Scotts Valley Cycle Sport blog

Fogelsode #5 and Goodbye Banshee Video

2011-12-31T19:52:00.001-08:00

With school and the holidays coming to a close, there's a ton more time to ride! As per usual, Post Office is the place to be around here during this time of year, and it becomes an oddity to see a vacant roll-in during sunset.

Photo: Davin Pena

Also, with the new year means I will be parting ways with Banshee. I'm absolutely grateful for the support that they've provided during these past two seasons, and I put together this compilation of footage from my time with them.

Happy New Year!

Off The Radar

2011-11-29T21:09:00.001-08:00

I had the pleasure of having Zinger and Howey stay at my house for a couple weeks at the beginning of the month. We rode a bunch, and Zinger was hard at work behind the lens, coming out with this banger!

Fogelsode Season 3 #4: AT's Showdown and a Wind Down Sesh

2011-11-27T15:34:00.001-08:00

It's been an eventful past couple weeks! AT's Showdown never fails to disappoint and this year was no exception! I always look forward to this contest, not only for the good times that it brings, but because it brings friends from all over to the area, making for some rad days of riding before and after the comp. The contest went perfectly, with few injuries and exciting finals that the "head to head" format brought. I ended up finishing 8th, so I'm stoked on that!
We got a bunch of rain in the days following, so it was back to the good 'ol step-up for some lighthearted sessions--a nice change of pace!

Fogelsode Season 3 #3: Bridge and Teva

2011-11-12T01:10:00.001-08:00

Christian Wright and I had the pleasure of riding the Bridge Jumps, with Brendan Howey behind the lens with his broken ankle. We were joined by Dennis Langenstam, and later Eric Lawrenuk, Mark Matthews, and Kurt Sorge, making for some good times! With contests filling up everyone's schedules, it felt awesome to have such a chill day riding such flowy jumps! I threw in some footage from our trip to Teva Games as well!

Enjoy!

Fogelsode Season 3 #2: Game of B.I.K.E.

2011-11-01T01:41:00.001-07:00

When Christian Wright and I were on our way up to Jump Ship in Victoria, we got to stay at Brendan Howey's house for a few days. With time to kill, we had some fun little seshes on his mulch jump, and Christian had the idea to play a game of B.I.K.E.! As you can see, it was a tremendously strict and serious game, with progression being the only thing on our minds...

Fogelsode Season 3 #2: Game of B.I.K.E. on pinkbike.com

Fogelsode Season 3 #1: Average School Day

2011-10-15T21:27:00.001-07:00

Season three is here, with new episodes every two weeks!

For most of September, I found myself in a constant routine: load up my bike/gear at night, go to school in the morning, grab a burrito, and head straight over to Post Office for a little sundown sesh. Sometimes a bunch of people would be out there, other times it was just me. It never really mattered too much though, as any ride turned a stressful school day into a good day. I brought the camera out one day, and self filmed for this edit.

Enjoy!

Photo: Davin Pena

-Fogel

Easy Livin’

2011-08-31T21:17:00.001-07:00

Scope this little edit that my buddies Kyle, Iggy, and I put together last week! Good times back home!

Easy Livin' on pinkbike.com

-Fogel

Shot in Decline!

2011-08-26T22:03:00.001-07:00

Got a shot in the last issue of Decline with this 1-foot x-up at Teva Games! Stoked!

Even got a Cycle Sport sticker in there!

My Summer Video!

2011-08-19T20:53:00.001-07:00

I left my house on the morning of May 31st, not knowing what I was getting myself into. It was an epic summer filled with nothing but good times! I went to Teva Games, up to Victoria for Jump Ship, over to Whistler where I coached at Camp of Champions, down to Colorado for Crankworx Colorado, back to the island for the Bearclaw Invitational, and finally back to Whistler to chill for a bit before trucking home. 7804 miles and 74 days later I was back, and had plenty of footage to put this edit together in order to share the trip with you!

Fogel's Summer Adventure 2: Fireworks, Friends, & X-Factors on pinkbike.com

The video's over 16 minutes long, so I broke it up into sections as well:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

-Fogel

Frame it and Claim it

2011-07-04T20:14:00.000-07:00

Want to win some FREE bike product? It's easy just post a picture or video of your favorite riding spot or of you just doing something that motivates you when you ride. As long as it is riding related you stand a chance to win one of the three prizes.

Contest Rules

-Upload photo/video and each Tues for the next 7 weeks the photo/ video with the most facebook likes will be moved into the final round of the contest. The crew at SV Cycle Sport will pick an overall winner and announce the winner on August 31st.

Now get out there and start shooting!!!!

LEGAL DISCLAIMER

The information on this site is for informational purposes only. Any persons mentioned on this site are included for interest and entertainment purposes alone, and should not be perceived as role models by people of any age. Scotts Valley Cycle Sports (SVCS) has no affiliation with these persons and does not endorse, condone or recommend their behaviour or activities. As such we cannot, and will not, be held responsible or liable for any activities taken as a result of visiting this site. Any facts, quotes, articles, news and views contained here are not necessarily representative of the views of Scotts Valley Cycle Sports.

Participation in Contests

You shall be solely responsible for all content you submit, including but not limited to your written, photographic or video submission (“Contest Submission”) and the consequences of our posting or publishing such Contest Submission. In connection with any Contest Submission you warrant that you are submitting an original work to the SVCS Fan Page and have complied with the terms of the Contest Rules, located at svcyclesport.com and that you have the written consent, release, and/or permission of each identifiable individual person in the Contest Submission to use their name or likeness of each such identifiable individual person to enable inclusion and use of the Contest Submission in the manner contemplated by the Contest Website, Contest Rules and this Privacy Policy and Legal Disclaimer. By submitting a Contest Submission. You grant SVCS a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicenseable and transferable license to use, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works of, modify, display, and perform all or any portion of the Contest Submission including without limitation for promoting and redistributing part or all of the Contest Website (and derivative works thereof) in any media formats and through any media channels. You also hereby grant each user of the Contest Website a non-exclusive license to access your Contest Submission through the Contest Website, and to use, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works of, display and perform such Contest Submission to the extent permitted through the functionality of the Contest Website. We or our service provider may maintain copies of any Contest Submission for purposes of backup, security, or maintenance, or as required by law. Entrants and performers that appear in a video or photographic entry for this competition do so at their own risk. Scotts Valley Cycle Sport takes no responsibility for personal injury, damages - personal or property or any loss whatsoever.

In connection with Contest Submission, you further agree that you will not:

submit material that is copyrighted, protected by trade secret or otherwise subject to third party proprietary rights, (other than video footage supplied by the Contest Website for the purpose of creating your Video submission including privacy and publicity rights, unless you are the owner of such rights or have permission from their rightful owner to post the material and to grant us all of the license rights granted herein;
publish falsehoods or misrepresentations that could damage us or any third party;
submit material that is unlawful, obscene, defamatory, libelous, threatening, pornographic, harassing, hateful, racially or ethnically offensive, or encourages conduct that would be considered a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability, violate any law, or is otherwise inappropriate;
post advertisements or solicitations of business; or
impersonate another person.

SVCS does not permit copyright infringing activities and infringement of intellectual property rights on this Contest Website, and we will remove a Contest Submission if properly notified that such Contest Submission infringes on another’s intellectual property rights. We may remove any Contest Submission without prior notice. SVCS also reserves the right to decide whether a Contest Submission is appropriate and complies with applicable laws and the Contest Rules.

Upon viewing any page under this site domain you consent to the above listed disclaimer. For further information, about SVCS, please contact us at svcyclesport.com

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS.

Email your video or photographic submission to cyclesport@att.net. Your email needs to contain your name, contact information, Facebook profile name as well as a link/URL to your video or photographic entry. Your submission will be viewed before being added to the SVCS Facebook fan page
All videos must be 120 seconds in duration or less
You may enter as often as you like, limited to one submission per day
Entries will be accepted between 1am, 1 July 2011 to 12am, 21 August 2011
Entries posted on the SVCS Facebook Fan Page will be judged by ‘Likes’ for entries submitted between 1am, July 2011 to 12 am, 21 August 2011. There after a SVCS elected panel of judges will decide on a winner from the five most ‘Liked’ entries
The judges decision is final
Prizes may not be traded for cash or store credit

15. GENERAL CONDITIONS.

a. Void where prohibited by law. The Contest and the legal US participants are subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations of the United States.

b. In the event that the operation or administration of the Contest is impaired in any way for any reason, SVCS may, in its sole discretion, suspend the Contest to address the impairment and then resume the Contest in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules.

c. SVCS reserves the right to modify or cancel this Contest at any time. In the event of cancellation, and at SVCS’s sole discretion, SVCS may substitute another Contest in its place.

d. SVCS is not responsible for any printing errors in these Official Rules or other materials related to the Contest.

e. SVCS reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unethical or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to undermine the operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil law.

f. SVCS’s failure to enforce any part of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that part.

g. Entry must be made by the Entrant only at the designated email address. Entries made by any other individual or any entity, and/or originating at any other web site will be invalid and disqualified for the Contest. The use of any device or computer software program to automate the entry process is prohibited. SVCS is not responsible for: (i) any incorrect or inaccurate entry information; (ii) human error; (iii) technical malfunctions; (iv) failures, omission, interruption, deletion, or defect of any telephone network, computer online systems, computer equipment, servers, providers, or software, including any damage to Entrant’s or any other person’s computer resulting from participation in the Contest; (v) inability to access any web site; (vi) theft, tampering, destruction, or unauthorized access to, or alteration of entries; or (vii) transactions that are processed late or incorrectly or are incomplete or lost.

h. Illegible and incomplete entries will be disqualified.

i. All entries become the property of SVCS and will not be acknowledged or returned. False and/or deceptive entries or acts shall render Entrants ineligible.

j. Any information collected by registering to enter the Contest shall be used only in a manner consistent with these Official Rules. By entering the Contest, each Entrant agrees to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of SVCS, whose decision is final and binding.

Video from Davin!

2011-05-26T22:45:00.001-07:00

Went on a shoot with Davin Pena the other day, and he whipped up this banger! Psyched how it came out!

Fogelsode S2 #10: Back At It!

2011-05-19T12:15:00.001-07:00

About two months ago, I put a foot down weird on a sketchy 360 and broke the third metatarsal in my right foot. Thankfully, my recovery was smooth and painless, with constant entertainment and good times that my friends and family brought! Not to mention, I got a killer cast-tan out of it! I got cleared to start easing into riding two weeks ago, so I spent a week building up strength riding cross country, and started jumping the week after. I’ve been collecting GoPro footage along the way, with some clips during my recovery, my x-rays, a bit of cross country riding, and finally jumping and downhilling again! It feels absolutely unreal to start riding again and I couldn’t be happier! Enjoy!

Fogelsode S2 #10: Back At It! on pinkbike.com

2011-05-03T20:10:00.000-07:00

Community-Geared Cycle Shop Keeps Scotts Valley Cyclists Happy
Cycle Sport has built its business on community support and giving back.

Cycle Sport opened up for business in 1999. Andrew Cavaletto started working there when he was a senior in high school, ten years ago. Now Cavaletto owns Scotts Valley’s lone cycling gear store.

“I started out taking out the trash and building kids bikes. I moved my way up and had the opportunity to buy it, so I took the plunge,” Cavaletto said.

He was only 25 years old when he took over the business, and while the tough economy was a concern, he faced the challenge with open-mindedness and optimism.

“I figured, being 25 when I took it over, I’ve got time to fail and regroup from it if I have to, so I went for it. And, actually things have been going well,” he said.

Cavaletto “likes it all” when it comes to cycling sports, but downhill racing is his competitive passion.

Cavaletto, who attended school at neighboring San Lorenzo Valley High School, likes living and working in Scotts Valley, he especially enjoys the community feel and appreciates their loyal support.

“There’s a lot of people in Scotts Valley, but it still feels like you know everybody, especially at the shop. I’ve seen the same people coming in for 10 years now. It’s great seeing the kids grow up. You can get one-on-one with them. It has that small town feel, and I like that,” Cavaletto said.

Cycle Sport offers everything from kids bikes to hybrids for people who just want to ride around town, to road and mountain bikes. There’s something for every cycling style and a friendly staff to assist riders with their questions and needs.

Cavaletto said, we offer “any type of bike that you want whether you’re a beginning rider up to pro.”

Being a pro rider himself, Cavaletto has less time for racing now that he has the responsibilities of business ownership.

“It was great a few years ago because I didn’t have to worry about the shop. The shop takes up a lot of time,” he said. “I still go race and everything. I don’t get to train as much as I want to, but as long as I’m able to ride, I’m still having fun and happy.”

Nowadays, Cavaletto does four or five races a year, including the U.S. Open in New Jersey, Crankworx in Whistler, Canada and the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey.

The Sea Otter Classic “was a lot of fun, but humbling,” Cavaletto said.

In appreciation of community support, Cavaletto said he likes to give back.

“The community is super supportive. We do a lot of fundraising stuff, like the Mt. Charlie Challenge—a road ride for the Scotts Valley Education Foundation—and we donate bikes to schools,” he said. “Giving back to the community that supports us is a good thing.”

Cycle Sport is at 245 Mt. Hermon Road. The store is open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, Saturdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sundays noon-5 p.m.

X Gon Give It To Ya!

2011-04-27T16:53:00.001-07:00

In February Cob and I headed down south in the X-Fusion Battle Bus with Theo and John for a seven day film trip in southern California. The video came out today on Pinkbike, and Theo killed it to say the least!

Enjoy!

New Fullface!

2011-04-07T21:34:00.001-07:00

Cycle Sport styled me out the other day with this custom painted D3! Sooo psyched, can’t wait to start using it! 2011’s gonna be good!

-Fogel

SVCS Spring Sale

2011-04-07T10:32:00.001-07:00

Fogelsode S2 #9: Brett's Cali Trip Part 1

2011-03-14T19:14:00.001-07:00

Brett Rheeder showed up to Cali a few days ago, so we started his trip with a few solid step-up seshes. We started talking and both wanted to work on 3ing drops, so we went for a little evening scout mission, stumbling across a sweet spot, and built it the next afternoon. The run-in was a bit sketchy, with a steep sandstone ledge into some soft sand before the boards, but offered plenty of speed into the long soft landing. We noticed a car nearby, and unsure, decided it would be a good idea to leave, cutting the session short. Brett’s still here for a few more days so look for more to come!

Fogelsode S2 #9: Brett's Cali Trip Part 1 on pinkbike.com

-Fogel

Cycle Sports Keeping Mountain Biking Cool

2011-03-13T21:45:00.000-07:00

Cycle Sports Keeping Mountain Biking Cool
A day on the bike trails leads to fun for three local boys.

By Kelly Utic

Traditional youth sports offered in this area have always been soccer, baseball and basketball. But for a few Scotts Valley thrill-seeking eighth-graders, mountain biking is their sport of choice.

Typically, mountain bikers are “Regular Joes” with a taste for action outdoors. Last week, local Cycle Sport bike shop owner, Andrew Cavaletto, escorted three boys, Mitchell, Dillon and Ben, on an adventurous mountain bike ride on the trails near UC Santa Cruz.

“I went along with the boys to show them the area and offer technical assistance right here in our own backyard," Cavaletto said. "I was blown away by the off-road skill level they already had. These boys are gnarly! They climbed, plowed through mud and water, and rode some very technical downhill without hesitation.”

Mitchell had nothing but great things to say about Cavaletto and the bike-ride experience.

“We are better bikers and motivated more than ever to keep riding, thanks to Andrew,” he said. “He is a great mentor. He showed us new trails that pumped us up!”

Cavaletto is no beginner to the sport of cycling. As a child and young adult, he rode BMX bikes and was attracted to downhill racing. He started competition downhill racing in 2004. He said he likes to race, because it takes him to interesting locales. His favorite places have been Austria and Canada.

Cavaletto has been the owner of Cycle Sport for two years, after working there since he was 17. He runs a hometown bike shop and said he loves seeing people enjoy biking, especially kids.

“It’s cool to have kids come here asking for biking advice,” he said. “The more they ride, the more they learn and enjoy biking.
The bike shop also supports the local schools, and Cavaletto has a personal interest in starting a mountain biking team at the high school.

All three boys bought their bikes or parts from Cycle Sport and have attended classes on bike maintenance at the store. Cycle Sport offers demo bikes for rent, with the rental fee going toward the purchase of a bike.
Cavaletto will also donate a Cruiser bike for the upcoming Scotts Valley Educational Foundation’s Mt. Charlie Challenge on April 23. If anyone is interested in participating and does not have a bike, Cycle Sport will rent a bike for the day for a small fee.

Cycle Sport is at 245 Mt. Hermon Rd. For more information, visit svcyclesport.com/ or call 831-440-9070

Mt. Charlie Challenge

2011-02-17T14:30:00.000-08:00

Mt. Charlie Challenge - Saturday April 23, 2011

REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
It is time to sign up for the Mt. Charlie Challenge Pledge Ride again.
The SVEF Mt. Charlie Challenge is a pledge ride to benefit all Scotts Valley public schools. Our ride will be Saturday April 23th. All funds raised go directly to SVEF to support district wide school programs.
Our event offers you a choice of 100K or 50K routes. Both rides start and end at Skypark in Scotts Valley. The 100K Metric Century (62 miles) climbs to the Summit, winds through wineries and beautiful redwoods, then travels through Corralitos, Aptos, Santa Cruz and returns to Scotts Valley.
The 50K Half Century (32 miles) has less challenging climbs and travels through the redwoods, has a rest stop at a vineyard, continues on to Aptos and returns to Scotts Valley.
Both routes offer beautiful scenery, ride support, lunch and refreshments. The rides are followed by a family luncheon at Skypark with great music.
Please see the registration form below or go to our website to print and fill out the Registration Form. Please review the release form so you can sign it the morning of our ride.
Time to get training! We will be sending out emails on available training rides. Training rides will start when the weather permits. Hope you can join us!

-Scotts Valley Cycle Sport will be at the event in the morning to help with any of your quick adjustments, fine tuning, and or if you just need to air up your tires.

-We also have bikes available to rent if you would like to do the ride on a new 2011 Specialized Roubaix or Tarmac road bike. There is nothing like climbing a hill on a 16lb road bike. It seems to just glide up the hill with ease. For the fearless there is the descent where speeds can reach 50mph. (You do have brakes and dont have to go that fast) If you are interested in renting a bike give us a call (831) 440-9070 and someone can help you set up a reservation.

Look forward to seeing you all out there.

Fogelsode S2 #8: Fun Week in Santa Cruz

2011-02-11T00:14:00.001-08:00

It’s been an awesome week around here, with the sun shining and friends like Christian in town. We took advantage of the weather and trail conditions to get in a fun day of riding big bikes. Another day, Jeff and I had a cool little sesh at the step-up, before heading over to Post Office. The classic sundown-seshes have become routine this time of year, but what’s new are some of the younger riders like Jared, Simon, and Fin shredding with us. Just a week ago they were doing run-ups into the line and now they’re flowing through with style and even throwing a few tricks! Stuff like that always gets me stoked to see!

Fogelsode S2 #7: Epic Ride Time

2011-01-30T22:39:00.001-08:00

After watching too many Epic Meal Time videos on YouTube, Iggy and I decided to get creative when it came to making breakfast! Leaving the house with satisfied stomachs, we met up with Allen Stoddard and Conner Kuhns out on the trails. We had a good time on the evening trail ride, enjoying the great weather and trail conditions. We even learned a few new lines that we’d never tried before. Enjoy!

Photo Credit: Conner Kuhns

-Fogel

29ers Gaining Momentum?

2011-01-30T09:33:00.000-08:00

There have been more than a few times when I have seen a 29er and thought to myself, "what a circus bike! How can a bike with such big wheels be ridden aggressively?" All that changed when I spent a day actually riding a couple 29ers and kept an open mind toward it. I had to see, first hand, why these big wheels were gaining so much popularity.

I grabbed my shop demo bikes and headed out to some trails I often ride. I figured that would be a good way to judge how the bike handled and reacted on the descent. When I first hopped on the bike and started climbing the wheels felt big, but it pedaled with ease. Getting those wheels going was a little bit more work than on a 26" wheel bike, but once they were up to speed they were rolling fast. I was impressed with the way the bike rolled through single track and over logs. The bike seemed to carry momentum and wasn't disrupted by obstacles that would easily rattle a smaller wheel. Since the dirt has been a little dry lately, you can expect the front tire to drift on fast, flat turns, but the longer contact patch of the 29er felt stable and predictable.
For me, the climb and flat bits are just a way to get to the descent. I look forward to riding downhill and it seems we can never get there quick enough. At the top of the descent I was a little cautious because the bike felt so different (with less travel, steeper head angle, and bigger wheels). I was blown away, however, with how much fun it was on the downhill! I felt I had to pick the bike up a little earlier than my 26" bike to jump similar lines, but the bike felt amazingly nimble for its size. Cornering was also a slightly up wider for the turn seemed to make a smoother line that suited the big wheels well. Rolling over braking bumps was not nearly as rough as I thought a 100mm travel would have been. (I think carbon wheels helped on that as well)

By the time I made it to the bottom I was loving the bike and having to swallow some of my words and push aside some of my preconceived thoughts about a 29er.

A 29er is a great bike to have in the stable. I will always keep my 26" bike and love the way the bike rides through the rough, but the 29er has grown on me and I feel is bike that is here to stay.

Fogelsode S2 #6: Good Ol' Winter

2011-01-15T23:50:00.001-08:00

The weather’s been amazing lately, with many warm sunny days and a few rainy ones here and there. We got some solid rain one morning, which threw off the day’s plans, so I decided to go to the step-up instead and do a bit of filming. I brought my slope bike out there and had a good time trying some tricks that I’d only done on my hardtail. With the sun coming out the next day, many made their way over to Post Office to do some digging. It was productive to say the least, and with a few more days of work, there should be a couple new lines running!

-Fogel

Fogelsode S2 #5: James' Santa Cruz Trip

2011-01-03T00:54:00.001-08:00

James Visser just made the trip up here from San Diego to ride and chill for a week. Due to the steady rain, most spots were far from running, but with a little work we got in a nice session on Hone’s jumps early in the week. The trails were running great despite a few puddles here and there, so we got some runs in out there as well. However, we spent the most time at the step-up, as the sand soaks up most of the rain and it runs great this time of year. Towards the end of the week we got a big sesh going out there, with Greg throwing down some big tricks like a bar to tailwhip and even a double flip! James went for the double flip, and got close, but under rotated on one and landed right on his head. Thankfully he was perfectly fine after a moment of shock, so everyone decided to call it after that. It was a rad week of shredding, enjoy!

James did quite a bit of filming with his GoPro as well, so check out his view of the week in his latest video!

-Fogel

Fogelsode S2 #4: Rebirth of the Step-Up

2010-12-28T11:32:00.001-08:00

About a month ago we started giving the step-up a major overhaul, beginning with a shopping spree at the local lumber yard. It’s been quite the process of getting the lip build, painting it, and getting it over there, but it was all worth it to say the least! It’s been some great times having some wicked seshes with new tricks and good laughs. Good ‘ol winter!

Photo Cred: Davin Pena

Jack in Mountain Bike Action

2010-12-06T22:47:00.001-08:00

Cycle Sport rider Jack Fogelquist got an article in this latest issue of Mountain Bike Action, check it out!

Holidays are here!

2010-11-24T15:02:00.001-08:00

With the holidays just around corner Cycle Sport is gearing up to help you!

Cycle Sport Stocking Stuffer

SVCS T-shirt

Standard tube (any size)

2 Steel Core Tire Spoons

GU/Powerbar

PatchKit

$20 /$40 Value

Be a Holiday HERO for that special someone. The New GO-PRO HD. In Stock

Buy a GO-Pro and receive a 8GB SD card for FREE

HERO GO-PRO $300

If a new bike is in the future of a loved one and transporting the bike is an inconvenience we offer FREE delivery on bikes. You just tell us the day and time. (Sorry no delivery Dec. 24th or 25th)

Stumpy EVO

2010-11-07T19:36:00.000-08:00

For the last 6 or so months I have had the privilege of riding the new Stumpjumper FSR EVO. After being on the regular Stumpjumper FSR for a little over a year I knew the EVO was gonna be a little more of what I wanted out of my Cross country bike.

As most of you know my true passion is Downhill, but around here the shuttle trails are few and far between. Having a Cross Country bike is mandatory around here.

The EVO for me is a bike that does it all really well. With a slack head tube of 67 degrees I feel extremely comfortable on it descending and hitting drops and jumps. With 150mm of travel you would expect a bike to be in the 30lb range. Many bikes now are coming in light weight and still have 150mm of travel. My personal bike comes in at 26.8 lbs. with a Gamut single ring, Sram 10spd, Dropper post, and Traverse EL Wheel set.

After a long wait we finally got some of these in stock. Out of the box they come in at 27.5 Lbs.

Gym membership in Santa Cruz County?

2010-04-27T22:01:00.000-07:00

Bring in your Gym membership card and receive 10% off and shoes and cleats.

Some days you are just not able to get on the bike whether it is lack of time or the weather outside is just not very inviting. Chances are you have seen people at your local gym on the spin bikes. As boring as it can be at times it is a great way to keep your legs in shape for going out and riding. Having shoes that attach to the pedal on the spin bike makes pedaling so much more efficient and you will get a much better work out in.

Womens Ride

2010-03-31T17:29:00.001-07:00

The sun has been out the last couple weeks and it has been great out. Nothing goes better than some riding and enjoying the outdoors. Scotts Valley Cycle Sport, Katie Holden, and Specialized are all getting together to get women excited about riding. There will be three different ride days the first one is April 3rd. The other two days we are working on so check back soon...

Give us a call at the shop to reserve a bike or bring your own for a free clinic filled with riding and ways to make mountain biking more fun. Ride the latest in womens specific mountain bikes.

Where: Scotts Valley Cycle Sport

When: April 3rd 9 A.M.- 3 P.M.

Transportation will be provided to Wilder Ranch for some fun riding.....

Call and reserve your spot today. This is limited to 20 people and spots are filling up quickly.

Monster Energy Demo 8

2010-03-31T14:25:00.000-07:00

IN STOCK MONSTER ENERGY DEMO 8
Be 1 of 250 people in the world to own a Sam Hill replica Demo 8 Frame.
-RC4 Fox Shox
-Cane Creek XX Flush H-Set
-Thompson Seat Post
-Frame size MED.
-Free case of Monster (SVCS deal only)

$2200.00

*Male model not included......

"Awesome Land: Women of Dirt" premier

2010-02-09T12:23:00.001-08:00

How would you like to see a bunch of girls getting hardcore on film? Listen pervs, we're not talkin' porn here. We're talkin' "Awesome Land: Women of Dirt". Again, fellas. Enough with the porn references. Produced by Bones Over Metal and featuring some local rippers in the form of Lisa Myklak, Kathy Pruitt and Emily Johnston, "Awesome Land: Women Of Dirt is a unique look into the world of Downhill Racing, Dirt Jumping and Freeriding...through the eyes of the wondrous women that have helped grow the sport of Gravity Mountain Biking."

The Bay Area premier of the film will be met with a weekend of riding and events. On Saturday, February 27th a group ride at Soquel Demonstration Forest is being organized with the local stars of the film. Sunday, February 28th will kick of with a Jump Jam with the ladies (time and location TBD) and the premier of the movie will follow later that evening at 7:00 p.m. at the Rio Theatre in Santa Cruz. Tickets are $10 at the door. The premier will feature a raffle at $1 per ticket and include an open forum with some of the riders from the film. Let's try to keep the questions informative and on topic, shall we?

For more information visit http://mbosc.org/ or http://bonesovermetal.com/womenofdirt/

Custom Cycle Sport Gamut P30 bash guards, IN STOCK!!!

2010-01-18T21:44:00.001-08:00

Juan "Valdez" Graziosi, of Colombian coffee cartel notoriety (I think he might even do some kind of work for Gamut USA, too), kick-started the pack mule to deliver the goods for us here at Cycle Sport. We're rollin' on fresh dubs in the way of some custom Cycle Sport bash guards for our Gamut P30 chain guides. Oh, and for your P30 chain guides, too. We've got 'em in stock as I type this out, so if you happen to break into the shop right now, right this very moment, they should be there somewhere. But keep in mind, you'll also be arrested. For a mere $59.99, we recommend stopping by during normal business hours so we can style you out like the mature adults we all are. You DO want to be mature, don't you? Yeah, me too.

Just a head's up, I know Valentine's Day is coming up soon, but don't go calling up Gamut trying to get you and your latest girl-type-friend's (or man-type-friend's) name slapped all over one of these, all sappy and custom-like. Thing is, we know people. And those people know some other people. And those other people do things for us, because we're a pretty big deal in the parts. I mean a BIG deal. I'm not sayin' you're not a big deal, I'm just sayin' we're probably bigger.

I'm trying really hard not to say this, 'cause I've said it before. I really am. But I just can't help myself. I can't...help...it. These are...(oh no)...the...new...(make it stop)...HOTNESS!!!

Seriously. I'm so sorry you had to see that.

New Transition TR450 frames comin' in HOT!!!

2009-12-20T14:23:00.001-08:00

What am I? Awesome. What is the new Transition TR450 downhill frame? Also awesome. And why, you may be asking yourself, am I going to eventually claim that Cycle Sport is awesome as well? I'll tell you why. 'Cause we're the newest shop on the block to be slangin' Transition bikes, and their latest downhill racer is en route as we speak.

Let me learn you something real quick. Some bike frames suck. Some don't. This is one that don't (yeah, grammar Nazi, I'm aware). Transition's new TR450 downhill frame is quite possibly one of the cleanest frame designs to date. I realize the irony of that statement given the picture above. Nevertheless, they've kept the shock low in the frame, tucked the linkage inside some fancy aluminum manipulation, and engineered the geometry to basically torch any World Cup course or local track you've got the sack to send it down. Its main pivot houses the biggest bearing this side of the Mississippi, and the front triangle features double welding. DOUBLE WELDING, YO!!! First I've heard of it. But that's all I need to know. From now on, I want double everything. Double shocks. Double front brakes. Double wheelsets. Um, scratch that last one; they've already got something like that and I don't want to qualify for it. Double burritos. Double monies. Double sock drawers...

But seriously, come early- or mid-January, Cycle Sport will be stocking one of these hot rods for you to check out. I dare you not to buy it. Wait, I dare you to buy it. No, wait. Which dare would most likely result in you buying it? Okay, then I dare that one.

The frame will sell for $2,399.00 with a Fox DHX RC4 coil rear shock (9.5" x 3" stroke). The frame we're receiving is White, sized Medium. But if that's not your favorite flavor, we can order up any size/color your taste buds prefer.

Look, I know I've said this before, but this time I really mean it: It's. The. New. Hotness.

No Title Necessary

2009-11-30T11:14:00.000-08:00

Uhhh, 'nuff said...

New Cycle Sport Wallpaper

2009-11-09T21:42:00.001-08:00

Nothing too exciting to report here. Just some retro disco steez to style out your desktop. At the moment there's just a widescreen version available. With that said, you have two options if you don't currently possess a computer with a widescreen aspect ratio:

1) Wait until we post a version that will fit that low-rent 1024x768 screen of yours (no offense, Schwillis)

or...

2) Go buy yourself a new monitor or laptop with a screen that was produced AFTER the Cold War ended.

Plus-size models are the new black...

2009-11-03T22:14:00.001-08:00

I've been in a loyal, committed, faithful relationship with my traditional seat post for 14 years now. I haven't strayed once. Not once. Until now. That's why this is so hard for me to tell you. I've been having an affair.

For about 3 months I've been seeing someone else. Another post. She may be full of hot air, but she also has 4" of incremental travel. She has a remote lever. Alright, so she's a little bit heavier than most, but it's all muscle. I mean, there's no slop in this one, unlike those other skinny, lightweight telescoping posts that are all messy. Nooooooo, this one is built solid. And I'm not drunk either, so it's truly what's on the inside that counts this time around.

In all seriousness, it's changed the way I look at XC rides. I ride a 2009 Specialized Stumpjumper (and yeah, it's got carbon, suckas) and trying to ride anything but uphill when the saddle is at the right height for pedaling truly sucks. It sucks bad. Anyone who says it doesn't suck, well, they suck, too. I used to stop and drop my seat post at the top of a downhill, so that's neat and all, but what about those short descents that aren't long enough to make it worth the effort? Yet, they truly blow when your seat is all up in your business? That's no way to enjoy yourself. That's just dumb.

Enter my mistress, the Specialized Command Post. Pure XC bliss. Now when I ride, I never have to stop. Except to puke. 'Cause I'm slow. But that's not my bike's problem. My XC rides have been transformed into a fantastical journey of epic sweetness as my new lover and my arse move in choreographed unison. Wait. Let me rephrase that. My butt and my post... Forget it. So while I watch these clowns (aka, my friends) stop every 78 feet to adjust their posts, I cruise happily along knowing I'm truly in love. Sure, these guys will tell you my post is too heavy, but they're also the same guys who ride with chain guides and 7-foot-wide handlebars. Is a 1/4-1/2 pound of extra weight really that big of a deal when you're actually riding to help build your fitness? Really? You do the math.

Do yourself a favor. Dump that lame old hag of a standard post, and hook up with a new plus-size model (we've got 'em in stock, yo). If Tyra Banks says they're fit for America's Next Top Model, they GOTTA be good, right?

Oh, I feel so dirty...

We've got a man down...

2009-11-03T12:26:00.001-08:00

In a completely unrelated post to anything that has to do with the sport of cycling, it is with great sadness that I report to you, as of 8:12 p.m. last night, Schwillis is now lactose intolerant. Our condolences...

Cycle Sport now stocks Chromag bars and stems!!!

2009-11-03T11:20:00.001-08:00

Are you a Neanderthal? Are you a Neanderthal that needs big, burly parts to support your full-figured frame (it's okay, you're just big-boned). If that's the case, your eyes doth not deceive you. You're now looking at the latest addition to the list of select U.S. dealers currently stocking Chromag parts. We here at Cycle Sport would like to thank Julian and Ian at Chromag for getting us set up with an account and on the proper program. Chromag parts are undeniably sick, being made with high-quality materials, solid graphics and durable as all hell. We've been running their Fubars OSX bar/Ranger stem combo on our XC bikes for a couple of rides and already we're experiencing nothing but pure stoke. We've got the Fubars OSX handlebars and Ranger stems in stock now, but look for additional parts to be in regular stock in the near future. And as with all of our vendors, we can special order any of the products they offer, so if there's something you want that we're not stocking, hit us up and we'll hot shot that order up north to get you styled out with some sick Chromag bling ASAPossible.

Fubars OSX handlebar: At 30" wide (760mm), you just might be able to corner like your favorite World Cup stunner. Doubtful, but maybe. They feature a low 1" rise, 31.8mm oversize clamp and 5 degree upsweep with an 8 degree bend. All the cool kids are rockin' the fully pimped-out chrome finish. It's the new hotness. But if you're not yet rad enough to fly that color, they have an anodized black or red finish to keep you in check until you're qualified to upgrade. For all you ladies out there (and metrosexual men who are fully comfortable with your own sexuality) they also come in purple and "ice blue".

Ranger stem: The Ranger stem is an all-mountain affair that Chromag touts as designed for "epic duty". I mean seriously, the word epic is right there in the description. Need I say more? Fine. It comes in various lengths. Make it happen, Cap'n.

Check out all the products, sign up for their newsletter and peruse their blog at http://www.chromagbikes.com/.

It's all about the Benjamins...

2009-11-03T09:40:00.000-08:00

There's a (not entirely) top secret trail in Santa Cruz whose name shall remain undisclosed. But here's a hint: Its name is a synonym for something that contains milk. Settle down boys, I'm talking about the containers you can buy at the store. Now grow up.

This little bit of news is more of a "just FYI", but during an evening of drunken debauchery in Whistler, Cycle Sport owner, Andrew Cavaletto, was engaged in a heated battle of sh*t-talking with his girlfriend, Katie Holden, Curtis "Team Keene" and Amado Stachenfeld. Whilst running their mouths, each thought they could best their own personal records on said undisclosed trail. As the B.S. flew, none other than Benjamin Franklin reared his ugly head to get in on the action. 4 Benjamins, to be exact. And so the bet was laid. Each of the four put a cool hundie in the pot and have until April 21st to post their stated times. Freelap timing sticks will be handling the clocking duties to keep everyone honest (that means you, Steven).

Last year's times:

Keene: 1:57.80

Andrew: 2:01.31

Amado: 2:02.00

Katie: 2:20 ish???

Claimed time by April 21st:

Keene: 1:55.99 or below
Amado: 1:55.99 or below

Andrew: 1:56.99 or below
Katie: 2:08.99 or below

Cycle Sport Winter Discount

2009-11-01T18:33:00.000-08:00

In these tough economic times, everyone is pinching pennies. Yes, even you. And if you're not, you should be. So to help keep you from robbing your grandma (or worse yet, selling her outright) we're offering you a bit of a discount. A break from paying all of those other jokers out there full retail. Know why? We love you. They don't.

Now this is one you can tell all your cronies about. But think twice before you go gettin' all Facebookie and postin' this coupon on your "wall" for all to see. Send them to this here blog instead. You know, make 'em work for it. You had to, right? Plus, when you visit the Cycle Sport blog you get to hear from us, and by my calculations, that makes your day at least 17% better than it already was. These are facts.

To cash in on this monster of a deal, just print out the coupon at the top of this post and bring it in to the store for 15% off your next purchase, or free flat repair with the purchase of a tube. This is valid for in-stock parts and accessories only, so please, don't ask us to special order that one-of-a-kind 1997 GT track frame, signed by 2-time County Fair champion William Liberado of Frisco, TX. Firstly, it will embarrass you. Secondly, and likely even more important, it doesn't exist.

New SVCS T-shirts in stock!!!

2009-09-28T12:50:00.000-07:00

You know cotton, that stuff that's the fabric of our lives (allegedly)? Well how would you like to get your hands on a T-shirt made from 100% of it?! Here's your chance to blanket yourself in something other than that old, dingy childhood "woobie" of yours. And they're just $18.95 each, which is way less than what those criminals at Abercrombie & F.U. are charging these days. So c'mon Cycle Sport fanboys! Crack open that ridiculous ceramic piggy bank of yours, drag that sack-o-pennies over to the shop and toss your hard-earned allowance on the counter. Just do it gently, 'cause by my calculations 1,895 pennies at 3 grams a piece comes out to about 12.5 pounds. Nobody likes cleaning up broken glass, now do they?

As an added bonus, the shirts come with a built-in discount program for all you big spenders. Whenever you wear the shirt into the shop you get 10% off all in-stock parts and accessories on that day. Oh, and for all you scammers, you gotta buy it first, clowns. It doesn't count if you just try one on as you make your final selections and bring 'em to the register.

The shirts come in Black, Red, Brown and Green. Available sizes are S, M, L and XL. So do your part to keep this economy afloat and get one, son!

See Jack. See Jack build bike...

2009-09-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

See Jack. See Jack build bike. See Jack build bike and stomp mad sh*t to get a little love from the fine peeps over at Pinkbike.com.

Jack "the maniac" Fogelquist is one of the more chatty mechanics here at Cycle Sport. You might not know that from talking to him (ironic, I know), but he's a chipper young lad once you get him up to speed in a conversation. He was recently signed to Banshee Bikes and is slowly but surely getting some good press on this here World Wide Web. Jack's fave photog, Justin Brantley, tossed a pretty solid shout out, via Pinkbike.com and managed to slather the post with Cycle Sport shop photos aplenty. There are ample pics of Jack, Jack's bikes, Jack building his bikes, and also of Jack. And for good measure, there are some more pictures of... Jack. Scroll down the Pinkbike post for a little Q&A with Mr. Steezy to get a glimpse into that mysterious mind of his.

And for you DYI'ers out there, take special note of this: Jack took a bit of a mad scientist approach to dialing in his Banshee Rampant slopestyle bike with some handy do-it-yourself trickery. In these shots you'll see evidence of Fogel gettin' rad and clamping components where they shadn't (see below*) be clamped. Not the first time this has been done, but there's no "Ask Jeeves" for this sort of move so he's pulled this one off all by his lonesome.

Take a good look at the post, and get in to Cycle Sport to start glad-handing this kid ASAP before he's too big of a slopestyle phenom to bother talking to you at all. He will, however, be more than happy to sign your chest. I've already had it done, and I'm never washing it again.

Click HERE to see Jack's article on Pinkbike.com.

*Urban Dictionary, ladies and gents. Look it up: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Shadn%27t

Demo Bikes in stock! Specialized, Santa Cruz and Ibis

2009-09-03T13:15:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't it be nice to try before you buy? Well it just so happens, that's the plan we're rockin' here at Scotts Valley Cycle Sport. A mere $75.00 gets you one full day on one of our demo bikes. You're encouraged to take the bike to any trail you desire during that time to find just the right bike for you. And best of all, that $75.00 can be applied towards the purchase of the model you rented (or a comparable model/price point).

And we're keen to rent the bike out multiple days as well if your plans take you out of the Santa Cruz area. Got a weekend trip to Downieville planned? We've got Specialized Enduros, Ibis Mojos and Santa Cruz Nomads that'll fit the bill. Maybe you're just a glutton for punishment and looking to put in some hill work? A Specialized Stumpjumper or Santa Cruz Juliana will sort that out for you in proper fashion. Or maybe, just maybe, you're looking for a weekend of pure, unadulterated shredding at Northstar? Then we'd most certainly suggest you "get rad" with our Santa Cruz Driver 8.

Here's what we've got to choose from, with more bikes on the way in the future...

Specialized Bikes
• Stumpjumper Expert (sizes Medium and Large)
• Enduro Expert (sizes Medium and Large)

Santa Cruz Bicycles
• Blur LT Carbon (size Large)
• Juliana (size Medium)
• Nomad (sizes Medium and Large)
• Driver 8 (size Large)

Ibis Bicycles
• Mojo (sizes Medium and Large)

Owner Andrew Cavaletto hits the World Cup circuit!!!

2009-08-23T19:37:00.000-07:00

Scotts Valley Cycle Sport owner, Andrew Cavaletto, has won a bid to race downhill on the U.S. National Team at the final round of the 2009 Nissan UCI World Cup in Schladming, Austria on September 19. This will be Andrew's first World Cup race, so we're super stoked he got the nod to fly the colors (albeit in a relatively lame "team USA" jersey, I'm afraid) and rep the Stars & Stripes across the Pond! Hopefully he can fit his "marbles" into his carry-on, 'cause he's gonna need the biggest pair he can find in that closet of his.

Here's hoping Andrew qualifies so we can tell him everything he did wrong on his race run, from the comfort of our admittedly unqualified perspectives. You can follow all of the race-day madness live via this link to www.freecaster.tv.

For a quick refresher on the sheer radness that is Schladming, here's Sam Blenksinsop's winning run from 2008 (sans gloves, ladies). Oh, and if you've got sensitive ears in the room you might want to grab a pair of ear muffs because this Kiwi's got a bit of a potty mouth...

http://freecaster.tv/mtb/1005837/schladming-men-dh-1st-sam-blenkinsop

New Cycle Sport desktop wallpapers (1600x1000 resolution)

2009-08-15T12:57:00.000-07:00

Click any one of the above images, then right click and select "Save image as..." to save it to your desktop. These images are all 1600x1000 resolution. For lower resolution, select the images in the previous post.

New Cycle Sport desktop wallpapers (1024x768 resolution)

2009-08-15T10:49:00.001-07:00

Click any one of the above images, then right click and select "Save image as..." to save it to your desktop. These images are all 1024x768 resolution. For higher resolution, select the images in the next post.

Cycle Sport owner, Andrew Caveletto, gets a shot on VitalMTB!!!

2009-08-13T15:09:00.000-07:00

Seasoned Littermag/VitalMTB shooter Sven Martin caught an ominous shot of fearless shop owner, Andrew Cavaletto, during the Garbanzo Downhill race of this year's 2009 Crankworx Festival in Whistler, B.C. Sven had this to say about the shot:

"Andrew Cavaletto from Scotts valley, CA has to do about 71 shuttle runs at home to equal the riding he did on Garbonza today. This is what racing and riding DH bikes is all about. For the lazy ones that are just doing freight train, dirt merchant and A-line runs, get your asses up top for some real riding."

Click this link to browse the slide show. Those of you with A.D.D. can jump straight to slide 13 for the money shot...

http://www.vitalmtb.com/photos/features/Crankworx-Garbanzo-DH-Race,145/Justin-Leov,1228/sspomer,2

NEW SVCS T-shirts in the works...

2009-08-13T14:56:00.000-07:00

We've got some new Scotts Valley Cycle Sport T-shirts in the works and should be available in the next couple of weeks. At the moment we'll have one style available in 4 different colors (black, white, dark brown and red).

Keep an eye out for additional styles in the coming months along with some new SVCS stickers.

The new Scotts Valley Cycle Sport web site is live!!!

2009-07-07T16:40:00.001-07:00

With the change in ownership we've updated our web site to better reflect who we are and what we do. So hit the link below to check out the new site, click through all the new pages, and be sure to visit the "Media" page to download some desktop wallpapers to freshen up those lame backgrounds you've been rocking for way too long...

http://www.svcyclesport.com