New year, new blog post!

Time seems to only go by quicker and quicker every year, and 2018 was no different. It's really hard to believe it is already over when it seems like it just began. Looking back is certainly a popular activity this time of year, and our cup overflows with good memories. Riding bikes, making friends on and off the bike, and in and out of the shop, and a slate of succesfull events have made the year both go by very quickly and also be a complete joy. As they say, time flies when you're having fun, and that was certainly the case for 2018!

Looking back on 2018, we've had so many good times that it's just not possible to include them all here, so the highlights below are just a few of the stories that stood out. If you're interested, click the button below to head over to our website and browse 2018's collection of blog/newsletter posts to see a more complete wreckoning of what we've been up to this year.

Finding stories, pictures, race reports, and the like to put together a newsletter certainly takes some doing, but it has proven to be a rewarding experience. The abundance of stories recounting two wheeled adventures of the local cycling community really highlights the vibrance of the local scene and sharing these stories through this newsletter is a really neat way to share our passion!

If you haven't read, or if you have and are feeling some nostalgia, click the button below to head over and give the very first newsletter a read.

This year we had a couple of really great demo events with both Rocky Mountain and Pivot coming through with a fleet of mountain bikes for folks to try out.

Of course we got to having such a good time that we didn't take all that many pictures! Oh well. Check out some of the pictures that we did remember to take below. Sausages and laughs abound, and it was a blast to test ride some of the newest tech with great buds.

And the Rocky demo!

If we had to pick just ONE event to call our favourite this year it would be really hard, but it would almost certainly have to be Sprockids. We've been gushing about it all year, but it was just so rewarding to, on the one hand, see the kids grow in their self confidence and riding skills, and, on the other hand, to just plain have fun on two wheels with their friends. A few of our kids even took part in the weekly youth race series! We took a fair number of photos over the course of our sessions, so what you see below are just a few of our favourites! 

We're always happy to contribute in any way we can to the community we work, live, and recreate in, but it is especially close to our hearts when we can contribute to a cycling initiative. Over the course of 2018 we had a blast helping out at several events in conjunction with the Kennebecasis Regional Police Force and the Saint John Police Force. We provided safety checks and tune-ups at a bike rodeo, and we donated labour, parts, and about a dozen donated bikes that we fixed up for the annual bike auction. Last, but certainly not least, we provided 50+ helmets for the "put a lid on it" campaign. This campaign enabled police officers to provide a helmet, at no cost, to folks caught riding a bike without one rather than a ticket! The campaign proved to be sucessful and popular enough that there was a Telegraph Journal article written about it, and it was taken up by the Saint John Police as well! All around a great year of connecting and sharing resources to make cycling safer for everyone in the greater Saint John area.

We are very happy to have been involved in many great cycling races across the disciplines over the course of the season, but the 2018 Rockwood Challenge really stood out for several reasons.

First, 2018 featured an all new race course! This was a great way for out of town folks to experience a new selection of Rockwood Park's excellent single track. Additionally, the race lap this year included the newly revamped Frying Pan Lake and the only recently completed Bunny Rampage.

In addition to the new trails, the 2018 Rockwood Challenge saw record attendance with over 100 racers lining up on the day. Out of that 100+ racers, over 40, that's right over 40, of them were youth! We were truly gobsmacked about the numbers of racers overall and just so excited to see such large numbers of youth taking to the trails. It is truly an exciting time to be involved with cycling in New Brunswick, and we can't wait to see you all out there again this year!

Here are just a few of our favourite photographs from the race. Be sure to head over to the event Facebook page and check out the other great pictures!

The weekly road ride continued on Thursday nights leaving from the shop. It's quite amazing, but on the Thursday nights that light and weather allowed for riding, there wasn't a single time when no one showed up. There was always a group of folks eager to take to the roads and enjoy some time on two wheels. This dedication is really cool to see, and we look forward to continuing the tradition this year! These are no drop rides and we split into groups as necessary, so there will always be someone for you to ride with. We encourage everyone to join, and ultimately we are just out to have good times on two wheels with friends. So, if you've been thinking about coming out, please do! Feel free to give us a call at the shop if you've got any questions.

We always have a good time riding bikes. This is especially true when we ride for a reason. Each year we look forward to spreading Christmas cheer by riding in the KV Santa Claus Parade then heading back to the shop for more merry making! Check out some pictures of us below and head over to the event facebook page to see some of the other cool floats!

It has been just about two years since we moved the shop out to Millennium Drive, and we've made lots of new friends and seen lots of great bikes go home with happy customers. It was really cool to be recognized as one of Canada's best bike shops in the annual contest put on by the Canadian Cyclist magazine!

Thank you! This truly wouldn't have been possible without you, and we look forward being apart of your adventures throughout the year to come!

Click here to head over to the Canadian Cyclist website and read the article!

As mentioned above, we're looking forward to continuing the Thursday night road rides from the shop once weather and light allow, so be sure to come out! 

This past fall, we scouted out a route for a social gravel ride. No hard details yet, but the plan is to ride at a converstaional pace and, if interest exists, head to a pub or back to the shop for a fine craft brew afterwords! We'll post details to our Facebook page as the plan solidifies.

The 2019 Velo NB events calendar is out, so be sure to head over and pick some events to sign up for! Click here to see the full calendar. We are super excited to announce that the Rockwood Challenge will be presented in association with the East Coast Games for 2019. This will take place on Sunday, June 23rd. Details including the course, time, categories, etc, will be nailed down shortly.

Sprockids was such a blast this year, and reviews from parents and participants were great. As a result, we are looking forward to running the program again this spring if interest remains high! Dates and details have not been finalized, but the general outline will be similar. If you're interested in this program for your little one, feel free to give us a call at the shop and we will post updates regarding the program on our Facebook page.

We've got lots more events, rides, etc, in the works for the coming year, so don't hesitate to swing by the shop, call or email, and follow us on your preferred social media platform to get the most up to date information on shop happenings!

28 Millennium Drive, Quispamsis
Canada