Winter Project: Women's Section!

Every Winter we try to find a big project for the store. Last year, we redid the floors in the service department and put in some really nice cabinet doors. This year, we've remodeled part of the store to make room for a women's specific section! Stop by the shop and check it out!

Spring Sale Sweepstakes: Enter To Win a $400 Gift Card!

Leading up to our Spring Sale on April 11-14th we will be having a Facebook sweepstakes. Click here to enter to win a $400 gift card to the shop!

Walt's Tallgrass Ambassador Team

This past year we launched our Walt's Bike Shop/Tallgrass Brewing ambassador team. The goal of the team was to bring promotion of cycling through involvement in events around Missouri. This included group rides, awareness and charity rides, races and even "party rides" such as the Pedaler's Jamboree. We believe that the team has succeeded in growing the sport over the past year and are looking forward to continuing in 2013.

Ambassadors accumulated over 200 hours of service at events such as The Pedaler's Jamboree, Bike MS, Froze Toes, the Monster Bike Bash, Rhett's Run MTB Race, the Walt's Breast Cancer Awareness Ride and many more.

In racing, Walt's Tallgrass ambassadors have seen plenty of time spent on podiums around Missouri and in surrounding states. We were even able to take home three state champion cyclocross jerseys!

In 2013, the we will continue to support local cycling through a variety of events. The team will again promote the CoMo Awesomo Cyclocross Race here in Columbia and will co-promote the Hairy Hundred Gravel Race and the CoMo Cyclocross Training Series.

Also in 2013, the team will continue to grow. We're proud to announce that this year there will be two tiers of membership including the Club Ambassador and Elite Ambassador levels. Feel free to stop by the shop for more information about joining the Ambassador Team!

Trek Domane, All Day Comfort in a Race Day Package

When Trek released the Trek Domane this spring, it upped the ante for any bike company that claimed to make a comfortable racing platform.  Through clever design Trek has made a bike that can smooth out even the harshest roads while still accelerating like only a pure-bred racing machine can. Designed to take aim at the mythical cobbled classics; Gent-Wevelgem, Ronde Van Vlaanderen, and Paris-Roubaix, the Domane is the first bike that can truly claim to deliver a vertically complaint/laterally stiff frame.

On first inspection the Domane appears to be no different from any other high performance carbon frame that is being produced these days.  Swoopy lines, futuristic shapes, and over sized tubes have come to define carbon bikes in the modern era. Over two years ago Trek went to the drawing board to create the "best in class" endurance road bike.  Trek was looking for the magical blend of comfort that would lend itself to the type of ride that went a couple of hours longer than intended, and the race performance that would allow the best athletes in the world to tear the legs off their competitors. To achieve this, Trek designed the Domane around the all new IsoZone dampening platform. IsoZone effectively separates the top tube/seatstay assembly from the seat tube, while not permitting any excess play or lateral flex.  This allows the seat tube to flex up to 30mm vertically, smoothing out any road imperfections to the rider while enabling the lateral stiffness to deliver a world-class sprint on demand.

After spending a bit of time on the Domane 6 series on the road Trek has produced a bike that delivers every one of its performance claims. A ride that would have normally left me beat up, instead left me fresh and ready for more. The Domane is so supple and smooth in the saddle but when I stood up to climb or throw in a hard acceleration it leapt forward without any hesitation or mushiness that comes from other endurance road bikes.  Without seeing actual numbers to back up my claim, the Domane even seems to rival if not completely out perform the Madone in lateral stiffness.

Bottom line is that if you are looking for a versatile road bike that loves to go longer and farther than look no further.  This bike was even raced to great success for the win at the Unofficial Gravel World Championships this season. The only rider who will be a little put off by this bike is the "slam that stem" crowd who can't get over a more upright headtube. The Domane will surely be the star of the year and with models ranging from $1400- 10000+ there will be a price point for every rider as well.  Look to see this bike on the top step of the podium for a while.

2013 Salsa Warbird - Another Arrow for your Quiver

Cycling is an ever evolving sport. It seems like every year there is a new discipline with a new type of bike with something unique that sets it apart from its predecessors. While gravel riding is in no way new (especially to Boone County) more people are starting to explore beyond their regular paved routes. Recently gravel has gained the status that, in my opinion, it deserves. With races like the Dirty Kanza 200, the Almanzo 100 and the Trans Iowa seeing huge participation numbers (the Kanza filled up 450 spots in under 3 hours this past year) it's clear that gravel roads are becoming more than just a means for putting in off-season miles. Last year in Missouri we saw the invention of The Cedar Cross, a 100 mile race taking place on a mix of trails and gravel just southeast of Columbia. Bob Jenkins, the event's promoter, had the idea for the race and expected just a few participants. What he got was a full-blown  gravel peloton with 120 racers on a wide range of bikes. The Cedar Cross returns May 4th, 2013. Making sure you have an appropriate bike to handle the rigors of Boone County gravel is paramount. Road bikes are fairly limited in choice of tire. Mountain bikes work well, but can be much slower than a more appropriate dedicated gravel bike. So what exactly is a dedicated gravel bike?

Introducing the 2013 Salsa Warbird.

One of the first in its class, the Warbird is a purpose-built gravel racing machine. With a lightweight aluminum frame that forgoes the usual rack mounts found on similar bikes, the Warbird is quick without sacrificing comfort. Salsa also offers the Warbird in a beautiful titanium frameset and complete bike. At the front end you'll find an ENVE CX carbon fork with superior tracking and stiffness. Avid mechanical disc brakes add a considerable amount of braking power that won't falter on those muddier days and a Shimano drive train offers smooth dependability.

The first thing you notice riding this bike is the wheelbase. The Warbird has a much longer wheelbase than your typical cyclocross bike which translates to a more stable feel over rougher terrain. Andy and I spent some time on Salsa's latest this past Summer in Utah. The bike was a blast on the fire roads and we even jumped onto some single track for a bit. The first time I swung my leg over the bike I was expecting the same feel as your everyday touring bike, but what I found was an awesome blend of comfort and speed.

One thing that I've always loved about Salsa is that almost all of their bikes can be used efficiently in a multitude of situations. The Warbird is a perfect gravel bike, a decent cyclocross bike and an ok commuter. I really think the bike could hold its own between the tape and over the barriers, but if you want to be a competitive cyclocross racer you'll be much happier on a more traditional cross frame. As a commuter, the lack of rack and fender mounts may have you getting to work in the morning wishing for something more along the lines of a Trek 520, Salsa Vaya or a more traditional hybrid.

Maybe you're a roadie that's used to long days in the saddle and would love some new roads to explore. Maybe you're a regular at Rock Bridge and Cosmo and want to jump in on some group rides when the trails are wet. Maybe you've got a training schedule that has you peaking for the Dirty Kanza. This bike was developed and tested in gravel races throughout the midwest, so what are you waiting for?

Thank You to our Customers!

Walt's would like to send out a special thanks to all of our great customers this holiday season. We had an awesome turnout at our customer appreciation night and hope that everyone had a good time! We'd also like to thank Trek, Salsa, Camelbak and Shimano for donating all the great prizes for our raffle. Be sure to check out some photos taken by Walt's Ambassador, Derek Fox here.

Custom Waterford R-33

We've had a beautiful Waterford R-33 frameset hanging in the shop for several years now and we finally found some time to build it up and give it a spin!

A custom R-33 frameset with perfectly tig welded steel tubing built up with SRAM Apex and a Bontrager RXL wheelset. This build offers up a reliable, smooth and high performing steel road bike. If you've ever been interested in high quality steel you should definitely come have a look.

Knob Noster Mountain Bike Race

Opossum Hollow Trail Mountain Bike Race in the Knob Noster State Park outside Warrensburg is now scheduled for December 2nd.   Due to heavy thunderstorms the first race date was cancelled.  Everyone please help us spread the word.   If you have any other questions about the race please contact Sgt. Jeremy M. Hall via email at  jh294@comcast.net or home phone number (660-687-0531) or you can visit their facebook page here.   It is an easy drive and an amazingly fun trail system.  The race is a fund-raiser for the local trail building association.

That Big Tire Bike in the Corner

Probably the biggest question asked by people in the shop is something along the lines of, "What's that big tire bike over there for?" In the past, answers have ranged from "snow bike" to "joke bike." It's easy to look at a fatbike and immediately decide that you'd never be able to use those tires in Missouri. And while we really don't get enough snow to warrant the purchase of a steed dedicated to the stuff, you should know that fatbikes aren't only for snow!

Fatbikes have evolved into something much more than what they were first intended for. While they really excel in loose conditions, they're also a blast on mountain bike trails.  Frank, the owner of Walt's built up a Surly fatbike a couple of years ago and has used it both on the gravel trails and singletrack in the area. He's also traveled all over the country riding in Nevada and California.

So what does a fatbike do that a mountain bike can't? Well nothing really, but it does a few things a lot easier. Picture Hinkson Creek this past summer. Dry as a bone and full of rocks the size of your foot or larger. Now if you're brave enough to get out in the nasty Missouri humidity you could practically use the creek as your own trail system. 3.7 inch or sometimes even 4.8 inch tires allow you to run them at much lower pressures which spreads the tire out over the terrain making it feel like it's floating over holes, rocks and roots.

We've had a few customers in the shop recently that have been looking for a bike to ride around their property. Fields can be filled with potholes, cow patties and big ruts left by tractors and trucks so a fatbike would be a great way to get around the property whether it be for exercise or to just check the fences. We've even heard of hunters using them as a means to get out to their tree stand, which is one of the reasons why Salsa is making a Mukluk in they very aptly named "You Can't See Me Green."

Fatbikes also make a great bikepacking vehicle. Don't know what bikepacking is? Well that's a whole other topic, so for now picture light weight bike touring over rough trails and terrain. Salsa is now making a rear rack specifically designed to fit around wide tires and Revelate Designs makes a wide range of packs that'll fit perfectly onto the frame. Load up all your gear and take off for a few days and explore some of the beautiful scenery that can be found in our national forests.

When all is said and done, fatbikes aren't for everyone. In fact, most people will be just fine with your everyday hard tail mountain bike. It takes an experienced mountain biker that is ready to explore new terrain and trails, someone that won't be discouraged by the lack of a beaten path. If you think this describes you, stop by the shop and see what we have in stock and if you're interested in trying out a fatbike keep an eye on our website and facebook page. Hopefully Salsa will be stopping through with their demo truck sometime soon!

BikeRadar gives Trek Domane 6.9 a perfect score!

Check out a great review of the Trek Domane 6.9 here. Then stop by the shop and check one out in person!

The speed and handling of a true super bike, with the glide of a cyclocross machine over the rough stuff. We tore through potholed country lanes in astonishing comfort. The feeling of being isolated from shocks with no adverse effect on pedalling action or steering deflection was uncanny, and the Domane was as fast uphill or on the flat as any superbike we’ve ridden. Even the handlebar has integrated IsoZone pads for further vibration reduction.