| Once I left the detour behind and was back onto Lower Springboro Rd, it wasn't long before I made it to town. I started my search for 305 S. Main. I found it and turned onto the side street, going under a tent set up for some town festivities planned for the next day, and found myself at the shop. |
| Going in I met Justin, and we started talking a bit and looking around. This is the service area in the back. The owner, Gary, was with another customer, but as he passed me he asked if I was John, as he remembered my email of a couple of weeks before asking if they would be open. |
| I couldn't hold out any longer, and headed into the room where they display their flagship line, Gaansari. These are bikes designed by Gary, and currently built by a framebuilder in Ohio. The is their fixed gear, the Scorcher, and the picture doesn't do the colors justice. |
| This is the Flyer, a lugged steel all day rider. Again, thise pictures just don't sow the colors well. These are pretty bikes. |
| Gary's entry into the 29 incher MTB field, the Whirlwind. |
| On One Mary Bars on the Whirlwind. The shop has On One Midge, Mary and Mungo bars in stock, along with all sorts of other goodies, like Carradice bags, Nitto racks and bars, and of course, the more typical bike shop fare. |
| Hanging in the corner are the St. Clair (left), a 559 or 650B allrounder, and the Van Cleve (right) road bike. Gary, Justin and I talked for quite a while about all things bike. I had the chance to meet Gary's wife Jean and his kids Samantha and Henri. It has got to be great to work right next to your house in a family business. Justin hadn't seen the Quickbeam in person (Gary had at a show), and we went out to see it. The front tire had gone flat, so I pulled the wheel and we went in to change it out. It least I didn't embarrass myself changing it. (It also continued my string of getting flats in the best places possible) |
| While we were talking some more the UPS truck pulled up. The way Justin rushed out I knew something was up. With a big grin on his face, he brought back a bike box and disappeared into the back. A few minutes later he was back with his personal new frame, a scorcher with Fleur-de-lis lugs (like on the Flyer). |
| A detail of the fork. This was maybe the prettiest frame I saw there. He is going to get it built up and bring it to the International Fixed Gear Symposium in Michigan in August. Gary is getting the same frame in different colors which will also be there. After a bit more talk I realized I was probably taking up their lunch break (or their whole afternoon!). I bought a coveted Gaansari hat (in red), and paid for my new tube and set of for Xenia. |
| To avoid the construction detour, I tried riding eastward on Rt. 73. Big Mistake. High volume, high speed traffic, nearly non-existant shoulder. As soon as I could I went back south to my first route. Once back at the trail, I stopped in at the Corwin Peddler and had some water and a cherry slushy. Just the thing to calm the nerves after Rt. 73. Fianlly I headed back into Xenia. This photo is of crossing under the Rt. 42 Highway overpass heading north. |
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This was one of the best rides I've had this year. The trail is a great asset to the area, and that part of Ohio has a lot going for it already. Cycles Gaansari was a great shop, and meeting Gary, his family, and Justin was a genuine pleasure. I'm sure I'll be back again, and I'd urge anyone in the area to give them a visit and check out the wonderful bikes they are making. Finally, my Quickbeam was a joy to ride, even with squealing brakes. If I lived out there, I'm sure I'd push a bigger gear than what I use in my hills near home (40/17), but even so, life is pretty good.