The Ins and Outs of Chamois Cream

Chamois cream, it seems just about as mythical as padded shorts, both of which struck fear into my heart as a budding bike rider. Do people really use those things? What are they for? Will I look and/or feel silly?
Well, after time in the saddle you eventually learn that having both of these products will aid you and your comfort on the bike exponentially.

Shorts or liners with chamois are great, it turns into something akin to Captain Planet calling forth the additional powers from his friends when you put chamois cream into the equation.

There are MANY types of chamois creams and all-purpose balms out there.

At our shop we carry products from Chamois Butt'r:
The Original Chamois Butt'r, Chamois Butt'r For Her, and Eurostyle
Chamois Butt'r products are paraben and gluten free. They also do not test on animals.

We have sample packets available of each for $.99
Tubes of Original Chamois Butt'r and Butt'r For Her are available for $17.99
You can also get a box of 10 packets for $10.99

Why For Her?
"Chamois Butt'r For Her utilizes aloe vera, green tea leaf extract, tea tree oil, shea butter & lavender oil for their natrually occurring beneficial properties. There are no artificial colors or fragrances."



Eurostyle we have available in sample packets for $.99 or in a tub for $19.95
Eurostyle has witch hazel and menthol, which will provide a cooling/tingling sensation when applied. Some people like this, others look for products without. It's all personal preference. 







We have a Chamois Butt'r Go Stick available for $14.99- Use this for areas similar to the Body Glide products. It's best used on areas other than the chamois.

We also carry Body Glide, a 3 pack of pocket size balm for $1.99 available in both original and For Her formulas. This is more for runners or those in contact sports and used on areas were straps and fabrics would contact your skin and cause friction/blisters.
They are formulated to not be wet or oily. The Body Glide products do not have petroleum or parabens.
Made with natural ingredients, they do not have animal products nor do they do animal testing of their products. They are also neoprene safe and water resistant. 

 
What is the purpose of these products? Help eliminate friction!
Think about it, if you spend hours doing a physical activity (swimming, hiking, running, even working!) you will find that over the day (especially when temps are high) you will experience friction. Don't think you're safe in the winter months! Friction can happen any time of year, in any temperature.

Just about any physical activity or sport done over long periods of time can cause skin irritation. Particularly when weather is hot and humid.

Apply the cream or balm to areas that have regular contact. It's pretty self explanatory! Some products also say you can apply directly to the chamois liner, however most people say just apply it to yourself.
Use liberal amounts as the cream will be absorbed while you ride. Sample packets on extremely long rides are helpful to re-application if you under-applied.

The Chamois Butt'r website says: "Apply Chamois Butt’r Original liberally to skin and chamois before each ride. May be applied to any skin areas that rub together or against clothing."

Per the question on where to apply-
"Fifty percent of the riders we talk to put Chamois Butt’r on the pad of their shorts and fifty percent put it directly on their skin."

They suggest to put 1/6 to 1/3 oz of Chamois Butt'r on your skin or pad of shorts before you put the shorts on.

What you choose to use is based on personal preference. As stated before, there are many different types of chamois creams out there. If we do not have a particular product in stock, but you would like to inquire on if we can order it for you- let us know!

No sport or activity is enjoyable if you have to deal with skin irritation due to friction. Even tho the products sound a little strange, maybe even foreign, we can help you understand them. That's our job! We want you to be happy and comfortable regardless of what you're doing- running, hiking, or biking!

Information on the Quick Release Skewer Recall

There is a lot of talk going on about Trek and Quick Release skewers on disk brake models of bikes. We want to let you know that this is a problem not limited to Trek, but one that affects the entire bike industry and brands that chose that particular skewer.
So far, Trek is the only bike company to issue a recall for select models of disc brake equipped bikes sold over the past 15 years.

If you have a bike that you believe is affected, please contact us and we will assist you by replacing your quick release skewer (we will have replacement skewers available starting Friday, April 24th.)

Trek will also provide each owner who participates in the recall with a $20.00 coupon that is redeemable by December 31, 2015 towards any Bontrager or Trek merchandise. There is no cash value on the coupon- Trek encourages you to use the full coupon amount on a purchase.

Here are a couple articles to check out pertaining to the recall.

Article on Single Track World

Article on Bicycling.com

Video from Trek on proper wheel removal/installation with a quick release without washers

Video from Trek on proper wheel removal/installation with a quick release with washers

If you have any questions on your bike, feel free to give us a call. 

If your bike is NOT a disc brake version then you do not need to worry.

If you have a disc brake bike WITHOUT a quick release you do not need to worry.

If your bike uses a thru axel, you do not need to worry.


If you take your front wheel in/out, it's important to double check that you have the skewer tightened down properly.

If you have any questions on how to properly tighten your skewer, please feel to have us show you!

Additional information can be found here:

TrekBikes.com

An Update on FWD!

FWD will have a designated Women's Sunday ride that allows all riders from beginner to experienced to come out and enjoy our local trails. We want to encourage comradery and create a healthy and positive environment for those new to our mountain bike trail system and for those who simply want to go for a ride with rad women!

The FWD Sunday Off-Road ride starts at 5 p.m.
Please arrive 10-15 minutes early.
Plan for approximately 2 hours of riding.
Ride will be casual pace with regular breaks throughout.
We leave no rider behind- our focus is on fun, not fast.

This is a great opportunity to be led on a ride in a positive, supportive group setting as our trails can be challenging in some areas.
As always- "When in doubt, walk it out."

If you would like the option of having a led ride with a couple of your friends or solo, contact Josie by filling out the form below with dates/times during the week that work best and we'll schedule a ride!
This is a great opportunity to have a ride personalized just for you-
A scheduled ride will allow for more one-on-one time to ask questions, practice spots, and have fun! It's a great way to be introduced to the trails gradually and eliminate the "fear factor" associated with mountain biking.

We will provide a fatbike or mountain bike and helmet for you at the FWD price of $15.00 for the Sunday ride or any scheduled ride with Josie.

To schedule a personalized ride, click here!

If you are interested in joining FWD email Josie at: josie@decorahbicycles.com
Join FWD on Facebook!

Learn About The 2016 Trek Farleys!

For next year, the Farley is all-new!

In addition to new lightweight carbon models, a new rigid carbon fork, and more tire clearance to accommodate 5” wide tires or the new 27.5 x 4” wheel system, the all-new Farley is more versatile than ever before!

The wheelbase can be easily adjusted with Trek’s exclusive Stranglehold dropout for capable 26˝ x 5˝ tires or the fast 27.5˝ x 4˝ system. 

Along with all-new technical features, there are also more models in the lineup for next year: 3 alloy models, 2 carbon models, and one carbon frameset. 

The capable, versatile, all-new Farley is the benchmark that all fat bikes will be judged against.

We are accepting pre-orders on the 2016 line! From April 9th-May 9th you can receive 10% off of your 2016 Trek Farley pre-order! 

Click the name of the bike to be directed to our website for additional information!

Trek Farley 5

 Farley 5- $1799
26x4.7" Bontrager Barbegazi Team Issue tubeless ready tires. 197mm thru axle rear end.

Trek Farley 7

 

Farley 7- $2399
Carbon fork w/150mm spacing, 26x4.7" Bontrager Barbegazi tires, SRAM 1x11 drivetrain.

Trek Farley 9

 Farley 9- $3299
Upgraded RaceFace/X1 1x11 drivetrain, Rock Shox Bluto suspension fork, 27.5x3.8" tires, clearance for 26x5" tires, upgraded Jackalope TLR rims, Avid Guide RS brakes.

Trek Farley 9.6

Trek Farley 9.6- $2999
Trek Charcoal color, carbon frame/fork, SRAM GX1 1x11 drivetrain, Jackalope 27.5" wheels, Bontrager Hodag 27.5"x3.8" tires, Avid DB3 hydraulic brakes.

Trek Farley 9.8

 Farley 9.8- $4899
Carbon frame, bars, seatpost, saddle rails, crank, fork/steerer tube, and Trek Wampa carbon rims. 27.5x3.8" tires, with clearance for 26x5" tires.

Trek Farley 24 

 Farley 24- $1099
Sealed bearing hubs, 24x4" tires, Shimano 1x9 drivetrain, Tektro hydraulic disc brakes.

April Updates

Our Annual Spring Sale ended on Saturday, April 4th- during the course of our sale at least 67+ bikes found new homes! That is absolutely fantastic! We want to thank each and every one of our customers and friends for stopping in and supporting a local, small business. Having more people on bikes is always a positive thing, and we look forward to seeing more excited faces as they get to experience life on two wheels!

We are still around a month out on repairs right now. This is due to our Spring Sale and the fact we were constantly building bikes for those purchasing them and/or bikes for the floor. We are finally able to start working on repairs again and appreciate your patience.

We have been encouraging new bike owners to bring repairs in during our slower months, September-February. This is an excellent time to have service work done as many aren't riding their bikes all-year-round.

Your tuneup will not "go bad"; all you'll need to do when fair weather hits is pump up your tires and roll!

We'll do our best to bust out repairs as quickly as possible, and if you are patiently waiting, rest assured you will receive an email or phone call when your bike is in working order.

We have a helmet promotion happening (valid April 6th-April 20th)- bring in your old helmet and we'll take $5.00 off of a new helmet!
If it's been over 5 years since you've purchased a helmet or if you can't even remember when you acquired your current one, it's time for an upgrade!

The cost of a $40.00 helmet over 5 years winds up being just 2 cents a day! It's the least expensive life insurance you can purchase for yourself.








In other news, The 25th Annual Decorah Time Trials are coming up rather quickly and we want to remind everyone if they want to preregister, to pick up their entry forms here at the shop. They need to be postmarked or dropped off at Park and Rec by April 17th!

Please mark your calendars and spread the word, our shop will be closed on April 25th to attend the time trials.

We will be doing some fun things in May for Bike Month and Bike to Work Week!
May we will also be doing a fundraiser all month long to raise some funds for DHPT (Decorah Human Powered Trails)- we have some awesome prizes that will be offered, one being a $500.00 gift certificate to our store!

Starting May 17th Josie will lead an off-road women's ride. This is for those new to riding off-road and would like a guided ride. People are welcome to sign up individually or in pairs. Small groups of up to 4 people are welcome as well.

You can start preregistering yourself for Sunday rides now! For more information, follow this link and email Josie: josie@decorahbicycles.com

Last but not least we are extremely excited to announce that we are official Salsa dealers again!
This means we'll be able to bring you even more wonderful bike options to the table along with even more fatbikes as well!

We will have a Beargrease Carbon 1 fatbike available as a demo! Come down and see how a carbon fatbike rolls!

With Salsa we will have complete bikes available for purchase along with the ability to purchase framesets and custom build a bike that meets your needs. We are looking for feedback from our customers on what Salsa bikes and products they would like to see in our store. If you have thoughts, simply email us!

Fatbikes on the brain? We have a couple Trek Farley 6 (17.5 and 21 in.) and 8 (17.5 and 19.5 in.) bikes available!