5 Reasons to Get Your Bike Tuned… Today!

Has your bike been tuned? Ever? Or did you bring it home from whatever shop you purchased it at and figured it was good to go?

Just like your car needs maintenance, your bike needs to be taken care of to make sure it performs safely every time you go for a ride. Here’s why:

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When was the last time you had your bike tuned?

1. Cables stretch.

Well that’s not true per se, but they do twist tighter. That makes them get longer, and that can seriously affect both shifting and breaking. New cables “stretch” the most and need to be adjusted. That’s why we offer free lifetime adjustments on all new bikes purchased from Alpine Shop.

2. Chains stretch.

Okay, again not really, but they do wear and that makes the chain get longer. When that happens, the chain no longer rides properly in the valleys between the teeth on your chainrings and cassette cogs. A worn, or “stretched”, chain will also cause the chainrings and cassette to wear more rapidly and “mate” to an old chain. So while a new chain may only be about $20 (and improve your ride immensely), a new cassette will be another $50, $75 or up.

3. Your wheels probably aren’t true.

Heck, they may not even be round. Impacts can cause a bicycle wheel to go out of true and wiggle side to side, or worse go out of round. The shape of your wheel is determined by the tension of the spokes, pulling the rim into shape. Small wiggles are easy to fix, but small wiggles can become big wiggles which can rub brake pads , become harder to correct or worse. Get them checked as part of a tune package at Alpine Shop.

4. Is your bike dirty?

A dirty bike really doesn’t work as well. Dirty cables lead to cable drag and that’s a (literal) drag on performance. Shifts aren’t as easy or as snappy and brakes require more squeeze. Dirty frames can also hide damage and keep moisture next to expensive shiny parts. (Turning them into rusty parts much, much faster.)

5. Do you lube?

Friction is no fun. Well, it’s good for slowing you down. Keeping your chain and pivots clean and lubed makes everything work the way it should. Dirt slows everything down and makes it wear faster. A clean bike is a happy bike. Which makes for a happy rider. Be a happy rider. Get your bike tuned today by the pros at Alpine Shop.

Our 8-Point Basic Bike Tune will take care of all of the above for you (provided there are no other underlying problems with the bike). And with $80 worth of work for just $65, you won’t find a better deal on a tune in the Greater St. Louis area. Bring your bike in to either our Kirkwood location or our O’Fallon, Ill., store on the east side of the river today!

This Adventure Needs GORE-TEX® Sweepstakes: Winners and Honorable Mentions

Over the past couple weeks we’ve asked our Alpiners, “Does your adventure need GORE-TEX® and why?”. We’ve literally been stunned by some of the most impressive, daring and inspirational adventures that were entered into the sweepstakes. There’s some pretty adventurous folks out there and we want to highlight the winners and those who embody our very mission! “Get Outside Yourself”

The Grand Prize-Winner

JohnCollierGRANDPRIZE
“Snowstorm came through at Brighton Resort in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2014. Getting some airtime and ready to land in a pillow of powder, would be epic to repeat this memory with a new one…and of course some new GORE-TEX® gear!”- John Collier

John has won $500 in GORE-TEX® Products, SPF 15 Lip Balm and a WINDSTOPPER® Headband!! May your future snowboarding adventures be full of pillows of powder and as epic, or even more, with some brand new GORE-TEX® Gear!

The 1st and 2nd Runner-Up Winners

RichAsadorian
“Summited my first 14er in 2014! Could have definitely used some GORE-TEX® gear!”- Rich Asadorian
KatherineCostello
“Skiing in Wolf Creek, Colorado. My siblings and I love the mountains, especially all the snow at the Wolf Creek Ski Area!”- Katherine Costello

Rich and Katherine have both won $50 in GORE-TEX® Products, SPF 15 Lip Balm and a WINDSTOPPER® Headband!

Honorable Mentions

KarenHoltmann
Photo Credit: Karen Holtmann
StephanieMafla-Mills
Photo Credit: Stephanie Mafla-Mills
BillKraemer
Photo Credit: Bill Kraemer
RobertSchnieders
Photo Credit: Robert Schnieders
DerekStagner
Photo Credit: Derek Stagner
JackWilkinson
Photo Credit: Jack Wilkinson
BrianPfiefer
Photo Credit: Brian Pfiefer
HerbertLorenz
Photo Credit: Herbert Lorenz
GreggHealey
Photo Credit: Gregg Healey
KathleenDoherty
Photo Credit: Kathleen Doherty

 

 

 

This Adventure Needs GORE-TEX® Products Sweepstakes

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Share a picture of an adventure you’ve been on (or hope to go on!) where a GORE-TEX® garment would play an essential role in keeping you dry, comfortable and outside for longer periods of time! Whether it’s skiing in Colorado, snowshoeing in Utah or hiking in the misty forests of Washington State, you will stay dry and protected in GORE-TEX® products. GUARANTEED! Enter for your chance to win a $500 Alpine Shop coupon to be used on GORE-TEX® Products, Lip Balm and a WINDSTOPPER® Headband.

ENTER NOW

http://on.fb.me/1tDswUR