We were informed of Rob’s mission and journey recently, we think it’s pretty cool and wanted to share his story and blog on our website, so here it is:

Cycling 4,500 miles across the USA,

that’s the easy part. So what’s the hard part? How about doing it completely off the grid?

For three months, adventurer Rob Greenfield will be showing and inspiring Americans how to live sustainably and decrease their environmental impact.  He is

-using electricity generated by portable alternative energy devices

-creating near zero trash

-using water from natural sources

-eating locally produced organic and unpackaged foods

-composting all food waste

-shopping at businesses that are committed to creating a healthy planet

Key ingredients of the adventure include sponsorships by Dr. Bronners, Goal Zero, Bamboosero, Drips Water, Kala Brand Music, PowerPot, neat-os, Dinkum Systems, Volontourism, Bokashi Earth and The Greenfield Group.  Make your pledge today!

The adventure begins at the San Francisco Earth Day Celebration on April 20th and will take Rob through 19 states.  Traveling mostly on ‘blue highways’, he will also be spending time in cities including Salt Lake City, Denver, Kansas City, St. Louis,  IOWA CITY,  Milwaukee, Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia, New York, Providence and Boston.  The journey is scheduled to end on August 1st at the 1% for the Planet Headquarters in Waitsfield, Vermont.  During the three month trip Rob will be raising $10,000 for 1% for the Planet non-profits, including Guitars in the Classroom and Below the Surface, as well as finding 20 new businesses to join the 1% for the Planet movement. 1% for the Planet is a growing global movement of over 1,000 companies that donate 1% of their sales to environmental organizations worldwide.

Along the way, Rob will be hosting zero waste events and bicycle rides, visiting environmental causes and businesses that practice corporate social responsibility, promoting sustainable products, working with community gardens, practicing the ukulele, and hosting do good giveaways via Facebook. The journey is documented by professional cameraman, Brent Martin, and can be followed online at www.GreenfieldAdventures.org and www.facebook.com/RobJGreenfield.

We need your help to “STAND UP FOR SUSTAINABILITY” in Iowa!!  Donate today to contribute to the Sustainability Campaign for each mile Rob bikes through Iowa without his bike seat as he makes a STAND for Sustainability!

Visit, comment the amount you’d like to pledge, or email

DoGood@GreenfieldAdventures.org

Donate now at:

www.stayclassy.org/checkout/donation?eid=24379

It seems like we flew right through a very short Iowa spring and are already in full on summer mode.  The students have left town and our student staff members are back at the shop working full time again.  It is nice to have all hands on deck for the busy summer season.

With Memorial Day comes 4 days of road racing on the  eastern half of the state.  Whether you are at the Burlington Road Race, Snake Alley Criterium, Melon City Road Race, or the Quad Cities Criterium or just out on a leisurely weekend ride have fun and be safe.

We will be CLOSED on Monday May 27th so all of us shoppees can get out and enjoy riding our bikes during the beautiful day light hours when we are usually in the shop wrenching.  Maybe we will see you on the road to Sutliff or enjoying a (several) cold ones at the Sutliff Bar and Grill or Red’s Ale House when we get back to town.

Normal hours will resume on Tuesday.

We will be closed this Sunday so we can all be downtown at the Old Capitol Criterium.  Racing starts at 9 am and the last race goes off at 3:30.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and will reopen on Monday at 10 am.

Although fat bikes are a bit frightful, once you get to know one, they can be pretty sweet!  The fat tires afford the rider tons of stability, traction, and most important for snow biking, loads of flotation for even deep powdery snow.  These bikes have only been around for a few years (in the lower 48, at least; Alaskans have been riding them for years) and have blown up in popularity.  As such, we’ve got a nice stash going, ready to be test ridden in the white stuff if you so dare.

First up, we have the standard Surly lineup covered:

Pugsley:  the original, now the base model.  65mm wide rims, 3.8″ tires, sweet thumb shifters.  $1,700.  We have 2 in stock, an 18″ in yellow, and a 16″ in red.

Necromancer:  the Pugsley with some sweeter parts.  80mm wide rims(more float!), 3.8″ tires, Surly crank, same gears and brakes as base Pugsley.  $1,850.  We have 1 in stock, an 18″ in the only color for a bike named the Necromancer: black.

Moonlander:  the fattest to rule them all.  Moonlander specific frame with max tire clearance, 100mm wide rims(you may float away), 4.7″ tires, Surly crank, still same gears and brakes.  $2,350.  We have 2 in stock, an 18″ and a 20″, both in Bass Boat, which looks crazy good in the sunny snow.

Rounding out the stash, we have some awesome new fatties in from the Alaskan company 9:ZERO:7.  These bikes have aluminum frames and forks, and with geometry optimized for snow travel, aka slower speeds and sometimes difficult handling situations.

We have three frames, two built up with parts handpicked by our resident fat bike experts:  Sram X.9 2×9 drivetrain, 80mm rims, 4.0″ tires, and a Truvativ cockpit, to name just a few.  $2,200.  The red bike is a large, the orange bike a small, and we have a blue medium frameset hanging out unbuilt, for now.

As I said, these bikes have take off in popularity, which has resulted in reduced availability, even for us.  Get em while you can!

Feel free to come in and ride them around in the snow, railroad tracks, all over creation; the bike will never be what holds you back.