My son just started Graduate School at UT Austin. He has a road bike and a mountain bike. Can anyone recommend a good bike shop and some good rides out of town.
I will forward your responses to him.
DougStern
Shops:
http://www.austintricyclist.com/
More info:
There are more shops and clubs, but those are a start. It’s hard not to drive/ride around town without seeing a triathlete or a roadie to ask about riding. 71, 360, 620, Parmer, Mopac will all become familiar soon enough.
Hope he enjoys his time here!
c
Doug,
There are quite a few quite good shops & quality rides in Austin. It will depend on where your son lives…
Dan recently did a review of Bike Shops in TX – see the main slowtwich webpage; I agree with most of his comments.
In short & my opinion, bike shop:
Bicycle Sport Shop: Good shop with commodity bikes Trek, Klein, Litespeed, etc. Carries road, mountain, and some tri. Most employees able to handle general cyclist and customer.
Austin Tricyclist: Good shop with mostly tri branded shops: Cervelo, Kestrel, etc. Customer experiences either are excellent or unbelievably poor – YMMV (mine is bad as no, I don’t want to buy those clients from your wife’s training bike… or where did my bike computer go after the bike work? You sold it??). They carry good stock of tri supplies, and beginning to have good road collection too.
Jack & Adam’s Bike Shop. New kid on the block; however, with great owners. They carry wide variety of tri & road bikes: Guru, Javelin, etc. Good customer service, good guys, and very fun attitude…
Nelo’s Pro Cyclist - Very good shop with lots of road bike & professional road bike fitting experience; also incredible mechanics on staff; most of their bikes are high-end (Italian, Guru), etc. (I used them because of proximity, service & attitude).
In addition, there are quite a few bike shops here & there – several near campus as well as some big chains (REI, Ski & Sports); however, most all of triathletes & cyclist use one of the specialist shops.
You son should have a ride to each shop day; he would learn the town & also the shops; then can go with whom he likes. All of them will have local ride information.
As for rides… Austin Tricyclist hosts a Saturday AM ride; it’s about 25 or 50 miles; you can either hammer on the front (both triathletes & cycling teams go…) or hang out in the back with like-speed riders. Depends on what you want… some don’t think hammering every training Sat AM works for them while others think it’s great. Jack & Adam’s also hoss a weekend ride – I believe on Sunday AM and not as competitive. Nelo’s sponsors a MWF evening 25 mile ride – not a hammer feast, but good workout.
Google the bike shops above and each of them “should” have information about local rides.
Other than that, check out Austin Cycling Association http://www.austincycling.org/ or for MTN http://www.austinridgeriders.com/
There’s quite a bit.
Signed Missing Austin in London.
John
Hey John, we miss you and Laurel too! 
Cam
Thanks to all,
My son, Zach is here for the weekend and I will show him all the gret information. He is riding my 21 year old Cuevas which was made for me. We just had it completely redone: new paint job and all new components. The six speed cluster was widened to hold a ten. Hopefully he will pass it on to his kid.
DougStern
Hey, I’m living in Austin right now. If your son needs someone to show him around, give him my email address. It’s in my profile.
I personally use Austin Tricyclist, but Jack & Adams are also good guys.
Thanks.
The six speed cluster was widened to hold a ten.
What do you mean by that?
Which part did you not understand?
Which part did you not understand?
You’re Doug’s spokesman? Speak up then instead of answering a question with a question.
I’m betting he had the rear triangle spread to the appropriate width. 114mm → 126mm I think.
Sorry, it’s my job to challenge your post. I’m the Diabolical Avocado.
“114mm → 126mm I think.”
i think you mean 126.5mm to 130mm.
You’ve never had your cluster widened?
I’m betting he had the rear triangle spread to the appropriate width. 114mm → 126mm I think.
Well… 6-speed rear spacing was 120mm on the Suntour Ultra-6 and 126mm on the Shimano 6- speed, whereas 8, 9 and 10-speed Shimano is 130mm. But you don’t just widen the rear spacing, you then have to change the hub because you can’t put 10-speed cassettes on 6-speed hubs.
So his comment “The six speed cluster was widened to hold a ten” makes me curious as to what he meant and/or did.
Yeah… thats the one. I can never remember.
Thanks,
Daniel
That is absolutely correct. With a steel bike it is easy.
DougStern
Zach can tell you about Curacao. The has been there at least 10 times.
Doug
I did not measure the difference but he had a six speed and now he has a 10. Curves’ son Paco did the work and his grandson did the painting.
DougStern
Miss ya, John and Laurel!!
Would add to lobo’s post…the Austin Cycling Assoc. does several rides every weekend…unsupported. Maps provided (and if you become a member you can download all the maps). usually 2 choices Sat. and 2 on Sunday. The club newsletter (available at all the bike/tri shops) has a list of the rides, as well as mt. bike ride opportunities.
And hmmm…I’m not the only one who had a bike part missing after service at a LBS?? interesting…