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August Tour Update
It’s wild that our tour season is half over. August is pretty busy, with a third of our public tours being already fully booked. But have no fear, we’ve got room for you on the following!
August 7, Urban Agriculture (5 open spots)
August 9, Eastern Market (6)
August 13, Churches of Poletown (SHORT VERSION) (3)
August 18, Riverfront/Dequindre Cut (2)
August 20, Public Art (8)
August 20, Belle Isle (6)
August 23, Eastern Market (6)
August 27, Southwest Detroit (6)
August 28, Auto Heritage (10)
Descriptions and reservations HERE.
As always, we book private tours all days of the week. We recommend that you reach out to set yours up as soon as possible. We’re getting a lot of last-minute requests this season; we really do try to accommodate everyone but, the less time we have it gets more and more difficult to do so! Linda’s ready for ya at bookings@wheelhousedetroit.com.
Flat Fixing, Part 2 of 3: Basics to Have on Hand (er, Bike)
If you’re going to fix your own flat, you need to be equipped.
Number 1, you need a replacement tube. Our last blog post was all about how to make sure you had the correct size.
Then you need some basic tools. Tire levers are mandatory (pictured: Pedro’s $5.25). The middle pic above shows the contents of a basic Park Tool Essential Tool Kit. It’s $27 and includes tire levers, a hex wrench set, a tube patch kit, and tire boots (more on those another day). Comes with a handy-dandy pouch.
Multi-tools are also a sound investment. They add other useful tools (like a Phillips head screwdriver) to the hex wrench set. The Topeak Mini 10 retails for $22.
Next you’ll need an air source. When selecting a frame or portable pump, consider size, if you want a gauge (that will cost more), and if you need Schraeder and/or Presta. The Crank Bros Short Frame pump ($23) doesn’t have a gauge, but it’s suprisingly powerful for its size and does accomodate both SV and PV tubes.
Another option to consider is a CO2 cartridge setup. Pros: it doesn’t break, it’s very compact, and it requires less human effort to actually fill the tire. Cons: you have one shot (or, as many shots as cartridges you carry) and there is a possibility for a blowout (ie, overinflation that ends with a bang!). The Planet Bike CO2 Kiss is $13 and includes the dispenser and one cartridge. Replacement/spare cartridges are about 3 bucks a piece.
Many avid riders carry both; as you get more comfortable changing flats, you’ll learn what works for you.
Lastly, if you have bolt-on wheels, you’ll need a wrench (most likely a 15mm). The wheel on the left is quick release, which can be removed by hand. The wheel on the right is bolt-on which, yes is one more step for you, but it’s also one more step for thieves.
So now that you have everything you need, we’re ready for the most important step: Changing your flat! Coming up in Part 3.
Flat Fixing, Part 1 of 3: Know Your Tube
In just 3 short blog posts, we’re gonna show you how to change a flat tire! It’s not that difficult, and it is an invaluable tool for every cyclist to know.
First things first, you need to have a spare tube with you when you ride. And you’ll want the right size tube!
The very first blog post of our Service Series was about learning the proper inflation of your tube and tire, also known as PSI. The same place where you find your PSI, on the side of the tire, is where you find the size of your tire and tube.
The sizes of tubes and tires is waaaay more complicated than it should be. Some are measured in British, some in Imperial (US). There are literally dozens of tube sizes that we stock in the shop although some are certainly more common than others. But none of this matters if you can just read the size off the side of the tire!
There will be 2 numbers linked by an “X”. That’s all you need.
So, the tire on the left is 700 millimeters in diameter and 32mm wide and is referred to as a “700 by 32.” (You can ignore the “c,” it’s a holdover from an old French measurement system and isn’t used at all anymore. It doesn’t mean centimeters. Yeah, tubes and tires are unecessarily complex.)
The tire on the right is 26 inches in diameter and 2.1in wide and is referred to as a “26 by 2.1.”
Pro tip: If you don’t have your bike with you at the shop and don’t want to deal with this nomenclature, you can always just take a pic of the numbers on your phone and show one of us.
Next up, you’ll need to know what kind of valve you have.
The tube on the left has a Schrader valve, or SV. The tube on the right has a Presta valve, or PV.
So now you can walk confidently into the shop and say, “I need a 26x2.1 SV tube!” or “I need a 700x25 PV tube!”
If you’d like to take the next step and stare down those shelves of tubes and select your own, just remember that tube widths are sold in ranges. Basically the tube for your 26x2.1 tire will be 26x1.9-2.125. All you need to make sure is that your diameter (ie, the number before the “X”) matches and that your width (ie, the number after the “X”) fits within the range of numbers on the tube box.
In the photo above, we’ve got a 700x37 tire with a Presta valve. The correct tube is 700x35-43 PV.
One last thing to remember, if you have a Presta valve, there are also different lengths. It’s more than likely that if you are riding a wheel that requires a long Presta valve, you will know that about it, since it’s kind of a high-end thing. But when in doubt, just ask. We are happy to help you figure it out!
Tubes do range in price depending on size, but most are in the $10 range (super skinny and super fat ones tend to cost more).
And if any of this sounds overwhelming, don’t stress. We got you! We can show you how to read the size off your bike or, if you are on a need-to-know basis with bike maintenance, just show us the bike or a photo of the tire and we will grab the proper one for you.
Wheelhouse is a 2022 Bicycle Retailer Excellence Awardee
Drum roll, please! For the 8th consecutive year, Wheelhouse has been recognized as one of America’s Best Bike Shops with a National Bicycle Retailers Association Bicycle Retailer Excellence Award.
To be awarded, a detailed application is submitted and reviewed. It vets operations, website, social media, policies, community outreach, inclusivity, and diversity. Additionally, the shop gets “Secret Shopped,” where our customer service is evaluated over the phone, via email, and in person.
From the NBDA’s release:
The NBDA has announced the 2022 winners of the Bicycle Retailer Excellence Awards (BREA). 111 retailers from North America have been awarded this recognition in levels of Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze. These levels were based on application score and online presence, including website and social feeds. BREA is an update on the past Americas Best Bike Shops Program. The rebrand, in 2021, focused on inclusivity while celebrating the diversity in bicycle retail.
Retailers that earn the distinction of Bicycle Retailer of Excellence, the most significant credential of its type for independent bicycle dealers, receive an official certificate, marketing signage for their shop, and digital marketing materials for their websites and social media.
Retailers will be recognized for their retailer excellence at a live ceremony to be held at the Big Gear Show in August. The award presentation will also be broadcast live via the NBDA You Tube Channel, for those retailers unable to attend. In addition to the Excellence Awards a few other presentations will be made; the People’s Choice Retailer Winners, in which riders voted for their local retailer, will be congratulated and the NBDA will welcome association partner HLC to the stage to award several scholarships to winning retailers for NBDA memberships.
“Our vision with BREA, as with all our programs, is to lead bicycle retailers to excellence”, said NBDA President Heather Mason. “We have been grateful to share retailer application responses as examples of excellence with the industry at large via our podcast and other vehicles. My heartful congratulations and thanks to all this year’s participants. We look forward to recognizing our retailers of excellence this summer.”
The NBDA is grateful to SmartEtailing who provided participants and winners alike with social media assets for both the People’s Choice Campaign portion of the BREA awards as well as the winners recognition badge.
“Watching the program develop over the past several years has been exciting,” stated NBDA Development Director Rachelle Schouten. “It gave us great pleasure to see so many retailers move into the Platinum level recognition. With such diversity of shops, the expanded application truly allowed us to see the retailers for their unique qualities. So many communities are fortunate to have such stellar local bicycle retailers.”
An application packed with deeply analytical questions designed to have you digging deep into the “why” behind your business while investigating current practices all aimed at delivering you higher end profitability and improved culture.
Thank you to the NBDA for recognizing the hard work of Wheelhouse and other independent bicycle retailers! - Kelli & Crew
July Tour Update
Our 2022 tour season has been just amazing. Our new guides are killing it and our returning guides just continue to improve. Check out some reviews from the past couple of months!
Rick - Public Art
Wife and I went there today (July 2nd) for a bike tour, we had a blast. Great tour guide, fun and informative, the owner went on tour with us and she was super nice too.Great vibes and great time. Definitely worth it.
Marilyn - Corktown
We loved our tour of Corktown with Kelly! She is very knowledgeable, easy going and gave us a great tour of the neighborhood!
Cindy - Underground Railroad
We had a great time on the Underground Railroad tour! I thought I knew a lot about it, but Reggie gave us a lot of information that I never knew. Kelli was our “sweeper” and did a great job keeping us all safe! The pace was perfect! We will be doing all the tours they have to offer. Can’t wait!
Bob - Auto Heritage
We took the Auto Heritage tour and had a fantastic time. Ride was at a comfortable pace. The information shared was interesting and gave new insight into the history of our city. It was nice to ride with others interested in history and hear their stories also. We definitely plan to take more tours. Thank you!
Leslie - Architecture
Having an architect run the architecture tour was a fantastic bonus! We knew the tour would be educational and interesting, but Chris's knowledge and enthusiasm for both Detroit and its architecture made for a POSITIVE/FUN experience in the 'D'! Highly recommend Wheelhouse Detroit tours and bike rental. We're spreading the word in Adrian.
We have TEN public tours with openings on them this month — we hope you will join us! And of course, we book private group tours any day of the week; reach out to bookings@wheelhousedetroit.com to start the process.
Introducing...Service Series
Introducing an occasional Wheelhouse Blog Series about Service.
Our first three installments are all about flat prevention. CHECK IT OUT!
Next up: changing a flat, including what basic tools you should be carrying.
Flat Prevention, Part 3 of 3: Upgrading Your Tires
What have we learned so far in the exciting journey of flat prevention?
First, keep your tires inflated to the proper pressure! Next, while riding, do your best to avoid grit, glass, and other debris!
And, if that doesn’t cut it? Upgrade your tires.
As with most things in life, better quality tires are going to cost more. We tend to stock tires in all sizes with the thought process of good (least expensive), better (middle of the road), and best ($$$). The best, at the Wheelhouse, are Continental Gatorskins and Gator Hard Shells. The former feature puncture-resistant casing, sidewall protection, and wear-optimized tread. The latter adds additional sidewall protection.
These tires (actually, all tires) have been relatively difficult to come by throughout the pandemic, so we’ve been snatching them up size by size as we’ve been able. As I write this, our distributor is out of stock of several sizes of Gatorskins and all sizes of Hard Shells. We sit about the same at the moment, but that changes week to week.
If you are interested in upgrading, expect to spend in the $120 to $130 range for two tires. We can install for $12/each.
If we don’t have your size in stock, we can definitely find you a comparable or get a deposit and snatch you up some Gators as soon as they come into the warehouse.
Even after all of this, sometimes flats still happen. And in that case, you can always come by the Wheelhouse for a quick flat change ($12 + cost of tube). Or, do it yourself! Our next service series will take on changing your own flats: what you need and how to.
Reproductive Freedom For All Petitions @ Wheelhouse
We have petitions for the Reproductive Freedom for All amendment to the state constitution available for signing at the shop.
Some important things to know:
💜 The petition must be signed in-person.
💜 The petition must be submitted to the Secretary of State by July 11, so there's not a ton of time — we’re dropping ours back to the ACLU on Friday, July 1.
💜 The amendment will explicitly protect the right for a woman to choose in Michigan DESPITE THE RECENT SCOTUS DECISION.
💜 This amendment would protect folks seeking an abortion, protect abortion care providers, and prevent legislators from passing restrictions and bans DESPITE THE RECENT SCOTUS DECISION.
Please come by before 6PM today, 6/28 or between Noon and 6PM Thursday 6/29, and Friday 6/30.
Flat Prevention, Part 2 of 3: Avoiding Grit & Debris
Since Wheelhouse opened in 2008, Detroit has come an increibly long way in terms of bicycle infrastructure. But one issue is debris in bike lanes, that can oftentimes cause flats.
Of course, all streets have the potential for debris along the curb, but it does seem to be more frustrating and noticable when a lane made just for you is pretty much unusable.
Whether or not you’re riding on a street with a bike lane, we recommend not riding in the debris, even if it pushes you out into another lane. Legally, cyclists have the right to do so. Of course, use caution and common sense.
Debris, including glass (Detroit Diamonds!) and small wires (these come from radial tires and can be almost invisible to the naked eye), are the second most common reason for flat tires that we see at the shop. We take care to find the culprit or replacing the tube is just going to be an exercise in futility.
If you’re changing your own flat, carefully feel along the inside of your tire for anything sharp. If it’s also gone through your tire, that will need to be replaced as well.
We do know that the Detroit Greenways Coalition is advocating for more regular bike lane sweeping and recently organized a cleanup of a portion of Hamilton’s bike lane.
We Got Secret Shopped!
Every year since 2015, we've submitted an application to the America's Best Bicycle Shop (Bicycle Retailer Excellence Award) program administered by the National Bicycle Dealers Association. The process is kinda a pain, but it's a great annual assessment of our operations. Part of the review process is being secret shopped.
A secret shopper emails, calls, and visits us — of course, we aren’t told when — and we get graded on professionalism, product knowledge, customer service, our website, and appearance of the shop.
We got back our secret shopper report and, well, we nailed it with a 91%! Kudos to our fantastic staff for knocking it out of the park!
We haven't heard back if we're ultimately being awarded ABBS/BREA for 2022, but this secret shopper report sure bodes well. We should hear in July. Fingers crossed for 8 years in a row!