Special Wheelhouse Weekend

With the arrival of November, so comes the end of the Wheelhouse's 2009 season. But there are afew ways to stave off the pain a bit, so join us at one or all of the following:

• Critical Mass, Friday, Oct. 30 @ 6:30 p.m. @ Grand Circus Park.

• Alleycat Race, Friday, Oct. 30 @ 6:30 p.m. @ Hart Plaza.

• End-of-Season Sale, Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Save on bikes, tubes, tires, baskets,  racks, lights and bags. Stock up for the winter or buy some holiday gifts now!

• Fare-Thee-Well Soiree,  Sunday, Nov. 1, 5 to 7 p.m. Swing by to take advantage of our sale and enjoy some snacks and brew...and say goodbye for the year!

We hope to see you!

Ron + Alleycats

Ron Shelton is the Wheelhouse's bike tech, and besides being meticulous as a mechanic (and a leather-worker and bag-maker), he pops up now and again with an awesome alley cat race. Check out Model D's coverage of the scavenger hunts.

Since 2006, Shelton has organized Alleycats in Detroit. These unsanctioned cycling races draw riders from throughout the metro area to compete in a crisscrossing sprint down streets and through intersections. Participants fly from checkpoint to checkpoint, collecting clues and directions to their next destination while dodging cars and other riders. The course tests both the riders' knowledge of the city and their guts as they navigate a virtual collision course that backtracks and veers over 35 miles.

"Over the past several years, I've seen an increase in bikers in the city," says Shelton. "Maybe it's the price of gas but it used to be that if I saw someone riding a bike in Detroit, I probably knew them. Today, more people are riding but we're still not at capacity and I think there's potential here. As a biking town, Detroit is ready to explode."

We are particularly fond of the photo of Ron with our favorite shop ducky helmet looking super-tough.

Read the entire article here.

Weekend Recap

Wow! What a wonderful weekend for cycling in Detroit. The Bicycle Film Festival was well-attended and fantastic, we had a blast dancing at the Park Bar at the after-party on Friday, the Alley Cat was good times and we spent all day Sunday biking and beaching Belle Isle.

It might have been cloudy, but it was still lovely.

BFF Alley Cat!

Saturday, July 18, 3:30, Hart Plaza. Be there or be L7! Read more about Bike Film Festival Detroit here.