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Ideas for Giving Tuesday
Even though Wheelhouse is (technically) a for-profit business, we aren’t one living comfortably in our culture of buy-buy-buy. Anyone who’s been our customer probably knows that. We often come up with creative repair ideas that keep a bike rolling rather than suggesting a new one. We consistently come up with repair-rather-than-replace solutions in our service department. It’s, as we say, just how we roll.
To us, the whole greedy “BUY SOMETHING SPEND MONEY” week that follows Thanksgiving is, frankly, gross. It kinda feels like Small Business Saturday and Giving Tuesday are honorable mention ribbons given out to ameliorate the crassness of all the other days surrounding them.
But here we are, living in our current reality.
In the “spirit” of that, here’s a list of some charities to consider giving to today — or any day. They’re not all bike-related, but they’re all things we believe in.
Of course we gotta start with local bike organizations:
Sign up to volunteer or donate a bike that’s gathering dust to Free Bikes 4 Kidz, who’s donated almost 8,000 refurbished bikes to kids in Detroit in just 4 years.
Back Alley Bikes focuses on youth cycling education. They take bike stuff and of course, cash is always appreciated.
Detroit Greenways Coalition advocates for bike infrastructure — and comprehensively documents it.
The League of Michigan Bicyclists focuses on statewide legislation that benefits safer cycling — like the “3 Foot Safe Passing” rule that recently became state law.
Onto a few of our favorite things: Detroit Parks! The Detroit Parks Coalition is an umbrella organization working to expand resources for city parks. Give to DPC or drill down to one of their member organizations, which include People for Palmer Park, Friends of Rouge Park, Chandler Park Conservancy, Clark Park Coalition, and Detroit Riverfront Conservancy.
Other local outside initiatives to consider are Detroit Outdoors, who works to connect more youth of color to activities such as camping, and the Detroit Audubon Society who of course, is all about our birds.
For the children: Detroit Area Youth Uniting Michigan (DAYUM tees are the best!) are youth activists fighting for justice in our communities — for example, clean drinking water in schools. We also admire and support the efforts of Girls Rock Detroit, InsideOut Literary Arts, Downtown Boxing Gym, and Mosaic Youth Theater — all empowering Detroit kids in their own way.
Bridging Communities does everything from elder support to running a neighborhood pantry and fridge to a resident-supported Time Bank.
There are so many amazing organizations working in the realm of animal rescue. We’re picking Rebel Dogs Detroit to shout out due to a personal interaction Kelli had with them this year.
Preservation Detroit, because we’re still over here losing our architectural heritage.
For their herculean efforts to bring Proposal 3 to victory: ACLU of Michigan and Planned Parenthood of Michigan.
And last but not least, Detroit Justice Center, because if the justice system doesn’t work for everyone, it doesn’t work period.
Note From The Owner
As we close out Wheelhouse’s 15th year of operation, I wanted to write up a quick wrap up. First of all, thank you to our amazing customers! We had overwhelmingly positive patron interactions this season, which was very appreciated after a couple of rough let’s-blame-it-on-the-COVID ones. We genuinely appreciate your kindness, gratitude, and continued support.
In good 2022 news, it’s amazing to witness the continued investment in cycling infrastructure in Detroit, Highland Park, and Hamtramck — led by the exciting and far-reaching Joe Louis Greenway. When we opened on the Riverfront in 2008, people asked us all the time: “Biking in Detroit? Really?” Now biking in Detroit is dare I say, mainstream, and I am here for it!
We were recognized with a Bicycle Retail Excellence Award for the 8th year running. To me, the component of this award that is most meaningful is the Secret Shopper that visits, emails, and calls then rates those interactions. This year we scored 91% in that category! We really do make a massive effort to offer professional and quality customer and repair service, so being seen in that regard by our trade association, the National Bicycle Dealers association, is super gratifying.
Like most small businesses, we are doing more with less people. The core team we had in place this year — led by the inimitable Tatiana — was effective, efficient, knowledgable, and friendly. It felt like family in the best possible way at the shop this year and customer feedback was at an all-time high. Thank you, thank you so very much from the bottom of my heart to the Wheelhouse Crew. I’m a lucky lady.
Of course, it wasn’t all great. We’re still struggling to dig ourselves out of the Hamtramck hole. We closed that shop at the end of 2019 — what a blessing in disguise was that timing! — but then came COVID. We missed part of our short 2020 season, are still dealing with supply chain issues (they’re better for sure, but repercussions to the industry as a whole are still being felt), and haven’t recouped corporate outings that were quite a significant revenue stream pre-pandemic.
Also, the landscape has changed significantly over the years, giving us a ton more competition. That’s not a complaint, but a realistic observation. We definitely have to hustle harder for our li’l piece of the pie!
This off-season Tatiana and I will be working on marketing and operations and gearing up for an even stronger 2023. Don’t forget, we are here for you by appintment all winter long for any of your cycling needs. Don’t hesitate to reach out — we’ll get back to you with the quickness.
In closing, we have a couple of exciting holiday shopping opportunities: a limited online apparel sale and Gift Card Bonus Bucks. Shop Wheelhouse this season! We would really value your support.
Appreciatively,
Kelli
Holiday Gift Card Bonus Bucks
This holiday, give the bike-lover on your list the perfect present: a Wheelhouse gift card! They can use it towards a new bike, some accessories, or a tune up — it’s good towards any retail or service purchase. We will mail you or your giftee the card or set up a house account. A hand-written personal note can be added at no additional cost and we don’t charge to ship.
HOLIDAY 2022 SPECIAL: Spend $50 on gift cards, earn a bonus $5! Spend $100 on gift cards, earn a bonus $10! Bonus bucks can be applied to the existing gift card(s), a new one can be created, or they can be added to a customer account (yes, yours if you’d like!). Purchase by December 15 to ensure receipt by Christmas via USPS. Local? We can arrange to meet at the shop for pickup or deliver for a fee based on location.
If you are looking to gift a guided tour or bicycle rental, click here. Your giftee will receive an email with a special code that they may use to reserve online at their convenience.
Holiday Apparel Sale!
We are running an online holiday apparel sale in partnership with ESP. Just 5 items to choose from featuring our city map logo: a crewneck sweatshirt, long- and short-sleeved tees, wool cap, and winter beanie.
Orders must be placed by December 5 for shipping the week of the 12th. One minor thing: the hats are being embroidered so there is a small chance they won’t be done in time to ship in time for Christmas. If that were to happen, we will get you a fancy PDF card you can print out for or email to the giftee.
Our logo is a simplified map of the city, showing the Detroit River and our spoke streets: E. Jefferson, Fort, Michigan Avenue, Grand River, Woodward, and Gratiot. It was inspired by our mentor Colin Hubbell, who was a Detroit booster and developer before it was cool to be one.
We sat down over breakfast and showed him some preliminary logos – we were stuck in this very literal place: there were wheels and houses in all of them. (Obvious much?) He threw the paper on the table and pronounced, “These logos suck!”
He told us to play with a map of the city, to look at the spokes of Detroit’s streets as the spokes of a wheel. We looked at each other, mouths agape, and exclaimed in unison, “That’s an awesome idea!
Read more about Colin HERE.
Even though it’s been 15 years, the logo endures. We think it’s timeless!
We're Here For You By Appointment All Winter Long!
Just a quick note to let you all know that when we say, “Available By Appointment,” we mean it! All you gotta do is shoot us a quick email with a couple of available windows and we’ll arrange to meet you at the shop. Usually we need just a day’s notice but sometimes can do same day. Obviously, the more heads up and more options you give us make things even easier.
In case you think it’s too much of a hassle…Not at all! Maybe 2 quick emails back and forth and we’ll be available at your convenience.
We’re happy to meet you for any cycling need, whether it’s to grab a tube or lock, place a special order, drop off or pick up a bike for service, or snag a rental or two. Or if you’d like to book a cold weather tour, no problem! Just email us at info@wheelhousedetroit.com and someone will get back to you quickly.
We will resume open hours of operation in March 2023 for Season 16.
Bonus Weekend Days 11/5 & 11/6
It’s too dang nice to be closed this weekend so we’re getting off the couch and opening up for Wheelhouse Bonus Days! We’ll be open Noon to 4pm Saturday, November 5 and Sunday, November 6.
Here’s what we got cookin’:
BOGO Rentals: Buy-One-Get-One Free Rentals!
We’ll fix your flat on-the-spot. Most flat fixes cost about $20 depending on tube size.
For larger service needs, drop your bike off and we’ll schedule pickup for next week.
Come by and say hey! Enjoy these golden bonus days of pleasant riding.
SALE: BROOKLYN BICYCLE CO. 20% OFF
All in-stock Brooklyn Bicycle Co. bikes are marked down 20% October 8-30, 2022. We have just 6 that are looking for their happy homes; here are the deets:
Lorimer (18”/L | 14”/S Matte Denim Was $680, NOW $544): 9-speed hybrid; lightweight. Psst: The small frame is IDEAL for a lil shortie!
Bedford (SM | LG Matte Black Was $580, NOW $464): 3-speed; relaxed gearing and geometry.
Wythe (L Matte Black Was $605, NOW $484): Single speed; flip-flop hub.
Roebling (Matte Black Was $680, NOW $544): 9-speed commuter hybrid.
This sale will go through the end of the season, October 30. Come down for a test ride!
All new bikes purchased from the Wheelhouse receive a water bottle + cage and complimentary service (excluding tube replacements) for one year from date of purchase.
10 BUCKS OFF SELECTED FALL TOURS
Fall — and the best riding weather of the year — is firmly upon us. As our season winds down, we hope you can join us on one of our remaining outings. You can use Promo Code 10FALL22 to save 10 bucks on the following tours:
Saturday, October 1: Public Art
Saturday, October 8: Belle Isle
Saturday, October 15: Architecture
Our knowledgable guides will help you see our city in a new light. Our tours are limited to small groups and we work to find safe and interesting routes to ride. Join us for a unique, high-quality experience.
Service Series: Why Tuneup?
We truly believe that a quality bike shop bike can last a lifetime — with proper maintenance! That’s why we recommend a tune-up every season.
To put it simply, a tune-up checks and adjusts every moving part of your bicycle. Here’s what we get into:
Brakes: Do your brake levers need to be sqeezed more than halfway before the brakes apply? Do they feel “sluggish?” They need adjusting! We do that during a tune-up.
If anything else is not right — like your brake cables &/or housing are frayed or gunked up — we would notice it at this point and let you know if additional service or parts are recommended.
Gears/Drivetrain: Do your gears transition smoothly or do they feel sluggish? Does the chain come off when shifting? Can the bike shift into all the gears? Do you hear any clicks, rattles, or rubs? Yes to any of those questions means you need a gear adjustment! We’ll also tighten your crankarm and lube your chain.
If your cables &/or housing are frayed or gunked up and/or your chain, chain ring &/or cassette are worn, we would notice it at this point and let you know if additional service or parts are recommended.
Wheels: When spokes on a wheel loosen over time, your wheel can become “out of true” causing your brakes to rub and, over time, leading to a total wheel failure. As part of your tune-up, the mechanic will perform a “minor true” meaning they will loosen and tighten spokes while the wheel is still attached to the bicycle.
If a wheel requires adjustment than a minor true, the wheel will need to be removed from the bicycle and placed into a special truing stand. If that additional service is necessary, we would let you know at this point.
Cleaning: While the bike is up in the repair stand, we wipe the frame and wheels down, removing dust and gunk.
If you ride a lot, plan on starting out in Spring with a fresh tune and possibly a second one near the end of summer. The good news is that if you bring it in for that possibly-second-tune, we’ll for sure tell you if it just needs a couple of smaller adjustments and save you some dough. But better safe then sorry.
What say you? “But I haven’t ridden all year!” You, dear friend, need a tune-up for sure. Your poor bike has been accumulating rust and dust, the enemies of smooth shifting and safe braking. Let us get her back into dependable riding shape.
Standard tune-ups cost $75; we adjust brakes, gears + derailleur; perform a minor (on-bike) wheel true; lube and check chain; check and tighten crank & headset; and wipe down the frame and wheels. If your bike needs more or less love than that, we are very honest and transparent about what needs to be done.
Early and peak season, the turn-around on tune-ups can be a week or more. Late in the season, we can usualy turn one around by the next day.
Late-Season Tour Update
Iron Belle Trail, Belle Isle
Fall is here, with its beautiful skies and lovely riding temps. We are here for it! As our 2022 season winds down, we have just a handful of tours with open spots remaining, including:
Architecture, 9/24 & 10/15 | One of our most popular tours; truly a schooling in one of our city’s greatest assets.
Auto Heritage, 9/25 & 10/9 | You will walk away from this tour understanding how Detroit became the center of the auto industry. Bonus on 9/25: At the “highlight” stop, the Ford Piquette Plant, there will be a celebration for the 114th birthday of the Model T!
Public Art, 10/1 | With a focus on various types of sculpture — decoration, commemoration, and integration — this tour will having you see the world around you differently.
Corktown, 10/2 | This is a deep dive into Detroit’s oldest neighborhood covering demographics, baseball, parking lots, urban renewal, and so much more — including a stop for a pint at The Gaelic League!
Belle Isle, 10/9 | The history, ecology, and architecture of our Island Gem are all touched upon on this ride. Whether you haven’t been in some time or are a regular visitor, you’re bound to learn something of interest.
We wrap up our season each year with our Haunted Detroit Tour; all four editions are sold out. But have no fear! If you’re set on participating in this tour, you still have time to book a private outing. They start at $250 weekdays and $300 weekends for up to 6 participants, bikes included, then an additional per-person rate for riders seven to 15. If you’re interested head HERE for more info and to begin the booking process.