Spoke n' Word
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Posted May 28, 2009 by adminUSPS Trike-Pedal Powered Mailmen
The other day we were speaking with a USPS representative about various shipping rates and part way through our business conversation he noticed our giant Dutch trike. The conversation quickly moved towards the incredible piece of machinery that is the Dutch trike and all the possibilities it can bring to small market vendors. After taking it for a spin, the USPS representative mentioned a smaller mail trike that he had seen once at the Post Office on Canon Perdido and Anacapa and we expressed a child like interest in wanting to see it. He said he would ask the Post Master about it and see about bringing it by.
After he left, we had doubts about ever seeing the three-wheeled mail transport, but just a few short hours later, the same USPS rep pedaled into the parking lot on a tricked out USPS trike! It was flying the USPS colors with a white frame, red chain guard, and blue fenders. After picking our jaws up off the floor, we asked why more of these trikes weren’t being used to deliver mail and he explained that theft and size of territory were the biggest issues. If I were delivering mail I would love to cruise around on a USPS trike, especially in sunny Santa Barbara.
So please, for just a moment, imagine all the mail in the world being delivered by pedal-powered transport….
….oh what a world it would be.
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Posted May 25, 2009 by adminBike Week
Bici BBQ
May 16th to May 24th is Santa Barbara’s Bike Week, a weeklong celebration of the most efficient machine ever created by man. Everyday there is a bicycle themed event and for the entire week State St. is covered in the logo of the SB Bike Coalition (www.sbbike.org). The celebration began on Saturday at Bici Centro (www.bicicentro.org) with an awesome BBQ and custom bike show. Beautiful bikes from dozens of bike enthusiasts were being displayed, including one of WheelHouse’s own Bakfiets (the deep purple one). There were burgers on the grill and Telegraph beer (www.telegraphbrewing.com) in everyone’s cup. There was a great turnout and all the proceeds went to Bici Centro.
Bike to School Day
Later that week on Tuesday May 19th, WheelHouse rolled out to Hollister Elementary School to help promote bike to school day. It was an early morning, but we were pleased to be greeted by the smiling face of Don Lubach of the bike coalition. Don helped setup the event, which is fitting considering he rides his daughters to school everyday (A picture of Don’s Bianchi longtail with him riding and his daughter standing on the back is currently on thehomepage of www.xtracycle.com).
Erik having fun with the kids
We setup Evan’s Big Dummy and loaded the purple Bakfiets with stickers, buttons, and informational flyers as kids and parents started coming in. Matt McClintock was posted up next to us with his immaculate Azor Opa (fitted with some sweet black Brooks Panniers) and beside him was Sam the bike man at the ready, with his tool set and stand, waiting for the loose wheels and flat tires that were soon to come. It began with a slow trickle at 7, and then towards 8 it became a steady stream of students and parents. Our stickers and buttons were an instant hit but we were soon trumped by a box of bell’s that Don’s father-in-law handed out to all those who rode to school. We often refer to the ringing of a bike bell as a “random act of kindness”, so after dozens of kids got their hands on the incredi-bells there was an overwhelming wave of bicycle bell kindness in the repetitive sound of high-pitched ding-dings. After throwing a few bells on some bikes, we said good-bye to the kids and all those who helped make bike to school day a success and headed back to the shop.
BIKE BELLS!
Bike to Work Day
Just a day after bike to school day, we were off to help out with the festivities of the SB Bike Coalition and Traffic Solutions’ Bike to Work Day. WheelHouse was offered the incredible opportunity to setup and operate the bike valet and like any right-minded people we jumped at the opportunity. The day before the event the mobility coordinator of the city, Sarah Grant, came by the shop with a trunk full of fruit, water, and juice. While we helped her unload all the goodies, she picked up a few items from the WheelHouse inventory to raffle off at Bike to Work Day.
The following morning, we woke up at 5 a.m. and headed to the shop to start setting up. With help of Sarah Grant and two good friends, Eli and Rebecca, we loaded up the Dutch trike with all of the valet gear and a red Bakfiets with all the food and drink for the event and cruised over to State and De La Guerra. The event showcased a live band, great food, prize raffles, and of course bike valet. There was a solid turnout and we seemed to be parking and un-parking bikes consistently the entire time.
People love when they can cruise up on their bike, hand it off to be parked and come pick it up when they are done with their business, there is no need to hassle with finding a bike parking spot, locks, and potential theft. It seems it would be in the city’s best interest to include bike valet at all major events not only because it would encourage the use of alternative transportation but it would help relieve traffic congestion and SOV(Single Occupancy Vehicle) parking complications.
When all was said and done at 9 we packed up the valet service and headed back to the shop to open. Thanks to all that helped us with the valet and to those who helped make bike to work day a success. We’d like to thank our Jamis Rep Kip Byars for loaning us some sweet Jamis pop-up tents; they’ve been put to good use. Participating in the bike week events has been fun and informative, but one week isn’t enough. We need to celebrate the glorious bicycle every week of every year and explore the large-scale possibilities of bikes in Santa Barbara. We need to get away from looking at riding through the lens of “bike culture” and make all culture in and around this town include bikes. More bikes, more smiles, enjoy your ride.
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Posted May 13, 2009 by adminWheelHouse Shout Out!!
WheelHouse is now officially open for business and selling the latest and greatest in practical cycling gear. As we reflect on where we started, where we are, and where we want to go, we feel it’s necessary to give a couple shout-outs to those folks who were pivotal in the creation of WheelHouse. If, for some reason, you feel you should have received a shout out and didn’t, forgive us, call us, and we will personally thank you. We know this isn’t the Oscars, so please bear with us and hopefully we can run through the shout out list before we get booted by the generic “end your speech now” music.
Let’s begin.
We would like to give a shout out to our families, first and foremost. The Minogues/Jacksons/Guthies and the Wrights. Without your love, support, and help none of this would be possible. We are both extremely grateful and proud to have such wonderful families, we love you all.
Next, we’d like to give a shout-out to some friends, new and old. Thank you to all you guys at 231 Mansfield for putting up with our shenanigans last fall as we worked through our business plan. Thank you to our two current roommates, Jenn and Trevor for keeping the house on lock down. Thanks to the Bici Centro Crew (www.bicicentro.org) and specifically to Ed, Thomas, and Eli for helping us wrench together some sweet classic dutch and Jamis bikes and for keeping us sane through some of those long nights.
We’d also like to shout out the new proprietors of SB Pedi Cab (www.sbpedicab.com), Jim and Brittany. Thanks for all the advertising, merchandising, and labor help that you provided. We are stoked to know you both and believe you will make the Pedicabs in SB better than ever.
The next shout out goes to all of those people who helped with the business side of things. First, Evan’s wonderful grandma Barbara, thank you for keeping us on our toes with the business side of the business and for helping us sort through the numbers. Thanks to Kim and Warren Wileman for helping us put together our business plan and for pressure wash anything and everything around the store. Thanks to Pablo and Jimmi for painting the interior and exterior of the shop and for putting up the coolest art piece in SB. Thanks to Pete Ehlen for drawing up our building plans, to Brian and Cole for putting up with us and putting up our cash wrap and to Kip Byars for believing in our vision.
We’d like to give our final shout out to those in the industry who have taught us what we know, to Stu Hennessey at Alki Bike and Board (www.alkibikeandboard.com), to Sherry and Tim at Switchback Cyclery (www.switchbackcyclery.com), and to Stewart and Allison at Roll (www.roll-online.com) and Tony Hirsch, your hard work and knowledge have left a lasting impression on the both of us.
That ends the shout out blog entry. Que the music and roll the credits, or just check out the before and after pictures of the shop we’ve posted below. Thanks for reading and enjoy your ride.
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