Good Things Do Happen

My German friend Heike used to say 'sometimes shit can happens' and she was right. No correction, she actually said 'shit can happens' pluralized like that and it always stuck in my mind...

This Ahrens slalom bike was stolen from one of my local customers about six months ago. It turned up in Lodi, CA (60 miles away) after the police confiscated it earlier this week. The serial numbers were removed but the Lodi police department tracked us down via the internet - how cool is that? This bike will be going home to its rightful owner very soon! Karma is funny that way.

Carbonated Road Frame

Here are some images of a new steel/carbon road frame for my friend Bryan. It features Reynolds 853 TT/DT, Columbus Zona ST, Paul Taylor carbon seatstays, Columbus s-bend chainstays and Breezer hooded dropouts. The head tube has been externally machined for weight savings and to create real estate for our new stainless steel head badge. Geometry is slightly relaxed for comfort over longer rides - hence the carbon stays and fork for added vibration damping.

Special thanks to Dave @ Vanderkitten for the clean graphics scheme.

Before paint, the frame was bead blasted, primered and wet painted white. Down tube and seat tube panels were masked and then the frame was painted 'Coca Cola Red' (that's where the carbonated name comes from) and finished off with black decals. Everything gets urethane clear coat treatment including the Easton EC90 carbon fork. Frame weight is 3.6lbs as shown - not bad!

Sea Otter

Sea Otter last weekend was a mixture of sunny and wet weather. Vanderkitten had a huge booth space near the lake and below the mountain bike short course. Foot traffic was excellent and spectators got a good look at a small quiver of Ahrens Bicycles belonging to Team Vanderkitten and Team Lost Coast Brewery. Don't forget about the VK dune buggy and team trailer - truly unique!

WiseCracker POP Display

Going to Sea Otter? If so, be sure to check out the WiseCracker 'point of purchase' display at the Vanderkitten booth. POP Display's Features:

• 8020 aluminum extrusion structure
  
• Small footprint saves counter space
• 24 unit capacity as shown
  
• Left side holds 27.2mm post with deme WiseCracker installed
  
• Top surface holds 1-1/8" steer tube version and custom headset cap
• Right side displays your favorite beer in a King Cage
• Marketing sign is clearly visible when placed on top surface
• Stainless steel mounting hardware
  

Special thanks to TECO Pneumatic for helping me with another 8020 extrusion project!

A Little Press...

From Singletrack Magazine's coverage of the NAHBS:

"Ahrens had a display of steel and aluminium bikes on show, with geared and singlespeed bikes, all with wishbone yokes (welded on the steel bikes and machined on the alloy ones). He also makes seatpost, and steerer, mounted bottle openers for those after-ride celebrations. Not a bad headset spacer, eh?"


Additional Singletrack Magazine/NAHBS coverage can be found here. Check out the custom Ahrens headset caps...phat.

Road Frames from Ahrens Bicycles & Vanderkitten

That's right....after 10 years of developing custom mountain frames we are finally offering road frames with the same level of quality our customers demand. The frame below was designed for our new friend Liz Hatch who is racing for Team Vanderkitten. Liz writes a column/personal journal for the glossy ROAD magazine and we're excited to see this season progress. The frame below weighs 2.5 lbs and is all Easton Ultralite construction except for the chainstays which are Columbus s-bend...very nice. Graphics were supplied by Vanderkitten and the down tube/seat tube panels and logos have been wet painted in place.

Why Vanderkitten? Because the founder, Dave Verrecchia, has been a loyal customer since our humble beginnings. From steel slalom frames to aluminum slalom frames to downhill frames to freeride hardtails, Dave has ridden basically every frame we produce. With Dave's enthusiasm for new product development, a unique partnership has been evolving for many years. This partnership has grown to include the unique Vanderkitten hardtail, now road frames and in the very near future cyclocross frames.

Do you want to ride faster? Descend with more confidence? Show off your frame to jealous friends and family? Be a part of something unique? You've come to the right place!

WiseCrackers at QBP!

Ahrens Bicycles is proud to announce that Quality Bicycle Products is now distributing the WiseCracker bottle opener! QBP sells to over 5,000 US bike shops and it's exciting to work with such a respected industry player. We've been working hard to package and ship hundreds of units as you can see below.....my dining room table has been overtaken by this great little product!

Here's what people are saying:

• "Thank you for one of the greatest inventions in all of beerkind and to improve my bike riding skills." -Bill in New York
• "It looks good, quality is top notch and the machining looks great!!" -Josh in Iowa
  
• "I will spread the lore of the WiseCracker to all, and do everything I can to convince my friends that anyone without a WiseCracker should be the one to buy the post-ride beers next time." -Jim in New Mexico
• "All hail the WiseCracker." -Min in New York
  

CHDH Sponsor - WIN THIS FRAME!

Ahrens Bicycles is a proud sponsor of Ride SFO's Coral Hollow Downhill (CHDH) race series. We are donating this handmade Gate Slammer dual slalom frame to a lucky winner in the hardtail class. Information on this unique frame design can be found here.

Click on the photo below for more info about the CHDH race series: