Some Taj bikes are popping up on the internets today. Above is our team rider Leif shooting around the curved wall ride out at Sea Otter.
We built the Taj to be a bike you can comfortably sit down and cruise on but also have some BMX fun. It combines the simple toughness of a BMX bike with the ability to go for a cruise too!
Getting a new bike is awesome! It’s hard to resist smiling sitting on a brand new machine with everything working perfectly and smoothly. However, that perfection may be short lived. I always warn friends when they pick up a new bike that things will settle, stretch and seat into place after a couple weeks of riding. This shouldn’t leave you feeling like you bought a crappy bike, it’s just a natural part of the break in process. It’s important to have a tune up after a little riding time. A handful of properly done minor adjustments will set your bike on the right track for a good long while. Resident mechanic Leif wrote a little bit on some things you should expect and keep an eye out for. Enjoy that new bike!! –Taj
You got your dream bike! You’re riding it everyday and in a true rom-com like bliss, pedaling everywhere together, staying the night in your room… you truly love each other! BUT after a few weeks the spokes start to ping, chain goes slack, headset loosens, and brakes are-a-squealing. It seems like your bike may be saying something to you. Is it already time to breakup? No! You need a tuneup sandwich!
Take your bike to your favorite shop (the one you bought it at!) and get it dialed in. The initial break in miles you put on your new machine let all the parts get to know each other and therefore may be in need of some fine tuning. A critical time that lays the foundation for your very bike existence! Often shops offer a no charge or reduced charge going-over of bikes they sell to keep you and your bike happy.
These are some of the points of attention covered in a tune up, all stuff you may also want to learn to do yourself one day. Knowledge is power to help your everypedal!
Racks are an awesome addition to a bike. If you`ll be hauling more weight than you could comfortably get into a back pack or if you just want to keep your shirt dry having a cargo rack to carry your stuff is a great solution. Once you have a rack installed there is a whole world of cool pannier bags to carry stuff in AND you can use the Fairdale Skaterack.
One of the things we have always been a bit obsessed with at Fairdale is tire quality. It’s such an easy thing to cut corners on (pun!) when you are designing a bike because most consumers do not buy bikes based on tires. On the test ride around the bike shop parking lot tires do not have much to prove so you’ll find a lot of nice bikes with really crappy stock tires installed. However, when you get the bike home tires quickly become a make or break component. Cheap tires that flat easily will bum anyone out. More expensive tires with flat protection might not help us move bikes off the bike shop floor, but they will help you enjoy your bike more often with less headaches. Here’s a short little tire primer from Leif.
Tired Tires Should Retire
Everyone who rides a lot ends up wearing out parts. Tires have a varying lifespan depending on how many rad skids you do and how many burnouts you have while trying to break 400ft segment Strava records.
