Premium Products 1948 CHROME Crank Set – Now in stock!

We have been stocking Premium Products’ 1948 Cranks for a while now and they are a super popular option with street riders. We have been waiting for the Chrome versions to show up (as have a number of our customers) and we are pumped that we finally got some shipping our way. These are the same as the regular 1948’s but with a sweet chrome finish to add a little more pimp to your ride. Designed to offer maximum stiffness, durability and bling, the Chrome 1948 BMX Crank Set features chromoly arms, a CNC machined sprocket interface and a 19mm hollow chromoly spindle. The name 1948 refers to the 19mm spindle and the 48 spline interface. Weighing in at 1.14lbs these are some light BMX cranks that will hold up to a beating. The 175mm crank arms are a good length for most riders and these are also left or right side drive compatible. Here are the chrome 1948’s in all their shiny beauty!

The Premium Products 1948 Chrome BMX Cranks are stiff, durable, LSD or RSD compatible and fully blinged out!

These are literally on their way to our Warehouse right now and we expect them to sell out fast, so get your orders in while you can. They will be available for online purchase with Free Shipping, and will also be available at select Erik’s Bike Shops (go to the product page and hit Find in Store to find who has them in stock). If you miss out on the Chrome 1948’s or if you want something a little less chromed, check out the regular 1948’s or the sweet 1948 combo which also includes a 25T or 28T sprocket. Premium Products makes a whole bunch of sweet BMX components (hence their name) that we carry in stock. Check out the whole selection here. If you have any questions about these cranks or anything else we carry at Erik’s shoot us an email.

Dahon Folding Bikes – Now in stock!

Do you love to ride but have very limited storage space? Would you love to bike commute to work but need to take a bus or train for a section of the trip? Do own a boat or an RV (or even an airplane) and want a way to enjoy your destination on a bike? Now we have the perfect ride for you. Here at Erik’s Bike Shop we are excited to announce we are now an authorized Dahon Folding Bikes dealer. Who is Dahon you ask? Dahon is a world renowned Folding Bike company who have been constructing these compact, folding 2 wheeled marvels for over 25 years! With all the knowledge and expertize they have acquired over that time, Dahon produces folding bikes that ride like regular full size bikes, but fold in under 15 seconds. Incorporating many patented and innovative technologies to ensure their bikes are simple to us, great to ride, durable and lightweight Dahon is pursuing their singular purpose of convincing more people to use environmentally sustainable forms of transport. That sounds great to us. Right now we are carrying the following models in stock:

	The 2012 Dahon S1 Folding Bike is the entry-level folding bike we are stocking from Dahon. The simple single speed drivetrain makes this a great option for riders who need a compact bike for cruising around town.
	The 2012 Dahon Eco C7 Folding Bike is the next step up in price. Incorporating a 7 speed drivetrain, the Eco C7 is a good option for riders looking to cover a little more distance or who live in a hilly area.
	The 2012 Dahon Mariner D7 Folding Bike is a frequent winner of folding bike shootouts. It features many of Dahon’s higher end technologies at an awesome price. 7 Speeds, Vise Grip Folding technology and Dahon’s sweet PostPump Seatpost (a seatpost that is also a pump) help make the Mariner one of their most popular bikes.
	The 2012 Dahon Mu P8 Folding Bike, built on one of their most popular platforms, is a star performer when it comes to value, performance and weight. A lightweight, custom drawn aluminum frame with Fusion and V-Clamp folding technologies make this a great option for the serious commuter with storage issues.
	If you are serious about riding, but need a folding bike, the 2012 Dahon Formula S18 Folding Bike is the ride for you. Super light, high-end components, premium folding technologies and an 18 speed Shimano Drivetrain make this folding bike a rocket ship on the streets.

We are carrying Dahon Folding Bikes in stock at our Dinkytown, St Louis Park and Roseville stores in Minnesota and our Madison Downtown Store in Wisconsin. Please contact the store to see which models they currently have in stock. Dahon Folding Bikes are also available for purchase online with Free Shipping. If you have any questions concerning Dahon Folding Bikes or any other products we carry at Erik’s Bike Shop please shoot us an email.

Lil Tuffy City Series Limited Edition Chrome Citizen Messenger Bags – In Stock!

In stock in select stores, and available for purchase online with Free Shipping, we are pumped to be stocking this new Limited Edition Run of Chrome’s Citizen Messenger Bag. For this series, Chrome collaborated with Lil Tuffy, a well known artist in the Rock Poster scene. Lil Tuffy and Chrome picked three of their favorite cities that support cycling and created a design for each one. Of course Minneapolis was one of those cities! The other two cities picked were Portland, OR and Austin, TX. Lil Tuffy did a great job on each design, not only making the bags look cool, but also effectively capturing the spirit of the cities too. Each bag is a limited run of 250 units and once they are gone, they are gone. Here are the designs with Lil Tuffy’s remarks:

Lil Tuffy’s vision of Minneapolis represented on a Limited Citizen Messenger Bag

Inspired by the American folklore figure Paul Bunyon and his companion, Babe the Blue Ox. Legend has it that Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes were formed by the pair’s footprints as they wandered blindly in a snow storm.

Lil Tuffy’s vision of Austin represented on a Limited Citizen Messenger Bag

I travel to Austin at least twice a year for SXSW and the Fun Fun Fun Fest. Even at my boarding gate in San Francisco, there’s always a guitar case or two — they’re ever-present in Austin and have become like the Samurai sword of Central Texas.

Lil Tuffy’s vision of Portland represented on a Limited Citizen Messenger Bag

Portland has become my home away from home over the past decade. I chanced upon the Chapman Swifts by accident and it was a pretty cool sight to behold and I think the community’s efforts to maintain the chimney for the Swifts embodies the Portland spirit.

If you like what you see, get yours before they are gone. Check out all the products we carry from Chrome here, and all the other versions of the Citizen Messenger Bag here. Any questions about these bags or anything else we sell at Erik’s, shoot us an email!

Bern Carbon Macon Helmet Review

Bern have been making killer helmets for years now, but they have really stepped up the game with their new Carbon Helmet offerings. Here at Erik’s we love all things Carbon Fiber, so we jumped at the chance to stock these sweet Carbon Fiber skate inspired helmets. Over the years Bern have dialed in the fit of their helmets with a number of technologies to produce some of the lightest, lowest profile, best vented and style loaded helmets in the industry. They took all that knowledge and expertise and added a hand wrapped carbon fiber shell to reduce the overall weight, increase durability and add stealth good looks. Here is our review of the Bern Carbon Macon Helmet:

The Bern Carbon Macon Helmet takes Bern’s awesome removable visor Macon EPS Helmet and replaces the outer ABS Plastic Shell with a hand wrapped carbon fiber shell for lower weight, increased durability and stealth looks!

Bern Carbon Macon Helmet

The Bern Carbon Macon Helmet is the best option for Skaters, BMXers, Urban Commuters, Snowboarders or Skiers who need (or want) a sick looking Carbon Fiber Helmet with a removable visor for protection from the sun. Constructed using Bern’s Thin Carbon Fiber Shell with EPS Hard Foam, the Carbon Macon sheds weight over the regular Macon helmets and also creates a more durable, “unbreakable” helmet. The expanded polystyrene hard foam interior provides high-impact protection and complies with CPSC, ASTM F 2040, EN1077B, EN1078 safety standards. The hand-wrapped carbon fiber exterior is lightweight and unbreakable and the matte finish lends the Carbon Watts stealth appeal. As with all Bern Helmets the most noticeable feature when you first put it on your head is the fit. Obviously it is impossible to make a helmet that fits everyone, but Bern has come pretty close. Not only does the Carbon Macon feel great on your head (or on mine at least) but thanks to their Sink Fit technology, it is a low profile helmet that does away with bulky looking helmets that sit on top of your head. Once the Carbon Macon is on your head, adjustments are easy thanks to the simple to use fit system that fine tunes the fit of the helmet to your head. In terms of the sizing of this helmet I would say it is right on with the size chart. I usually wear a medium helmet and fit in the medium comfortably but could also wear the Large with the fit system tightened all the way down. The Baseball Cap style removable visor is attached to the inner sweat soaking pad that runs round the interior of the helmet. Bern includes a non-visored version of this sweat pad, so if you want to roll visor free, just snap in the other pad set and you are good to go. With a second pad that spans the vents across the top of the helmet the fit feels snug, soft and secure. Adjusting the chin strap for security and comfort is easy with the Quick Release sliders to set the optimal strap configuration round your ears and the durable plastic chin buckle is easily adjustable and gives a secure snap once buckled. When you are dropping $200 for a helmet, it is the details that really matter and the included protective soft bag is a nice touch so you don’t scratch the helmet up throwing it into your car. On the subject of price, $200 is undoubtedly a lot for a helmet, but given that you drop around 8oz off the regular Macon helmet and gain durability, even if you didn’t get the sick carbon fiber looks, you are getting some real performance upgrades. In addition, keep in mind that as with all Bern Helmets, the Carbon Macon is an All Season helmet. This means with the purchase of Bern’s All Season Kit, you can turn this well vented summer helmet into a toasty warm winter helmet so you can continue rocking the awesomeness when the snow starts to fly. When it comes down to it, if you love the look and performance of the Bern Macon Helmet and you want something with maximum performance, minimum weight and killer stealth looks the Bern Carbon Macon is a great choice.

The Bern Carbon Macon is available for purchase online at www.eriksbikeshop.com with Free Shipping. If you have any questions about this helmet or any other products we carry at Erik’s, don’t hesitate to shoot us an email.

Bern Carbon Watts Helmet Review

Bern have been making killer helmets for years now, but they have really stepped up the game with their new Carbon Helmet offerings. Here at Erik’s we love all things Carbon Fiber, so we jumped at the chance to stock these sweet Carbon Fiber skate inspired helmets. Over the years Bern have dialed in the fit of their helmets with a number of technologies to produce some of the lightest, lowest profile, best vented and style loaded helmets in the industry. They took all that knowledge and expertise and added a hand wrapped carbon fiber shell to reduce the overall weight, increase durability and add stealth good looks. Here is our review of the Bern Carbon Watts Helmet:

Bern Carbon Watts Helmet

The Bern Carbon Watts Helmet takes Bern’s great fitting vented, visored EPS Helmet and replaces the ABS outer shell with a Hand Wrapped Carbon Fiber Shell

The Bern Carbon Watts Helmet is the best option for Skaters, BMXers, Urban Commuters, Snowboarders or Skiers who need (or want) a permanent visor for protection from the sun, and want the best head protection available. Constructed using Bern’s Thin Carbon Fiber Shell with EPS Hard Foam, the Carbon Watts sheds weight over the regular Watts helmets and also creates a more durable, “unbreakable” helmet. The expanded polystyrene hard foam interior provides high-impact protection and complies with CPSC, ASTM F 2040, EN1077B, EN1078 safety standards. The hand-wrapped carbon fiber exterior is lightweight and unbreakable and the matte finish lends the Carbon Watts stealth appeal. As with all Bern Helmets the most noticeable feature when you first put it on your head is the fit. Obviously it is impossible to make a helmet that fits everyone, but Bern has come pretty close. Not only does the Carbon Watts feel great on your head (or on mine at least) but thanks to their Sink Fit technology, it is a low profile helmet that does away with bulky looking helmets that sit on top of your head. Once the Carbon Watts is on your head, adjustments are easy thanks to the simple to use fit system that fine tunes the fit of the helmet to your head. In terms of the sizing of this helmet I would say it is right on with the size chart. I usually wear a medium helmet and fit in the medium comfortably but could also wear the Large with the fit system tightened all the way down. With a sweat soaking pad that runs round the interior of the helmet and another that spans the vents across the top of the helmet the fit feels snug, soft and secure. Adjusting the chin strap for security and comfort is easy with the Quick Release sliders to set the optimal strap configuration round your ears and the durable plastic chin buckle is easily adjustable and gives a secure snap once buckled. When you are dropping $200 for a helmet, it is the details that really matter and the included protective soft bag is a nice touch so you don’t scratch the helmet up throwing it into your car. On the subject of price, $200 is undoubtedly a lot for a helmet, but given that you drop around 8oz off the regular Watts helmet and gain durability, even if you didn’t get the sick carbon fiber looks, you are getting some real performance upgrades. In addition, keep in mind that as with all Bern Helmets, the Carbon Watts is an All Season helmet. This means with the purchase of Bern’s All Season Kit, you can make this well vented summer helmet into a toasty warm winter helmet so you can continue rocking the awesomeness when the snow starts to fly. When it comes down to it, if you love the look and performance of the Bern Watts Helmet and you want something with maximum performance, minimum weight and killer stealth looks the Bern Carbon Watts is a great choice.

The Bern Carbon Watts is available for purchase online at www.eriksbikeshop.com with Free Shipping. If you have any questions about this helmet or any other products we carry at Erik’s, don’t hesitate to shoot us an email.

Yakima DoubleDown Hitch Rack and Deadlock Deal

Buy any Yakima DoubleDown Hitch Rack and for a limited time get a free Deadlock Security system worth $50!

Check out this crazy deal we are currently running! We always have 10% off all of our Yakima gear we carry in stock, but for a very limited time we are also offering an extra promotion on the Yakima DoubleDown Hitch Racks. While supplies last we are giving you a free Deadlock Security system with the purchase of any Yakima DoubleDown Hitch Rack! That’s right, buy the DoubleDown 2, DoubleDown 4 or DoubleDown 5 and get a $50 Deadlock Lock system for free (while supplies last). That is on top of our every day 10% discount. The DoubleDown is an easy to use, durable bike rack that can carry up to 5 bicycles when hooked up to your 1 1/4 or 2 inch hitch receiver. How can you get yourself hooked up with this sweet deal you ask? Stop into your local Erik’s Bike Shop, choose the DoubleDown rack that will work best for you and when you complete the purchase, your friendly salesperson will hook you up with your free Deadlock system. If you can’t get into any of our stores, you can purchase your DoubleDown rack online at www.eriksbikeshop.com and we will automatically add the Free Deadlock to your cart. It doesn’t get any easier or better than that. Any questions about this awesome deal, call your local Erik’s Bike Shop or shoot us an email.

Erik’s Bike Shop Photo Sweepstakes

BLOOMINGTON, MN — Erik’s Bike and Board Shop is holding a spring in to riding photo sweepstakes on Facebook with a grand prize $500 Erik’s gift card. Erik’s is calling for all photo entries from May 7 – May 31, 2012.

Erik’s Facebook photo contest.

Simply upload a photo of you and your bikes overtaking your garage or storage area to the Erik’s Bike Shop Facebook CONTEST PAGE upload a photo and click submit. The entries with the most Likes during the June 1 – June 20 voting period will be qualified for great prizes.

Prizes are:
Grand Prize
Erik’s Bike and Board $500 gift card.
2nd Prize
Capo kit: Serie A mens or Modena Donna womens
3rd Prize
Tifosi Optics – winner’s choice of glasses.
4th Prize
Lezyne mini drive L.E.D. light built for night riding
5th Prize
BiKASE Handy Andy handlebar case for iPhone, Android and other smart phones. 15 winners.

With 19 prizes up for grabs there is a great chance at winning! Official Erik’s Bike and Board shop sweepstakes rules can be obtained HERE. Erik’s Grand Prize gift card can be used in any of our 18 store locations or on our e-commerce site.

Good luck and we hope to see some great photo’s of hostile bike takeovers!