Nutrition Bars Created by You; Provided by You Bar

A couple weeks ago I was contacted through this site by Anthony Flynn, the 24 year old co-founder and CEO of You Bar.  Anthony introduced himself and his company to me and offered to provide me with some samples for review.

Anthony co-founded You Bar in May 2006 with his mother Ava Bise after finding the mass-produced commercial energy bars unappealing and full of ingredients that didn’t support their health and lifestyle.  The innovative company lets customers design their own nutrition bars that are free from preservatives and corn syrup.

You Bar gives consumers the opportunity to choose what goes into their bar and their bodies.  By visiting the company’s website, consumers can create their own bar by following the easy step-by-step process.  As you add or take away ingredients to your bar the nutritional content of the bar featured at right changes to reflect the changes you make.  Taking personalization even further, You Bar lets consumers give their bar a name or phrases and greetings for special events.  For the timid, You Bar offers several proven ingredient combinations such as “The Best” bar and “Honey Cashew”…the latter being my personal “proven” favorite.

Upon my review I noticed that each bar has an “Enjoy By” date, something most mass produced commercial bars do not have.  Although I felt I knew why there was such a date labeled on the bars I wanted to hear the explanation from the CEO himself, so I asked Anthony.

“As for the enjoy by date, we try to keep our products as healthy as possible so we do not use products that contain the preservatives that allow other brands to have an 11 month shelf life. Also because of the customized aspect of our bars it is impossible for us to test the shelf life of every combination of products. Two months is the shortest shelf life we have seen in our products so while many of our bars last longer than the enjoy by date we always put the soonest possible date they could go bad.”

The average life span of a mass-produced commercial bar is 11 months.  Per Anthony’s suggestion for a fun activity, I went to the local REI and looked at the expiration date of various bars, then subtracted 11 months from that date to determine the date the bar was baked.  Most bars on the shelves were 3 and 4 months old.  I then looked in the pack that I carry with me on all mountain biking rides…the two bars I had inside were over 6 months old!

As for the taste test…no other bar comes close.  The bars taste as if you mixed them in your own kitchen just mintues earlier.  I have never tasted a bar that features the freshness and flavor of these bars.  For this review I only tested some of the proven favorites, so as you can imagine it can only get better by choosing your own favorite ingredients.  A truely innovative product that this reviewer thinks will change the way you buy energy bars.  In case you were wondering, You Bars start at just over $30 for a box of 13, give them a try, you’ll soon be hooked.

To receive 10% off your first order simply put in the promotion code, “mtobikes” when placing your order.

Innovations Powered Inflation Kit/MTB Review

I went riding today with my friend Matt at Blankets mountain bike trail located in Woodstock, GA.  It was another day of riding in the rain and getting muddy.  Having my clothes covered in mud from the ride I got the itch to go visit The Bicycle Doctor as I decided it might make sense to buy another pair of shorts.  I wanted to get some Hoss Technical Gear riding shorts, however Scott was out of my size so he had to order them for me.  I wasn’t satisfied leaving Scott’s store empty handed so I asked him for his recommendations on a Co2 Tire Inflator and a Chain Lubricant product.  I trust Scott so I purchased what he recommended.

This review focuses on the Co2 Tire Inflator he recommended, Genuine Innovations Powered Inflation Kit/MTB.  Innovations, Inc. headquarters is in Tucson, Arizona and their products are made in the USA.   On their website, they claim they are #1 in Co2 Inflators, while I’m not in a position to verify this claim I will make one observation, they sure seem to have the widest selection of any Co2 Inflator company that I’ve come across.  Read more

Made to Order Bikes, Inc. 2008 Year End Review

2008 has come to a close and it has been a huge first six months for Made to Order Bikes, Inc. We are excited and looking forward to 2009 as we enter what will be our second calendar year and first full year of online presence.

During our first six months our site received 32,315 visits and 67,492 page views and is now receiving between 200-300 visits per day.

Please contact us if you would like to become a contributor of articles to our site.

Below is a summary of what made 2008 such a success.

Top 10 Most Viewed Articles

1. 2008 Olympic Mountain Biking in Beijing by Carl Martens
   
2. How to Get Your Girl to Ride (Without Her Dumping You) by Tracey McCormick
3. Riding Green 10 Tips for Riding Responsibly by Kovas Lapsys
4. Video Footage of the 2008 Olympic Mountain Biking Course by Carl Martens
5. France Takes Gold and Silver in Men’s Mountain Biking at 2008 Olympic Games by Carl Martens
6. First Ride on My Fully Rigid Singular Swift SS by Janne Niini
7. Girls Seven Reasons You Should Start Mountain Biking by Tracey McCormick
8. Hardtail VS Full Suspension:  Which is Right for You? by Matt Brady
9. The Single Speed Guide by Matt Brady
10. Mavic 29er TN 719 Disc Rim Review by Kovas Lapsys

My Top 10 Reads

1. How to Get Your Girl to Ride (Without Her Dumping You) by Tracey McCormick
2. Poachers Need Not Apply by Kaitlyn Watts
3. Riding Green 10 Tips for Riding Responsibly by Kovas Lapsys
4. Solving Bicycle Noise Issues by Scott Mosko
5. Angles and Sizes and How They Affect Your Bike by Matt Brady
6. Dieting and Biking by Phil Hodsdon
7. Are 29er’s Really Faster?  The Physics Behind the Big Wheels by Matt Brady
8. Separation of Bike and State? by Jordan McCormick
9. Hardtail VS Full Suspension:  Which is Right for You? by Matt Brady

Thank you for an incredible start!  We are working at establishing partnerships with several vendors and will have some great articles and reviews in 2009.

To stay up to date on all of the mountain biking articles and reviews as they happen subscribe to our free RSS Feed or get articles delivered straight to your inbox.

Trek and Gary Fisher Demo Day at Big Creek Mountain Bike Trail in Roswell Georgia

Are you shopping for a new mountain bike or road bike or just interested in testing the latest and greatest bikes from Trek and Gary Fisher?  Weather permitting, here is a list of models/sizes that will be available to ride at the bike demo Sunday, January 4th, 10am - 4 pm at Big Creek mountain bike trail in Roswell, Georgia.

Road Bikes

Madone 5.5 Performance Fit 50,52,54×2, 56×2, 58×2, 60,62)
Madone 6.9 Pro Fit (54, 56)

Mountain Bikes

Trek EX 9.9 (15.5, 17.5, 18.5, 19.5, 21)
Trek Remedy 9 (small, med , large)
Trek 69er SS (15.5, 19.5)

Fisher Roscoe (med and 2 Large)
Fisher Pro Caliber (17, 19)
Fisher SuperFly (15.5,17.5, 19, 21)
Fisher HiFi Pro 29er (16, 19, 21)
Fisher HiFi Pro 26in Wheel (15.5,17.5, 19)

Trek Top Fuel 9.8 (17.5,18.5, 19.5)
Trek Top Fuel 9.9 (21.5)

Please Bring…

1) Helmet
2) shoes/pedals
3) photo ID

Determining Correct Tire Pressure

Tire pressure is the single best thing that a biker can do to improve the performance of their bicycle without having to spend any money.  Identifying the proper tire pressure for your bike will enable you to have more control when riding.  A tire with too low of pressure will make it harder to pedal/ride as well as increase your chances of getting a flat.  Tire pressure that is too high can make for a very rough and bumpy ride and will make it hard to navigate and have control over the terrain.

There is no standard for tire pressure as many factors must be taken in consideration when determining the proper tire pressure for a ride.  These factors include; weight and personal preference of the rider and the condition and terrain of the trail.

Most tire manufacturers will indicate a recommended tire pressure somewhere on the wall of the tire.  We suggest starting with the recommended tire pressure and then altering tire pressure based on the factors discussed above.

Start with the recommended tire pressure and take the bike for a ride to test your tire pressure setting.  A good indication of too high of tire pressure is if you notice that the bike does not grip well on turns or you find that the bike tends to bounce off of obstacles on the trail.  If you notice this happening drop tire pressure in increments of 5 psi in both tires.  Continue to do so until you find a tire pressure that is ideal.

Low tire pressure means more effort is needed and a higher tire pressure requires less effort.  This is called rolling resistance.  A tire with little rolling resistance will roll fast, but depending on conditions it could mean a loss in control and poor traction.

While determining the proper tire pressure it is important to be consistent with the tire pump and gauge used as psi readings may vary from one pump or gauge to another.

Everyone has their own opinion on tire pressure. It is important to keep in mind that proper tire pressure depends on several factors and therefore what one rider might recommend to another doesn’t mean it is the optimal tire pressure for that rider. Test your tires at various pressures and in different riding conditions and trail terrain to help get a feel for what tire pressure to use at various times.

Early Bird Registration Opens for the National Bike Summit, March 10-12

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The below was an email received on December 18, 2008 from IMBA
For Immediate Release
12-18-08
Contact: Drew Vankat, Policy Analyst
303-545-9011
drew@imba.com

Join IMBA and an expected 600 bicycle advocates at the 2009 National Bike Summit, March 10-12, in Washington, D.C. Hosted by the League of American Bicyclists, the Summit provides a unique opportunity for mountain bikers to interact with cyclists of all stripes, attend diverse informational sessions and lobby the halls of Congress. IMBA supporters who attend receive discounted registration, a private banquet dinner and tons of great swag.

An Extremely Important Year for the National Bike Summit

The sweeping administrative and congressional changes in D.C. make 2009 an extremely important year. “With so many new members of congress, it’s more important than ever to show them the human face of mountain biking and introduce yourself to their staff and your issues,” says IMBA Government Affairs Director Jenn Dice. “Mountain bikers have a golden opportunity to protect more land, influence public lands bills, increase funding for trails and lay the foundation for productive working relationships.”

Attendees will be treated to presentations and panel discussions on many important topics. IMBA is currently finalizing an exceptional line-up of speakers and sessions to cover the following topics: urban trails and jump parks, integrating trails and neighborhoods, small-group land protection training, funding for the National Park Service and integrating singletrack into the Bicycle Friendly Community program.

Sign up online to attend the National Bike Summit. Early bird registration is now open and available through Feb. 5.

Bolster Your Trails by Attending the National Bike Summit

The Summit is the perfect way to build a relationship with your member of congress. U.S. representatives and senators can be very powerful allies when the time comes to develop singletrack destinations. Just ask the Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists (MORC), who garnered $800,000 for new singletrack north of Minneapolis. “Your congressional office can help you find the right way to go after money for trails. The funding opportunities are there, but you have to go out and get it,” says MORC’s Tim Wegner.

Mike Dulin, of the Kentucky Mountain Biking Association, says, “Last year’s Summit was amazing. The combined knowledge of so many fellow cycling advocates is truly inspiring and the meetings on Capitol Hill are a fantastic way to get the ball rolling on new trails projects.”

Advocates looking to influence public lands protection also benefit from coming to D.C. “We’ve sent Virginians to the National Bike Summit the past few years and it’s undoubtedly helped us become better advocates for mountain biking and protected landscapes in the Jefferson and George Washington national forests,” says IMBA Trail Solutions Director Rich Edwards.

Resources to Get the Most Out of the National Bike Summit

IMBA pulls out the stops to make sure mountain bikers make the most of this event. Attendees are encouraged to register early so they can join pre-Summit conference calls and take advantage of IMBA’s online resources for comprehensive guidance on a variety of topics, including how to raise money to attend and finding lodging options. Limited scholarship money is available to help offset costs.

If you’re serious about taking your local singletrack to the next level, make sure the National Bike Summit is on your schedule.

Ay Up Introduces the Gecko Lightset Mount

We wrote a review awhile back about Ay Up’s mountain bike and road bike light system.  Ay Up’s lights weigh under 60 grams and the battery a tad over 80 grams which enables users the ability to use the new Gecko Lightest Mount velcro mountain system.  This type of helmet mounting offers an alternative method of mounting your helmet lights and batteries.

The below is a press release from Ay UP

Above image shows the Gecko Lightset Mount …

Using very flexible plastic mountings that can be contorted and twisted into any shape along with Industrial Strength 3M velcro dots you can now mount your helmet and light mount in seconds.

Above image showing the naked Gecko Battery Holder, note the slots in the sides to allow cable ties through for permanent mounting. (featured on both the mounts)

Both mounts can be removed completely extremely quickly leaving behind 8 velcro dots on your helmet. Battery swap over is super fast for those ever shorter pit stops during epic races.

Daytime use helmet below…

With both Gecko’s attached less the Lightset which snaps into place …

Complete Gecko System, installed in seconds

The added benefit of the mounts being super flexible is you can mount these anywhere on any type of surface.

Below head on image shows the slim but strong profile of the Gecko Lightset Mount…

Round poles, walls, glass, skate lids, caving, hard hats and helmets with no vents whatsoever, no problem.

The mount weight is under 5 grams but these little guys are as tough and as strong as our current mounts. The plastic composite we use super flexible and UV protective. They will attach to any profile and shape, no worries …

Strider Running Bike Review

Given that many of our readers have children we thought the following would make for a nice review.  I asked a family friend to help out, Elizabeth Tate agreed to write the review and her son Gabriel was the tester. With the holidays right around the corner we thought this would be a fitting review.

What a pleasure it’s been to test ride the Strider Running Bike! Our little Gabriel loves it! Gabriel is 2 ½ but definitely feels like a “big boy” on his “big boy” bike! He has three older sisters and with his new Strider, has joined the ranks of capable bike riders in our family!

The day his bike arrived, he couldn’t wait to get it out of the box. I was so surprised that the box and bike together weighed less than 10 lbs. The bike came in his favorite color, green, which he promptly named his, “John Deere Bike.” Assembly was very simple (I barely glanced at the directions at all) and using the wrench Strider included, the bike was ready to go in less than 5 minutes. Right away, Gabriel hopped on his bike and started scooting around the house. He used his feet to push the bike forward and slowly found a rhythm to move ahead.

The Strider’s seat height is adjustable from 11” to 16” high. This is a tiny little bike made to accommodate tiny little riders. It’s designed for children ages 1 ½ - 5. The Strider doesn’t have any pedals because most children in these young years aren’t able to coordinate the peddling motion. The bike is designed to be scooted on and propelled by pushing the feet on the ground. Eventually, little riders will ideally be able to glide on their Striders, lifting their feet and resting them on rest pads, comfortably located where peddles would normally be. The idea is that young riders, although unable to peddle, will learn how to balance on this tiny two-wheeler without ever having to use training wheels. When Gabriel’s bike arrived, I assumed that he wouldn’t master gliding and balancing on the Strider for a few more years. I was wrong.

For the first few days, Gabriel wanted his bike to go everywhere he did. This new bike was definitely his new favorite toy! He even insisted that his Strider be parked in his room when he went to bed. Being such a little bicycle, it was easy to accommodate his request. Indoors and out, he wanted to travel everywhere on his Strider!

When he was outside, Gabriel continued to push himself around with his feet and soon found a swift rhythm, accelerating his bike to a speed similar to a speed achieved by peddling. He continued to keep his feet on the ground or very near the ground for balance. The Strider has thick non-pop tires, which also give added stability to this bike. Gabriel definitely took some spills but not nearly as many as I would have expected. The handlebars are thick as well, and very maneuverable. They make big turns in either direction, which again, increases stability and helps avoid falls that come from sharp turns.

Over the next week, Gabriel continued to increase his speed and his love for his new bike continued to grow. Every time he went outside he wanted to ride his Strider. Still, I was very skeptical that he would learn to glide and balance on the two wheels, no matter how stable the Strider was.

About ten days after receiving the Strider, Gabriel was riding it in the driveway. He got up some good speed and suddenly he lifted his feet! He balanced and glided for about six feet! I couldn’t believe it! My tiny two year old was balancing on a two-wheeler! Since then, he’s been all about going faster and farther on his new bike! He can now glide for about 10-12 feet, pushing and resting his little shoes on the resting pads. It’s quite a sight to see! The other day a woman walked by and asked in a shocked voice, “Is he riding on a two-wheeler?!”

The Strider is a fantastic bike and it really works! It meets children right at their level, giving them the opportunity to ride a “big kid bike” without requiring them to peddle. It’s been a very fun and rewarding experience to see Gabriel gain confidence and ability on his Strider. I would recommend a Strider to any family looking to give their toddler/preschooler a very fun and enabling cycling experience!

Below are a couple videos that are also featured on the Strider website.

Interview with Bicycle Frame Builder Ted Wojcik

Ted Wojcik has been designing and building custom bicycle frames for the past 28 years. As he informed me of this he said, “how time flies when having fun”…it was 100% genuine. Hearing that was one of the highlights of the phone call…it didn’t sound cliché.

A true American hero, not just for the frames he builds, but serving in our armed forces during the Vietnam War. Ted gained extensive engineering and mechanical experience during his years of service in which he worked on gas turbine engines and helicopter transmission systems.

Ted Wojcik Custom Bicycles got its start while Ted was working at a motorcycle repair shop when his now wife brought a moped in for repair. It was the beginning of a relationship as well as the foundation of which the business would evolve from. It was Ted’s wife who changed his focus from motorcycles to bicycles. His wife was, as he put it, “altitude challenged”, being that she is 5’2” and an avid cyclist having trouble trying to have a bike frame to fit her. Having already learned the art of motorcycle frame fabrication, Ted ordered tubing from a local bike shop to build what would become his first bicycle and a wonderful present for his beloved. Being an accomplished welder, Ted decided to try his hand at creating bicycle frames. Built in Ted’s cellar, the next frame was sold before it was completed. In 1986 Ted went full time into bicycle frame building and in 1990 he moved out of his cellar and into his shop where the business remains today. The current shop is about 1600 square feet and is well tooled with a number of dedicated machines. He has collected a large amount of jigs and fixtures over the years and uses them to insure accuracy and repeatability in his builds.

Business slowed after 9/11and a great opportunity awaiting, Ted worked for a little over 2 ½ years on a project with the perk of spending $7.5M of a companies money building training aids for automotive vocational schools for the Venezuelan government. In 2004 when Ted returned to his business he noticed that it had moved backwards considerably. He has spent the past few years rebuilding his brand, awareness, and reputation which has enabled him to produce about 50-100 frames per year.

Ted is the lone employee and that doesn’t appear to change anytime in the near future. He is fussy about his work and there is a long learning period, he says that if he brought someone on they’d either end up hating him or they’d wreck stuff.

Unfortunately Ted is unable to do much off-road mountain type riding due to nerve damage from diabetes in his feet. He didn’t say it, but I have a feeling there’s a bit of peace in knowing that his work provides others with a riding experience matched by none. Seeing the joy and excitement of others probably helps ease any frustration regarding his situation.

Ted’s logo is as unique and as interesting as his story. The font came from a Santa stand in Harvard Square in 1990, “it looked like it represented something happy, so we adopted it…mountain biking is suppose to be fun and happy.” The colors represent the colors of Poland; red, white and black. If you look closely at the logo you’ll notice the “T” and the “W” representing the initials of his name.

I spent a little less than an hour on the phone with Ted, but I could have spent hours; days listening to him. If there was a book about him I’d read it. He is very engaging. I can’t count the number of times that I have visited his website, read the same text, or looked at the same pictures over and over. Take a look yourself, I’m pretty confident his work and story will engage you too.

Below are some additional photos of his craftsmanship…look at those welds!

Learn more, watch the video of Ted below.

Scott Hodge - Addictive Cycles - Support The Cause

Originally Posted on MTBTrailReview.com by Robb Sutton (aka 198).

A friend of mine…pyschobillycadillac…put together this benefit ride to support Scott Hodge. Many of you have no clue who Scott Hodge is or what he has done for the cycling community. Until recently, I had no clue how much influence the man referred to as “Hodge” has done for the community because he does not brag about it. He does it because of his pure love of the sport and its community.

Unfortunately, Hodge got in a terrible motorcycle accident a couple of weeks ago that left several broken vertebrae and very large doctors bills. As a bike shop owner, Addictive Cycles, Hodge doesn’t have the funds (I wouldn’t be able to either!) to get this bills paid off.

So What Can We Do?

It is time to give back to a man who has so freely given his time, money and energy to the sport. Every single little bit helps, so please give what you can. I know times are tight right now all over the world, but it would greatly help him and his family if you could throw a little their way.

Namrita O’Dea and some others have set up a PayPal account to accept the donations. Please donate what you can. Her readers have already done a great job so don’t let her beat me!

Benefit Ride

Before…I mentioned a ride…well here is all the info so try to make it if you are local to the area.

Hey folks as Im sure most everyone knows our dear friend Scott Hodge was involved in a motorcycle accident that has left him layed up with some pretty serious injuries as well as medical expenses. So we’re going to be doing a benefit ride to help out with some of those expenses. The details are as such…
Sat. November 8th at Fort Yargo, we’re going to shoot for a 12:00 (high noon) start time for the rides. We’re doing a later start for a few reasons, one it’s getting on towards winter and this will allow things to warm up a bit for the riding and two we’ve had folks from some pretty far away places express interest and we want to give them the ability to join us!

We will have rides furnished with ride leaders for all abilities! If you want to just do a short easy lap we will have someone for you. If you want to go out and hammer 50 miles, we will have someone there for you as well! Please we’re asking for everyone with every ability to come out, whether you just want to ride around the parking lot or experience all that Fort Yargo has to offer, we want you to feel welcome to join in the fun.

After the ride we will have food available for everyone and the new local and rising band Hammer Down has agreed to come play for us! And if that wasn’t enough our own local legend Bruce “the mouf of da souf” Dickman has graciously agreed to be our master of ceremonies for the day In addition a HUGE thanks go out to the folks at YABA who have donated to us the use of the pavillion there at the park for the day, thanks guys!

So what do we need from you? Well your attendance for starters and we’re asking for donations for the Scott Hodge fund. We’d like to ask for $20 from everyone to help out in the bills but please donate as much or as little as you can. As I said before everyone is welcome so if you can help out a lot and feel the call to do so then please by all means. If you can help out a little then we want you to feel just as important. Above all we just want to see your happy smiling faces out there doing what we all love most and what Scott wishes he could be joining us in. In addition to all of that we are working on some games for everyone, kids rides and a few other things that you’re just going to have to show up for to find out what they’re all about.

Everyone I’m speaking for Hodge and all of us here at the Addictive Cycles family when I say that the overflow of care and support that has been shown so far is amazing. It proves just what an amazing community the cycling world is and how we can all come together when a fellow member needs help. Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts for all that you have done and will do and we look forward to seeing you all on Nov. 8th!
Matt-

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