My Kit
Photo By Novo Studio
Name: Will Keener, Fort Smith
Occupation: Preschooler
Age: 3 3/4 years
On The Bike: “Mommy and Daddy gave me my bike for Christmas. I fuel up with Goldfish and juice before my rides. I like to ride with my light saber in my hand and light it up. I like to ride with my sister, Emme, and Mommy and Daddy.”
Where I Ride: “The first time I rode my bike, dude, it was AWESOME! I like to ride in my driveway and the street in front of my house. It’s a little hard and sometimes I fall over, but I brush it off and get back on and ride. I want to learn to do flips on my bike!”
My Dream Ride: “If I could ride anywhere, I would ride to outer space. I would see Chip and Dale, Martian Mickey and Astronaut Pete.”
The Kit: Youth helmet is from Carr’s Chain Reaction in Russellville. R2-D2 shirt courtesy of Lucasfilm LTD. Blue high-top sneakers from Vans.
The Bike: Strider Classic Balance Bike. See striderbikes.com for a local retailer.
My Kit
Photo By Novo Studio
Name: Mike Abb, Bentonville
Occupation: Director of Arts and Entertainment, Abboriginal Productions
Where I Ride: “I ride all the time, both for transportation and recreation. I’m found mostly in Benton County and downtown Bentonville. That’s the beauty of Bentonville: You have awesome urban trails laced throughout the city, which allow you to have fun, exercise and travel all in one.”
Why I Ride: “Riding the bike has been a solution to so many needs. Getting from point A to B efficiently and sustainably, fitness, mental health—the older you get the more important being in good health matters. The bike is very forgiving on the body compared to running, weight lifting or some sort of crossfit. You think a lot on the bike, and those moments when your blood is moving and you are passing through the forest and see the earth at a rapid pace triggers new thoughts and observations, which have been remarkably beneficial to me.”
The Playlist: DJ Cam, Will Sessions, Mux Mool, j. rawls
The Bike: Trek Superfly SS
The Kit
Check Your Head: POC Sports makes a full line of helmets for on- and off-road action, with its Octal series providing great comfort and ventilation along with great protection. $240, pocsports.com.
Phone, Ears And Eyes: Mike’s battery phone case from Mophie provides heavy-duty screen protection and added juice while his Marley headphones provide the perfect music listening experience. And the sunglasses? “Cheapies, no brand,” says Mike. Case: $59.95-129.95, mophie.com; Headphones: $29.99, thehouseofmarley.com.
Pack It In: Biking to work doesn’t mean leaving anything at home with the Range Backpack from Incase. Unbeatable protection for laptops and other electronics, plus a locking pocket make this a secure, convenient way to tote whatever it is you need to get through the workday. $149.95, incase.com.
Something Handy: Get a grip on your ride with gloves from Giro. With a product line designed specifically for road bikers, you can go high-end with the Proof or go easier on the pocketbook with the Jag—with models at all price points in-between. $20-$80, giro.com
Let There Be Light: Traffic can’t help but see you when you’re packing this 400-lumen front and rear light kit from Cygolite. The Metro 400 is perfect for commuters sharing the road. $84.95, rei.com.
Keep Warm, Look Cool: Cold air and rain are no match for the Stretch Rainshadow Jacket from Patagonia. This lightweight jacket won’t slow you down, but it will keep you dry and snug no matter the weather. $229, patagonia.com.
Freshen Up Your Ride
Photos By Brian Chilson
GPS Made Compact
Why not give your ride a fresh start with a new GPS unit so you can track all those miles you’re about to tackle? The Garmin Edge 25 is tiny (40x42x17mm) and light (30g), but provides all the distance, speed, elapsed time and elevation information you’d ever want. Load preset course into it and take off — this little gem will lead you the right way and give turn warnings. $199.99
garmin.com
Fresh Tires, New Roads
Want to get back out on the road with a new set of tires? Of course you do, and these Grand Prix 4 tires from Continental are just the thing. These sturdy tires provide ample protection from flats while the soft rubber and deep tread make for comfortable riding and good road grip. $74.99
continental-tires.com/bicycle
Fear no Flat
Don’t let spring cleaning leave you flat. Durable, inexpensive and indispensable, having a few spare tubes like these from Bontrager on hand is one of the easiest ways to make sure you can get on the trail quickly no matter what. $7.99
trekbikes.com
Handlebar Must-have
The joy of this handlebar tape from Bontrager is that it won’t break while stretching, ensuring a great, tight fit. Good vibration dampening is an added bonus. $19.99
trekbikes.com
Cleaner and Degreaser
Make last year’s collected dirt and road grime a distant memory with this non-corrosive, non-flammable cleaner from Simple Green made specifically for bikes. Use it on metal, rubber, plastic and painted surfaces without fear — the only damage this aerosol is going to do is to the dirt. $15.99
simplegreen.com
Space-age Chain Lube
Think all chain lubes are created equal? Think again. This polymer-based lube from Dumonde forms a self-lubricating plastic coating slipperier than Teflon — perfect for getting road bikes ready to roll. $11.99
dumondetech.com
Scrub Down
This four-piece brush kit from Park Tool is made specifically for bicycles, and includes brushes for cleaning gears, a soft bristle soaping brush, tapered detail brush and a combination cleaning sponge/bristle brush. $21.99
parktool.com
Bike Repair Kit
This handy custom kit comes standard with any tune-up package. From a basic bike tweak to a complete tear-down and rebuild, there’s a plan just right to get your ride road-ready for warm weather. Free with service package.
chainwheel.com
