Author Archives: Signature

Introducing: Rapha Grand Tour Shoes

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We are very excited to announce the launch of the Grand Tour cycling shoes from Rapha. Combining the best new technology with the finest shoe making craftsmanship, the Grand Tour shoes feature Easton EC90 carbon soles and hand cut yak leather uppers. Signature Cycles partnered with Rapha as the exclusive East Coast dealer for the initial launch of the shoes. They are available at our Manhattan studio and through our web store. Stock on the first run is limited to one of each size in each color, so act quickly.

For a closer look at the shoes, check out our video below:

Rapha Grand Tour Shoes from Signature Cycles on Vimeo.

Owner’s Survey: Zipp Firecrest Wheels

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101218-zipp-002As we mentioned in our recent review of Shimano’s new Ultegra wheelset, more so than any other component, upgrading your wheels can make a huge difference in the performance and ride quality of your bike. Wheel manufacturers are constantly striving to create the smoothest riding,  lightest, most aerodynamic wheel for professional racers and recreational enthusiasts alike.

Zipp Speed Weaponry has been pushing the boundaries of bicycle wheel aerodynamics since their inception in the late 1980’s. Their design goal is stated right in their name: Speed Weaponry, tools to make you faster. The development of carbon fiber technology has taken the bicycle wheel into new realms of performance, with Zipp leading the industry.

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Review: Shimano Ultegra 6700 Tubeless Wheelset

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ultegrawheels
If we deconstruct the bicycle as a machine down to it’s most basic elements, we are left with two wheels and a frame to connect them. When we examine the physical effort required to move a bicycle forward, air resistance, rolling resistance, weight of the bicycle and the rider, and the incline of the ground are all variables. The force required to spin the wheels is constant. So it comes as little surprise that cycling enthusiasts frequently look to their wheels when trying to extract greater performance out of themselves and their bike.

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Owner’s Survey: SRM Power Meters

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Cycling is an easy sport to get in to, but once initiated the pursuit of better fitness is never ending. The more we commit ourselves to the sport, the greater time commitment is needed to produce measurable gains. The calendar has just recently turned over and for most of us a new year means setting new goals. And, new goals often require a new method of tracking our progress.

Unlike heart rate, which can be effected by environmental conditions, power is considered the only absolute measure of performance and fitness on a bicycle. The German company SRM was the first to create a system of measuring power on a bicycle in real world conditions, outside of a lab. Today they remain the leader in the field, but new competitors enter the market every year.

Signature Cycles is the fourth largest SRM dealer in the United States and the largest brick-and-mortar retailer. For our second owner’s survey we reached out to our SRM PowerMeter users to find out their thoughts on the marquee bicycle power system.
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Shimano Di2 Owner’s Survey

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111206-Di2shifter-wpShimano Dura Ace Di2 is not the first group of bicycle components to utilize electrically powered shifting, many systems came before. It is not the first electronic group aimed at road racing, Di2 was preceded by a few notable, if underdeveloped attempts. The first Shimano press releases were met with reactions ranging from mild reservation to complete dismissal. Yet there was still hope that Shimano, with their hard earned reputation for reliability, could deliver a fully realized system that would be a true advancement in the bicycle drivetrain.
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Small Business Saturday Sale!

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This Saturday, November 26th, is the 2nd annual Small Business Saturday.  On this day, small businesses like ourselves receive a bit of the spotlight amidst all the doorbustin’ 24-hour-sale frenzy. Here at Signature Cycles, we thought that we would make a little event out of the day.

Stop by either our Manhattan or Greenwich location on Saturday, we will be offering an additional 25% off all Sale items. 2010 Capo Wind gloves, regularly $70 will be on sale for $35. In addition to the sale we will be serving holiday refreshments and might even find a festive movie to play.

We won’t make you jump through hoops, so no doorbusters, the sale will be available all day.

The Manhattan studio will be open from 10AM to 3PM.

Our Greenwich studio will be open from 11AM to 4PM.

Come join us! We hope to see you here.

NYC Bicycle Maintenance Clinic, Nov. 9th 6:30-8:00PM

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For those of you who missed our Greenwich bicycle maintenance clinic, we will be holding a New York City edition on Wednesday, November 9th from 6:30 – 8PM. The clinic will focus on familiarizing you with the regular maintenance points of your bicycle, what to look for, and issues that you can fix at home or on the road. Topics will include:

  • Monitoring tire wear, and how to change tires/tubes.
  • Proper chain lubrication, and the life expectancy of a chain.
  • Minor Derailleur adjustment, cable stretch and maintenance.
  • Maintaining your contact points: bar tape, pedal cleats, and saddle.
  • Changing brake pads for carbon or aluminum wheels.
  • How to use a torque wrench and why they are important.

… and of course, bring your questions.  Please RSVP with Jeff@SignatureCycles.com.

Signature Cycles NYC
Wednesday, November 9th 6:30PM

Electronic Shifting and The Custom Bicycle

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101211-shimano-005-wpIn many ways, we cyclists are trying to get back to the simplicity of when we first fell in love with cycling. The simplicity of that first single speed bike on which we learned to ride. All you had to think about was turning the cranks over and pointing the wheel wherever you wanted to go. The desire to get that feeling back is evident in the resurgence of the single speed bike in urban areas around the world. However, as our cycling aspirations increased, so did the need for a broader range of gearing. We had to learn a host of new skills, how to shift, when to shift, the most efficient cadence. We traded the simplicity for speed, comfort, and distance.

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