Two Wheel Blogs

I decided to get a little riding in today, so I went home for lunch and commuted back in. I took the long route to get a little time with my thoughts. Had a good ride on my SS roadie, but recalled that there was a new LBS in town (The Hartsburg Cycle Depot), and I had resolved to stop in sometime to check it out.

Today was the day.

This is no ordinary LBS, mind you, these guys are full on builders. I mean, if the name was not enough to let you know that they are different (Hartsburg Cycle Depot, located in Jefferson City (not Hartsburg)), one look around the shop will make it clear. They build custom frames, and will build a bike for you to meet your needs....that is pretty cool really. (yeah, I know, I am already having a custom bike built somewhere else)

They also dig wheel building, and some of the other finer aspects of the bike buis. They have been around for quite a while (they used to be in Hartsburg), and I have always heard good stories about them...but until today, I had never been inside their shop.

It is rare that I walk into a LBS here in Jefferson City and something really impresses me (JC is sort of small, and no LBS in their right mind would stock a lot of bling in this town), but this place had something really cool. They have a Brooks saddle on the floor that is over a hundred years old! Coolest of all, it looks worn but still usable with a fair amount of adjustment left. That is really cool. Ever had a pair of shoes last that long? Even the ultra high end saddles for 300 bucks seem like a bargain when you understand that it may outlive you.

The proprietor of this LBS apparently has relatives in England, and was able to obtain a rare Brooks for a friend of mine who passed on while riding with me last year. It was tough to hear the story of how they had just finished doing some work on his bike and got it dialed just prior to his final ride.

Good people!

So anyway, we now have 3 LBSs in town now. There seems to be room for all three. I think each has its own little niche, and they will probably compliment each other well.