Opinion by Richard Belson

The other day, I was poking around one of the more popular Facebook groups where bicycle mechanics get together to swap ideas, opinions and ask advice, and someone posted this questions: “What do you do to keep customers out of your shop area?”

By Matt Eames

Ashland has a well-deserved reputation as a great spot to mountain bike. The trails in the Ashland Watershed and on USFS land can be accessed right from town. Ashland and the entire Rogue Valley tends to fly under the radar when the discussion turns to skinny tire riding. I really enjoy long bike rides. On or off road; flat, rolling or climbing heavy- I like them all. One of my favorite routes covers most corners of the beautiful Rogue Valley. If took me a few riding seasons and some insight from co-workers to piece this route together. Starting in Ashland the route will take you through orchards and vineyards as well as some of the cool historic towns in Southern Oregon. There are plenty of spots to stop to enjoy a mid-ride coffee, top off your bottles, or meander through the streets to check out some local shops. You might get a few funny looks if you're rocking the lycra, but the views and fresh air are often worth it!
If you come to one of our classes, you can pick the instructors' brains for where you might be able to ride for shorter, longer, dirt, or a higher elevation route. 

It sort of feels like he never left…

Jeff Menown started with us in Ashland after years of industry-level experience in product develpoment, and then moved to Portland when he and Steve were charged with running the new campus in 2009.

Here at UBI, we’ve been teaching folks how to build bicycle frames for decades. It’s one of the coolest things any cyclist could ever do for themselves, and is also an amazingly challenging, rewarding career path.

Every time we teach a frame class, the instructor builds a demonstration frame to allow students to see the next step, and pick up helpful tips and techniques along the way.

Periodically, however, even the most seasoned of frame builders can struggle to find inspiration when charged with building 10-12 frames per year with no specific rider in mind – so, often, the teachers will reach out to other staff members for ideas – which that UBI staffer then gets to integrate into their personal quiver.

This is the first in a series of articles detailing one such bike – each inspired by one key unusual component for the entire build.
The Roller Cam Brake.