MOB Cyclocross Re-cap

Good morning everyone,

The 2007 North Carolina fall Cyclocross series has come and gone. The Mock Orange Cross Syndicate, consisting of Charles von Isenburg, Darryl Rains, Jared Roy, Chris Ramm, Bill Stein, Jay Cox, Chip Duckett, James Frinak, and Mark Jordan, had a great time this season and came up with some good results in the process.

Charles ended the season with a fifth spot in the overall Masters 35+ category. Charles has long known and appreciated the splendor of cross racing in the fall and is a great supporter of the sport. One of the best bike handlers around, Charles places consistently in the top ten in a very competitive masters field.

Darryl also had a great season, locking down a third place in the overall in the Master 45+ category. Darryl brings to the Syndicate just the right balance of grit, strength, and humor to battle it out with some of the regions most established and tactically sound cross racers. He regularly finishes in the top three in this category and coming from an extensive road background, seems to have found a new love in cyclocross.

Jay finished up the series with an overall third place in the CX3 category. Also coming from a road biking background of sorts, Jay really enjoyed cyclocross this season and is already looking forward to the winter series.

Jared Roy, new to North Carolina from Colorado, is the Master 35+ series champion! Jared is a guy who takes his cross very seriously and we are super pleased that he is on board with the Syndicate. As previously stated, the Masters 35+ field is one of the most competitive fields out there and to win the series is no small feat. Jared had to withstand a virtual onslaught from several key guys week in and week out to pull through with the series victory. This sort of consistency exemplifies what it takes to not only be competitive but to come out on top in the end. Way to go Jared!

There is also a team competition in the NC series in which the MOB finished fifth. This would not have happened without all members of the MOB Cross Syndicate coming out on the weekends and racing their bikes.

Thanks to all you guys!For more information on the fall and winter cyclocross series please visit www.nccyclocross.com.

MOB Holiday Crossmas Party and Crossmas Ride!

Hello Friends,

Good afternoon. We hope you all are all well and are having a great time gearing up (pardon the pun) for the holiday season!

We would like to announce the first MOB Holiday Crossmas Party! This event will serve two purposes: 1) a customer appreciation holiday party, and 2) a way for the cyclocross enthusiast to stave off withdrawal symptoms between the fall and winter cross seasons in North Carolina. The Holiday Crossmas Party will feature light hors d'oeuvres and refreshments as well as some sweet Cyclocross action on the big screen! That is correct, we will be featuring some awesome cross racing on the big screen here at the MOB. The Holiday Crossmas Party will take place from 5-7 pm on Thursday December 20. We will see you then! It is going to be fun.

The second annual MOB Crossmas ride will take place on Wednesday, December 26. This is a great ride. We will meet at the shop at 1 pm and ride out to Tanglewood Park. Once we get to the park, we will ride the singletrack trails out there and then return home. Those that meet at the shop can plan on about a four hour jaunt. Another option for those who would like to skip the road section is to meet us out at the park at 2 pm. We will meet at the main trailhead near the soccer fields. The trails out there a really good and are especially fun on the cross bikes, but of course mountain bikes are welcome. We're looking forward to this ride for sure!

Thanks and we'll see you soon!

The new MOB socks are available!

The new Mock Orange socks are here! Wool, argyle, high cuff, what's not to like? These babies are available now just in time for the holidays. Did someone say stocking stuffer?

Thanks!

Introducing MOB cycling caps!

Check out the new MOB cycling caps! Arriving just in time for the season of giving, these caps are stylin' and of course they are very functional. These are excellent stocking stuffers for the biking enthusiast(s) in your life. Quantities are somewhat limited for this first run, so don't delay in swinging by the shop to grab a couple for the holidays!

Thanks!

Piedmont Flyers Thanksgiving Road Ride and Bikes for Kids

Commemorate the season this Thursday with the 3rd annual Piedmont Flyers Thanksgiving Day Road Ride! This casual pace road ride will leave the Lewisville Square at 9 am for about 40 miles worth of fresh air. There is also a shortcut option available for those that have to get home a little earlier to carve the turkey. This will be a great way to get psyched up for some serious feasting later in the day.

Also, as the holidays are upon us it is time once again to think about the very worthwhile "Bikes For Kids " program put on by the Piedmont Flyers. This is basically a "bike drive" that raises money for kid's bikes for children in the area that otherwise may not be able to obtain a new set of wheels. It is the season for giving, and the Flyers are in the process of taking donations to once again make this a memorable year for as many children as possible. For more information visit http://www.piedmontflyers.com/ or give us a call at the shop.

Thanks and we'll see you soon!

MOB Saturday Training Rides

Friends,

Hello to everyone. Hope all is well where you are.

We wanted to remind everyone that the Saturday road training rides have begun. The ride leaves the shop promptly at 11 am and returns around 2 in the afternoon. The average pace for this ride is around 17 mph, which is great for aerobic base building. Led by at least two MOB Cycling team members, this is a ride where no one gets dropped and everyone is sure to enjoy themselves. So put the Saturday MOB training ride on your schedule. This is a great way to log some miles with some nice folks and enjoy some good fresh air on Saturday.

Thanks and we'll see you soon!

Saturday Training Rides and Cross Baby!

Friends,

Good morning. What nice weather we are having here! This coming weekend should be awesome.

This is a reminder that the MOB Saturday training rides begin this week. This road ride will leave the shop at 11 am and return around two in the afternoon. The rides will be led by MOB cycling team members and the average speed will be 17 mph. We are really looking forward to beginning these rides this year. This is a great way to keep those pedals turning over in the cooler months when motivation can sometimes wane a little bit. These rides are at a good steady 17 mph for three hours so come prepared, but certainly no one will be dropped. We are looking forward to seeing you all for a ride this Saturday.

For those of you interested in mixing it up a little bit this time of year, head on down to Southern Pines on Sunday for round four of the NC Cyclocross series! We are right in the middle of cross season and it is so fun. The MOB Cross Syndicate is having a blast this year and coming up with some good results in the process (but most importantly having a good time). You can keep up with the action here: http://www.nccyclocross.com/. The members of the syndicate are: Chip Duckett, Charles von Isenburg, Darryl Rains, Chris Ramm, Jared Roy, Jay Cox, Bill Stein, and Mark Jordan. Keep an eye on these fine fellows; for this is a special group indeed! So, again, the series heads to Southern Pines this weekend, followed by the NC UCI event in Hendersonville the next. If you have time on Sunday, come on out to the cross race. There is a category for everyone and the racing is very spectator friendly. This is truly a great way to spend an autumn afternoon. Hopefully we will see some MOBers out over the next few weeks!

Thanks and we’ll see you soon!

Heart Healthy Pedal Push/Amended Training Ride Schedule

Friends,

Good morning! I hope you are all well and enjoying this nice autumn weather. Thanks to everyone who came out for the final weekend of Mocktoberfest. A lot of fun was had by all and we are already looking forward to next year! You can view pictures from the third sort of annual “Cyclocross Jamboree” at http://www.mockorangebikes.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=13.

This coming Saturday, November 3 is the High Point Regional Health System Heart Healthy Pedal Push! This is a great ride that begins and ends at the Fitness Center at High Point Regional Health System. Rodney Simpson, an esteemed member of the MOB Cycling Team, has worked very hard to promote and put on this ride this year, so it is going to be great. There is a 30 mile and a 50 mile option, both beginning and ending at the Fitness Center which is located at 601 N. Elm Street in High Point. The ride begins at 9:30 am and will be held rain or shine. You can register online at www.givetohighpointregional.com or www.active.com. If you have any questions about this great ride call or come by the shop. This ride will serve as the MOB training ride for this week, so head on over to High Point on Saturday morning for the Pedal Push!

Speaking of the MOB training rides, we have amended the schedule a little bit. The training rides moving forward through the cooler months will be on Saturday at 11 am. Due to schedule conflicts with other events (the NC Cyclocross series for one, www.nccyclocross.com) Saturdays, rather than Sundays, seem to be a little more agreeable for the MOB road rides. So the rides have been moved to Saturday, beginning Saturday, November 10, at 11 am. These will three to four hour training rides in the 16-19 mph range, and will be led by members of the MOB Cycling team. When the weather is cool out there, there is nothing like a group of like-minded folks to help the motivation. So again, beginning Saturday November 10 the winter training rides will begin at 11 am. We’ll see you then!

Thanks and have a great day!

Pics from the Cyclocross-dress Jamboree

The pics have started coming in from this year's edition of the Cyclocross-Dress Jamboree... More to come...
Jamboree Pics

Cyclocross-dress Jamboree and Off-Season Training Ride This Weekend!

Friends,

We hope you are all enjoying this nice mild autumn we are having here and have been able to take advantage of it! This weekend is the one we have all been waiting for, the grand finale of Mocktoberfest: the third sort of annual Cyclocross-dress Jamboree and Training Season kick-off ride!

This unique and prestigious event is a celebration of cyclocross and Halloween all at the same time. This year’s derby will take place on Saturday evening, October 27. We will meet at the shop at 7:30 for the pre-race meeting and warm-up. The course will be open for previewing at 8:45 with the official race starting at 9:00 pm. This event is as much a spectacle as it is anything and the only stipulation upon entering the “race” is that one must be costumed for Halloween. We are looking forward to seeing you all this Saturday at 7:30!

Switching gears a little bit, the following day is your opportunity to start the off-season with a bang! We will begin our off-season road rides on Sunday, October 28 at 1 pm from the shop. These rides will be three to four hours in length and will be at a steady “training” type pace, in the 17-19 mph range. They will be held each Sunday through the fall and winter and will be led by members of the MOB Cycling Team. To commemorate the beginning of the “training season” Charles will be preparing his famous bratwurst hot off the grill, complete with beverages and all the trimmings, for riders upon their return to the shop. This will be a spectacular way to close Mocktoberfest for the year as well as begin the training season, so do not miss this great autumn ride.

Thanks and we’ll see you this weekend!

Mocktoberfest, part 2

Friends,

We hope you are all enjoying this late season warm weather we are having and have been able to take advantage of it with some biking! Mocktoberfest has been a smashing success so far. Thanks to everyone who came out to “Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day” at the Children’s Home last weekend. It was a great day and fun was certainly had by all!

The second half of “Mocktoberfest” promises to be just as exhilarating as the first half. Here is an itinerary:

October 14: MTB Ride at Dark Mountain, 2 pm
Meet the MOB crew at the visitor’s center at Kerr Scott Dam Park in Wilkesboro. This will be a great afternoon of off-road biking that you’ll not want to miss! Call the shop for details and directions.

October 20: Cyclocross Clinic at Hanes Park 12-2 pm
Join MOB ‘cross rider Darryl Rains at Hanes Park at 12 noon for a nice ‘cross session. This clinic is for beginners and experienced cyclocross riders alike, and will cover the basic techniques of the sport. The afternoon will also feature several Kona demo ‘cross bikes for all to enjoy. There will also be a post clinic ride that will be very enjoyable.

October 27: 3rd semi-annual Cyclocross-dressing Jamboree at the MOB
Pre-Race meeting and warm up – 7:30 pm
Race – 9 pm

October 28: First off-season training ride with beer and brats upon return.
Start the off-season with a bang! We will begin our off-season road rides on Sunday, October 28 at 1 pm from the shop. These rides will be three to four hours in length and will be at a steady “training” type pace. They will be held each Sunday through the fall and winter and will be led by members of the MOB Cycling Team. To commemorate the beginning of the “training season” Charles will be preparing his famous bratwurst hot off the grill, complete with beverages and all the trimmings, for riders upon their return to the shop. This will be a spectacular way to close Mocktoberfest for the year as well as begin the training season, so do not miss this great autumn ride.

Thanks and we’ll see you soon!

Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day; final "Tuesday Night Special" party

Hello friends,

This is a quick reminder about this coming weekend’s “Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day” and next Tuesday’s “Tuesday Night Special” rider appreciation night and sale.

The first event in our “Mocktoberfest” celebration will take place this Saturday. We will be commemorating “Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day” out at The Children’s Home in Winston-Salem, located at 1001 Reynolda Road from 11 am to 3 in the afternoon. This is a day that basically is set aside on the calendar to grab a kid and hit the trail! Originally this day was put together as a way to honor Jack Doub, a local young mountain biker who passed away suddenly several years ago. It has gained momentum and grown into a national observance and is a lot of fun! All are welcome, burgers and dogs will be provided compliments of Jay Doub. All we ask are that participating kids rsvp via info@mockorangebikes.com or by calling the shop at (336) 722-6678, as limited bikes and helmets will be available. Feel free, though, to bring your own and ride some bikes with the MOB crew! CycleSafe.org will be on hand with kids helmets for sale for $5. Of course, we could always use some volunteers, so if you’re interested in helping out let us know. Our normal mountain bike ride will leave the shop at 9:30, and will end at The Children’s Home for this event. We will not have a road ride this week. We’re looking forward to Saturday, so we will see you then!

“Mocktoberfest” continues this coming Tuesday with our season concluding “Tuesday Night Special.” The ride will be followed by a “Rider Appreciation Night” party on the porch of the MOB. Since our daylight hours have been lessening by the day, the ride will leave from the shop promptly at six o’clock. It is probably a good idea to bring a rear flashing light for this evening ride. As for the Rider Appreciation celebration, we will convene post-ride on the veranda at the MOB to enjoy each other’s company and the nice fall weather. As an added bonus, we will have some clothing super-specials going on. By that we mean that there will be some great deals on various articles of biking clothes. These deals are one time only and are “first come first serve” in nature. We will also provide some nice refreshments. We are really looking forward to this. We have had lots of fun with the Tuesday Night Special this year, and this will be a great way finish out the season!

All of our previous model year bikes are on major sale this month for “Mocktoberfest,” so if you are in need of some wheels this is a great time to take action.

See you soon!