My Unbreakable Bond with Speed

by Nicole Hoffman

I didn’t always have such an attachment to speed. I mean I really enjoyed riding my pink “Huffy” as a kid and I went to my dad’s hydroplane races quite often, and I really loved to hang out with the guys and their dirt bikes and 4-wheelers in high school, but I couldn’t have predicted my attachment to riding motorcycles.

Dad and me at boat races

I know exactly the moment I fell in love. I was 21. It was my first time – one Friday night in Daytona Beach. It was a tradition of sorts to ride every weekend with a group of friends. We made no plans really, we just all showed up. This night was my night to show up riding solo on my new Honda 600 F2! We always rode in groups, and of course some had better riding skills than others. Well, let’s keep in mind this was my first time. I got left behind the group because I was so overly cautious about everything – braking, accelerating, turning, stopping and putting my feet down (that would barely touch!). As I approached an intersection the light turned yellow, I panicked. I locked up the rear brake and went sliding sideways through the intersection (I was alone, thankfully…imagine the embarrassment??). I gained control over my bike and caught back up to the pack…okay, so I didn’t actually do any catching up, they waited for me. I told no one of my story…I was keeping that excitement to myself because I knew they would never let me keep riding that night, afterall we had all night to ride yet!

I was scared nearly to death over my little stunt, but the adrenaline – it was intense! It was that moment that taught me that I can handle this, not really the bike, more the fear. It was that very moment that I started pushing past any fear that I had about going fast, going further into the turns on a race track or just pushing past what I never thought possible. The more I practiced and the more I raced, the more I wanted to keep pushing my limits.

My first year as an expert racer I really pushed. I think I “fell down” (that’s what we call it, we don’t “crash”) about 3 or 4 times in that many races, and previously I hadn’t fallen down but once in a season. I learned where the limit was, maybe where my skill limit was, or the bike set-up for that greater speed and cornering. And there lies the challenge in racing...it’s fine tuning the bike and suspension, it’s developing your skills as a racer, it’s the mental aspect of pushing past that fear. I say this because so many people ask me “isn’t it scary to race at Daytona?” My answer is usually “not after the first time.”

I suppose I do have a bond with speed, it is in my blood and goes back generations in my family. But the bond has really been in the camaraderie of the sport, in motorsports actually. I know that the friends my grandfather had, and my dad has, usually stemmed from racing. It’s quite a family. And I am so happy to be a part of it…hopefully for a long time to come! So if you are near Elkhart Lake, WI on July 8th, come out to the SunTrust MOTO-ST race. You will have a blast. And make sure you come say hello to the RightsforBikers.com Team.

My Messy Office

So...why didn't I post this morning, or at least by early afternoon? Take a look at my office...I'm hoping this explains things a little bit. Time to support some events! Here's the before...the 'after' will be on Friday sometime....I hope. At least that is the plan.

What a mess, huh??

We support about 100 events each year and most of that product is sent out by one person...me! As you can see, I'm not neat about it. But, as with any cleaning project - it must get worse before it gets better, right? By Friday I should be able to see my floor, at least most of it, and a lot of events will be happy come next week. All kinds of events - alley cats, Bike Nights, kids bike rodeos, charity auctions and the list goes on and on. We support a lot of action sports related charity events - it's one of the things I really love about my job. :) Bikes for Kids Utah and Trips for Kids - lots of stuff coming your way!

Racing, Trash Talking & Bonding All Go Hand in Hand

We have a lot of great distributors worldwide, but none longer than Outdoor Gear Canada. They are our 'neighbors to the north' and just true friends and partners. When we started the Unbreakable Bonds series, it was only natural that we ask them to participate. Rob White jumped at the opportunity, but he wanted to wait a few weeks until one special event that bonds him to cycling each summer. His story, in his own words is below....

My name is Rob White, I am the VP of Sales for Outdoor Gear Canada (OGC). We have been distributing Kryptonite products in Canada for the past 30 years.


Although I have many unbreakable bonds with cycling the one that stands out for me is the unbreakable bond I have with the 24 Hours of Summer Solstice.

First off, I do not consider myself a bike racer, but I have been in my share of races over the last 3 decades. Most of my riding is done solo. Usually first thing in the morning on the quiet country roads that surround my home.

During the summer months there are dozens of worthy races to take part in, but far and away my favorite is the 24 hours of Summer Solstice in Albion Hills (one hour north of Toronto). This is the largest 24 Hour Race in North America with more than 2000 racers participating. Since the inception of this race OGC has been a keen sponsor as well as competing as a corporate team. Although we are always looking for a top 10 finish, the real race is between the members of our own team. Who will be hot, who will be not and who will go home with bragging rights for the next 12 months?

This past weekend (June 23 & 24) marked the 10th anniversary of this legendary race. Not only have we competed in this race for the past 10 years but our team has more or less stayed the same. The team members are a mix of OGC sales reps, family members and friends. Although we are very supportive of each other's efforts there is always a fair amount of trash talking that goes on prior to the race (I must admit to being a bit of a ring leader in this department).

Although I like to compete with everyone on our team there is always a couple of team members who I like to focus my attention on. This usually begins in the fall with me serving them notice on my plans to destroy them at next years event. This sort of trash talk never goes unanswered and it isn't long before the game of cat and mouse begins.

There are several different approaches to this game. Some like to keep their cards close to their chests and simply let their riding do the talking. Others prefer to try to psyche out there competition, this includes commentary on training tactics, talking up big rides, weight loss and anything else you can think of that might get under your victim's skin (the psyche out is one of my specialties).

The side effect of all of this posturing is the simple fact that if you are going to "talk the talk" you are going to have to "walk the walk". This means logging lots of miles and doing everything you can to stay in shape. I find this very motivating and try to use it to my advantage.

When the 24 Hours of Summer Solstice finally arrives the trash talking stops and it is time to show the team what you've got. The 24 hour race is a relay race, so everyone has to wait their turn. If you happen to be the 7th or 8th rider you have to wait most of the day before your turn comes up. For me this is the most difficult part of the race. As the hours go by the lap times start to come in and you begin to see what you are up against. Before long my turn comes up and I am off to the transition zone to wait for our next team mate to come in from their lap. Then I hear our team number and then my name and I know it is now my turn to take the baton.

Forget about taking it easy on the corse, it's time to drop the hammer and give it everything you've got. It's time to check into the house of pain. As the minutes tick by your legs and your lungs burn like never before, but there is no time to ease up on the pedals. Instead you have to put your head down and push on. By the time you hit the 5 KM to go mark you are almost delirious but there is no time to slow down, instead you have to reach deep down inside and give it everything you've got. Towards the end of the lap your legs are screaming and you feel like you are about to blow, but you have to keep pushing until the end. Finally the finish line is in sight and you know the madness is about to end. As you cross the line your next team mate takes the baton and heads off on another lap.

Although you can barely stay on your feet, there is still no time to rest. You have to boogie over to the timing tent to check your time. That is when the truth is told, How have you done compared to your other team mates as well as your own past efforts? Then it's back to the camp site to share your lap time with the group and to start preparing for your next lap.
In the end you would think that the most important part of all of this is who had the fast lap times and who did not, but that is not the case. The best part of this race is simply getting together with good friend for a fun filled weekend of riding. The "unofficial inter-team competition has had one great side effect. We are all in better shape today than we were 10 years ago when this race started!

Thanks Kryptonite for letting me share my unbreakable bond story, but I better get off my key board and head out for a ride, next years 24 Hours of Summer Solstice is only 361 days away.

Cheers,
Rob White

Le Tour on YouTube

I have a conflict with the Tour de France this year. I guess I did last year, too, with all the scandal and some of the comments coming out of the event organization about it all. So much so that I found myself not wanting to watch Le Tour at all. Basically, I've been sticking my head in the sand about pro cycling all spring. I haven't followed it at all. I've been focusing more on grassroots events and promotions here and how we can help communities encourage cycling. No pro stuff at all.

It works for me, until I talk with our friend Bob Roll. And then I can't help myself....I find myself asking questions about who is on the starting lists....who looks good this spring (because I haven't been watching)...and the route...and I find myself getting a little interested. I vow to myself that I'll watch a couple of nights just because it's Bob. Not for the race, but to hear what Bob and his cohorts are saying. That's all. I'm not interested. Really. I'm not.

But, I find that I can't help it. I'm counting the calendar days until the 7th. I'm reading cyclingnews.com and velonews.com every morning now. And, this morning I broke down and visited Le Tour's official website. Know what I found there? They have partnered with YouTube. There are videos - 9 so far. They show clips from past Tours. They are obviously intended to show the wonderful side of Le Tour to get people interested again after so much scandal. To remind people of the wonder of it all; why they might want to tune in again this year even with the upheaval.

It worked for me. I found myself watching the 2003 and 2004 videos and remembering it all like it was yesterday (Tyler's broken collarbone and stage win, Lance going cyclocross, great sprint finishes and mountain battles). But, there are shots there that I don't ever remember seeing before. Behind the scenes, kids and more kids, spectacular scenery, amazing camera angles, the emotion, the mountain battles and even cows. Yes, cows (watch the 2004 video).

So, yes, I will watch again this year. As much for the spectacle as for the athletic abilities displayed. I'll want to hear what Bob is saying - he'll teach me a few things and I know he'll make me laugh. But, I need to get up to speed pretty quickly, right? I haven't been following along at all. I know what I'll be doing nights for the next couple of weeks....

Who is your pick? Is it too early for all that? I think I'll go with Vinokourov. He was my pick for a podium finish last year but couldn't compete because too many members of his team were on that stupid list. Don't get me started on that, again.

So, the Tour Day France is coming. It will start in London this year and I'm not sure there is a clear cut favorite, but it will still have fabulous scenery and great mountain battles. It might just be something to watch.

Congratulations, Nicole!

It must be wedding 'season' or something. Our very own Team Kryptonite member, Nicole Hoffman, has found a guy that can keep up with her speedy life. She's just announced her engagement to her beau, Gregg.

This also means that her pooch, Sproket, gets 2 instant playmates in Gregg's two Boxers. It's all good! (FYI - I'm sure all you readers will be meeting Sproket in the not-too-distant-future).

Congratulations Nicole and Gregg! We are all very happy for you.

The "Deadliest Catch" - Caught!

Last summer, our friend Dave Perewitz participated in Discovery Channel's famed Biker Build-Off. Which he won, by the way....

The film crew Discovery sent was headed up by the producer/lead camera man for one of the channel's most popular shows, "The Deadliest Catch". We met him and got to see his work both on the ground and in the air (they shot from a helicopter, too). He did some great filming during the two weeks in Bridgewater and the week or two heading to, and at, the voting in Sturgis.

This weekend, Doug is getting married. He won't be strapped to the back of a truck, I don't think, unless Dave has something planned while he's there that I don't know about. But there will be white water rafting and somewhat of a pirate theme from what I hear...not sure what that means, but I'm sure it will be fun.

Congratulations to you and your bride from all of us, Doug!

Perewitz Bike Night - A Pictorial

Tim and I had a great time at the Perewitz Bike Night last night. We'd estimate that over 500 motorcycle enthusiasts joined in the fun on a beautiful, summer evening.

I walked around with my camera for a bit to give you a feel for the evening. Enjoy!

Dave just finished Brian G's new motorcycle with the Hamster logo on the tank and all. Brian was voted into the elite motorcycle club last summer at Sturgis and is very proud of this honor.

There was a great antique bike area, too. Check out some of

these great machines. Oil drips and all.

There were all types of rides - big and small.

As the night progressed, the attention turned to the Burnout Pad. Two of Dave's new friends put on quite a show.

The guys gave the crowd what they wanted and one of the rear tires showed the result of the effort when it was all said and done.

All in all, it was a fun night with tons of bikes, the next generation of riders wandering around and even dogs that got into the spirit of things.

But in the end....everyone had to get on the road to go home...even Ms. Harley.

Come See Us Tonight at Perewitz Bike Night

Tim and I are headed out to Bike Night at Perewitz Cycle Fab tonight. Come on out and join us! I didn't post about it earlier because it's been raining all day - until just now. The sun is shining and the roads are drying out. I should have known - Jody has the best luck with the weather for Bike Nights. She just knows when the best nights of the summer will be!

Bike Night starts at 6pm - roads should be nice and dry by then.

C'mon down! We look forward to seeing you.

Bonded Together

by Jody Perewitz

I have been around the motorcycle industry my whole 24 years of life. Just because you are born into something doesn’t mean that you are going to like it, but in my case, I love it!

At an age as young as 5, I was riding four wheelers and dirt bikes. I was defiantly a tomboy. I played with my older brother Jesse and his friends more than my own. As I got older I guess I grew out of the tomboy stage but I never lost my interest in riding.

Honestly I had never ridden a motorcycle until I was about 17. I had always ridden dirt bikes so I had no doubt I could do it I just never tried. The whole Perewitz family was in Daytona one year and my brother just randomly said, “Hey you want to ride my bike?” Ya sure I’ll give it a try. I rode it a couple of miles and came back with bugs in my teeth because you couldn’t get the smile off my face! From that point on my bond with motorcycle has only grown to be as strong as a “New York Fahgetaboutit”.

Tossing Goodies to the Crowd at a Perewitz Bike Night - Summer, 2006

I work now full time for the family business. I have a Bachelor Degree in Political Science that will, hopefully, be useful someday. But for now the best education I can get is with motorcycles. The whole motorcycle world has become like an extended family. We go to shows all around the country and I look forward to the different people at each place.

I have a few different bikes now of my own and also have gotten involved in building a few around the shop trying to learn as much as I can. I have a different variety of motorcycles myself. I have to say my two favorites are my 1963 Panhead and my Buell Firebolt. The Panhead is a classic that gets all the older generation looking at it because they can appreciate what it is and my Firebolt gets younger generations.

As you can see my passion is with motorcycles; this is where Kryptonite comes in. They have been endorsing my father for about 2 years now and I have defiantly formed a bond with their products and, most of all, their employees. When I go somewhere with my bikes I know that they are safe because Kryptonite is protecting them.

While I am writing this I am realizing that motorcycles are what many of my bonds with things started from. I have a bond with my brother for letting me ride his bike, with motorcycles, my job, my father, the motorcycle industry, and those great companies like Kryptonite that provide an excellent product. I defiantly have some unbreakable bonds that only get stronger!

Road Trip

I spent the majority of last week visiting Bicycle and Powersport dealers with our 2 new Regional Sales Managers(Don - West Coast and Craig - Central) and our National Sales Manager (Roby). It was great to pound the pavement with the troops, speak with the dealers and really get a sense of what is happening in the marketplace. I spent Tuesday in Portland with Don and Roby visiting all of the major dealers - Shout outs to Mark, Dave and crew at Rivercity - what an awesome set up - expecially the test track upstairs. Got a lot of cool product ideas that we are excited about - keep em coming. Also got an idea for my oldest daughters 8th birthday gift (Specialized HotRock 20). We also spent some time out at establishments notorious for bike theft activity and was proud of the fact that a Kryptonite lock was the lock of choice. They are pretty serious about their bikes in Portland - seeing a multiple lock setup(cable and Ulock) wasn't uncommon and the Evolution ulock or New York Fahgettaboudit were everywhere.

Headed to Dallas for the second leg of the trip on Wednesday and spent Thursday with Craig and Roby visiting Powersport and Bicycle dealers. Being a former sportbike rider it was like being a kid in a candy store. I spent as much time talking to managers and store personnel about security as I did about the bikes. Thanks to the folks at Central Yamaha I now have my eye on a 04-05 Yamaha Vmax preferably black on black ( any sellers out there???) Psyched about the opportuntity to work more closely with many of the dealers in Dallas and Craig will be working hard to support them with some cool promotions and displays.

Being out interacting with customers and dealers is what its all about. Looking forward to hitting the East Coast next so look out for me I might just be in a bike or powersport dealer near you.

Age Does Not Always = Wisdom

This is a slight rant for a Monday morning (seriously, are weekends getting shorter, or is it just me?).

As I was on my way down to my Dad's yesterday with Father's Day dinner (3-cheese baked ziti, salad and fresh Italian bread....delish, if I do say so myself!), I made an observation about two sets of bike riders. It was a gorgeous day and perfect for both motorcycle riding and bicycling. Although, most motorcycle riders, I'm sure were a little more north in Laconia. But, I digress....

My dad lives in a rural area with narrow, curvey two lane roads. There isn't much room on either side since the bushes are in full bloom on both sides. Not a great place to ride bikes, but lots of people do, and should...when they do it properly. Can you feel the rant coming?

I'm about a mile and a half from my dad's ready to go around a corner and I see, in the other lane, a couple riding their bikes...they have just come around a corner, without helmets, and riding side by side. They aren't young, either, probably in their 40s, I'd say. They aren't haulin' down the road on a training ride, either, just a leisurely, afternoon ride. As I went past them, I saw a car come around the corner and have to brake to miss them. Did the guy on the outside duck in then? No! He stayed riding in the middle of the road as they approached the next curve so the car couldn't safely pass.

I'm all for cyclists on the road. I am one sometimes. And, I'm ok with people riding side by side, when it is appropriate for all involved. Riding, side-by-side, without helmets, on a curvey, narrow country road is just stupid. Yup, I said it, stupid. I could only shake my head and hope they didn't come to any harm.

About a quarter mile down the road, on another bend, I came across two young boys on their bikes (maybe 10 years old). They each wore helmets and were riding single file around the corner. They had fishing poles and were headed off to have a great, safe day of fishing. Good for them! They, obviously, have parents who ride bikes and had some sense about them to teach the boys good riding habits early on. Hopefully, this will translate for the rest of their lives and they'll love riding and have wonderful riding experiences. All parents should take the time to teach their kids good riding habits.

My take from all this was that age does not always equal wisdom. These kids could certainly have taught the grown ups something about safety yesterday.

New Products Debut on Kryptonite Website

It's been a process, but the new products are finally up on the new website for everyone to view. All the U-locks, cable locks, chains and even the disc locks. All there for you to see and read about.

Now you know why I didn't post earlier....I was a little busy proof reading. And, I know I missed something...always do. But, it's Friday, and it's after 5pm so it's time to stop worrying about it, right?

Psssttt...if you see any spelling mistakes, let me know. Thanks! :)

Happy Weekend, all!

Top 10 Cities for Bike Theft According to Kryptonite

For more years than I’ve been at Kryptonite, we’ve done a press release to the media with the “Top 10 Worst Cities for Bicycle Theft”. We took a hiatus for a year or so, but we kept getting calls about a new list so we started it up again last year. What is it about Top 10 lists anyway? I think David Letterman started something years and years ago that has just caught on in our society. But, I digress…as I often do.

Because press releases are so old school, we are putting the information here for everyone to see. The list is from our proprietary data and it’s based on things we learned in 2006, after hundreds of shop visits, attending events, talking with community police and talking with customers on the phone, through email and at events. We’ve been out there longer than anyone and have some great relationships so we get some of the best intel around.

So….drum roll please…

Top 10 Cities for Bike Theft
1. New York City
2. Chicago
3. Boston
4. Philadelphia
5. San Jose
6. Los Angeles - tie
San Francisco - tie
8. Seattle
9. San Diego - tie
Washington, DC - tie
Portland, Oregon – tie

How does this compare with 2005? The order is different, but all the “regulars” are there. Eugene, Oregon has been replaced by Portland. Oakland, California seems to have been replaced by San Jose. Miami fell off, but LA returned after a couple of years off the list. San Diego hasn’t been on the list in a couple of years either.

The rest moved around a little bit, but were all still there. Oh, the non-mover? New York City. That city has great cyclists – messengers, commuters, around-towners…and, unfortunately, with all of those bikes comes theft. It’s why we named our premiere series “New York”; it’s the best protection to fight these thieves.

Why do we do this list? Um...sell locks, of course. But, mostly to bring cyclists attention to an unpleasant topic (theft) so they can protect themselves. Nobody wants to think it is going to happen to them, but it can. We want all cyclists to get a lock that is appropriate for where you ride & lock and that you are comfortable with for carrying and using. Talk to your neighborhood bike dealer for help with this decision - what do they recommend and why. Talk to them about how to properly lock your bike, too. Here are some tips to get you started:

- always lock your bike, especially when at home
- two types of locks used at the same time are better than one
- lock to a fixed, immovable object; one that can not easily be cut, broken or removed
- lock in a visible, well-lit area
- lock in a location where there are other bikes
- if you commute, change up your locking routine so there isn’t a pattern – lock one place one day and somewhere else the next

We want everyone to have a great summer full of fabulous riding adventures with your family and friends. Following these tips should help you to do that.

Giant Chairman Cycles Taiwan for "Adventure"

I read a piece on the Bicycle Retailer website this morning about the founder of Giant Bicycle company touring Taiwan on a bicycle. This might not be so fascinating to you as you'd be thinking, "well he is in the bike industry so he's probably a cyclist". Sure, but he's 73 years old!

King Liu, chairman of Giant Bicycle, took just 15 days to cycle 576 miles in Taiwan. 15 days? That would take me 15 months and, although I'm not a spring chicken, I'm not nearly in my 70s, thank you very much. What a great accomplishment, but he didn't do it for the 'accomplishment', he did it for the thrill of the journey.

“Driving is too careless, walking is too slow, and only through cycling can you truly experience the beauty of this island and have this once-in-a-lifetime adventure,” said Liu on Bicycle Retailer.

This is just a great story to me. Not only because of Mr. Liu's age, but because he is truly evangelizing his brand by living the lifestyle - not because he has to, but because he believes in it. I cruised over to the Giant site today to see if I could read more about Mr. Liu's trip. I didn't find anything, but what I did find was their current campaign slogan, "Ride Life. Ride Giant". I'd say Mr. Liu "ride's life" to the fullest.

Good for you, Mr. Liu! You are an inspiration.

Tony Hawk Bike Line Announced

Woa...skateboarding legend/guru/god, Tony Hawk is going to have his own line of bicycles in stores next spring. That's huge! Young kids love Tony Hawk, idolize him even. I know a few kids between the ages of 8 and 13 who are Hawk fanatics. They have to have anything Hawk - skateboards, games, clothes. Hopefully, this will be a great way to get these kids on a bike, too. They all have his video games, why not his bike, too? And, what a great balance - I'm someone who thinks that kids inside playing video games all the time is a bad thing. They should be outside, having adventures with their friends, getting exercise and fresh air (when did I start sounding like my parents?!?). But, it's true....video games are ok in moderation, but maybe these bikes will get the kids interested in cycling because of Tony, too. They'll start skateboarding and biking.

Ok, maybe that is a fantasy, but I'd like to think so. More kids on bikes is better for their health and for the environment, especially if they get hooked and continue to keep riding their bikes throughout their life.

Apparently, there will be two lines of bikes - the Tony Hawk Huckjam bikes will be in mass market stores and the Tony Hawk Signature Series will be in independent bike shops. Those of us in the bike industry will get to see all the bikes at the Interbike trade show in September. Photos will abound, I'm sure.

Congrats, Tony Hawk! I wish you great success with this new venture!


Thanks to both BikeBiz and Bicycle Retailer for pointing me to this news.

Signing on with Kryptonite

by Nicole Hoffman

This week was monumental, huge! I officially signed an endorsement deal with Kryptonite locks, an Ingersoll Rand company. You might ask, “Why is this such a big deal?” Well, this is why….I have been fortunate enough to have opportunities come my way over the past few years (not by mistake, I can assure you that) – I have a position I have always dreamed about at NASCAR, I am involved in a new motorcycle roadrace series I feel was made just for me -- but this one is different. It’s not just about sponsorship of my roadracing efforts and Kryptonite supporting the costs associated with it.

This is more about fit and relationships. The relationship we have already built in the short amount of time will surely equal success for both parties. I am thrilled to have the chance to be associated with a leading brand in the portable security market and I hope that through my efforts I can provide yet another marketing outlet for the Kryptonite folks.

Early in my racing “career” I remember those who got me into the sport, those who supported me every step of the way and helped me to learn. I have never forgotten them. I am also fortunate that the list grows each day. From my friends I hung out with around Daytona Beach that taught me first how to ride a motorcycle, to my friends at NASCAR, to the amazing folks at Kryptonite for believing in me and my ability to help promote their products.

I race because I love this sport, motorsports in general. I have a passion for speed and for bikes. But more importantly than that, an affinity to the people involved in this sport, the camaraderie. About as passionate as motorsports fans are, the ones who compete are even more so. We all race because we love being involved and being a part of “it”. Krpytonite is no different. That is where we fit – forging an unbreakable bond!

MASH World Premiere in San Fran

A few days ago we talked about supporting the bike valet program in San Francisco with the SFBC. We've just recieved a photo from the first event in the relationship. This is just a cool shot regardless of sponsorship - look at all those bikes!

Sure, you could park your own bike. But where's the novelty in that?

This is at the premiere of MASH, a locally made bike themed movie. Here's a quote from the directors that you can find on their website.

"It's not about stopping - it's about going as fast as you can. Commitment to every line, corner, and hill is what defines the style of these San Francisco riders. Come roll with us."
-- Gabe Morford and Mike Martin, Directors

Check it out!

The Sopranos & Masiguy

Happy Monday everyone! Hope you all had a good weekend with lots of safe riding. I meant to post earlier today but we had a long morning meeting that just ended. My head is still swimming from that and, of course, The Sopranos finale last night. I was convinced that it was all going to come down to Tony vs. Pauli and that, Tony would, of course, win that battle. I couldn't have been more wrong. All in all, I'm ok with the ending, though. I may even watch it again this week.

What does that have to do with action sports? Nothing. As far as I can remember the Sopranos only mentioned cycling once when Meadow was going to college with a bike and Tony asked her if she had a lock....I had my fingers and toes crossed that one of them would mention, Kryptonite, but they didn't. They kept it generic. Ah well...

But, I digress.....I thought I'd start off the week with a fun photo from a Friday. I just love getting photos like this. It's an interesting way to use our chain. Some heavy bling? HA

Looks good on you, Tim! Thanks for the photo.

Bob Roll, Dave Perewitz, Nicole Hoffman, & Jody Perewitz Join Unbreakable Bonds Blog

My friends who work in offices remind me often that I work in a couple of pretty cool industries. Because of that, I get to meet some very interesting people and have a lot of fun. Today is one of the days that I know I’m pretty darn lucky to be where I am and get to tell you all this good news.

Although we only started this blog less than two months ago, we are already kicking it up a notch. Remember, I promised that it wouldn’t be just me writing here? I wasn’t kidding. I know you don’t want to hear from me all the time – that’s no fun. I’m happy to tell you that not only will the internal Kryptonite gang be writing here more often (yes, you will everyone!), but we are adding 4 other folks to our blogging crew. They will each be doing a post about their unbreakable bond to the industry they are in so you get to know them a bit and then they will write about a variety of topics. They are free to wax poetic about anything cycling and motorcycling related – and maybe a few other things, too. We’ll just have to see what they come up with.

I’m not playing favorites so we’ll go alphabetically by first name….

Bob Roll’s in the Kryptonite House. Yes, he is. Bob’s going to be writing before, during and after The Tour DAY France. Ok, during the Tour DAY France he’ll be calling in to me while he’s crazily driving between stages and I’ll type them out for him (all his words, just my typing). Some could call it ‘cheating’, but I call it getting the red hot scoop! Don’t worry, it won’t be all racing related, though, because you can hear his thoughts on that during the coverage on Versus. He’s probably going to talk about some of the observations behind the scenes, too. Oh, I can’t wait!

Dave Perewitz is on board, too. The King of Flames has been in the motorcycle industry for so long and knows so many people I can only imagine what he’ll write about here. I love going to his shop to visit and seeing celebrity bikes before anyone else – hearing what the paint will be or what custom parts will be added and why. By the way, if you are in Chicago this weekend, join Ruben Brown’s Charity Ride. Yes, Ruben Brown of The Chicago Bears (Da Bears). Dave’s built him motorcycles and he’ll be there with Ruben for the ride, too.

Nicole Hoffman is the newest member of Team Kryptonite (look for her soon on the main website). Although we haven’t officially announced our partnership with Nicole, she’s going to be our next Unbreakable Bonds profile (stay tuned next week). We are pumped to have not only a road racer on our team but a woman road racer…how’s that for cool?! She also works for NASCAR – talk about bonding with me right away! Yes, I’m a NASCAR fan. Get over it.

Jody Perewitz is going to be writing with us, too. Jody was born into the motorcycle industry, but she has very different observations and thoughts than Dave. We wanted to get the woman’s perspective on the rallys and motorcycling, in general, too. Jody hits almost as many events as her famous dad and knows all the same folks he knows. She’s also helped to build custom bikes and is in the process of another one now. And, shhh….don’t tell anyone…but she’s learning painting techniques now, too….

That’s our new writing team. Are you as excited about this as I am? Ok, I’m partly excited because I won’t be writing as much (I know, I know, you are happy about that, too). But, I’m also excited to read what these guys and gals write about myself. Between their writing and the non-stop Unbreakable Bonds profiles, I think this is going to be the place to be this summer for some really interesting reading.

Kryptonite Bike Valet Programs

Kryptonite's participated in many bike valet programs over the years - some we have run ourselves and some we sponsor. I remember sitting out in the snow and ice at Cyclocross Nationals a couple of years ago, freezing while watching people's bikes. There was a lot of jumping up and down - not at the racing action, just to keep warm. Brrrrr....

But I digress....it's summer now and we have some great things going on including sponsoring two prominent bike valet programs.

The first is in Portland, Oregon. We are sponsoring the bike valet area at the open meetings for the Platinum Bicycle Master Plan. They had their first meeting this week and BikePortland has a great recap. Check it out. There are two more meetings (June 12 and June 14) in different sections of the city. If you live in Portland, participate. This is a great way to become involved in the city's cycling discussions.

The second is a much larger program. We are happy to announce our partnership with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition as we sponsor their bike valet programs this summer. They support something like 50 events with a bike valet area. Kryptonite will be all over it! If you are at a large event in San Fran this summer, look for the Feel Free to Stop banners - that's where you can leave your bike safely. Goin' to the Movie in the Park series? Bring your bike! Participating in the Tour de Fat? Ride on over! Folsem Street Fair? We've got you covered.

Pretty cool, eh? Oh, best of all - it's Free! Wooo-hooo!

Look for more Kryptonite sponsored bike valet programs soon....we're working on it!

Bonding with Kevin Dillard

Kevin Dillard and Kryptonite have a bond all our own. Kevin has kindly provided some of his photography for our brand website and even this blog (see photo to the right...it's a Dillard original). We thought he'd be a perfect person to ask about his bond with cycling.

He didn't send us a picture of himself - like every good photographer, we think he likes to stay behind the lens, but you can see his work on our site or on his. (Update: our apologies to Kevin...he has another photo site, too - check it out here. The photos are very cool.)

Here's Kevin...telling us about his bond to cycling.....

I'm a former messenger. 2 years ago I started as an agent that processes documents for companies that want to do business overseas.

My First bike; I can't really remember my first bike, but the really good one that I saved up for was a 10-speed Atala. It was red and white and beautiful. It cost $500 and worth every penny. I felt like a real racer on that bike and it started me on my love of cycling.

My bond with cycling is that it has made me a better person, I feel free when I'm riding. I feel free to talk to people I might not have. Cycling is the only reason I started photographing. I would do an alleycat, and saw this amazing group of people, of every race and gender just hanging out.

And couriers dress like no one else; they have their own style. It had to be photographed. Couriers are the only group of people that looks good getting ready for a race.

So, my bond with cycling has led me to a new career path, photography.I'm bonded forever to anyone that loves to be on 2 wheels.

Photo by Kevin Dillard for Kryptonite

Jeremy Mayfield's New Motorcycle

If you were in Myrtle Beach for Bike Week a couple of weeks ago you may have seen NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield cruising around on his brand new Perewitz custom motorcycle. And, if it wasn't Jeremy, it was Dave Perewitz himself since he rode it a bit down there, too.

The professional photos aren't done yet, but I did get a peek at the bike last week and it is just another sweet creation by the folks at Perewitz Cycle Fab. Personally, I like this paint job better than the one on Tony Stewart's bike, but that's just me. As a matter of fact, it's my new computer wallpaper. Check it out.

Riding in the New England Rain

Pounding rain from the remnants of Tropical Storm Barry didn't stop these hearty New England riders. They were seen fearlessly cruising down the Mass Pike at quite a good speed.

Photos: Neil McDaid

MyicedCoffee.com and Riding?

We've added a new link in the 'Fun Things' section. It goes to the brand new Dunkin Donuts interactive site that just launched this morning. What does that have to do with anything related to Action Sports? Maybe nothing....except Dunkin Donuts is a staple here at Kryptonite. I'm thinking some people here may consider their coffee/iced coffee a food group. I'm not kidding. We also know that a lot of other action sports enthusiasts love their coffee, too.

The new site has sweepstakes, prizes and such, but the thing that caught our eye is the "Get More Out of Your Summer" piece. What is it? A trip planner with Dunkin' locations along the route. I think a few people here may frequent this site more than any other on the web now....again, I'm not kidding....this is a great tool! Ok, it has a few kinks that they need to work out, but check it out. It's kind of fun.

They also will tell you, by state, some 'Suggested Summer Outings" and give viewers the ability to add their own recommended place for all to see in the "Hit the Road Your Way" feature. They really want it to be an interactive site. Good for them. And good for all of us that are regulars.

The Amazing Shrinking Man & His Bike Bond

When we started this blog, one of the first people to welcome us to the blogosphere was Tom Stormcrowe. We checked out his blog and were blown away by his story. We asked if we could reprint part of his story for our Unbreakable Bonds profiles and he readily agreed. He even added an update just for us at the bottom. If there is anyone who has a bond with his bicycle, it's Tom. He's certainly an inspiration to many.

Here's Tom's story, in his own words....

Why Cycling?

What is this attraction I have to a contraption made up of tubing, with two wheels made basically of tensioned wire and an alloy hoop? I suppose, first and foremost, it's probably responsible for a large part of the progress I've made in the last 13 months. A bit over a year ago, I was basically just about dead! I had reached the end of what my body could handle, physically at least. Due to a metabolic disorder called Empty Sella Syndrome, I had gained a truly amazing amount of weight and was to the point that I required supplementary oxygen to function. If you've been following my blog, this will be old information if you started reading me when I started. The link above is to a medical article on Kallman's Syndrome, a symptomatic offshoot of Empty Sella. This may help you understand a bit more. I warn you, though, the writing style is, shall we say, a bit obtuse!

At the peak

At my peak weight, I had blown up to 581 pounds, and was literally unable to walk more than 50 feet without crushing chest pain and shortness of breath. I had to use a wheelchair to go any further. I underwent bariatric surgery to alleviate the weighht problem, which has been successful. I am now down to 241 pounds 13 months later. That's right, 241, I weighed today! There were risks to the surgery, but I was trading a life in hell for a chance. That officially gives me a 340 pound weight loss in 13 months and a fraction!

Why Cycling?

This brings me to the point of this article, why cycling? Well, that's both a simple and complex question. The simple part, first, I guess. My knees had so much damage from my weight that it plain hurt to walk! Imagine if you will, weighing 500 pounds and having your knees popping and grating every time you took a step. Imagine having your knees feel like there was sand in the joint grinding away each time you walked. Kind of hard to do, right? That's why I resumed cycling, aside from the fact that cycling also burns more calories than walking. It's low impact, and doesn't stress the knees so much if you have a good fit on your bike. I'm not saying it was easy to get started either. First, I had to figure out how to carry oxygen safely. My provider, Lincare provided me with a backpack sleeve to use while riding. This turned out to be just what I needed.

When I resumed cycling, after a 25 year absence, it was like an old friend came to stay, I rediscovered my passion for it. My family thinks I'm a tad bit fanatical, but my returning health tells me that while I may be a fanatic, this is a good thing. I am now 340 pounds lighter, as I said, off the oxygen completely, off the cardiac and blood pressure medicine, and feeling pretty good. It has required a commitment to very hard work to get as far as I have, and it isn't easy! If you have an obesity problem, believe me I know how it feels, been there done that and got the size 8X T-Shirts to prove it. The problem can be beat though, with a commitment to changing your lifestyle. Diets don't really work, for the most part, long term.

When you diet and cut the calories too far, your body goes into famine mode and starts conserving fat. You start burning protein instead, and this isn't really a good thing. Keep the protein intake to about 1 gram per kilo (2.2 pounds) body mass to prevent this, and keep the fluid intake high! Without enough calories and water, the fat burning machine in your body doesn't work properly.

When you exercise, like on a long ride, follow these guidelines:

* Drink about every ten minutes, whether you are thirsty or not

* Consume about 300 calories (kcals)/ hr to prevent the "Bonk" (This is when your blood sugars drop and you start feeling really crappy, and often you can't even think straight.

* Carry some Gatorade or other sport drink to keep your electrolytes balanced. You need sodium and potassium for proper muscle and heart action.

How do I Burn the Fat?

The Answer is actually quite simple! Increase your activity, there's a whole world out there for you to experience. Don't waste your life sitting in front of the TV eating junk!

Here is a site to help you plan your riding sessions:The Bicycle Speed and Power Calculator

The bottom line is that for me, cycling has truly helped me get much thinner. I would likely have gotten here anyway after the surgery, but I wouldn't be as strong and I wouldn't have had as much fun! Each gain in endurance and new mileage milestone has given me a sense of both wonder and accomplishment. The feeling of triumph after my first tour this year was just incredible. All I can say is get on your bike and ride! The rewards are unimaginable.

Reprinted from April 18, 2006- The Amazing Shrinking Man, by Tom Stormcrowe ©2007

Updated for May 31, 2007
As I look back at this article, I think back to where I was, wheelchair bound and on Oxygen, and compare it to today, and I am truly thankful for the benefits cycling has brought into my life. My last weigh in was 215 pounds, giving me a total weight loss of 366 pounds and I am going to live to a much riper old age. Given how it has affected my life, all I can say is if it's an obsession, it's a healthy one!

I am departing Saturday on a 700+ mile tour, and am riding this year in Tour de Cure to raise funds for the American Diabetes Association as well. You can view my Tour de Cure webpage for more information.