Welcome Winter Party & 45NRTH Limited Edition Launch

This Thursday, October 19 at 7pm, we are throwing a party!

Come out to WELCOME WINTER with a Ride Studio party! This is a 45NRTH limited edition introduction of something special which you will be the first to see. There will be ultra limited extra somethings that go to a select few people.

We have all sorts of cool winter stuff to show off, and you can pick up what you need now from all apparel, to bike gear and more. Get ready before the weather turns so you are ready for the First Snow Ride (yes, that is happening again this year). Be sure to follow #rscfirstsnow.

We have winter bike promos for Honeys and Sevens only available for those who come out to this party. We love winter riding and this is the year you discover how fun, enjoyable, and easy it is to keep riding through the Hot Drink Season! Bring your friends, winter is even more fun when shared! We’re serving tasty beer and light refreshments. Please RSVP!

Bikepacking Bikes Promos

This month and next, we’re talking even more about bikepacking than usual, and we’re offering all of the information that you need to get into bikepacking. If you’re already into it, surely you’re excited to see more people taking up this really fun activity to see the world – be it local or thousands of miles away – by bike.

Check out our Bikepacking page on this site. There is a lot to know where it comes to getting ready, routing, navigation, cooking, hydration, sleeping, packing, gearing, and much more. The bike is the most fundamental part of bikepacking. While bikepacking isn’t about the bike, the bike allows the trip to happen; a well-designed, well-built bike allows the rider to completely forget about it and think about being in nature, and being most concerned about what’s for dinner.

We’re running two specials for bikepacking bikes. Bikepacking bikes often double as great winter bikes, and warm-weather trail bikes, so getting a fun bike for bikepacking should mean you get a lot of great use of it throughout the year in many different riding situations.

Honey Bikes Packmule

The steel Honey Packmule is Honey’s all purpose bikepacking machine.  The Packmule can go just about anywhere and handle just about anything.  It’s not the fastest bike that Honey makes but it is the bike that promises the most adventure per mile.

Whether you’re planning an overnight adventure, or a two-month traverse one of the Seven Continents, the Packmule is always ready for more. It sports clearances for 2.5″ mountain bike tires, offers lower than a 1:1 gearing ratio, parts that are easily accessible for on-trail and small-town fixes, steel fork with mounts for Anything cages for carrying gear securely and quietly, and many frame options as well as 12-different size options. More design features of the Packmule are on the Honey Packmule page.

Honey Bikes Packmule Special: 

• Frameset: Clover Steel frame & Fork
• Drivetrain: Shimano Ultegra R8000
• Brakes: Shimano Mechanical Disc
• Wheels: HED Ardennes GP
• Retail Price: $4,995

Special Bikepacking offer: -$700

Your Price: $4,295

In addition to this special price, you’ll receive:

• A $200 voucher for bikepacking gear
• Free registration for our upcoming bikepacking overnight adventure
• The Joe Cruz Bikepacking booklet
• Guaranteed 7-week delivery
• Numerous upgrades and options are available

Seven Cycles Treeline

The Seven Cycles Treeline is a fat bike, a 27.5+ bike, and a 29er mountain bike – if you want it to be all of these things. It’s made for carrying as much or as little as you want. It will over any surface no matter how off-off-the beaten path you are. It’s built of titanium so it’s worry-free, there’s nothing it’s not up for doing. As with all Seven Cycles bikes, it’s fully custom to your bikepacking desires. You choose the handlebar type – drop or mountain, gearing, drivetrain, frame options. Have it S&S coupled it so that you can fly with it to the start of your next bikepacking trip. Add fender mounts if you would like the option. Add a third bottle cage mount. Ask for the triangle to be as big as possible – to fit a frame bag. The geometry of the bike is made for you – and how you’ll be loading the bike. It ensures your weight and that of the bike are balanced, offering you the best handling possible. The vertical compliance of the frame and ride qualities are set for what you expect in your ride, whether it’s loaded or not. When you jump on your bike, and it fits like a glove, no matter what kind of load on the bike, it’ll feel like it’s rolling easily, comfortably, and you’ll have an amazing ride each time.

Joe Cruz uses his Treeline for bikepacking the world. Here his Treeline is in Kyrgyzstan. Photo by Joe Cruz.

Seven Cycles Treeline Special: 

• Frameset: Titanium custom frame, steel for
• Drivetrain: Shimano XT M8000 1 x 11
• Brakes: Shimano hydraulic Disc
• Wheels: HED Ardennes GP
• Retail Price: $6,495

Special Bikepacking offer: -$700

Your Price: $5,795

In addition to this special price, you’ll receive:

• A $400 voucher for bikepacking gear
• Free registration for our upcoming bikepacking overnight adventure
• The Joe Cruz Bikepacking booklet
• Guaranteed 4-week delivery
• Endless custom options available

Both offers good through October 31, 2017.

Email us at bikepacking@ridestudiocafe.com for more information about our bikepacking bikes and to demo any of these or other demo bikes here. Learn more at www.ridestudiocafe.com/bikepacking. Join us out in nature on bikes!

Conjure Ride – Sunday, February 26

Join us for the Conjure Ride 2017

Join in helping us Conjure the spring and spring riding this Sunday, February 26 at 9:30am. We’re riding 60 miles on paved, beautiful, mostly back roads down to Sherborn for mid-ride coffee and light, warm food then returning to Ride Studio Cafe for a nice brunch.

There are three ride paces from which to choose. Get your road bike out, and ready for the ride.

Group ride in the early spring. Photo by Jenny W.

When you RSVP, you’ll receive the route in your email.

Please RSVP now, see below, so we have the proper amount of food at both locations and ride leaders!

The spring is almost here and the Conjure Ride helps encourage Mother Nature to bring back the warmth, the birds, and the beauty spring has to offer riders.

If it’s been months since you’ve taken your bike out on the road, please look your bike over carefully for tire wear, check the brake pads, make sure all of the bolts are properly tightened, be sure to lube and clean the chain. If your bike is dirty, clean it. Cleaning is important to identify any potential issues with frame or parts.

Take out your flat fix kit and look through it: does your spare tube hold air? Be sure of it, check to see if your CO2 cartridges have air in them, and if everything you expect to see in there is really there.

If you’d like our assistance with any of this, please email us at connect@ridestudiocafe.com.

There will be a stop for coffee and warm food half-way into the ride at our other store, Ride Headquarters, in Sherborn. Brunch will be awaiting you upon your return to Ride Studio Cafe.

All riders are required to read and are expected to abide by These Rules.

We require a signed waiver before your first ride of the year.  Please fill it out online prior to your first ride with us this year – we want to be sure all of the information is up-to-date and accurate, so if you’ve filled it out before, please do it again.

We look forward to riding with you Sunday!

Watch Albert Cook’s Photographic Journey Across the US

Experience Albert Cook’s Photographic Cycling Journey Across the US

We are thrilled to have Albert Cook, an award-winning, published photographer, and avid recreational cyclist come speak and present 90 minutes of photos he took on a cross-country bike trip he completed last summer. Join us on February 22 at 7:15pm to hear Albert tell his story of how he was invited by Ellen Wilson, a family friend, to go on this big cycling trip. Without thinking or a moment of hesitation, he said yes without consideration of his normal life and decided to go.  He will discuss how he took on this very long ride without months of preparation, and how he managed to complete it on a small budget. He will tell of the wonders he saw along the way, and show what it’s like to ride across the U.S. taking it one day at a time.

At 70 years old, Albert is still on a trip of self discovery, and is very much enjoying discovering the world. We have been fortunate to see Albert on countless rides as he pedals up here from Arlington anytime he has a chance. We see ourselves in Albert: he works hard, he loves to ride, and he is human. By this, we mean that there are some people who you expect to break a record each time they get on a bike. There are those who don’t appear to feel pain, or need the typical creature comforts in life like food or sleep. You know who we’re talking about. In Albert, we hear a story that we, normal humans who love to spend time on a bike, could be telling.

He will talk about how he approached a monumental task and made it happen. His story is filled with rich photography that he captured along his journey. It’s the cross-country tale in full color that people rarely see or hear. Albert has been a photographer for over 48 years, and his images take us directly to the beauty he found.

How does it feel to ride day in and day out? Is there a time when it becomes too tiring to continue? How do you find adequate food and water along the route? Where do you sleep? Ask Albert the questions you have in the Q&A after his photo presentation. Be ready to be in awe of our beautiful country, and of this ride. We are so fortunate Albert has taken the time and energy to capture his ride and prepare it to share with all during this very special evening.

• Wednesday evening, February 22
• Happening here at Ride Studio Cafe, Lexington Center
• 7pm – Appetizers and drinks are served
• 7:15pm – Albert’s talk begins
• 15 minute Q&A

If you have further questions for Albert, feel free to stick around, doors will be open until 9:30pm.

We look forward to seeing you here for this very special evening!

All Conditions Ride: Winter Fun is January 21

Visit Ride Headquarters in Sherborn

Our Webstore is Open

Holiday Rides with Henry

Holiday Rides with Henry

Holiday Rides with Henry

RSC Alliance member and Super Domestique Henry van den Broek is treating us all to a series of holiday rides! If you are looking to end the year with great rides and good company, join us out on the road during the week of December 24 through the end of the year.  We are riding some of our favorite routes with great food stops along the way. We are even bringing back last year's Snowflake Century - a one hundred-mile ride in the shape of a snowflake!

If you complete the whole series you will be rewarded with a grand total of 375 miles in an eight day span - an awesome way to finish your season. All rides will start and end at the Ride Studio Cafe in Lexington, MA. See below for mileage and GPS routes.

We're now offering a commemorative t-shirt to celebrate your riding at this time of year and to offer a bit of motivation this spring if you aren't feeling like riding. It'll remind you of the riding you've done on the shortest and coldest days of the year!

1. Saturday 12/24: To Blue Moon Cafe in Medfield MA - 58 miles* - (.5 mile gravel section)
2. Monday 12/26: Woodmans in Essex - 80 miles* - (1 mile gravel road)
3. Tuesday 12/27: Stow- 40 Miles
4. Wednesday 12/28: Ride Headquarters in Sherborn - 60 miles
5. Friday 12/30: Snowflake Century - 100 miles (Departs 7:30am)
6. Saturday 12/31: The RSC Espresso Ride to close out the series - 37 miles

A few things to remember:

• If you haven't filled out our Ride Waiver, you must do it online here prior to attending the first ride.
• Please carefully read and be ready to ride by our Riding Rules.
• All rides will depart from RSC at 8:30am with the exception of the Snowflake Century which will roll out at 7:30am.
• The Cafe will be open for food and drinks at the start of the rides. However, our bike shop employees will not be available. If you need something before the ride, please email us a day in advance.
• These are drop rides. The average pace of the rides is 17mph. If you cannot maintain the pace of the group you will need to find your way home. It is fine if you would like to see if you can hang with the group, just communicate with Henry if you need to drop off of the ride at any point.
• Please consider the weather when choosing your tires. We recommend fenders for wet conditions.
• All the rides' routes and distances are subject to change depending on weather and road conditions. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for updates.

Make sure you are well-equipped for the cold and wintry conditions. At Ride Studio we have a great selection of new winter apparel from our friends at 45NRTH , Velocio, and Giordana that is sure to keep you warm and comfortable out on the road. We have great options for studded tires, a must-have for riding on icy roads.

We look forward to finishing 2016 with you in style! Have fun and ride safe.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Ride Studio Cafe!

Thanksgiving Day Ride

Join us for a Thanksgiving Day Ride

We are opening our doors and the Cafe at 7:30am Thanksgiving Day, November 24, for riders. The ride has a RSC Super Domestique leading the way and it departs at 8:15am.

The route is ~44 miles in length on paved roads. Be prepared for a 17mph average pace. We'll split into two groups if we have more than 10-15 riders.

Note: the Studio will not be open at the end of the ride.

Join us for this festive, pre-feast ride!

Very Special Promotion for the Seven RedSky Bike

Very Special Promotion: Seven Cycles RedSky Bike

Meet the Seven RedSky bike, Seven's newest bike model.

We are offering you a full build with 30% off Shimano Dura-Ace 9000* components! This offer is over a $1,250 discount to getting you on this incredible Seven Cycles bike. The deadline to order a bike and take advantage of this offer is Thanksgiving.

Here is a short summary of the RedSky bike:

The RedSky bike is a light-weight, pure performance bike with a large amount of versatility usually assumed to only be possible on disc-brake bikes.

Why the name?  A "red sky" in the morning means there is a storm warning.  Rather than be off the bike for the day, the RedSky looks for those days and relishes the ride.  Harsh conditions require the right bike.  RedSky is that bike.

• Lightweight:  A typical RedSky builds up at 1.5 to 2.0 lbs lighter than an equivalent disc brake bike.  The bike is the same weight as any lightweight road bike; the mid-reach brake calipers are only about 30 grams heavier than most lightweight short reach brakes.  The bike pictured tips the scales at 16.2 lbs with the MSO 32c tires; without pedals.
• Tire Choices:  From a 23c road slick to a 33c knobby and everything in between, the RedSky is even more versatile than a true cyclocross bike.  The bike will also fit some 35c knobbies or slicks, depending on rim and brake caliper choice. This bike loves riding on dirt roads and trails.
• All Weather:  Designed to fit fenders with up to 32c tires. Even 30c studded tires fit.
• High Performance:  This design sacrifices nothing compared to any performance road bike.  It's fast, agile, and accelerates with the best of bikes.
• Optimal Handling:  Seven's 5E fork allows for matching the fork rake to the frame geometry so there's no compromise to the bike's front end handling.
• Hidden Fender Mounts:  At dropouts and chainstay bridge.  The mounts are there when you want them, but hidden when you don't. Adding rack mounts is a no-charge upgrade option.
• Travel Bike:  Simple brake system makes for fast, easy, and lightweight bike travel. Any RedSky bike can be an S&S coupled bike for even easier traveling.

Our RedSky Offer to you is here. Note we will gladly make parts substitutions or offer you a quote for a different build you have in mind:

Frame: Seven Cycles RedSky S - Titanium frame

Fork: Seven Mid-Reach Carbon Fork

Components: Shimano Dura-Ace 9000*, mid-reach brakes, crank size and gearing your choice

Wheelset: Mavic Elite S

Support Package: Seven handlebars, stem, Zipp aluminum seatpost, Cane Creek headset, Fizik saddle and bar tape

Special Included Service and Support:

• Professional Bike Build - a $413 value
• Free service on the bike at either Ride Studio Cafe and Ride Headquarters for a full year
• Free first Performance Package - a $150 value
• Full professional fitting - a $225-$300 value

MSRP Price of the RedSky S: $7,542

Price of the RedSky S with Promotion Applied: $6,288

This is over $1,250 in savings!

Lead times with Seven are 3 weeks for an unpainted frame from the date of confirmation. Lead times on painted frames are 5 weeks.

* The offer for 30% off Shimano Dura-Ace parts is good until supplies last. Once they're gone, they're gone. The deadline on this offer is Thanksgiving Day.

Contact us for more details or to come in to demo ride our bikes to see why this is a bike that will change your riding life.

Tour Seven Cycles Monday, October 10

Tour Seven Cycles Monday, October 10

Seven Cycles is located just down the street from us in Watertown. Seven is a company full of bike building professionals. It is the place where custom bikes come to life and many new innovations in bike building have been created.

Seven has been making the finest bikes for 18+ years and their experience shines as they work. It's manufacturing at its best: handcrafted bikes are very carefully and perfectly built one at a time, yet the short lead times show efficiency, and a well-run business full of highly-skilled people who are passionate about what they do.

We're heading to Seven Monday, October 10. This is Columbus Day. The tour of Seven will begin promptly at 11:30am. Feel free to arrive 10 to 20 minutes early to check out their showroom prior to the tour. Please register by Sunday, October 9 by 5pm. An email will be sent to you with details and directions after you register. We hope you join us!

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Ride down to the KMC Cross Fest and Watch Exciting CX Racing at its Best

Ride down to the KMC Cross Fest and Watch Exciting CX Racing at its Best

UPDATE: Appropriate-for-cyclocross rainy weather is predicted for Saturday. Therefore, we are CANCELING the road ride since a long day riding and then hours standing in the rain isn't the best mix. We will do this road ride event next year, so mark your calendars early! We *highly* recommend visiting the KMC Cross Fest this weekend, as it's going to be great racing and a lot of fun to participate as a spectator. 

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The Cyclocross race scene is fun for everyone, no matter if you're a racer or spectator.

We are riding our road bikes down to the KMC Cross Fest taking place at the Thompson Speedway on Saturday, October 1.

The ride departs from here at 7:30am (we pushed the starting time by 1 hr since our original announcement). The route will be 92 miles in length (we'll email it to all who register the day before the ride) and we'll email the nitty gritty details too. Average pace is 16.5 mph.

Schedule:

• Depart Ride Studio Cafe at 7:30am, we're open at 7am so you can have whatever you want from the Cafe and bike shop before starting the ride
• First stop is at Ride Headquarters 26 miles into the ride. We'll depart with anyone joining us from Ride HQ at 9:30am.
• Arrive by 1:30 at the Thompson Speedway. Change, get food, etc. There are showers on-site.
• 2pm: Cat 2/3 Men Race
• 3pm: Elite Masters Men Race
• 4pm: Elite Women Race
• 5:15: Elite Men Race
• 6:30: Shuttle departs for Ride Studio Cafe (see below for details)

We are offering a shuttle to return back here departing at 6:30pm, at the conclusion of the Elite Cyclocross Men's race. The shuttle fee is $45. Otherwise, the road ride portion of the day is free.

The KMC Cross Fest is incorporating the Gran Fondo New England and Major Taylor Century on Sunday, October 2. Camping at the Thompson Speedway is an option. If you'd like to send down your camping things or anything else on the shuttle, we'll bring them down. You'll just need to find a way home on Sunday which will probably be fairly easy since there are many hundreds of Boston-area riders and spectators who will be driving back Sunday evening.

Registration for the shuttle is required by September 27. Registration for the road-ride-only option is required by 12pm Friday, September 31. Please fill out the form below.

If you'd like to ride your bike back to RSC, please let us know on your registration so we can provide you with the shortest-possible route back. We will also let you know if others are choosing this option.

We hope you join us!

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Welcome Flight Coffee Company!

On the heels of the recent upgrade to our drip coffee program, it's time to welcome our next guest roaster, Flight Coffee Co. Flight hails from just north of here in Bedford, New Hampshire. Started in 2012 as CQ Coffee by Claudia Barrett (aka CQ) they've quickly established themselves, producing several coffees rated in the 90s in Coffee Review. They’re almost single handedly raising the bar on coffee in New Hampshire and we’ve been really impressed by their ability to find unique coffees and really nail the roast.

Case in point is the Toba Batak Peaberry from Sumatra, Indonesia. Sumatran coffees are famous (infamous, to some) for their pronounced earthy, spicy tones which take well to darker roasts, making them a relative rarity among specialty coffee roasters and drinkers who prefer more balanced coffees with sweeter flavors that really shine through light roasts. This Sumatran has a wonderful fruit flavor (“I’m leaning towards pineapple” Claudia told us) on top of root beer and subtle tobacco notes. It’s absolutely delicious and a real treat for us- a rare specimen of a fruity Sumatran that begs to be drank black. It’s on our shelves now!

http://flightcoffeeco.com/

Faster Coffee, Better Coffee

 

Outstanding Drip Coffe Without A Wait

Last month we made some upgrades to our drip coffee program. Each morning, and all day on weekends, our new house drip coffee, George Howell’s Matalapa - a Cup of Excellence winning El Salvadorian - is available in 2 sizes, without a wait! Our old friend Sal, now head of training at George Howell, delivered our new FETCO batch brewer and helped us dial in the grind and brew parameters. We chose Matalapa for its remarkable balance and medium body, with notes of peach that sparkle when you drink it black, and maple syrup body that marries well with dairy. Always fresh, we brew a new pot every 30 minutes.

Raising The Bar On Our Pourover Coffees

"The best La Minita since the early 1990’s”. Who else but George Howell is qualified to make such a claim? People think of specialty coffee as something started by hipsters in Seattle or Brooklyn (or Somerville) just recently but George Howell has been procuring and serving world class coffees to Greater Boston since the 1980s, including a cafe right here in Lexington Center (now Starbucks) that opened back in 1986! With the introduction of our house drip coffee, we’re now able to try some unique and exclusive beans on pourover and are excited to start with La Minita. In George’s words:

'This is a grand cru estate coffee. We've found La Minita to be one of the most consistent, perfectly crafted estate coffees in the world, year after year. Consumers first became acquainted with La Minita in 1988 when George introduced it in The Coffee Connection. It became one of The Coffee Connection’s most in-demand coffees despite being, at that time, one of its most expensive.

La Minita is the applied to the green coffee sorting process. While many farm’s “first” (best quality) constitute 60% or more of their production after milling, La Minita selects slightly over 20%, eliminating all – or as close as you can get to all - defects which might blemish your cup.'

Our second new pourover is from Ethiopia. While George Howell's outstanding Borboya - long the best selling bean at the Studio - is from Ethiopia’s relatively famous Yirgacheffe region, Yukro is form lesser known Agaro. While Yirgacheffes are known for lemony, floral flavors and tea-like bodies, this Agaro has stone fruit notes (e.g. peach) and a fuller body (though still delicate) anchored in maraschino cherry. A great example of the diversity of great coffees found in Ethiopia, the birthplace of Coffee Arabica.

We're excited to share these coffees with everyone and looking forward to many more loving cups!

PMC Bike Promo - Ride a new bike at the PMC This Year!

Have a *New* Bike to ride for the PMC this year & we're contributing to your fundraising dollars!

The Pan-Mass Challenge is coming up and we want you to have the ride of your life out there. Having a new bike for this event is a capstone of the summer - and this will help keep you riding well into the fall, too. What does a new Seven bike mean to your riding and your PMC enjoyment? A lot.

• The bike built for you will fit you perfectly. Say goodbye to aches and pains. Cycling isn't painful when a bike fits correctly.
• A titanium frame is lightweight and it performs. The tubeset is chosen for you. Why ride a bike built for someone lighter or heavier than you? Get the acceleration, handling, and road feel that you want.
• Get comfort and performance. We can't emphasize this enough. Sevens are no-compromise bikes. They are fast and light AND they absorb the bumps, cracks, and rough roads. Ride 100 miles and feel fresh at the end. You shouldn't get beaten up by your bike on a long ride. Trust us, this is easily achievable with titanium and a smart frame builder like Seven who designs the bike for you.
• Enjoy what your bike looks like -  How do you want your bike to look? Aesthetically, there's almost nothing Seven can't do. Ask us for the colors and look you want. Your bike should look good to you!
• So many options are available to you. Have you considered running a wider tire on your road bike? Did you know that there is almost no compromise to having your bike built to take up to a 35c tire? Would you like fender mounts? What about an option to put a rack on your bike in the future? Would you like to travel with your bike? Add S&S couplers for easy bike travel. Ask us. There's almost nothing Seven won't do to make your Seven the bike of your dreams.
• Value - Not only do you get a hand-built bike that is made in Massachusetts, you get a lifetime warranty on the frame. Seven stands behind their frames unlike any other manufacturer. Get a bike now, it'll still be treating you well, like a new bike, many, many years from now. Sevens have longevity unlike most stock bikes that go out of style, have breakable frames, or use proprietary parts that are impossible to find in the near future. Seven builds bikes that aren't meant to be replaced.

Here are three great options. As always, if there is something else you want, we're happy to spec it for you. Just tell us! The prices listed below don't include pedals or tax. Email us at connect@ridestudiocafe.com for more information.

Seven Axiom S titanium bike with SRAM Rival 22 group set: 

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Seven Axiom S titanium bike with Shimano Ultegra 6800 group set:

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Seven 622 SLX titanium & carbon bike with SRAM Red 22 group set: 

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Ask us for more information about any of these options or if you have something else in mind.

The options are limitless where it comes to Seven and the bikes they build for each person. No two are the same because no two riders are the same!

Honey 100 & Honey 101 Bike Promo

Have a New Bike to ride for Honey 100 & Honey 101

The Honey 101 is coming up July 31 and the Honey 100 is happening August 13. We want you to have a new bike that's perfectly suited to having the most fun ever on one or both of these rides! The Honey 100 and 101 are mixed-terrain rides that include adventuring onto little-known side roads, dirt trails, single track trails, back alleyways, through places not obvious to ride.

A bike that is perfect for the Honey 100 is one that is perfect for any mixed-terrain ride, long days on dirt roads, studded tire winter riding and so much more.

Here are two great options...

Honey Allroads with Shimano Ultegra 6800:

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Honey Allroads with SRAM Rival 22

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Welcome Kuma Coffee as our next guest roaster

Welcome Kuma Coffee as our next guest roaster!

By US measures, Seattle has a long, rich history with coffee. If it isn't the birthplace of what we call Specialty Coffee in the US (along with the Bay Area), it's certainly a founding father, particularly when it comes to espresso and café culture. Influenced by Italy in the late 1970s early 80s, you can hardly walk a block in the Emerald City, even in residential neighborhoods, without passing a cafe.

In a market as mature as Seattle’s, launching a successful roastery is no easy endeavor. In less than 10 years, founder Mark Barany has grown Kuma from a small hobby business to an award winning microroaster. Like our house roaster, George Howell Coffee, Kuma is dedicated to supporting coffee farmers, generally paying above Fair Trade rates and developing Direct Trade relationships with most.

Unlike many of their brethren in the Pacifice NW, Kuma roasts on the lighter side, highlighting and honoring the terroir and intrinsic flavors of the beans rather than covering them up with a dark roast. We’ve just finished our first batch of their ‘Fresh Crop - Balanced’ espresso and were blown away by its complexity (see our Instagram posts for our gushings). Next up is their ‘Bright’ blend of Ethiopian espressos before we venture into their drip coffees.

These next few weeks are sure to bring some delicious and exciting coffees from Kuma (the 2016 Guatemala crop is about to drop!) and we’re looking forward to enjoying them with you at RSC!

Bikepacking with Joe Cruz: Stories, Images, and a Fearless Approach to Just Doing It

Bikepacking with Joe Cruz: Stories, Images, and a Fearless Approach to Just Doing It

Speaking from a lifetime of bikepacking experience, Joe Cruz is coming to Ride Studio Cafe May 26 at 7pm to share what he has seen and done with us. He comes from a broad perspective of world-wide riding adventures and bringing many photos from his travels. Joe lives in western Massachusetts so is familiar with the amazing bikepacking in our own backyard here in New England and across the United States. Much of his talk will focus on bikepacking that is approachable to those newer to it. He will address the fears of new bikepackers and offer his approach to managing fear. As he says, it's more about the way in which we create our own barriers that need not exist.

Joe is one of the bikepacking originals starting his bikepacking adventures in 1988 and spending significant time each year to trips that most people wouldn't think to attempt. In his work-life, Joe is a professor of philosophy, and he brings a philosophical and practical approach to the sport.

His talk will be inspiring, motivational, and educational--and someone you shouldn't miss.

Not only will Joe treat us with his images and stories from bikepacking, but he'll also be bringing his fully-loaded, ready-to-bikepack Seven Treeline for all to see.

Read Joe's blog and check out his bikepacking images on Instagram.

Please RSVP early for Joe's presentation (scroll down) - there are very limited numbers of seats. We will provide appetizers and drinks throughout the evening.

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