It's that time of year again! The Tempo & Timmy Time Trials start in March. If you have never been to these events, they are a blast. Ten miles against the clock in one of the most rider friendly neighborhoods in Sarasota. The group parks at the Tempo Cyclery bike shop at 5140 Palmer Plaza Blvd, Sarasota. From there it is a short ride to the race start at the corner of Palmer Ranch Parkway and Honore . The Individual Time Trials begins at 6pm. You might want to arrive a little early so you can sign the insurance waiver and get a numbered sticker for your helmet so they can track your speed. Then you simply line up and go. After the race, riders return to Tempo for the all important after race beers. The Tempo & Timmy Time Trials will now be held on the last Thursday of each month. The dates are as follows (Weather permitting): * March 27th * April 24th * May 29th * June 26th * July 31st * August 28th The races will take place in cases of rain but w...

Personability is everything, especially when it comes to bike shops. In our internet obsessed society the modern store front is faced with a multitude of challenges. Each day dozens of websites announce a new sale, promising the lowest possible prices and free shipping. Add to this the bidding wars on Ebay plus the digital yard sale known as Craigslist and it has to make you wonder how any bike shop can keep their doors open. This gets us back to that personal touch. Since bike shops are in a losing struggle with online retailers, they have to make up for it in other ways. Their top three weapons are quality service, location and personability. At their September grand re-opening I got a chance to talk to Tempo Cyclery's owner and see their new shop. My question was, have they achieved the trifecta needed for further success? Store owner Julian Angus jr Enthusiasm can be infectious. When you are talking to a true cyclist, passion bleeds through every word. At th...

The folks from Tempo Cyclery dodged the rain yet again to put on another fun Time Trial down the beautiful  second stretch of Honore Rd in Sarasota, Florida. 61 riders gave their all in this monthly 10 mile fun race that tests an athletes top end speed plus their ability to accept pain and afterwards consume beer. The usual mix of unusual rides livened up the field with everything from the high tech Time Trial bikes, a score of road bikes, my own Mountain Bike and even a classic Tandem. The attendees themselves were an even more eclectic mix of personalities ranging from elite cyclists and triathletes to recreational riders and even a few BMXers. Both genders and all ages were represented as the watch clocked everyone's best efforts. The atmosphere remained light and jovial as ever. The guys from Tempo Cyclery stepped up their precautions by having riders sign a waiver at the start of festivities, better safe than sorry. Each person was assigned a number and...