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Welcome to the first in a series of Holiday Gift Guides from Perennial Cycle. First up, Brompton Edition! See below for how you can find these ideas at local Minneapolis shops and at PerennialCycle.com.

1 - Wool Hemp Walz Cap

2 - Brompton's waterproof Mini O Bag by Ortlieb

3 - Schwalbe Marathons in 16 x 1-3/8 (349) are just right for the Brompton and offer improved flat protection

4 - New from across the pond, the Brompton Tool Kit is the perfect gift for the Brompton owner who has everything!

5 - A distinguished Woodgrain notebook from the Walker Shop in Minneapolis

6 - In Turkish Green, Black, and Grey the palette of this Raccoon Screen Print from Minneapolis-based Small Talk Studio is sure to win any Brompton fan's heart.

7 - Nutcase's Union Jack helmet

8 - GP-2 Ergon Grips. Many of our customers have made this upgrade and love the added hand positions, the boost in comfort, and improved handling when climbing hills these grips provide on a Brommie.

9 - Brooks B17 Flyer Special

10 - Po Campo's Six Corner Wristlet works great with any Brompton handlebar (even when folded) and coordinates well with all of Brompton's colors.

11 - You'll make a Brompton owner's year when you give the gift of the Oratory Jacket

12 - A striped scarf from Faribault Woolen Mills, proudly made in Minnesota

13 - A Lamy fountain pen and ink from Art Materials Uptown (also available at South Minneapolis' Russell and Hazel) for jotting notes on the run.

14 - The City Folder from Carradice, available in Black or Green waxed cotton duck with leather detailing. Pair with a matching Zip Roll for a truly dashing ensemble!

If you're considering winter biking, but aren't sure what you'll need—we'll help make it easy.

What's necessary? What's not? Some love lobster claws and balaclavas, others swear by the best lights for those dark, cold mornings and evening rides home. Dressing right is certainly key, and it's hard to underestimate the ability to see (and be seen), but besides keeping you warm & visible, we want to make sure your bike is taken care of, no matter what. That's where our new Winter Maintenance Membership comes in. For year-round commuters (and those of us who aspire to it), the membership is an investment that will help extend the service life of your bicycle by offering you the opportunity to frequently service your bicycle during the harshest part of the year in Minnesota.

Best of all, with a Winter Maintenance Membership from Perennial Cycle, there is no reason to buy or build a second bike for winter. We'll help you take care of the one you already have.

How does it work? Regular maintenance and cleaning during the winter months aid in the prevention of rust and corrosion from snow and salt on the roads. As a Perennial Cycle Winter Maintenance Member, your initial membership fee of $99.97 will cover up to once a week service (yes, you read that right) beginning November 1 through March 15. This includes:

• Lubrication of key areas
• Light-duty cleaning
• All Adjustments
• Wheel truing

Prior to purchase, the registered bicycle must receive a thorough check over by a Perennial mechanic to ensure the bicycle is not in need of more services that the membership could reasonably cover or would prevent the bicycle from safely making it through the winter.

Where's the fine print? All of the above maintenance is included, but replacement parts & installs are not. Likewise, tuning and adjustments will be limited to a la carte needs; a full tune-up service at one time may be purchased separately. Winter Maintenance Memberships may not be applied toward bearing overhauls or unnecessary service and/or parts installations. To guarantee your bicycle will be serviced while you wait, a phone call prior to your arrival is a good idea. While you wait service may not be possible at all hours of the day. For more details, please stop in or give us a call: 612-827-8000.
- common sense goes a long way here...the last hour of the day will likely not give us enough time to get it done... Fridays and Saturdays will always be busier times (making it harder for us to slide in the WMM services)

Ride more than one bike in the course of the winter months? You're welcome to buy a membership for each bike you'd like to use through the season. Each membership covers one specific bike. While the membership is not transferrable from person to person, members will be allowed to transfer a membership from one bike to another should the originally registered bicycle be replaced or rotated out of use in the course of the season.

Happy Riding!

With Saturday set to end with the giveaway of a Yuba Boda Boda, the big question on everyone's mind started with a hypothetical: "If I were to win tonight..." Would my life change? What would I do with a cargo bike? Thus, we set up a photo booth in the shop with a racing-green Bullitt by Larry vs. Harry and asked you to share with us, "What would you carry?"

Some of you were inspired by your favorite food or drink. Others were led by love. Our younger shoppers offered that they might carry notebooks or books... even the family dog. Nick, from Rock-It Bicycle Delivery (and proud owner of a Clockwork Bullitt), responded with a question of his own: What wouldn't I carry?

Click here to view these photos at your own pace in our Flickr gallery. Thanks to all who stopped in our What would you carry? photo booth.

If you've been reading about our upcoming Tiny Bike Shop Concert this Saturday (and the launch of the much-awaited Boda Boda from Yuba), you may be wondering—What's all the buzz about an Urban Bee Hive Tour? Why bees? A little context may be helpful. Kristy is the Owner, Co-Founder of the Community Bees on Bikes, Head Beekeeper, and Biker for the Beez Kneez. She does it all. And, she does it all by bike.

The Beez Kneez LLC was established in December 2010 as Minneapolis' first bicycle-powered honey distribution business. Kristy's background is in beekeeping, education, and farming and she's a graduate of our own University of Minnesota. We met Kristy through this year's Powderhorn 24, where we fell in love with her mission and her m.o. The mission of the Beez Kneez has two parts: To deliver the sweet people of Minneapolis local, raw and unprocessed honey in a sustainable manner, and to educate and raise awareness about the honeybee's vital role in our food system. After a moment or two of talking with Kristy, you'll see bees and bikes just make sense together:

• Beekeeping with bikes is lighter on the environment
• Minneapolis is one of the best cities in the nation for commuting by bike
• In the midst of health epidemics like diabetes, bicycles serve to promote a healthier lifestyle
• And, in the words of The Beez Kneez, "We love bees, bikes, riding bikes dressed like bees, and dressing our bikes like bees!"

As you can see from the map above, The Beez Kneez has hives just about everywhere you'd want to bike in the very center of Minneapolis. It's a true urban operation, and pedal-friendly at that. Hence, our Urban Bee Hive Tour by bike with you and yours. We hope to see you there. This will be a family-friendly, bee-friendly, cargo bike-friendly ride. So bring your bike, bring a friend, and get buzzing with us this Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

(Remember: each participant in our Urban Bee Hive Tour will receive two tickets with which to enter our Boda Boda giveaway, to take place at 8:15 p.m. following Saturday's Tiny Bike Shop Concert. Must be present to win. Stop into the shop between now and Saturday for details.)

This post has been brought to you by the letter B.

All Photos © The Beez Kneez. All Right Reserved.