Wednesday, November 14, 2012

All I want for Christmas...

So, it's less than a month before Christmas... have you done your shopping yet? Wanna beat the rush? Are you already panicking as to what to get your favourite cyclist?

Well, here's 20 gift ideas in the shop right now that might be perfect for the remaining people on your shopping list.

1. Socks. Who doesn't love opening a fresh pair of socks and putting them on for the first time? Have you ever heard anyone say, "Man, I just have waaaay too many socks!" No? That's because they're so silky, so smooth, so comfy and always getting eaten by the dryer monster.

Icebreaker makes some good short socks and no-show socks as well as a "multi-sport" sock. They're merino-tastic and pure quality! If you're looking for something a little warmer, we've got some ski socks from Icebreaker as well. The Chrome line also does wooly warm socks with partial merino and range from ankle no-show to over the calf socks.



2. Neck warmers/Buffs - Remember when you were a kid and you wore a neckwarmer and it was the best thing ever because it was SO WARM? Well, icebreaker has brought 'em back with a vengeance. Now with more merino to avoid that itchy scratchy feeling at your throat. There's a shorter, thick version and a thinner and longer version for the more creative types who want to ride to work with a pirate 'do rag flapping out the back of their helmet.



3. Gloves - Gloves are something that everyone can use and no one's going to say no to. Grab a pair of waterproof Gore Countdowns that are all the rage these days. Wind and waterproof with a little bit of insulation, these babies will keep your digits toasty warm all winter long even on the worst of days...



Other gloves include the Gore Mistral - windproof and the glove of choice for being low bulk and will fit a liner glove underneath if you're getting chilly.




The newest glove in the shop is Giro's Proof Glove. A bit more bulky than Gore, these babies have both a westerly wool inner liner and a weatherproof outer shell to keep you warm and dry no matter the conditions.


4. You can also invest in a pair of glove liners. We have a 200 and 260 weight glove liner from Icebreaker that will give you that extra bit of warmth when you're looking to keep those digits warm on your commute to work or when you're out enjoying the seawall on a sunny crisp day. They're a nice little stocking stuffer too!

5. Beanies. Beanies are a great Christmas present because they're so versatile. Under the helmet, out for a run, cool spring mornings and summer nights, out for a ski - they does it all. Icebreaker does a 200-weight beanie as well as a reversible one that's kind of fun too.



6. We've also got tons of cycling caps if you're looking for some face protection from the elements and have some team loyalty.


Cima Coppi has hats too - both warm wooly ones as well as earflapped winter caps.


7. Arm warmers are another key piece for any cyclist. Perfect for when you it's not warm enough for short sleeves but too warm for a full long sleeve jersey. We've got wool and synthetic, patterned and plain.

8. T-shirts for those casual days. We've got some from Chrome, Mavic, BMC, as well as Cima Coppi Velo Love and Paris-Roubaix.



9. What better present for wintertime than baselayers? These cozy shirts and leggings keep you warm and cozy whether you're commuting to work, climbing Cypress or out for a ski or hike in the mountains.


Both zip necks and crew neck tops as well as leggings and 3/4 legless as bottoms, these are a good gift for that active person in your life. We've also got a few remaining Craft baselayers on sale so come in and check 'em out!

10. Jerseys - Our summer stuff's on sale so now's the time to grab one up for a good deal. We've also got Gore and Louis Garneau windproof long-sleeved jerseys.

We've also got locally-made Cima Coppi stuff. Long and short-sleeved jerseys and track jackets for both men and women, these are one of the coziest gifts to give!



11. Shoes are a bit trickier to buy for someone as fit tends to be a little more personal but it's doable. We've got some Chrome stuff in stock for both the SPD and regular footwear-er in your life. As well, we've got some brand-new-this-fall waterproof DZRs through the door so get that special someone to come in and try some shoes on then get a "sudden chocolate craving," send them down to Cocoa Nymph with a very tricky order, and grab those shoes before they get back. 



12. Bags! We've got a ton of bags in stock right now from Chrome, Mission Workshop, Truce, and Pac. Come check 'em out! Messenger style, laptop capable, big bags, little bags, the works! If you need a waterproof, bombproof bag, we are the place to come!


 13. Jackets! We've got a few Mission Workshop Orions in stock at the moment but they're selling like hotcakes so get in here quick!



They're a fully waterproof Canadian-made jacket with pit-zips, a removable hood and several pockets, making them a great jacket on and off the bike. We can also acquire their new jackets - the Trigger and the Eiger Field Jacket.

We've also got the Chrome Storm series - both the ladies' Storm Pasha and the men's Storm Cobra in both black and olive colours.


 Made of a nylon fabric, these jackets are also for the walk-around style-y type that want a rain jacket that works on and off the bike. Pit-zips, hood, and multiple pockets make them another good choice if you want to buy just one jacket this season.

We also just got Swrve's Waxed Riding Jacket. Made in the UK, it has a waxed cotton outer and a wooly inner to keep you warm through the upcoming cooler months.


14. Locally, we've got some Winterluxe mittens that you should definitely check out. They're incredibly soft and fuzzy and come in a few different styles and colours. Made from recycled cashmere, these mittens would make a great stocking stuffer.


15. Keeping with the local motif, we've also brought in SAHN helmets. Designed in Vancouver, these stylish helmets are a great gift for the chic cyclist.


We also have Nutcase, Giro, Bell, and Lazer in stock.


16. Lights! What a better way of keeping safe than a couple of really bright lights. The Blackburn Flea USB light set is a great gift for the safety conscious as they're bright, rechargeable and easy to stash away.



17. Bells! Need a stocking stuffer for little ones in the family or even the young at heart? Dring Dring hand painted bells could be the ticket.



18. Sunglasses! Oakleys are still in stock with casual and racing-specific lines.


19. Musettes - Red Flag Designs makes a nice little musette that is perfect for when you want to carry some things but not including the kitchen sink. Red Flag also makes neat u-lock holsters out of leather.


20. Chamois Cream! Sportique's Century Cream is the best we've found so far for comfort on those longer rides. Made with natural ingredients, this stuff smells good and works great! They've also got a whole line of products including, Rad Rash Remedy for those bad spills, Element Cream for cold days, Sportsman's Friend and Shea Butter hand creams for rough hands, and other skincare bits and pieces.


Sunday, November 11, 2012

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Getting to the meet up point for a ride early...

... and deciding a coffee is a good idea while you wait for others to show up but then they all show up and you have to slam it.




Friday, November 9, 2012

Chrome Storm Jackets!

At the beginning of the summer I hear rumours of Chrome putting out a fully waterproof jacket. Sounded pretty cool as they also sounded casual enough to double as a walk-around jacket even with cycling-specific detailing on them. 2-in-1 jackets? Yes please!  

The Storm Series has both men's and ladies - Cobra for men and Pasha for the ladies, which is unique as there isn't much out there on the ladywear front in cycling. It's nice to see a company make something for the ladies for a change instead of trying to make them fit into dudewear. 


Both the Cobra and Pasha are seam-sealed waterproof with pit zips for ventilation, rear rando pocket, longer sleeves and torso for riding comfort, and a waterproof two-way main zipper for extra venting.



The jackets also come with a hood, which, while I don't think it's a good idea while on the bike, I'd certainly appreciate it off the bike.


Hoods are better than umbrellas in my opinion because when I think of Vancouver, I always get this picture of people with giant golf umbrellas walking under the overhangs while people without umbrellas walk in the rain because they don't want to get stabbed in the eye.

It's pretty weird that they do that. 

Anyway, hoods are good because they keep your head warm and your hair dry. Just be careful putting them up after you step off the bike on a rainy day or you may get a surprise shower.

Oleha took one of the jackets out for a test ride and said it was pretty comfy, classy-looking and fun to ride in. Here are some pics of her ripping up the streets of Mt. Pleasant with it along with a local SAHN helmet and one of the latest colourway Pawn from Crome. 

"How many barspins does it do?!"

Hate to see them leave but love to see 'em walk away... 



Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Coast Mountain Culture

New Coast Mountain Culture Mags are here. The Radical Issue covers articles on skiing, surfing, music, skateboarding, pictures galore and more awesome stuff. 


Come and check 'em out!

Friday, November 2, 2012

The next time a person...

The next time a person tries to talk to me about Lance Armstrong or anything to do with drugs in cycling:

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Truce Bags

Fashioned from reclaimed and high-performance materials, Truce Designs are the newest addition to the onTheRivet backpack family.  


Materials such as sailcloth, drysuit fabric, and ballistic weaves are assembled with high-performance hardware in their shop in Portland, OR to create unique bags for a personalized sense of style for any conditions. 


Weatherproof and sleek, the backpacks come with many bike friendly features. Three sizes allow a person to choose how much or how little they want to bring along for the ride, whether it's a day trip through the city, a week-long trip down south or to the Island or an overnighter up to Whistler.


A free-floating waterproof fabric liner makes sure your stuff stays dry, extra pockets throughout the bag ensure you stuff never disappears into the main compartment chaos, and compression straps to maximize sleekness for shoulder checking on the bike as well as wanting to strap things to the outside. Inside the back of the bag is a separate compartment for a hydration bladder. 3M reflective tape runs along the bottom of the bags for visibility at night as well as webbing built in for bike lights. Each bag comes with a simple hip-strap but a beefier version can be obtained as well.




Coloured panels add a bit of fun to the bags and give you a way to show off your personality.



Cilogear's Dee-clip compression strap system is a simple and straightforward way to strap things onto the bag or strap things down within the bag. When not in use, they can be stored in one of the pockets of the bags.

1... 

2... 

... and done! 

Colours vary and depend on what materials are in stock. Pricing is dependent on sizing and materials used. We've already got some bags in the shop so come check 'em out before they disappear!

Monday, October 29, 2012

Sahn Helmets

Well, well, looks like we've got some sweet new style-y helmets in just in time for winter! We're happy to welcome SAHN Helmets to the onTheRivet Family!



Sahn Helmets are the brainchild of Vancouver-based Matt Kelly and Sen-Huy Tan. Kelly has been creating helmets for skateboarding and water sports as owner of Predator Designs. Tan is an industrial designer with cycling industry experience.


Together, they share a vision to provide helmet alternatives for the style-conscious rider. In their own words, "SAHN Helmets is about riding. Not racing. The SAHN Classic is a helmet for those who may or may not define themselves as cyclists, but desire to have the option to look better while moving in and around the urban landscape, both on and off the bicycle."


These brimmed classic-looking helmets are made with cycling-specific features and are certified for cycling use. They come with removable comfort fit pads in different thicknesses that are placed strategically within the helmet to allow for air flow, as well as a Swiss-made rear adjuster dial for additional custom fit. They're made from a lightweight but tough outer ABS plastic bonded to a shock absorbing expanded polystyrene inner layer.


Functional as well as fashionable, SAHN helmets are available in both matte and glossy styles in black, white, blue, and tan. A low profile, sleek equestrian-inspired design makes them look good on both men and women. 


 A built-in brim makes the helmet great for keeping rain and sun out of your eyes as you pedal along. 


SAHN has also collaborated with internationally-recognized artist Chairman Ting Industries to bring a Limited Edition design featuring a custom graphic on a matte grey coloured helmet. Fellow Vancouverite Carson (Chairman) Ting is an avid cyclist and named one of the top 5 most creative people in Canada by Marketing Magazine. 


Currently, the helmets are available in S/M sizing (53-59 cm) with a L/XL option (60-64 cm) available Spring 2013. They retail for $130.