The Bespoke Cycles Blog

An Evening with Velo Classic Tours January 27th

2012-01-13T13:53:00.000-08:00

Now that we have this lovely new space, we're starting to pack the calendar with events. On January 27th starting at 6pm, we're hosting Velo Classic Tours. Velo Classic Tours has one of the best reputations in the world of high end cycling tours. They are committed to providing a very comfortable, well structured, high end experience exposing people to the food and culture of several different

MÜVE!

2012-01-12T11:16:00.000-08:00

We received our new size cycle from Retül this week! We've been eager to get this new size cycle set up since we have a new bigger space. We thought a little overview was in order. We wanted something that offered a real improvement over our older equipment. We wanted something that would help us improve what we do. One thing to know, it is still only a tool and it is only as good as it's

New Catlike Colors

2012-01-07T14:06:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pics of some of the new Catlike colors. We have more of these in house and some new models coming in a month or so.

2011 in Review

2011-12-10T12:05:00.001-08:00

Well folks, we're approaching the end of another year. 2011 has certainly been our most interesting year so far. We found a new home for the shop after about a year and a half looking and we've begun an number of other projects that will come to fruition in the next year. All in all we're very happy with how things are growing here at Bespoke and there's some great stuff to look forward to.

The Mechanics of Cold

2011-11-22T13:57:00.001-08:00

Winter riding can be done comfortably and safely if you know how to approach it. We are lucky enough to live in an area where we can ride all year. It's all about being prepared, physically, mentally and mechanically. We'll start with the physical stuff. There are a number of things that happen to the body when it's cold. OK, the first thing to know is that when the body starts getting

90 Days In Assos. The Assos Uno, Mille, FI 13 Review

2011-11-06T15:01:00.000-08:00

The Trio Assos in well known for making the most comfortable bibs in the industry. We thought it would be cool to review each bib starting with the FI Uno, their base model bib. This will be a 90 day test of each bib. Yes, it's tough work isn't it. There are several things to consider when evaluating bib shorts. The first and most obvious is the chamois (padding). Then we have overall fit

Why Buy from Bespoke

2011-11-02T18:22:00.000-07:00

I recently had a great conversation with a client about why they came here to get their bike from us. We spoke about various experiences at other shops that they and some of their friends have had, both positive and negative. It was that conversation that made me realize that we are truly doing things right. Here is what we think makes us the best place to buy your bike. First off, we

Sidi Ergo 3 and Genius 6.6 Speedplay Versions

2011-10-29T10:49:00.000-07:00

Sidi has finally come out with a Speedplay specific carbon soled version of there Ergo and Genius shoes. The Ergo 3 is the newest generation or the Ergo shoes with a lighter, stiffer carbon sole. The standard three hole drilling version of the Ergo 3 also has a venting system in the sole that can be opened and closed. The heel retention system is also redesigned. The big deal is definitely

Bike Fit and Wedges and Shims

2011-10-21T12:35:00.000-07:00

In the world of bike fit, there is always debate and controversy surrounding one subject or another. One such debate is when it is and when it's not appropriate to shim and/or wedge someones cleats. Ari and I have spent a great deal of time on the subject and we hear quite a bit about it and thought it would be a good time to give our opinion. First off, There are things that should defined here

More New Assos Products and a Few Recent Projects

2011-10-14T14:23:00.000-07:00

We've received the bulk of our new Assos Fall/Winter gear. The women's clothing in particular is a significant cut above the other brands out there. This new chilly weather clothing will, without question make a chilly bike ride a better day in the saddle. There are some new gloves, caps, warmers and more. There are a few pics below of some of our favorites. We've been busy delivering

Assos Winter Gear and Riding in the Wet

2011-10-06T12:59:00.001-07:00

Well, it started raining, booo. Yes, East Coasters, make fun of us, we're soft, I know. While we're riding in January, we'll be thinking of you.So how do you make your experience in the rainy season a more enjoyable one? How about a safer one? You can start with the right gear. There are tires that we like for rain riding. Tires made more specifically for wet surfaces and rainy riding in general

Clay Street

2011-09-14T17:26:00.000-07:00

We made it! After several months of negotiating and working our tails off, we are officially moved into our new home on Clay Street. When we announced the move, some of you kind folks were excited and some were sad to see us leave Noe Valley. Noe Valley was good to us and we are very grateful to have met so many people there. Our new neighborhood has been more than kind to us. Our immediate

Wide Rims and Skinny Brakes

2011-08-03T16:33:00.000-07:00

The current trend in "aero" wheels is to use a wider rim. We're not referring to rim depth but the actual width of the rim. Historically, most rims on wheels in the aero category were around 20mm wide give or take. The modern rims we're seeing are measuring 23mm and even wider. The claimed advantage is that this allows the rim manufacturer to build a more aero shape with the forethought of a

Saddles!!??

2011-07-14T13:33:00.000-07:00

You might have read the NY Times article on saddles recently. It's been posted a couple times now on their website and we thought we should weigh in on the great debate. The article talks about the issues with impotence and injury to the perineum in men along with a variety of other issues in both men and women. Although there is some truth to the article and the science is real enough, the

The Big News!

2011-06-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

After well over a year, we've found our new home. We realized very early on that we were going to outgrow our small shop over here in Noe Valley. We've needed more room for our mechanical services and for our fitting services and VO2 testing not to mention storage and a real office. This new space fits the bill in every category. The new address is 2843 Clay St. We will continue to update the

A few more recent bikes

2011-06-23T16:01:00.000-07:00

Don't let this happen to you!

2011-06-23T11:10:00.000-07:00

With our rainy winters here, many of you spend a fair amount of time on a stationary trainer. A lot of you take computrainer classes as well. It is very important to keep your bike clean for the sake of functionality but also for safety. Sweat ruins components and can literally eat right through alloy parts. Check out the photos here of a handlebar we recently had to replace. The bar is

Bespoke Caps are In!

2011-06-22T13:04:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks, The first part of our new kits showed up. The caps are here! The rest of the kit is due to arrive any day now. Those of you who pre-ordered will be contacted very soon about your pieces. We have plenty of caps for everyone.

A Thank You Letter to LifeCycle Participants

2011-06-16T16:50:00.000-07:00

As time goes on, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in the number of shops offering bike fitting services. There are also more and more methods, high tech tools and certifications

Fall Promotions!

2010-10-27T12:40:00.000-07:00

For the month of November, when you buy a complete custom bike, Bespoke buys your wheels! This is a great opportunity to save money or upgrade your components or frame. Here are the basics:Buy a custom steel complete bike get a pair of Fulcrum Racing 7 wheels for freeBuy a custom titanium complete bike and get a pair of Fulcrum 3 or HED Bastogne wheels for freeBuy a custom carbon complete bike

What's new for 2011?

2010-10-08T11:35:00.000-07:00

As our summer finally starts, we're actually coming to the "end of the season". This means that we are starting to see 2011 products, some are already here. One highlight is the new carbon Dura Ace pedal which we'll see in about a week from now. If history tells us anything, these pedals will be extremely durable functional pedals.The Catlike helmets will not change for 2011 and we've had great

Care and Feeding for Carbon Rims

2010-09-30T17:47:00.000-07:00

We've had a number of requests for info on just how to keep carbon rims in good shape and behaving properly. There are a number of different brands and methods of construction out there but upkeep is pretty much the same for all of them. These instructions are for wheels with a carbon braking surface primarily.Set up is important. Use the brake pad that the manufacturer recommends. This important

Bont at Bespoke

2010-09-17T18:19:00.001-07:00

We're very happy to be carrying Bont at Bespoke. These shoes are extremely well made, very light and they offer standard, wide and fully custom shoes. All of the models are fully heat moldable as well. Bont has been around since 1975 making speed skates using Fiberglass first and then moving to Kevlar and finally Carbon Fiber in 1989. In 2007, Bont decided to fully commit to the cycling world.

Cross Bits!

2010-09-17T16:05:00.000-07:00

Cross season is officially here and we've got the goods. Here are some favorites but this is really just a small portion of what we do for cross.Serotta Ti CX with Edge/Chris King wheels, Paul's brakes and Vittoria tires.Challenge Fango Tubular tires. Seven steel cross bike in lovely powder blue.The coveted Dura Ace 46 tooth chainringK-Edge chain watchers in all the different varieties. Keep your

Great article on Lava about Serotta

2010-09-07T14:16:00.000-07:00

Check out this article on Lava. LAVA.

Tons of Riding!

2010-09-01T17:49:00.000-07:00

We have a lot of rides coming up folks. The shop is closed for most of these rides so plan accordingly and more importantly, come out and ride! We will be posting up the routes in the coming days so keep an eye on the blog or give us a call. Here are the dates:Sept 18th - Mt Tam Hill Climb. It's a race! Register HERE. We're sponsoring this year's event with Golden Gate Velo.Sept 26th - Mt Diablo.

Catlike Has Landed!

2010-08-11T13:28:00.000-07:00

VO2 Max Testing at Bespoke

2010-08-03T12:23:00.000-07:00