The Wheel Deal

Biking is BIG here in Upstate New York, in the summer. When we travel, we often come across bike trails and special bike paths for bicyclists. And, the Ride for Missing Children is located in my area– 100 bicyclists travel 100 miles across Upstate New York, raising money and awareness for the tens of thousands of children that go missing every year in the United States. We had our own tragedy in my community several years ago, when a little girl was abducted and murdered. That was how the local unit for the Ride for Missing Children formed. These bicyclists ride right past my home on their way to various schools and government buildings.

So with spring finally here, we’re all breaking out the bikes again! If you are in need of a better or new bike, check out another small-town phenomena– XYZBikes.com. This is a business based in California, but what a business! It started up when John Vanhara of Torrance, California, wanted to find an inexpensive, well-built cruiser bike. He couldn’t find one. So he built one himself. He built more, and a year later, business was booming. Vaharra’s business, named XYZ Bikes, has become known for some of the classiest, best-built cruiser bikes in the nation. I love stories like this!

Check out the website– the bikes are really nice. Beach cruisers, as they are called, have thicker tires and lower handlebars; they are built for comfort, not for speed racing. They’d be perfect for the many trails and beachfront areas we have here in Upstate. XYZBikes ships across the United States and Canada. Bikes are often priced right around $100– an excellent deal considering the Big Box stores around here sell Chinese-made cheapos for $200-300. :-p Plus, if you use the coupon code 5OFFXPP, you’ll get $5 off your order. Check them out,and enjoy the biking season!