What a Group Ride!

June 14th was our latest Co-Ed/Co-Led group ride, and boy was it fantastic! We had the largest turnout to date along with some new riders who joined. What a fabulous way to end our Sunday!

We've talked a bit about our Sunday Co-Ed/Co-Led group rides before- for those who have missed the blips about it:

Our Co-Ed/Co-Led rides are open to all riders of any experience level, however it is caitered to new riders who would like to get out on our trails. We go a casual pace and do our best to keep it friendly for the newest rider of the group.

It is a no-drop ride. Something we feel is a very important concept- No Rider Left Behind. We will not start a new trail without everyone in the group.

We want our group to be an encouraging environment for all riders, seasoned and not. For those who are new to our trails, they can be a challenge, so we want to do our best to make it a positive experience. Take the fear out and show that the trails can be ridden on two wheels!

For women who are unsure of joining a mixed group (men/women) all other Sundays are FWD rides dedicated to being a women-only ride.

Do keep in mind, if the first Sunday of the month doesn't work for the Co-Ed/Co-Led ride, we do reschedule it the following Sunday. The best way to stay updated on rides/postponed rides would be to join FWD-Fearless Women of Dirt on Facebook or go "Like" our Decorah Bicycles Facebook page.

A little about FWD-
Josie has seen the popularity of women-exclusive groups/rides in other areas and figured having something like that in Decorah wouldn't be a bad idea at all.

Also, sometimes women simply just like to hang out with like-minded women- the Sunday ride is a regularly scheduled event so it's easy to join when you can.

There are times when it's nice to go out on rides and have encouragement from other women as men and women sometimes view mountain biking differently (yet similar) so it's good to have options. Frankly, it's healthy! However, do not completely negate the fun of a co-ed ride, either!

Going out with others is a great way to potentially learn something new that can boost your confidence or help you with your techniques. We saw just that on our Co-Ed/Led Sunday ride where other experienced riders helped coach a couple of the newer riders. It was really fantastic to have a mix of different levels out together. You really do learn a lot! Plus, it's inspiring to see newer riders flourish and make accomplishments.

We would love the opportunity to ride with you, introduce you to our trails, or perhaps take you out on some trails you haven't been on yet. We really get inspired by seeing what other riders can accomplish- find out how rad our trails are and join us for a Sunday ride!

Other FAQs
Rental rates for the FWD or Co-Ed/Co-Led rides are $15.00 (includes helmet) this is a great way to try out a 29" mountain bike or fatbike.
We go a casual pace- this ride is not intended to be a hammerfest!
No-Drop
Encouragement and helpful advice only- no negative comments, bullying, etc.
When in doubt, walk it out- there is no shame in it!
No apologies necessary! If you can't make something or have to put a foot down, saying "I'm sorry" is not needed nor is making a comment on your riding skills (example- "I'm not a good rider, I'm sorry!") we want people to know that these things happen, it's okay to happen in front of others, and don't turn it into a negative. Be positive! "Dang! Next ride I'll get that climb!"

June Updates

We're inching our way into the second week of June, wow! Time sure does fly!
We're continually working on repairs and trying to get bikes back to people asap and we appreciate your patience! We are also working with entirely new staff this year, which makes things a bit stressful. We thank you for understanding and for letting us work with our staff on learning all there is to know about working at a bike shop!

First off, we will be having a floor pump promo starting on Monday, June 8th and it will last until Monday, June 15th. Bring your old, outdated floor pump in to receive $5.00 off of a new, updated pump! It's amazing to see how easy our floor pumps are to use. They will work with both Presta and Schrader valves without hassle (they automatically fit to whatever valve your bike has.)

We are also excited to announce that we are helping to sponsor two fantastic events that will be happening in Decorah.









Coming up on Friday June 12th, bike or walk to the Vesterheim Museum courtyard on Water Street at 8 p.m. and view "Bikes vs Cars"
This movie is only available through the film festival circuit and specially-arranged screenings.
The showing is free and open to anyone, just remember to bring a chair or blanket to sit on!
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The bicycle is an amazing tool for change. Activists and cities all over the world are moving towards a new system. But will the economic powers allow it? It’s an uneven fight. Activists and politicians that work for change are facing powerful interests who gain from the private car investing billions each year on lobbying and advertising to protect their business.
The world needs radical changes to save the climate and the environment, but the car industry is selling more cars than ever. Today there are one billion cars in the world. By 2020, that number will double.
The film follows the individuals around the world that are dedicated to creating change. From bike activists in Sao Paulo and Los Angeles, fighting for safe bike lanes, to the City of Copenhagen, where forty percent of citizens commute by bike daily, "Bikes vs Cars" will look at both the struggle for bicyclists in a society dominated by cars, and the revolutionary changes that could take place if more cities moved away from car-centric models and became more bike-friendly.

The other event we're excited about is the return of Paul Doffing to Decorah! 

Bike-touring folk musician, Paul Doffing, will stir audiences to action with songs from perform his new album, Songs from the (quaking) Heart. This concert as well as others Paul is performing throughout Iowa this summer are supported by grants from the Iowa Arts Council, the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts. 

In case of inclement weather, Paul will perform inside ArtHaus proper at 508 W Water St. Advance tickets will not able available.
This concert is scheduled in conjunction with the ArtHaus Earth Art Workshops available for ages 4-16 on Friday, June 26. Josie interviewed Paul last year for her blog, you can find that interview here.

Learn more about our friends at ArtHaus! 

  

Check out the new Decorah jerseys!
Available for $89.99- stop in and get yours today! 

The jerseys fit similar to our Luther College jerseys, which are a more "fitted" style. 

The jersey was designed by Bob and Sandy Bishop of Decorah!

 

Starting on June 7th (or any Sunday following per weather) if you join Josie on a total of 5 FWD rides you can earn a $10.00 coupon to our store!

FWD is Decorah's local mountain bike group for women. All levels of riders are encouraged to join- you can check out our ad in the latest Inspire(d) magazine!

 

Even if you are not a Decorah local, feel free to join FWD and celebrate all the Fearless Women of Dirt!

Josie was also recently featured on IMBA's Dig In blog! Dig In is a Women MTB's blog and there is a collection of fantastic posts from women who work for IMBA along with guest posts by others. Josie has been featured on the Dig In blog a few times already and really enjoys being active with such a great organization. Dig In is a great resource, check it out!

Weather permitting we will have our second Co-Ed/Co-Led ride on Sunday, June 7th. However, if weather does not cooperate or trails prove to be too muddy, we will postpone our ride and have the Co-Ed/Co-Led ride happen June 14th.

When the Co-Ed/Co-Led ride happens, as usual we will leave as close to 5 p.m. as possible from the shop. After our ride (near/around 7 p.m.) we will head over to Goodtimes Grill for some eats and beverages!

The ride is casual, no-drop, and will be catered to the newest rider. All are welcome to join! 

Bike rental will be available at a reduced cost: $15.00 helmets required/provided.