April E-Blast

Hi everyone,

It feels like we are still waiting for spring to begin, doesn’t it? Now is the best time to bring your bike in for service, before you want to ride it, so it’s ready for you when the weather turns. Plus, a basic tune-up is on special for just $40 for the rest of the month!

RETAIL

Wheelhouse carries the following bicycle brands: Sun and its urban offshoot, Origin 8; Kona; and, new for 2013, Brooklyn Cruiser and Detroit Bikes. Brooklyn Cruisers (pictured) come in single-, three- and seven-speeds and will begin arriving next week. Detroit Bikes, much like the Model T, are manufactured here and come in one color: black. They’re expected to be here in July.

Every bike purchased from Wheelhouse is assembled by a trained mechanic, professionally fit and granted one free tune-up – with no expiration date. Prices slashed on all 2012 bikes and 2013 bikes are now arriving!

Want to ride more? You might need lights, a rack or fenders to make your ride safer and more comfortable. And guess what? We stock a full range of top bike accessory brands such as Continental, Topeak, Planet Bike, Bell, Giro, Axiom, Saris, Kenda, Park Tool, Knog, Michelin, Timbuk2, Kryptonite, Master Lock, Pedros and Jandd. What do you need? A tube, tire, saddle, bag, basket, pump, mirror, helmet…We’ve gotcha covered!

TOURS & RENTALS

This weather has caused us to postpone the start of our tour season a week, so we’ll kick off the season with a tour of Belle Isle on April 20. Visit wheelhousedetroit.com/tours to read up on our offerings and make a reservation.

We also offer private tours, which are great as a corporate team-building exercise, non-profit fund-raiser, conference activity or pre-wedding excursion. Group rentals are also available at a discounted rate with an advance reservation. A downloadable PDF with more info can be found here and you can email us at info@wheelhousedetroit.com to set something up.

COMING UP…

There are so many amazing things approaching on the horizon…May will see the start of our fitness rides and maintenance classes and the Detroit City FC will kick off its season…June is Detroit Up North, River Days and the Motor City Bike Ride…July will be Bike the Bridge…and Tour de Troit is September 21…whew!

Also, stay tuned for info about our 5th Anniversary party in early May…You’re invited!

Warmer weather is on its way, and we are looking forward to another great season here on the Riverfront.

Thanks,
Your Friends at Wheelhouse Detroit

1340 E. Atwater
Rivard Plaza, Detroit RiverFront
Detroit, MI 48207
313-656-BIKE (2453)
www.wheelhousedetroit.com
Follow us on Twitter @wheelhouse_det
Become a Facebook Fan of Wheelhouse Detroit Bike Shop!

March 2013 E-Blast

We’re back! Can you believe this will be our sixth year in business?!?!?

We have a ton of exciting things in the works for you this year but, for now, we just want to say a quick “hello” and let you know what is happening in this early spring season.

SPRING HOURS

Through March, we will be open Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Starting in April, we will also be open on Mondays and we’ll go to seven days a week in May.

RETAIL

Wheelhouse carries the following bicycle brands: Sun and its urban offshoot, Origin 8; Kona; and, new for 2013, we are thrilled to announce that we will be adding Brooklyn Cruiser and Detroit Bikes to the roster! Every bike purchased from Wheelhouse is assembled by a trained mechanic, professionally fit and granted one free tune-up – with no expiration date. Prices now slashed on all 2012 bikes. 2013 bikes will begin arriving in April, just two weeks away!

We stock a full range of top bike accessory brands such as Continental, Topeak, Planet Bike, Bell, Giro, Axiom, Saris, Kenda, Park Tool, Knog, Michelin, Timbuk2, Kryptonite, Master Lock, Pedros and Jandd. What do you need? A tube, tire, saddle, bag, basket, fenders, pump, mirror, helmet…We’ve gotcha covered!

SERVICE

We have a couple of early-season specials on standard tune-ups:

Next weekend, we have a March du Nain Rouge Special — a Tune-Up for just $35 with a small catch: you have to say, “Get that Nain off my back!” to get the deal! This is good only for bikes brought in March 22 to 24.

The remainder of Spring, we will perform tune-ups for $40, with the price resetting to regular ($50) starting May 1.

For the second year running, Wheelhouse is teaming up with Fender Bender to offer regular “Maintenance 101” classes! Learn how to change a flat and make adjustments to your bike. We’ll also review Rules of the Road and discuss commuting tips. Classes will begin in May and run through September.

TOURS

We will be returning all of our tours from 2012 – including Architecture, Belle Isle, Eastern Market, Public Art, Hamtramck, Auto Heritage, Urban Agriculture, Murals of SW Detroit and Underground Railroad – and we’re working on a couple of new ones too! Tours start at $25 per person or $35 with a bike rental.

Look for our calendar to publish in early April. In the meantime, if you’d like to schedule a tour for your group (work, church, school, family, friends, whatever!) shoot us an email at info@wheelhousedetroit.com!

RENTALS

Bike rentals start at $15 for 2 hours and $35 for a full day. We can also accommodate multi-day rentals and we do offer accessories such as child trailer or seat or an auto rack.

Group rentals are a great outing! We do offer a price-break for groups of six to 20 with an advance reservation. Email info@wheelhousedetroit.com to book your date!

RIDE

Starting in May, we will be hosting a couple of regular fitness rides. One will be at a 12-16 mph pace and is co-sponsored by the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy and Fitness Works. The other will be a 16-20 mph pace and will be co-presented by Detroit Endurance Lab.

Also stay tuned for Yoga + Ride with Midtown Yoga Shelter Sundays in May, the Ride of Silence (5/15), Detroit Up North (6/7 to 6/9), bike-parking at Detroit City FC home matches…and lots, lots more! 

We look forward to seeing you and your bike very soon.

Thanks,
Your Friends at Wheelhouse Detroit

1340 E. Atwater
Rivard Plaza, Detroit RiverFront
Detroit, MI 48207
313-656-BIKE (2453)
www.wheelhousedetroit.com
Follow us on Twitter @wheelhouse_det
Become a Facebook Fan of Wheelhouse Detroit Bike Shop!

March E-Blast

Here is our March E-Blast. It has info about the upcoming season and special tune-up prices and bike sales. If you like what you read, you should sign up on our website! We send out emails once a month that let you know what’s up at the Wheelhouse and in the greater world of Detroit cycling.

Happy spring, dear Wheelhouser!

We are so thrilled to be kicking off our 2012 season this weekend! We officially open our doors at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 16 and we’ll be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. through April — we go to a seven-day-a-week schedule beginning May 1. Roll on down and say hello!

Show your bike some love
Whether your trusty cycle has spent the winter lonely and unused or you took full advantage of the mild winter, it more than likely needs a tune-up! This weekend only, we are offering an extra-special deal in honor of the 3rd Annual Marche du Nain Rouge, which will take place Sunday, March 25 at 1 p.m. in the Cass Corridor. Drop your bike off and utter the magic phrase, “Get that Nain off my back!” and a full tune-up will run you just 35 Bucks!

For the remainder of our spring season, a tune-up will cost $40 and in May, it jumps up to our regular price of $50.

A tune-up entails a complete inspection, adjustment and lubrication of your bicycle. We adjust gears and brakes, true wheels, adjust the headset and bottom bracket and check all nuts and bolts. We will also lube your bike as needed. We will perform all repairs necessary to put your bike into the best shape it can be for safe and reliable operation. If your bike needs any new parts, we will let you know, but parts and installation labor are not included in the initial fee. We recommend tune-ups once a year at a minimum for all bikes.

Shop local, shop Wheelhouse!
In the market for a new ride? Our 2012 stock will be arriving in the next month, so we have slashed prices on any 2011 bikes that remain in stock including an Origin 8 Cutler 7-speed for $255 (Reg. $330) and a single speed for $225 (Reg. $299); Sun Drifter 7-speed step-through in blue for just $310 (Reg. $360); single speed Sun adult trike in white for $330 (Reg. $370); Origin 8 Brutus for just $375 (Reg. $500); Kona Smoke for $350 (Reg. $429); and Kona Jake for $599 (Reg. $899).

We also have a robust selection of tubes, lights, bags, racks, locks, helmets, tires and more so come by and shop Wheelhouse for those accessories your bike has its heart set on!

As featured in National Geographic Traveler!
Over the last four years, we have learned what works and what doesn’t in terms of bike touring and are committed to fun, informative and safe outings that enhance the communities that we visit. This year, we have over 90 tours on our calendar. Where will we pedal? Southwest Detroit, Hamtramck, Eastern Market, Belle Isle, Indian Village, Palmer Park, the Conner Creek Greenway….and many other fascinating Detroit neighborhoods. What will we discover? Architecture, Urban Farming, Automotive Heritage, Public Art, Underground Railroad History…and lots of other compelling aspects of Detroit’s history — and present.

Last year, most sold tours out, so we recommend visiting our Tours Page today to peruse our calendar of offerings and reserve your spot today. You can also download a handy-dandy one-pager listing here.

We also want to make sure you know that we do private group tours, which are great as a corporate team-building exercise, non-profit fund-raiser, conference activity or pre-wedding excursion. Group rentals are also available at a discounted rate with an advance reservation. Give us a call at 313-656-2453 and we’ll set something up!

What’s in the works for 2012
At the shop, you’ll see a mix of familiar and new faces. Of course, Karen and Kelli are back, along with Alex, Ron and Rob and our team of amazing tour staff: Brian, Mike D., Todd, Patrick, Mike G., Paul, Marc, Tiffany, Melissa and Jeremy. You’ll also be meeting some new employees, including Sarah, Tatiana and Mari in the coming weeks, so be sure to stop by and introduce yourself!

We have a ton of plans for the season, culminating with the Eleventh Annual Tour de Troit, which is set for September 15. There’s also the inaugural Detroit Up North on June 8 and Compuware’s Motor City Bike Ride on August 25 for starters, so we will be sure to let you know about registration opportunities for them as well as others that are still in the works.

We will also be hosting a FREE bi-weekly Wednesday night ride in partnership with FitnessWorks. Also bi-weekly, but on Tuesdays, we’ll be holding low-cost maintenance workshops in partnership with Fender Bender. More details to come!

Last but not least, we are super-excited to be a sponsor of Detroit Bike City at Cobo Center on March 24. We will have a vendor booth at the show and will also be providing free attended bike parking. Hope to see you there!

In closing, we can’t thank you enough for your past support of Wheelhouse, and are really looking forward to another year exploring the Motor City on two wheels.

Sincerely,
Your Friends at Wheelhouse Detroit

1340 E. Atwater
Detroit, MI 48207
313-656-BIKE (2453)
www.wheelhousedetroit.com
wheelhousedetroit.wordpress.com
Become a Facebook Fan of Wheelhouse Detroit Bike Shop!

May E-Blast

Read all about Bikes for Sale, our May tours and our upcoming Tuesday night maintenance classes in our May E-Blast. If you like what you read, head to www.wheelhousedetroit.com to sign up!

We’re baaack!

Wheelhouse is open for the 2010 season with lots of new stuff in store. Keep checking our blog for info about advocacy in Detroit as well as rides we sponsor (formally and informally!). But what we’d like to share with you at the moment is details about the bikes we have in-stock for sale. So here goes!

Kona Smoke. This the bike that started it all. The Smoke is a mountain bike equipped for the urban jungle. It’s got monster tires, comes equipped with fenders and looks downright badass. MSRP $425.

Kona Dew. This is like the Smoke’s slightly more sophisticated older sibling. Its narrower tires and aluminum frame make it fast and light — and sharp! MSRP $449.

Kona World Bike. A three-speed internal hub keeps the World Bike tight and simple. And affordable. MSRP $399.

Origin8 Cutler 7. Seven speeds and sleek, this bike has won us over with its steady handling and recession-friendly pricing. $300.

Sun Ruskin. This bike is tailor-made for comfortable cruising city streets at a casual pace. 2009 Model available in Red/Black for $300.

We are also able to order any Kona, Origin8, Surly or Sun bicycle that we don’t currently have on the floor. Come by and take a bike for a test spin!

Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em

Our Smokes are here!

The hybrid rents for $15 for 2 hours, $35 for a whole day. They are great bikes for city riding!

Weekend 1 Report

We rented 27 bikes this weekend, not too shabby considering Friday and Saturday were rainy days. But Sunday was beautiful and we were super busy all day — at one point, all of our rentable bikes were out! We’re still working out some kinks with our fleet and we still have some construction to do, but we are feeling really good about the Wheelhouse’s success…

Status Report

Our bikes have arrived…we have 2 built and they look and ride great! Our floor is done, so tonight we start moving stuff into the shop.

This morning was the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy’s media day, which really helped us get the word out to television stations and newspapers. You might just see us on the news…

See you at the Wheelhouse on Friday!

9 days & counting…

Every day brings Wheelhouse closer to fruition. It’s both scary & exciting! We’re busy sending things off to the printer and placing orders for retail, service and rental inventory.

Our Africa Bikes are traveling cross country as we speak!

The worst part about opening up a bike shop is less time to ride bikes. But Wheelhouse took last night off from obsessive computer-ing…Karen celebrated her birthday and Kelli caught a Tigers game.

May 2 is just around the corner

Things are happening fast for the Wheelhouse! We start painting and build-out of the space this week and we order our bikes! We are really excited to be working with Kona — the cruisers we are buying are called the Africa Bike, so named because for every two that Kona sells, one gets donated to a home health care worker in Africa. It’s a pretty cool initiative and we are glad that our purchase will afford eight people doing critical work a new bike. You can read about the project at KonaBikeTown.