It's certainly been an eventful summer here at Roundabout Bicycles! In addition to the warm welcome from customers in the neighbourhood, things also got a boost when the shop was featured in The Coast's Shop Talk (thanks to Ben Wedge, who rallied the press for Halifax Bike Week and also received coverage for his bike parking consulting firm, Bike Feats). Here were some of the more uncommon wheels that have rolled through in the last few months: Geoff brought by his stunning Danso bamboo bike—these are hand-made in the community of Kumasi, Ghana from locally sourced bamboo and sisal fibre, and fastened with hemp fibres and bio-epoxy resin (steel shells are also held within the epoxy to receive components, such as the seatpost). And, they have a Maritime connection: the company finishes assembling the bicycles in PEI. Alternatively, Geoff purchased just the frame from a dealer based in Dartmouth, then had his choice of parts installed with the help of first Cyclesmith, then myself. This bike was very interesting to work on, given that the frame dimensions conform to industry standards, but not the most common sizes. I helped Geoff convert his 3x7 drivetrain into a "one-by" (only one gear in the front), a touch of functional simplicity which I think goes well with the humble yet elegant materials of the frame. Janna, long-time volunteer extraordinaire of the Halifax Cycling Coalition, moved on to new adventures out west and graciously left me with her bike odds-and-ends, along with a few prized items. The bike-frame stool below is actually an HCC Bike Award for her invaluable contributions as a Bike Buddy for Welcoming Wheels, a community program that donates bikes, safety equipment and cycling safety training to refugees and other newcomers. Incidentally, these trophies were designed and fabricated by Adam Berry, who is an organizer at Welcoming Wheels. This piece of furniture has quite the provenance, and for my part I can only claim to have sat on it! Janna also parted with a real bejewelled piece of work, which now greets visitors at the shop window. Speaking of provenances, my future mother-in-law Kathy spent a few years of her childhood in Holland and she has the bikes to prove it! I've had the pleasure of taking these beauties out of storage to tinker with over the summer, and I just had to get her story on the bicycles, in her own words:
Summer isn't over yet (there's still time for more bike rides and memories around the cottage), but as students and vacationers roll back into town, it is time for me to roll out the next "back-to-school" special: until September 15th, get a second tune-up 50% off with a tune-up at regular price! What better way to let returning friends and family know about Roundabout Bicycles than bringing a pair of bikes in for service and sharing the savings? Of course, this isn't limited to students, nor do you need to enlist a partner for the second bicycle—anyone is welcome to take advantage of this offer.
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