Gran Fondo Suggests

We will once again start our Tuesday night, Super Beginner Ride Series on April 22nd. We will offer these rides every other week always beginning at 6:00 PM from the back of Percy Warner Park, the entrance just off Chickering Road. These rides are designed for individuals who need work on gearing, riding in a group, getting comfortable on their bike, and anyone looking for a few friendly faces to pedal with. So mark your calendars: our dates will be April 22, May 13, May 27, June 10, June 24...

One of the most frequent questions that we are asked at Gran Fondo Cycles is whether we will do a bike fit for a bike that was not purchased from our store. The good news is that Yes - we will be glad to help you out with a bike fit if you are in need.

At Gran Fondo Cycles we see that strong cycling clubs are vital part of our cycling community. We have been very excited to watch the formation and growth of a brand-new cycling club in Nashville, the Potenza Cycling Club.

Recently Travis Werts and Vida Greer traveled to Bishop, California to compete in the Mt. Everest Challenge, an event billed as THE HARDEST TWO DAY U.S.C.F. RACE. With the spirit of the "Death Rides" and the dramatic scenery of the Eastern Sierra, this unique event combines a U.S.C.F. (United States Cycling Federation) race AND a non-timed / non-competitive ride (for tourists / randonneurs). So you are asking, "Why call it the Everest Challenge?" Well, the name comes from the 29,500 feet of climbing woven into the 200 mile event (yes, the vertical heigth of Everest...)

A lot of customers who are visiting a variety of bike shops in their pursuit of the perfect bike ask us questions similar to “What size bike equates to a Large?” or “If you measured me as a 57, is that the same as a Large?” Well, there’s no short answer here.

Have you ever considered that bicycles can be a lot like wines in that the person who appreciates each can be linked to far off places through the association with the birth, the history and the "terroir" of the bicycle?

One of the number one questions we answer on a daily basis is "Do I really need a custom bike?" We love this question because it gives us a chance to do what we do best - help a buyer find the bike that is perfect for them!

We know every cyclist who frequents the roads in Williamson and Maury counties has a special place in their heart for the little hill affectionately called Theta. We set out to create a ride that incorparates as many climbs of Theta or the adjacent ridges as possible, excluding a few dog gauntlets and some gravel...

Gran Fondo recemmends riding your bike throughout Williamson County and beyond, being sure to take in the interesting sights along the way. Someone in our shop is especially taken with riding past Witt's End, a miniature donkey farm, loacated along Pewitt Road, left off South Harpeth, near the bottom of backbone Ridge.

Visitors to Nashville often call to ask about great routes in our area. We love to point visitors to Bicycling Middle Tennessee: A Guide to Scenic Bicycle Rides in Nashville's Countryside (Paperback) by Glen Wanner and Ann Richards. These two local cyclists have done a wonderful job of capturing some of Nashville's great rides in this book. We keep a stock in the store, but out of town visitors might want to order a copy through amazon.com or their local bookseller prior to visiting.

O.K., so riding 100 miles in under 4 hours is not enough of a challenge for you - try doing it on a tandem... Read Jeff B.'s stoker's report from the Sunrise century in Clarksville, TN.

Looking for a great ride? Check the HBC website. There's a ride most every weekend for riders at a variety of levels.