovetown to accommodate Burner traffic at our 4th St Shop. Peep the schedule below:

216 E Grove St
Sunday: CLOSED
Monday: 10 AM–5 PM 
Tuesday: 10 AM–5 PM
Wednesday: 10 AM–5 PM
Thursday: 10 AM–6 PM
Friday: 10 AM–6 PM
Saturday: 10 AM–5 PM

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Read August’s Newsletter

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