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News from The Bicycle Wheel for September 2009 |
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Keep in touch with us and stay updated on the latest news, events and products
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Settling into Autumn
Now that the first day of school is in the rearview mirror, it's time to put the road in the rearview mirror and schedule some bike time amidst all of the usual fall activities. Don't let soccer practice, football,  homework and scouts keep you from your routine. If you need a tune-up, new parts or a minor adjustment before hitting the road, we're here to help.
If your son is involved in Boy Scouts, you may be interested in our feature article this month, "Earning the Boy Scout Cycling Merit Badge." We have been actively involved with several area Boy Scout Troops over the years and have led many safety and maintenance clinics to help get the boys up to speed on the requirements of this prestigious badge.
Welcome to Autumn,
The Staff of The Bicycle Wheel | |
Join us for "Spin for Kids" to benefit Camp Twin Lakes 
What: A multi-distance charity ride to support Camp Twin Lakes. Your donations help send kids with serious illnesses and life challenges to Camp Twin Lakes. Five courses will allow riders of various skill levels, from the occasional rider to the experienced cyclist, to participate in this exciting event. This year will feature 5, 27, 47, 62, and 100-mile rides. All routes are fully supported with premium rest stops, SAG wagons, and motorcycle escorts.
When: Sunday, October 25, 2009.
Where: Rides will begin and end at Camp Twin Lakes in Rutledge, GA, located 50 miles east of Atlanta. The courses take riders through rural Northeast Georgia and the historic towns of Madison and Rutledge.
Who: This event is open to anyone. We have formed a team and would ideally like to get 20 riders to participate. The entry fee for this event is $30 and you are required to raise $100. The home page for the event is www.spinforkids.org.
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Earning the Boy Scout Cycling Merit Badge
If your son is involved in Boy Scouts, you know how important merit badges are to their growth and advancement. Of the more than 100 merit badges a scout can earn, the Cycling Merit Badge is both challenging and prestigious. The Bicycle Wheel can help your son's troop earn this badge and we look forward to doing so.
The Boy Scout Cycling Merit Badge is an elite award. It is one of three badges (cycling, swimming, and hiking) that a Scout can earn to rise to the rank of Eagle Scout. An Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable by a Scout in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).
The badge requirements are physically challenging as the Scout must complete two 10-mile rides, two 15-mile rides, two 25-mile rides, and one 50-mile ride that must be completed in under eight hours. Most scout troops in the Atlanta area use the Alpharetta Greenway or the Silver Comet Trail for training and preparation. In addition to building up to a 50-mile bike ride over several months, scouts must learn an array of skills from basic bike safety to bike maintenance and first aid.
Maintenance Clinics at The Bicycle Wheel Our shop can assist with customized maintenance clinics that cover the requirements for this badge. We have been actively involved with local boy scout troops and have helped many young men make progress towards their cycling merit badge. Our shop is available to your son's troop to assist them in earning this achievement.
We provide this assistance at no charge and you can schedule directly with us.
Typically, we arrange basic safety and maintenance clinics after hours at our store. These take about an hour to complete and can be structured in many ways to suit the needs of the troop. For example, a troop leader may have covered basic bicycle safety, and needs our assistance covering bicycle maintenance.
Or, a troop may be in the early stages for this achievement and is looking to us to cover many more of the requirements. Since we use the same cycling merit badge pamphlet used by the BSA, troop leaders can instruct us as to exactly which topics they want covered before a clinic.
Our approach is highly customizable based on each troop's needs.
 Safety Checkups before RidesAnother way we have assisted troop leaders and parents in the past is to offer free pre-ride checkups for scouts before their rides. Our staff will perform a complete safety check of their bike, perform minor adjustments and inflate tires to their proper pressure in preparation for the ride. If a major repair or parts are needed, we always provide an estimate before completing any work on the bike. We keep a wide variety of basic parts in stock, ensuring that your son will not be without his bike for very long.
Many of the troops that we have been involved with in the past have even requiried their scouts to get their bikes checked over before showing up to a ride. This ensures that all bikes are safe and maintained and also serves to make planning and logistics easier on the troop leaders. Leaders can have peace of mind knowing they won't be spending half the day working on poorly-maintained bicycles instead of riding.
Cub Scout Bicycling Belt Loops
If your son is a Cub Scout and is interested in earning his Bicycling Belt Loop, we can also help! In the past, we have held similar clinics at our store aimed at helping younger boys meet the requirements of the Bicycling Belt Loop. Clinics are held after hours and usually only take an hour to complete.
Give us a call at 770 622-6000 or send us an e-mail at info@thebicyclewheel.net if your troop or den is interested scheduling any of the above services offered by our store. |
Want more places to ride your bike?
Here is your chance to have your voice heard by your local government officials.
The Milton Transportation Plan Study Team wants to meet with cyclists. They are seeking input from the community on how Milton's bicycle facilities relate to the City's Overall Transportation Plan.
You do not need to be a citizen of Milton to participate in this event.
Join us Wednesday, September 16th at Milton City Hall Council Chambers at 13000 Deerfield Parkway, Suite 107E from 6-7:30pm.
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