INTENSE TRACER T275C AT ROCK N' ROAD CYCLERY

Rock N' Road Cyclery is stoked to announce that we have the all new Intense Cycles Tracer T275C in stock now!  For those of you looking for a bike that can shred any trail, this is your dream bike.  Here are some highlights strait from the folks at Intense Cycles.

"The Tracer T275 carbon marks the next step for Intense in its continued campaign to lead and elevate design and innovation for the sport’s Enduro segment. The new bike embodies the perfect balance of beauty and aggression while delivering an unprecedented ride quality.
The carbon monocoque construction combines a solid one-piece front triangle while the new geometry features a slacker headangle, lower bottom bracket and shorter chainstays. Integrated 142×12 dropouts mean fewer parts and offer a simpler approach and more pure design. Also noteworthy is a new internally-guided cable routing system that allows for flawless assembly and easier maintenance.
But most impressive is the ride. Toss a leg over one and see for yourself"

Key Features:

• Adjustable Travel: 145mm – 160mm (5 3/4″ – 6 1/4″ )
• Frame weight (Med w/ Fox CTD): 2.5 kgs (5.6 lbs)
• Patented VPP design
• ISCG 05 Mounts
• Internal Cable Routing for Stealth Reverb
• Monocoque Front Triangle
• Modern Trail Geometry
• Integrated 142X12 dropouts
• Integrated Internal Cable Routing System 

 

This rad machine is offered in three different models; Expert, Pro, and Factory - the Factory model is the bike dreams were made of and even boasts ENVE AM Carbon wheels!  Swing by our Laguna Niguel Rock N' Road Cyclery to see the Expert and Factory models today.  Check here for some more 411.

Upcoming Events at Rock N' Road

This Intense Demo Day is right around the corner.  Don't miss your chance to throw a leg over some of the best trail bikes on the planet!  Check out this video to get yourself pumped up for the event.

Learn more about Intense Cycles here.

FIFTH ANNUAL DIVAS SWEETHEART ROAD RIDE!

The Next event on tap is our Fifth Annual Divas Sweetheart Road Ride.  We will leave out of our Laguna Niguel store (27281 La Paz Rd) just after 8am.  

Come couples, come singles, Men and Women...  This is a co-ed road ride to celebrate St. Valentines Day.

This is a moderately pace road bike ride, not a beginner's ride.  Please have some experience riding in groups.  For more info go here.

FULL MOON MTB RIDES!

It doesn't get much better than riding your Mountain Bike at night!  Join these rides if you are looking to have yourself a good time.  These are moderately paced rides, not recommended for beginners.  Local trail knowledge is recommended, lights and helmets are required (we always have demo trucks from our friends at Niterider and Light & Motion)

Click here for more info

Hunger Ride 2013

 

Wow! What a great Hunger Ride this year!  Over 125 riders showed up and donated just about 4000 pounds of food to Second Harvest Food Bank- all in one day!  A huge "Thank You" goes out to all who participated and made this year's Hunger Ride and Food Drive a success.  Bow Lemp of Estate Services Audio Visual took top honors for the person who donated the most food weighing in at 1000lbs.  He also coordinated the food donations from Linked Cycling and Over the Hump Race Series.  In total, Bow, Over the Hump, and Linked donated almost 1600lbs of food!  We cannot say "Thank You" enough Bow!  Also, thanks to Chick-Fil-A for providing us with some post ride chicken sandwich greatness.  To top it off, we had the best weather conditions we have seen on any one of our previous Hunger Rides.  Can't beat the high 70's and sunshine in December.  We look forward to next year and smashing this years totals.

Happy Holidays!

Is it time to buy your child their first bicycle? Or, is your "little one," not so little anymore and ready for a bigger bike, or one without training wheels?
If it's been a while since you've bike shopped, you're in for a pleasant surprise.
Today, there are more types of children's two-wheelers available than ever before. While this means you have a better selection, it also increases the possibility of purchasing the wrong bike or one that is lesser quality or poorly designed.
To help, here are some fun tips to ensure that you get a bike your tyke, kindergartner, pre-teen and young adult – and every juvenile in-between, will love. And remember that Rock N' Road staff is always happy to help answer questions, show you and your child which bikes fit and how they differ, and handle any other issues that crop up as you get your whole family pedaling together. We can keep a secret, too, in case that new tot rod is a surprise!

Size matters

While adult bicycles are selected according to frame size, kids' bikes are sized (and referred to) according to wheel size (see our photos and chart below).

Also, fitting a bike to children is more than determining their age and height. Rock N' Road will also (and you should) evaluate coordination and riding ability. For example, taller children lacking cycling confidence do much better on smaller bikes because they feel more comfortable and in control. And a coordinated 10-year old with long legs who has ridden smaller bicycles growing up might be ready for a full-size bike.
The most important deciding factor is safety. You want a bicycle that lets them ride easily in complete control. All of Rock N' Road Cyclery's children's and young-adult bicycles are adjustable to fit as your child grows.
So, don't make the common mistake of believing you should get a bike that's a little big in order to have growing room for your child. Oversize bikes like this can be dangerous and can cause crashes. They're also harder to ride. These things can have the opposite effect of what you want, and instead of being fun for them, actually turn your kid off to cycling. And don't worry, once they've outgrown any bicycle, you can easily sell it online, in the newspaper or at a yard sale.

	Sizing by age and wheel size
Age: 2 - 4 Wheel size: 12-inch (or smaller)	Age: 2 - 4 WS: 12-inch pedal bike (can include training wheels)	Age: 3 - 6 WS: 16-inch pedal bike (can include training wheels)
Age: 5 - 9 WS: 20-inch	Age: 7 - 11 WS: 24-inch	Age: 10 - Adult WS: 26-inch/700c

Proper fit

When you're checking a bike's fit, make sure that the child can sit on the seat and place both feet firmly on the ground, which means they'll be able to hold themself upright and get on and off without difficulty. If the bicycle is equipped with training wheels, it's okay if the child reaches the ground with their toes only, because the training wheels provide the support.
As they develop their balance, gradually raise the training wheels so they get used to leaning the bike to turn. This is easy to do on our quality training wheels.
It's also important that children can comfortably reach the handlebars and steer. If the bars are out of reach, steering will pull them forward causing a loss of control. Plus, if the bicycle has hand brakes, it's crucial that the child can reach and operate the controls. If the child doesn't have the hand strength to operate the levers, it's usually possible to adjust the systems to make it easier for them, which we can help you with.
 
Running bikes

For children who cannot ride yet, and the youngest and least coordinated kids, running bikes are a great way to start. These compact, uncomplicated and totally fun learning machines are also referred to as balance or push bikes. They are very intuitive for most children and inspire confidence because their feet are on the ground so much of the time and the bikes are small, light and easy for them to handle.
These ingenious bikes have a sturdy frame, nice wheels and tires and a seat and handlebars, but they have no pedals, cranks, drivetrain or brakes. They are powered by the child pushing along with their feet, a natural motion they've already mastered. And, as they propel themselves along Fred Flintstone style, they quickly learn how to steer a bicycle and soon also get the feeling of balancing a two-wheeler. Once that happens they're well on their way to a pedal bike.
It's important to note that even new riders can scoot along quite quickly on running bikes. So be ready to keep an eye on your little ones and make sure they only ride where it's safe. Also, these bikes can handle pavement and dirt, so they're great for learning off-road skills, too.

Pedal Bikes

Today, kids' pedal bikes vary as much as adult models. For tots, there are tiny brakeless "sidewalk" bikes not intended for street use. Once they turn about eight, many kids want BMX (Bicycle Moto Cross) models, which are ideal for everything from cruising to school and around town to trick riding, racing and dirt jumping. Also popular are cruisers, and even mini mountain bikes with suspension, and full-on performance road bicycles.
If your child is very small, you might be able to pick out a bike for them. Once they get a little older, though, this gets tricky. Remember, that it's their bike and keep in mind that they're more likely to want to ride and to get excited about biking if they've got the two-wheeler they like best.
To find out what they want, just ask them. Or bring home some catalogs or visit us online with them and have them point out models they like. Or, make a day of it and bring them in shopping so they can show you the models they think are cool.
If the new bike is a surprise gift, check what your child's friends ride. That should ensure that you pick a winner. Also, we're happy to exchange new bicycles if it turns out that your child had their heart set on a different type.

Our professional bike shop is the best place to buy

We hope that this basic information on choosing, sizing and buying a children's bicycle is helpful and that you'll come see us when it's time to share your cycling love with that eager little one. We carefully select the kid's models we carry and assemble every one by hand plus stand behind every bicycle with a full guarantee, too, should you ever have a problem. We also properly fit the bike to your child and can show you the adjustments you can make as your child grows.
Rock N' Road has a full selection of accessories, too. You'll want to get them a helmet and we'll make sure that it fits right. And, if they're old enough to bike to school, you'll want them to have a quality lock and know how to use it. You might want them to have a light and bell or a rack for carrying books and clothing. We've got it all and are happy to show you.

This article was prepared in conjunction with our friends at People For Bikes who are working hard to make America more bicycle friendly.
Thanks for reading!

Bike Fit at Rock N' Road Cyclery

Developed from years of working with Dr. Andy Pruitt Ed.D., PA of the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine and found only at Specialized dealers, like Rock N' Road Cyclery, BG FIT (Body Geometry Fit Integration Technology) is a comprehensive fitting system created to help cyclists like you ride faster, longer and in complete comfort, while reducing your chances of injury.

Rock N' Road Cyclery uses the system's latest technology to ensure a precise fit based on your exact measurements. We incorporate your athletic and cycling background, height, flexibility and inseam to determine specific vertical and horizontal coordinates. And, a great thing about the BG FIT is that we can provide a thorough, cutting-edge, expert fit in a short amount of time. Plus, if you're purchasing a new Specialized bicycle, you're getting the best in bike technology too.

The BG FIT process:

Pre-fit interview - Every fit, whether it's for a novice or experienced cyclist starts with a brief interview with our trained technician that addresses your needs, goals and injury history.

Flexibility assessment - This evaluation provides an accurate picture of your flexibility and other physical attributes, including assessment of foot structure, knee position, spinal curve, shoulder extension, hip flexion and leg length, among others.

Side view - This is a riding-position assessment using your side view on the bike. The goal is to find the correct neutral position that's both efficient and comfortable by adjusting the seat, handlebars, stem and cleats.

Front view - Analysis from a front view to optimize hip, knee and foot alignment for optimum efficiency and balanced power delivery. This includes analysis of the pedal and shoe placement and how squarely you sit on the seat.

Follow-up - After a week or so, the technician calls to discuss the effectiveness of the adjustments and to answer any other questions or concerns you may have

Benefits of our BG FIT fittings:

Rock N' Road BG FIT techs are trained in muscle and skeletal anatomy related to the motion of cycling, common aches and pains associated with cycling, and the corrections necessary to address these issues.

We assess your pedal stroke and can install BG footbeds and varus/valgus wedges to properly align your feet/knees/hips for maximum efficiency and comfort.

We can help you ride longer, faster, happier, and healthier so you gain the get the most from your cycling.

With our fitting experience, tools and unique Specialized Body Geometry bicycles and equipment, we can recommend adjustments and products that solve even unique challenges in flexibility, comfort, injuries and power output.

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TODAY!!

Mark Cavendish - Life of Speed

The Manx Missile

How fast is Mark Cavendish?  Well, he may not be as fast as a bike with a motor but we think his amazing 23 24 (he just won another) Tour de France wins give him the permission to name himself "The Fastest Man on Two Wheels".  Rock N' Road Cyclery is stoked that he is back on a Specialized sponsored team again this year: Omega Pharma - Quick-Step.  Check out his brand new commercial and let us know what you think.  If you want to keep up with the Tour de France visit this link where you will find daily updates.  

Check out Mark's bike of choice here.

Weekly Photo Contest Winner

We have a winner!  This week's photo contest winner came from @elementalintent.  Congrats on winning the $40 gift card!  You definitely earned it on what looked to be an epic mountain bike ride.

This week's theme will remain the same- Your Bike.  Send us pics of your most prized possession!  The winner of this week's contest will receive a care package including lube, bike cleaner and more!  Tag those photos with #rnrphotocontest & #rnrbike and don't forget to follow us on Instagram.  Visit our website (www.rocknroadcyclery.net) to learn more about the contest.

Weekly Photo Contest Winner!

We have a winner!  The winner of this week's installment of our Weekly Photo Contest is brought to you by "lilboycorey".  Rock N' Road Cyclery is stoked to be a part of the rapid rise of High School mountain biking in Orange County.  This shot shows you how serious the El Toro High Mountain Bike team really is!  Thanks to the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) and the So Cal High School Cycling League for bringing High School mountain biking to these kids!

Next week's theme for the Weekly Photo Contest is- Your Bike.  We know you all love the bikes you own and ride.  We also know you take pictures of those bikes to show your friends, family, and anybody else that will look.  Now is your chance to show those pictures to us by posting them on Instagram.  Show us pictures of your mountain bikes in their element, your road bike looking nice and shiny, or even your 'Cross bike full of mud after an epic race.  This week's winner will receive a $40 RNR gift card!!

Start posting those pics on Instagram and use hashtags #rnrphotocontest & #rnrbike

For the full 411 on the contest click HERE

And we have  winner!  This week's winner is bought to you by deanhall (Instagram name)- great pic!  There aren't many things better than riding your road bike with snow on the ground in Southern California!  Congrats to deanhall for winning a set of fresh road bike tires!  We're guessing he could use them. 

Next week's theme is- Group Rides.  Show us your pics of your favorite group rides of all time, mountain or road.  The prize up for grabs this week is a $40 Rock N' Road Cyclery gift card (good for any purchase at any of on Rock N' Road's 4 Orange County locations)!

Follow this link for further details on Rock N' Road's Weekly Photo Contest - http://www.rocknroadcyclery.net/about/weekly-photo-contest-pg156.htm.

Rock N' Road's Weekly Photo Contest

This week's winner of our Weekly Photo Contest is bought to you by @rothphotography (that's their Instagram name). This picture of this young shredder brings back memories of why we started riding. Nothing beats hanging out with Mother Nature on your mountain bike!

This coming week's theme is Road Biking. Show is your best original shot of you or your friends on their skinny tired machines! Don't forget to follow us on Instagram and use hashtags #rnrphotocontest and #rnrroad for this week's contest. The winner will receive a brand new set of road tires! Good luck everybody!

And we have a winner!  This is the photo that won our first installment of the Rock N' Road Weekly Instagram Photo Contest.  Makes you want to pedal your bike doesn't it?  The photographer won a very limited Rock N' Road trucker hat and a RNR Camelbak bottle.  Next week we are looking for photos of you and/or your friend(s) riding your mountain bikes.  The lucky winner will get hooked up with a fresh set of mountain bike tires!  Get your smart phone (or camera) out and start snapping your pics!  Don't forget to follow us on Instagram and use #rnrphotocontest & #rnrmtb and this week's hashtags.

Ken's 60 Second Bike Review: 2013

When it comes to bike knowledge Ken Fitzpatrick is your man!  Check out this video he and the crew from Rock N' Road Cyclery in Irvine made.  Stay tuned, these guys plan on conducting a weekly video review!

Rock N' Road CX Team Roundup

What a season for the Elite Rock N' Road CX Team!  

This year's cyclocross season was showered with excitement!  The Elite Rock N' Road CX Team experienced mechanicals, crashes, actual rain and mud, close calls at the finish line (see PB Creative's write up on Velocity Cross) and extremely competitive UCI races.  How did they handle it?  Well, they handled it in style!  Brandon "Big Red" Gritters won the Men's A (Pro) So Cal Prestige Series of Cyclocross Championship!  He has been hunting this title for a while and it all came together this year. "It all worked out.  It wad a good year; by far my best cyclocross season" stated Brandon, and added "but I'm tired, and today was the hardest race of the series.  I was just hanging on for this last race. There was no faking it on this course today.”  His brother, Kyle Gritters, took 5th in that same category.  Way to go Gritters brothers!

This year, the Elite RNR CX Team was blessed with yet another brother duo, the Stephenson brothers.  Brad and Todd Stephenson handled this years action in the same fashion as the Gritters'- they ended it in style.  Todd ended the season by taking second in Men's A 35+ So Cal Prestige Series of Cyclocross while Brad finish 3rd in Men's A 45+.

Great job Elite Rock N' Road CX Team!

A special thanks to PB Creative for the great shot of the Gritters Brothers and the quote from Brandon.

Team Rock N' Road CX Roundup

 
 Team Rock N' Road Cyclery CX Team is on Fire!

The cross season is nearing it's half way point and the Gritters Brothers are pouncing all over the leader board.  Brandon is sitting on the top spot (by a few points) and Kyle is sitting in 4th.

Since our last CX post we have been doused some pretty heavy action!  Southern California Prestige Series' 2 day LA Bike Fest, which included the Spooky Cross Night Race and Krosstoberfest race, was full of excitement and craziness.  The Spooky Cross excitement began with the now famous Costume race which proves every year that it is the "must see" event of the CX year.  You don't have to be a CX racer to enjoy riders in costumes racing around and hopping over barriers - we even saw Lance Armstrong riding around with a couple bags of "you know what" feeding into his veins.

The real action of the night started when the gun went off to start the Pro Women's UCI sanctioned race.  Teal Stetson-Lee of the Luna Pro Team took the victory under the lights.  Elle Anderson (Ladiesfirst Racing) lead most of the race after jumping away from a 4 rider break, but Stetson-Lee wasn't happy with that and bridged the gap and took the lead and with 2 laps to go.

The heavily anticipated UCI Pro Men's field was next up.  The crowd had been waiting all day for this one and they were treated to an awesome race!  Kyle Gritters found himself starting in last place due to the fact that he didn't have any UCI points to get the call up.  That last place start didn't last very long, Kyle shot his way up to second place within the first lap!  Before long there was a ten man break including Brandon and Kyle Gritters.  The race ended in an exciting sprint finish which was won by Mike Sherer (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) who narrowly beat Chris Jackson (Castex Racing p/b Felt) who started his celebration a bit too early.  Brandon finished on the podium in 5th place (I think the "Fear the Beard" campaign helped) while Kyle fell back to 11th place due to his front tire rolling off the rim.  Great job Gritters Brothers!

Sundays round of the LA Bike Fest proved that those who missed out on Saturday night were hungry to redeem themselves.  The pace was high which saw a 9 man break get clear which included Kyle Gritters.  Brandon's efforts from the previous night started to take toll as he fell of the pace and found himself in 14th place (13th place of an elite field of UCI ranked riders).  Kyle had better luck with both of his tires staying glued to the rims, he finished the day off with an impressive 8th place!  Kyle now has himself some UCI points.  Another great job from the Gritters Brothers!

Next stop- San Diego Cross Weekend (Oct 27-28).  This 2 day event had it's ups and downs for the Gritters Brothers.  Kyle had a strong showing on Saturday with a 6th place finish, while Sunday he had a mechanical that forced him to withdraw.  Brandon had a great race on Sunday - on his mountain bike.  You read that right, Brandon took the win on a mountain bike!  The podium finishers all agreed that even though a mountain bike is traditionally slower, this course offered advantages.  Brandon kept his overall lead in the Southern California Prestige Series due to this awesome performance.

The Gritters Brothers were at it again this past weekend (Nov 4th) at Velocity Cross.  The talk of this race course was gopher holes.  Here's a quote from the PB Creative blog (www.pbcreative.com) about the course-

"Although mostly flat and without significant technical challenges, the Velocity Cross course was carpeted with gopher holes, anthills and other critter-created nastiness that rattled teeth, anesthetized butts and exploded hand blisters like land mines. Most of this was hidden in power-sucking sod that felt like a wet sponge. Add in yet another day of above average temperatures and a Mojave Desert-derived Santa Ana wind condition and the sum was a race that required equally copious amounts of willpower and legpower."

That pretty much sums up what the racers had to endure.  Brandon came out on top again, although, not without a little controversy.  The USA Cycling judges ruled that Brent Prenzlow (Celo Pacific) cut Brandon off in the last corner.  Prenzlow was relegated to second place and Brandon was awarded the win.  Brandon still holds a narrow lead over Prenzlow in the overall (3 points to be exact).  Here are quotes from the two riders regarding the decision (again taken from PB Creative)-

Brandon-
“I felt pretty good. We started the sprint and I started coming by on his right side, which was clearly wide open. As soon as I got next to him and had more momentum he moved over on me. I was not happy when I crossed the finish line. I thought it was pretty obvious and the officials did too. So it was good in the end. It seems like there’s a little bit of controversy every weekend. It keeps it exciting.”

Brent-
“The finish straight is not straight,” he said. “I took a straight line and tried to make him go into the wind to pass me but the finish curves a bit to the right and he was trying to pass me on the right side so it looked like I impeded him. I don’t think it’s a good call. It’s not like I went to both sides of the course trying to run him into the barriers. I went to the fastest line and I was in the lead, so I get to choose my line. It’s okay, there are plenty more races to go. It’s a good battle.”

Stay tuned for more CX racing!  It looks like we are going to be treated to a memorable battle for the overall title.

Thanks to PB Creative and Allen Bean for the great pictures!

 

The Gritters Brothers Crossin'

Brandon Gritters was featured in Cycling Illustrated!  www.cyclingillustrated.com

 Cyclocross season is in full swing!!

Southern California Cyclocross Prestige Series (SCPS) kicked off on Sept 30th and Brandon "Big Red" Gritters showed his form with the top spot on the podium!  Big Red's brother, Kyle kicked off the season with a 4th place- great job Gritters brothers!  The second race (SCPS#2) of the series took it's toll on The Gritters Brothers with flats, mechanical issues, and crashes preventing them from the podium's top spot.  Brandon took 4th, Kyle took 5th- pretty damn great for the adversity they encountered!  SCPS #3 gave them a little break from flats and mechanicals, not from crashes though.  Brandon still managed a 2nd place while Kyle fought to get himself in 4th.

Watch out for The Gritters Brothers as the season progresses!

Stay tuned to for a weekly CX roundup!

 

Allison Mann Takes Pro XCT #2!

Allison Mann's Pro XCT #2 Race Report

Congratulations Allison!!  This past weekend Rock N' Road Cyclery/Bikes 4 Boobs rider, Allison Mann, won her first USA Cycling national level mountain bike race!  Check out the above link for a complete race report.

Rock N' Road supports the So Cal High School Cycling League

An unplanned mechanical at Keyesville. Credit Phil Beckman Support your LBS! It's no secret that your local bike shop (LBS) quickly becomes a central part of your cycling life. It's great to be able to walk into your neighborhood shop, see friendly faces, and get expert advice in choosing new equipment or repairing equipment you have. NICA and the SoCal League are supportive of high school riders and clubs supporting local shops. SoCal is honored that three shops have stepped up to support the League as a whole. Rock n' Road Cyclery in Orange County and Cynergy Cycles in Santa Monica have stepped up as sponsors while Casino Bicycles in Hemet is returning as our SRAM Neutral Support partner bringing great service to every race. So why are these three shops stepping up? Eric Woods, owner of Cynergy, a major Specialized retailer, says "This country is in desperate need of a grassroots cycling development program – one of the major reasons the Euros are so strong in most if not all disciplines of cycling is due to the fact that should a kid decide to try bicycle racing the support is there. If one of my kids wants to get into soccer, football or even tennis it’s relatively simple if not expected for them to do so. Granted it would be easier for me being already in the sport but where would I even think to start if I were a non-cycling parent? We need to make it easier and more accessible that way; open the gateway and show parents and kids how many opportunities are here." Eric is looking toward Cynergy being a catalyst to develop high school clubs on the west side of Los Angeles County. Particularly in Santa Monica. Matt Ford, owner of Rock n' Road, has four Specialized Concept Stores throughout Orange County. He is no stranger to involving his shops in supporting local programs in the forms of Velosport (Sho-Air/Rock N' Road), B4B (Mountain Bike Team), Team Blackstar, Team Baghouse/Rock N' Road (with Johnny "Oshow" Omara), Athletics Unlimited, Trail Angles, Rock N' Road Diva's. As for where he thinks the SoCal League will be impacting over the next 5-10 years he said "We truly believe that the SoCal cycling league will be the catalyst for growing the cycling community with the younger generation. We are supporting the league because we are passionate about the sport of cycling and want to make sure that all kids/young adults have the chance to share our love for the sport!" Matt Medore, owner of Trek retailer Casino Bicycles, has had a tight relationship with Hemet HS since pairing up to support them when they were a new club and he was opening a new shop. He was a high level bike racer during high school and he remembers having no support or recognition on campus. He sees the SoCal League as giving opportunities to kids to get involved in cycling and notes that "Approximately 70% of the Hemet HS kids were not into cycling before joining the team." He also sees SoCal as growing the sport outside of League noting that he has seen big increases in junior fields in non-league races across southern California. Be sure to stop in and say hello and let these shops know you appreciate their involvement in supporting SoCal! Racer Pre-Registration Closing By now most riders should have received an invitation to register from the online Pit Zone. If not, please contact your coach or League Director Matt Gunnell (matt@socaldirt.org) ASAP. Pre-registration closes Sunday February 19th at midnight. If you enter any information or payments into the Pit Zone after that point they will not be captured for the opener at Vail Lake. We will have onsite registration available at the race, however, there is a late charge of $10 for season registration and an additional late charge of $10 for race registration. Save time and save money by pre-registering. Riders who plan to petition their category placement must submit a petition no later than Monday February 20th. Petitions will not be accepted for review for race number one after that date. Petitions will not be accepted for review on site at the race. Thanks to the generosity of League supporters at CycleFest, the League does have scholarship money available for those in significant need. Scholarship applications covering the first race must be received by Sunday February 19th. Petitions and scholarship applications can be found HERE. San Gabriel Valley Composite Coach Sean Hickey course setting at Pinnacles 2011. Volunteers Needed It takes a small army of volunteers to put on a SoCal League race for our student-athletes. Wouldn't you like to join the army? Come out to one race or come out to them all. Help is always appreciated and the smiles on riders' faces are a great payoff. To make things easy this year we have put together an easy, online volunteer registration system HERE. The most crucial needs for the first race are course marshals and parking management Sunday. Race Season Notes There are always updates and things to be looking for while participating in a high school racing season. Following are three to look at ahead of our first race: Independent riders will all race in Division 2 field for the 5 race SoCal Series. This pertains to split fields meaning Freshman Boys, Sophomore Boys, and JV Boys. New to high school racing? We encourage all student-athletes, coaches and parents to read our Quick Start Guide to Attending High School Mountain Bike Races which was written to help newcomers successfully navigate their first hight school mountain bike race. The most updated information for races is always on the "Races" page of the SoCal website. Here you will find flyers, maps, and information on our race venues. Be sure to check back periodically for updated information! SoCal Facebook Pages The SoCal League has two official presences on facebook. We have left our facebook "group" and gone to a facebook "page" for general league information. Please "like" and share the official SoCal League page by clicking HERE. We also have a group for our coaches and staff to interact. This is a closed "group" called the SoCal High School Cycling League Coach Zone. If you are currently a coach, a volunteer that is part of the ongoing management at races, or seriously considering launching a new club you can ask to join by clicking HERE. MARK YOUR CALENDARS Feb 26 Vail Lake Challenge Mar 11 Hog Canyon Classic Mar 25 Cruise the Keys Apr 15 Victory at Vail May 6 Power the Pinnacles May 20 State Championships ©2012 SoCal High School Cycling League | 736 Cavanagh Road, Glendale, CA 91207

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Rock N' Road Cyclery Media Day!

Happy Monday!  Try this on your road bike!  Hopefully this video puts a good end to your Monday, enjoy!

Rock N' Road Cyclery's

Mark Cote of Specialized talks Shiv!  Mark was kind enough to go on camera and explain how the 2012 Specialized Shiv Fuelselage works.  Thanks Mark!  Stop by one of our 4 Orange County Rock N' Road Cyclery locations to see the Shiv Fuelselage for yourself.

Rock N' Road Cyclery's Media Day

Happy Wednesday!  This is the helmet to have if you are the aggressive mountain biker!  These 2012 Specialized Dissident helmets are starting to ship to the stores now.  Stop by one of our four Orange County Rock N' Road Cyclery locations to reserve yours today!

Rock N' Road Cyclery's Media Day

Happy Monday! Welcome to another Rock N' Road Cyclery Media Day. It's great to have some of the sports greatest talent back on Specialized bikes this year! Omega Pharma-Quickstep is going to be a huge power house in the pro peloton this year. Enjoy the vid!

Rock N' Road Cyclery's Media Day!

Happy Wednesday! Here is a great video of some of the Team Velosport/Sho-Air road rides we do throughout the week. Contact one of our 4 OC locations for details. Enjoy!

Rock N' Road Cyclery's Media Day

Happy Wednesday and welcome to another Rock N' Road Cyclery's Media Day!  Wiretap technology allows you to use your smartphone without removing your gloves!  Now you can take a pic of the scenery, change your song or answer the phone call form your boss who thinks your sick (NOT while riding of course).  Wiretap is available on select Specialized gloves sold at all four Rock N' Road Cyclery's Orange County locations.  Stop by and buy yourself a pair today!

Rock N' Road Cyclery's Media Day!

Happy Tuesday! A great video of a great bike, the 2012 Specialized Enduro. This bike can do just about anything. Stop by one of our 4 Orange County locations to see for yourself. Enjoy the video and the rest of your week!

Rock N' Road Cyclery's Media Day!

Happy Tuesday! Ever wonder what a $2800 DH bike can do? Check this vid out and see for yourself! See the new "baller on a budget" 2012 Specialized Status at Rock N' Road Cyclery now.