While Bike Bros sells all types of bikes, the expertise in full suspension - and selling only the best of the best is where
Bike Bros really shines.
Explanation. The quality of bicycle suspension varies greatly from brand to brand. Some very high profile bike companies insist on
using suspension designs that are either flawed in performance or flawed in longevity or both. They typically get around this problem
with savvy marketing, including "band-aids" to try to fix the problems or they act like George Bush - telling lies over and over
until weak minded people believe the hype.
So unless you want to work harder, have a greater chance of being bucked off, want a sore ass or like missing rides because you're
suspension is in for service, you'll have to buy your full-suspension dream machine at Bike Bros.
Of most importance: leave your "buddy" who was apparently a "world-champ" cyclist of some sort "back in the day" - leave him at home. Bicycle technology
has advanced significantly over the last few years. I hate being in the position to tell "champ" that everything he thinks he knows about bikes is totally outdated.
Now that you have lost "champ", visit your bank. Not just any bank, but the branch that handles your mortgage. We're getting silly today!
Seriously though... Let us begin - before the test-ride.
Figure out what you are going to do on your bike. Will you ever go off-road? What will you do 90% of the time?
Figure yourself out. Do you need the latest, greatest? Are you "frugal"? Will you pursue back-country cycling as a passion? How much are you comfortable spending?
Learn. Get comfortable with bike terminology. Ask questions.
Choosing YOUR bike. Don't get your heart set on a bike purely based on appearances. You may be surprised how subtle layout differences between bike models can change
the comfort and fit.
This is when you have to visit a shop and not just any shop - it must be Bike Bros.
Share how and where you want to ride, if you're a "latest-greatest" guy or a "frugal" shopper. You must remember. What one person thinks is agressive, another
will think is tame and what one thinks is expensive is another man's chump-change. talk to us.
Try to zone in on a level of bike. We'll make suggestions, but it is all based on your feedback. If you can zone into about a $200 range, you will have a number
of bike models to try.
Test ride. Spend some time riding around. Play with the gears (because it is fun), but concentrate mostly on comfort and feel. Some bikes automatically feel great
while some just don't. Pay attention to your butt, hands, neck, and lower back. Let us watch you. In some cases, people have become so used to poorly-fitted bikes,
that they don't feel right on a perfectly fitted bike - in this case you need trust - in this case you need us.
Gears: Mountain Bikes need gears - lotsa them. Off road cycling involves
sections of steep hills, both up and down, different soil conditions and friends
who want to beat you back to the car to grab the last beer. For these differing
conditions, gears are essential - the more the better and they must shift smoothly!
Modern mountain bikes (worth owning) have either 18, 20, 21, 24, 27 or 30 gears. The shifting is indexed,
meaning your shifter clicks into each gear - when adjusted correctly (we are the only shop in the world
that can do this) the shifting will be smooth, quiet and quick.
2011 brings some changes in high-end gearing options. 2x10 and 3x10 (20 and 30 speeds) are new to the market. 3x9 has been the "go to" option
for the last 10 years or so. This is coming down to what works best FOR YOU - not necessarily what is best. Talk to us about some of the pros and cons.
Brakes: Disc brakes are awesome - powerful in wet, dry, hot or cold. Disc brakes are superior because the braking surface is designed specifically for
braking - so it is stainless steel - allowing the use of brake pad material simillar to that used in the Starship Enterprise (and cars). The same could
have been achieved with a stainless steel wheel, but 35lb wheels would be a bit hard to pedal.
V Brakes (Linear Pull) are still on many less expensive bikes. If you don't have plans to rip around off road or ride in wet, muddy conditions, V Brakes
are probably just fine. V Brakes are still significantly better than brakes from 15 years ago.
Hardtail: A bicycle with suspension forks and rigid frame. (front suspension only).
Full Suspension: A bike with suspension in the frame and fork. These can range from low-tech "pogo sticks on wheels" like the stuff you
see at department stores to bikes that we sell (bikes that actually enhance your riding experience.
29er: A mountain bike with 29" diameter wheels instead of 26" wheels. This is a touchy subject with some hard-cores. The idea behind 29ers
is that they benefit from being more stable, offering superior traction and rolling over obstacles more easily. Bike Bros. was one of the first stores in Alberta
to stock and sell 29ers. We like 'em.
Single Speed: This proud sub-culture of mountain bikes and riders use only one gear on their bikes. This is "that next level" for ultra fit riders
looking for additional challenge. It also means less mechanical issues to deal with and a style of riding where the rider's skills must increase.
Geometry: In cycling, this is a general term to sum up the length, position or angle of different tubes. Changing a bike's geometry can affect both
the comfort of the rider and how well the bike performs in different situations.
XC Bike: Cross Country (XC) Bikes are light mountain bikes that are designed to put the rider in a powerful position - especially for climbing. These
can be either hardtails or full suspension with less than 4" of travel. XC bikes tend to favor efficient climbing over descending.
Trail Bike: These bikes, typically with 5" of travel, are designed to be as good for climbing as descending. The rider's position is slightly more upright
than an XC bike with slightly slacker angles than the XC bike to add to stability - especially when descending.
All Mountain Bike: Favouring more aggressive downhills, the All Mountain Bike is still a capable climber even with 6" of travel. While the All Mountain bike is capable of riding uphill,
it will take more energy and skill.
Freeride Bike: Pedalling efficiency is not a major concern on freeride bikes. These bikes are designed for stability and strength. Usually ridden at ski hills or places where
using a truck to shuttle to the top of a trail is possible
DH Bike: Downhill (DH) bikes are similar to freeride bikes but more emphasis is put on the bikes stability - both with the geometry and amount of suspension (8" to 10" of travel).
Why do you ride?
There is no right answer, but there is a right bike. New riders tend to focus on one type of riding - for them selecting the right bike
can be a critical difference between great feedback and never catching the bug.
Experienced riders tend to develop multi-personalities - and need a quiver of bikes to match the mood. For these guys there is no "one" bike, instead having a bunch of bikes - sometimes for unique types of riding, sometimes just because more bikes is better.
A wise man once said, the right number of bikes is one more than what you already have. He also said keep your number of bikes to one less than will cause divorce.
29ers are mountain bikes with larger diameter wheels - 29 inch - compared to 26 inch on standard mountain bikes. This
is essentially the future of mountain bike design for cross-country purposes. Larger wheels roll over objects more easily
resulting in a smoother ride. The bike's handling characteristics become more predictable and stable.
We now offer a range of 29ers, from the affordable Alpine Trail 29er and Soul 29er up to the Anthem X1 29er and more niche bikes like the
Pine Mountain 29er - with its cromolly steel frame and singlespeed setup.
If you're tall, 29ers are definitely the answer. Tall riders often complain about "wheelying" on uphills on standard mountain bikes. 29ers solve
this problem with their longer wheel-base. Additionally, tall rider's center of mass sits higher off the ground so it just makes sense to have
a longer wheel base and wheels that don't hang up on small obstacle.
Average sized riders just love the fast, smooth rolling feel and predictable handling.
One last thing - for people looking for one bike to use around town and in the mountains, the 29ers seem to strike some magic balance. Just
thought I'd mention that...
2012 Marin Alpine Trail 29er
$959
Hydraulic dics brakes, Rockshox fork with lockout & Deore/Alivio 27 spd
2011 Bolinas Ridge 29er
$799
SALE $699 - one 22" left for you tall folks
Setting a new standard for affordable, quality 29er
2012 Bolinas Ridge 29er
$729
27 speed, a butted frame and fork with lockout at this price? what?
you had me at "Marin". Heart!
Being one of the "big 3" brands in the USA and the biggest bicycle manufacturer in the world gives Giant huge resources for research and development of its
full suspension bikes. Giant's Maestro patented suspension design is an amazing design using short, dual links which allow engineers huge freedom to adjust rear
wheel path and shock ratios while eliminating brake-jack. Maestro has been around since 2005 and continues to be improved each year.
Giant full suspension bikes are typically quite light, with good efficient pedalling and they have extremely long lasting pivot hardware.
In the grand scheme of bicycle brands, Marin is a relatively small company. They are, however, very innovative and smart. Their smarts is what led them
to using the Quad Link suspension design. John Whyte, a former Formula 1 suspension designer, had developed an amazing suspension design for bicycles that
he was employing on his Super-Ultra-high-end Whyte Bikes. Marin realized how good the design was and partnered with Whyte to offer the design to the everyday cyclist.
Marin's Quad Link bikes tend to be heavier than many - which is a side effect of placing the linkages where they need to be to offer the ultimate in efficiency
and small bump performance. The most common feedback about the Marin full suspension bikes is that people expect to be complaining about the extra weight, but the
bike's efficiency and ride quality make the bike feel much lighter.
Rocky's story has 2 key elements. 1)Smooth Link Patented Suspension, and b)Straight up geometry.
Smooth Link suspension is a good, efficient design that allows for frames to be built extremely light weight. Geoff Kabush raced the Element RSL to a world
champion win against riders on hardtails and 29ers - proof of the weight and efficiency.
Straight Up geometry seems like a very minor detail but is actually a very effective set up. Rocky says they do it to allow for sag in the rear suspension. Having
ridden an Altitude for a season I can say it is great for hill climbing and helps get the seat out of the way on descents (you can tuck your but behind the saddle more
easily). Straight Up DOES TAKE SOME TIME TO GET USED TO and really only shines once you get on some real trails.
Generally, Rocky focuses on making beautiful, light bikes that ride well. They deliver.
Trail Guide
Here are a few of our favourite rides in Southern Alberta. Buy yourself a copy of
Back Country Biking in the Canadian Rockies by Doug Eastcott and get out of the house... come on what are you waiting for?
Living in the Church of the Moment.
If you find an adventure that is not on this page send us pics and a write up and we will add them to list. Pictures should be a minimum 450 px wide. As for the write up - make sure to capture the spirit of the ride and remember - never let the truth get in the way of a good story.
1) Click on the correct resolution underneath the image you wish to download.
2) Once the image finishes loading, right-click on the full-size image and select "Set As Wallpaper" or "Set as Background" from the pop-up menu that will appear.
Mac users:
1) Click on the correct resolution underneath the image you wish to download.
2) Once the image finishes loading, click and hold on the image, then save it to your hard drive.
3) Go to your Desktop Pictures control panel and click on "Select Picture" and choose the image. Please note that if you already have a picture, you must click on "Remove Picture" first and then "Select Picture".
4) Click on "Set Desktop" and close your control panel.
