Shopcast

Join us Saturday September 29th for a full day of bike goodness at Perennial Cycle, culminating in our 6th Tiny Bike Shop Concert in partnership with Banjo Brothers and a drawing to win a FREE step-through Boda Boda Cargo Cruiser from Yuba.

We welcome back Brianna Lane, who'll be playing with a full band this time around. Last fall Brianna rocked this Tiny Bike Shop with friend and fellow cyclist Peter Mulvey as a part of their annual pedal-powered tour. This coming Saturday we're excited to host Brianna Lane and the Navigators Club, who you may have seen around town at the Amsterdam Bar & Hall, the Dakota, and the always bike-friendly Aster Café. As those of us who've seen her know, Brianna Lane is a gifted singer/songwriter in true Americana form. She writes and performs on an acoustic guitar as well as a banjo. The Star Tribune's Jim Walsh calls Brianna “…a star in the making. She’s poised, ambitious, a great writer, a soul singer of the first order, and an accomplished guitarist.”

The concert starts at 7 p.m., but we'll be celebrating the launch of Yuba's new Boda Boda Cargo Cruiser from open to close. We'll kick off the day at 9 a.m. with Boda Boda test rides open to all. Try one out for a chance to win one at the end of the night! You'll have many chances to get your name in the drawing for the Boda Boda step-through starting right now:

• Test Ride the Boda Boda - Earn 1 ticket
• RSVP for the Event on Banjo Brothers' Facebook Page - Earn 1 ticket
• Show us that you LIKE Perennial Cycle on Facebook the night of the event - Earn 1 ticket
• Participate in our Urban Bee Hive Tour with Beez Knees - Earn 2 tickets
• Join us for the Kidical Mass Ride - Earn 1 ticket
• Get your picture taken trying on a Walz Cap between 5 and 7 p.m.  - Earn 1 ticket
• Put pen to paper and tell us how you'd use a Boda Boda in your every day life - Earn 1 ticket

See below for the day's full schedule.

Celebrate Cycling with Demos, Rides, Food, Music & a Chance to win your very own Boda Boda!

• 9:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Test Rides // Try out the Brand New Boda Boda from Yuba during the morning and early afternoon hours
• 2-3:30 p.m. Group Ride // Join us for an Urban Bee Hive Tour with Kristy of the Beez Knees.
• 4-5 p.m. Kidical Mass Ride // Families and kids of all ages (that means you!) will gather at 3:30 and take off at 4:00 for a Kidical Mass Ride around Lake Calhoun.
• 5-7 p.m. Red Wagon Pizza + Vendor Booths // Grab a bite and chat with local business owners about how they use Cargo Bikes every day!
• 7-8:15 p.m. Tiny Bike Shop Concert // Brianna Lane and The Navigators Club take the stage for a rollicking concert in an incredibly intimate setting.
• 8:15 p.m. BODA BODA Drawing // There'll be lots of opportunities to enter to win a Yuba Boda Boda during the day. Must be present to win.

***Post-show pub crawl sponsored by Artisanal Imports and Banjo Brothers***

There's been a whiff of fall in the air this week! Here at the Shopcast, we've been talking Back to School; tomorrow marks the start of the Minnesota State Fair; and the Brompton World Championship (BWC) came to a close on Sunday—capping off Summer 2012, which began for us in earnest with the Brompton US Championship & Open Streets here in Minneapolis on June 10. We were proud to send two Minnesota-based US Champions to the BWC, and we were ecstatic to learn how well both Susan and Wallace did at Blenheim Palace this past Sunday. We hope you'll enjoy these photos from the Brompton World Championship 2012 and stories of the event, as told by Susan and Wallace themselves.

It was a magical day at Blenheim Palace on Sunday. We got there early and the place was buzzing. Tons of people and a big expo all set up and everybody jazzed. There was a small photo shoot with various Nat'l Champs — it was fun to chat and meet Japanese, Korean, Austrian, Mexican and Swedish racers. We were in and out of London a few times on the train during rush hour and and the number of Bromptons was amazing! —Wallace

I ended up wearing the linen US flag handkerchief that [Best-Dressed Judge] John Meegan from Top Shelf gave to me on my helmet instead of in the pocket and people cheered for "The American." That was Fun! —Susan

The day was so hot and sunny that they made a special ruling that jackets were not required. I had a good race [Wallace is being modest here, he came in 15th WOW! out of hundreds of racers]! There were 700+ racers in 6 waves, 2 laps on narrow roads, 22 minutes flat out. It was a combination of a sprint, time trial and road race on narrow, winding, rolling course around a 300 year old palace. —Wallace

England was fantastic. As for the race results, here's how I did: I won 1st place female for the Sprint and I also got 1st place female for the "Brompton Treble"!  The Brompton Treble means having the best average time out of those who participated in all 3 events: biking the Marathon's 26.2 miles, the World Championship's 9 miles, and the Sprint's 300 meters. The prize for the "Brompton Treble" was a trophy of a Brompton crankset and pedals; it looks quite solid and it's super cute. I also got a free night at Stokes Place (which looks like a palace!)... We'll have to use it when we return for the Brompton Race next year! I can't wait! —Susan

Way to go, Susan & Wallace! We can't wait for next year, either! You can read more about the Brompton World Championship 2012 on in Brompton's BWC recap and see the full results here. Don't miss the full album of photos on Brompton's Facebook page.

All images © Anna Batchelor for Brompton Bicycle Ltd.

Meet Moxie's T-back jersey, Perennial Cycle's newest, locally-made jersey for women. Emily and I had a chance to take a ride in both the purple & houndstooth France Ave and multi-colored Jester when they first arrived in the store, and we couldn't be more excited to share them with you.

Moxie's jerseys are made by women cyclists, for women cyclists—and it shows. Distinct from a men's jersey and more than a yoga or running top, Moxie's T-back has everything you'd want for a ride:

• A built-in support bra & removable bra cups
• Ergonomic seams and a tag-less design
• A long, slimming silhouette (cut longer in the back so you'll have full-coverage while out riding)
• 3-pocket design

Available in size small through extra-large, you're sure to find a fit that works for you. Moxie's jerseys fit true to size and the built-in bra is made to feel like your most supportive sports bra. Added to that, Moxie's jerseys are made in St. Paul, Minnesota, and it doesn't get any more local than that!

Locally made? Check. Great looks? Double check. For me, it was love at first sight. From the styling to the fit and great features like the jersey's built-in bra and 3-pocket styling, I was sold on Moxie's T-back from the first time I met the Moxie team at the Uptown Criterium earlier this summer:

After owning the Jester for almost two months, I can easily say it's become my go-to jersey. My other jerseys—all traditional zip-ups—have made their way to the bottom of my pile. Given the choice, I'd pick a Moxie tank every time.

In Emily's case, she was skeptical at first because the bra seemed on the tight-side, but she as she says:

Once I started riding the jersey felt nice and light. I forgot I was wearing it, even on a hot summer day. I'm convinced!

Emily's experience speaks to what you can expect from Moxie's jerseys: each jersey is made from lightweight, technical fabric that wicks away hard-earned sweat—keeping you dry and fresh—and each is designed with specific ventilation points that release heat and keep you cool while out riding.

The bottom line? In a Moxie jersey, you'll never have to sacrifice performance, comfort or style. That means you'll be focused on the road ahead and be able to enjoy the ride.

Are we really a week into August already? The calendar seems to think so. That means "back-to-school" is just around the corner. Whether you're groaning or sighing with relief at the coming of September, we hope you'll enjoy our Bags! Bags! Bags! posts for the next few weeks, dedicated to the back-to-schooliest bags in the store: backpacks. This week we're all about the Metro Backpack from Banjo Brothers.

Designed for cycling, The Metro Backpack is a high quality backpack that boasts loads of organizational features that are sure to put you at the head of the class. Twelve different interior and exterior pockets make your gear, books, sack lunch, etc. easy to find (homework tonight?) and the bag itself easy to pack. In addition, the Metro has a padded sleeve for your computer on the go, cinch straps to expand or contract when you're carrying a little or a lot, and plenty of spots to clip your keys & lights or tuck your phone—there's even an included outer phone pouch. The Metro is built with the same attention to detail and value as Banjo's waterproof gear, but instead of a plastic waterproof liner, this most compact member of Banjo's backpack line applies the hanging liner system used in the company's messenger bags, making it functionally waterproof as there are no seams to the outside. At 1100 cubic inches it’s big enough for the commute and can still claim a stylishly compact profile.

Eager to learn more? We thought so! Scroll down to get the details on our special Back to School promotion, and read up on the Metro Backpack at PerennialCycle.com.