Honey bikes are proudly displayed on our showroom floor. Honey bikes are special: they are purpose-built bikes that have a lot of spunk.
These bikes have been developed for the kind of riding people want to do. It’s simple: it means that Honey has turned people’s wishlists of the ideal bike for many different kinds of riding into designs ready to be built. If it seems like Honey does a lot, they do: they offer more bike categories than any other U.S. builder.
by Ariela Rose, RSC Barista, coffee and food aficionado
It’s a rainy day here in Boston, which makes me think of Portland, which makes my mind wander to thoughts of coffee…as most things do. There’s no denying that the north west has a reputation for churning out great beans and our latest guest roaster, Heart, is certainly a contributor to that. Some of you may remember Heart when we featured them as a guest roaster a little over two years ago. We’ve decided to rekindle our love, and get to know the plethora of new coffees that Heart is roasting up these days.
written by Jay Robbins, Ride Studio Cafe Team Co-Captain
2013 has been an interesting year for the New England cyclist thanks to its weather. For the better part of the winter we sat indoors on our trainers watching it snow or rain. The spring didn’t seem to be a whole lot better. The weather has given New England cyclists plenty of opportunity to harden up.
by Matt Roy, RSC Endurance Team Member
This weekend, the Ride Studio Cafe Endurance Team is heading to southern NJ to take part in the fifth edition of the Rapha Gentlemen’s Race, an unsanctioned, unsupported 130-mile adventure through the hills and dales along the Delaware River. The route promises to be challenging with lots of dirt, chip-seal and even a river crossing. The format is unique; 26 teams of six riders each start at three minute intervals, seeded by an honor-system-of-sorts (with the faster teams starting later). The first team to cross the finish line together (with all members) is the “winner.” It’s a 6-person team time trial. Except there’s no one in a follow car barking encouragement through a megaphone. Oh, and it’s at least 7-hours long.
Photo: Chris Milliman, from the 2012 edition of the Rapha Gentlemen’s Race in which many RSC racers participated and are still telling the tales.
One hundred thirty miles is a long day in the saddle by any measure. To do this as a cohesive team of six is where the beauty (and the beast) of the Gentlemen’s race comes in. I’ve had the fortune of riding in 4 out of the 5 Northeast editions of the Rapha Gent’s Race (in the Catskills, the Lehigh Valley, in the Green Mountains and the latest edition, in the Delaware River valley) and each year, with a different group of riders.
The Ride Studio Cafe team for the 2013 edition of the #RgR is pretty special. The foundation of the team is the Endurance Team stalwarts, David Wilcox (calves of steel, heart of gold), John Bayley (Irish, eats gravel for breakfast, painfully humble) and myself (dissertation legs, boat anchor). The three of us have a penchant for the ridiculous.
We’ve supplemented our trio with what amounts to an absolute all-star cast. Starting with New England’s sweetheart, Mo Bruno Roy. Mo, who has never ridden more than 100-miles, will most likely be towing her slovenly husband around the entire course.
Next up, Lyne Bessette. Put it this way, she has her own Wikipedia page which is FULL of her amazing accomplishments. And even then, it only scratches the surface. She has won countless races of all kinds and includes world titles as a tandem pilot for with blind athlete Robbi Weldon in road and time-trial disciplines.
Lastly, six-time national cyclocross champ and the top-placing American at this year’s Cyclocross World Championships, Tim Johnson will be slowing us down with his turtle-saving escapades. But we’ll put up with it.
Follow along with the race as it starts on Saturday morning on Twitter and Instagram by searching for the RgR hashtag (#RgR). We’ll have a write-up with pictures and sordid details after the fact!
Words by Alex Grabau for Ride Studio Cafe on Tour of the Battenkill, April 13, 2013
It might be as hard to breathe during extended periods of laughter as it is to breath during a bike race. We tried our best to test this statement on our drive to Bennington, Friday afternoon, underneath a very cloudy, ominous mid-April sky. Jay, Oscar and yours-truly drove to Bennington through what seemed to be December weather. We passed an active snow plow and several trucks salting route 9 in VT. In between making-fun of eachother we shared worried glances at passing dirt roads, completely covered in snow and wondered exactly what it would be like to race road bikes in the snow, in April.
by Joy Stark-Smith RSC Women’s Team Co-Captain
If the RSC Cafe Racers seem particularly eager this racing season, it may be because of our new Honey Bicycles sponsorship. Many members of the team are riding Honey’s new Final 200 Meters race bike: a lightweight steel model that is purpose-built for fast criteriums and circuit races. We’re finding the stiffness and handling of the bikes make them ideal for tight corners, power climbs, and the full-on sprints needed to get on the podium.
Women’s team co-captain Erin Faccone put her new Honey to the test at the season opening Chris Hinds Memorial Criterium last Saturday. I sat down with her after the race to learn more about why she chose Honey, and how the bike performed.
What made you decide to buy a Honey?
Erin: I’d been considering a new road bike for some time – my prior bike never fit exactly right and was a bit on the heavier side. Honey offered me a stiff, light bike that, most importantly, would fit me perfectly. Add in the option of custom paint colors, and I was sold! Also, once I saw the Team Edition bike at RSC, I knew I would have major FOMO if I didn’t get one.
What do you look for in a race bike?
There are many special events and rides coming up in the next few days. We want to be sure you know what’s happening and when so that there is no confusion and help you make it to the rides and events in which you are hoping to participate!
With any luck, this makes the upcoming events more clear. We hope you join us for one or many of the rides and events that are happening here soon. Enjoy getting back on your bike this spring!
by Jay Robbins, RSC Team Co-Captain
Ah, spring, or at least technically it is. Most of my recent rides still include winter tights, lobster gloves, and constant concern for ice in the road, so if it weren’t for the spring road races starting up it sure wouldn’t feel like it! There have been a couple races in Connecticut over the past weekends, but the Brinkerhoff Memorial (formally Johnny Cake) in New York was the first to draw out the Cafe Racers. The category 3/4 field does 48 miles on a new hilly (for March) 12-mile circuit, so you get a little more bang for your buck than you would with a one-hour crit.
Jonathan Sussman and I represented the studio. It was cold at the start, just above freezing, but with strong winds and some intense gusts. This course is especially exposed to the wind, so it would play an even bigger factor than usual.
We talk all of the time about the bikes we’re working on for customers and which bikes we’re delivering. It’s possible the interim steps are a little foggy to you if you haven’t purchased a Seven before. We’ve put pen to paper to help explain what it takes to bring a new bike to life.
It’s fair to say that each Seven bike has a personality all its own.
Some bikes, like this Axiom SL that has a German owner, have a whole lot of attitude, too!
Are you in the search for a spring bike? Too many times we hear people recount stories of being overwhelmed in the bike buying process. We make it simple. Contact us to give us a chance to discuss your next bike with you.
We were pleased to see this video, created by the UK’s Cycling Plus magazine, part of the Bike Radar group, put up this video of the Seven 622 SLX, the lightest and, arguably, the sharpest looking of all of Seven’s bicycles. There are many Sevens from which to choose, give us a chance to present them to you and show you why they will make the difference in having the best ride imaginable.
The 622 SLX is a good example of a great bike that, in its purest form, looks simple and rides remarkably well. Yet, through the customer design process, each 622 SLX produced is uniquely right for its rider. We’ve delivered a number of 622 SLX bikes to customers at Ride Studio Cafe, each of them quite different, each very stunning. Maybe your name or your favorite motivational saying will appear on the next one we deliver!
Another Reason That 2012 Was Awesome for the Studio:
2012 was an unforgettable year for many reasons. In addition to our superb customers, one of the principal explanations for the year’s success was the employee team with which we’ve been blessed. Today we thank them.
Drew and Ariela learning from Janet at George Howell in Action, MA
Our core group of long-time, dedicated, and hard workers – Patria L, Sal P, Jennifer M, Matt O, and Bobbie V – positioned the Studio to have a great 2012. We also added some fantastic people to ensure it would be a memorable year. Here are our “new” 2012 people, in order of when each started at the Ride Studio Cafe:
Jeff building a Seven Elium SLX for a customer with meticulous attention to every detail
Jeff: Studio PRO bike mechanic and all around bike expert.Jeff has a loyal bike following that has tracked him down at the Studio. He’s raised the bar for service quality at RSC; Jeff’s also brought world-class wheelbuilding capabilities with him. No bike service challenge is too complicated for him to solve. Jeff’s even been seen creatively wiring electronic shifting into bikes that weren’t designed for it.
Steve and his Coffee Cart
What an amazing year!
2013 is here and it’s impossible to believe. The past year was such an inspiring time that we didn’t want it to end. So, we’re going to extend 2012 a bit by sharing some Ride Studio Cafe highlights.
First, our friends: we owe the Studio’s success to our loyal customers and Club Members. We don’t really think of you as customers; you are our friends, confidants, and cohorts. We thank you for what was a very fun, successful, and exciting year.
On the business side we grew by more than 25% – and the Studio was profitable. The business is stable. This being said, our appetite for trying new things is greater than ever and we continue to approaching our work with the freshness of a new company.
Friends, financial stability, and fun; we couldn’t have asked for more!
On the “fun” front, during the next couple weeks we’ll post more about the many cool happenings during 2012 and highlight those with whom we worked.
We’re starting with our Dedicated Partners, the incredible companies that share the Ride Studio Cafe mission, and who allow us to bring you the Ride Studio Cafe experience every day.
We were Seven Cycles’ number one retailer for the third straight year! And the largest in the world.
Thanks to our customers we grew the number of Seven bike customers by more than one third over 2011! A feat no one thought possible.
RSC partnered on some special projects with Seven. We were on the design team that launched Seven’s second generation randonneur bikes. The Studio had the first production 622 carbon-titanium bike – and that helped us become the top 622 retailer. RSC helped design their latest generation of Rolhoff bikes – bikes that are becoming more mainstream, more versatile, and more performance oriented than ever. We helped Seven launch their new generation Gates Belt Drive bikes.
We designed bikes that were more diverse than any other Seven retailer. We constructed nearly every type of bike imaginable; everything from purebred race bikes – that helped get racers on podiums, to randonneur tandems, to Rolhoff belt drive commuters, to bikes that traveled the world, and everything in between.
Seven invested in the Studio so we invest heavily in Seven. The Studio has the largest and most diverse Seven demo bike fleet anywhere. We have a total of 21 bikes ranging from cross, road, tandem, fixie, touring, and mountain. If you were looking to test ride a Seven in 2012 we likely had it available.
Seven has been our number one partner from the moment we opened; we hope that continues for years to come. We can’t wait to see what 2013 brings.
The Studio is one of only 16 Rapha retailers in the United States. It’s an honor to be part of this very exclusive group of retailers – shops that we believe are the best in the country.
We’ve grown with Rapha by a tremendous amount in 2012.
RSC’s Club and Team fly the Rapha fabrics. Rapha makes the best gear, and we were able to secure the best for our Endurance Team and the Studio Club. We know of no other club in the country that rides in Rapha clothing. This was definitely a unique and important partnership.
The Studio worked closely with Rapha on their epic Festive 500 for 2012. It was wildly successful for RSC; Rapha even visited us and rode in the Studio’s version of the 500.
Thank you Rapha – and all our customers that love Rapha – for helping us have our best year yet. We have big plans with Rapha for 2013; stay tuned.
The Studio and George Howell Coffee have a very unique and gratifying partnership. We share one of the brightest coffee people in the industry: Sal Persico. Sal is employed by the Studio Cafe and by George Howell – at the same time; a true sign of partnership. Some of their employees are Studio coffee customers, too!
We do extensive learning, experimenting, and testing with George Howell. Our relationship with Howell has to be called a partnership – they are so much more than a supplier or distributor for us. Anytime they want to try an idea at the Studio, we’re confident in saying, “yes.” Anytime we make a request, they always accommodate us.
They hand deliver coffee and equipment when needed. They’re open, honest, and understand that our success is their success – and we reciprocate.
Incredible coffee. Incredible people. Incredible partnership. We know that 2013 will bring even more goodness to the Studio.
We began a unique custom clothing project with Capo in 2012. They were up for trying some unorthodox ideas with the Studio. We’re fairly certain that Ride Studio is the only Capo customer that’s working on this type of co-design project.
We’ve been expanding our Capo design program for 2013 and are excited about where it will lead in the next 12-months.
The Studio is Honey’s number one retailer!
We grew with Honey by nearly 50% over 2011.
Together Honey and RSC worked on some exclusive and progressive projects in 2012. We partnered on a series of commuter bikes that were unique – and are now a part of the Honey stock line. The Studio worked with Honey on a new line of race bikes – the biggest development project that Honey has yet undertaken; we’re excited to be part of this new important program. We co-developed a series of three Hup limited edition Honeys; these have been some of the funnest bike projects on which we’ve worked.
Honey has made some big promises to the Studio for 2013. If Honey meets half of what we’re working on together, we expect to grow together by more than three-fold. Hold on for the 2013 Honey season!
Those are a few of our incredible supplier partners. We had other important partners in 2012 including Mavic, Lazer, and others. We are proud to bring you the best products from the best suppliers in the industry.
Watch for more highlights of what made 2012 awesome – and how the stage is set for even more awesomeness in 2013!
A portable espresso service has been born as a result of a joint venture between Rob Vandermark and Steve Lim. 
It started before Steve ever joined RSC and was embarking on a coffee journey in Colorado. His employer at the time had a gorgeous La Marzocco Single Group GS3 Espresso Machine that was not in operation but he would not part with it. After three years of begging, pleading and negotiating, it was turned over to Steve. Now armed with an espresso machine…what next? The previous home owners of Steve’s current residence left behind a sturdy, well in-tact office desk…with a counter top perfectly sized for a – you guessed it – espresso cart! After countless hours and days designing the countertop for barista efficiency as well as the plumbing, what started as a thought became a reality.
The espresso cart first made its debut at Seven Cycles in Watertown, MA days before Thanksgiving. Read the rest of this entry »
After a lot of research and coffee tasting, we are happy to introduce Madcap Coffee Company as Ride Studio Cafe’s latest guest roaster. While this does mean you will no longer see Sightglass and Stumptown on our menu board and pourover bar, we have no doubt that Madcap is a roaster you will love.
Based out of Grand Rapids, Michigan with a second roastery soon to open in the DC area, Madcap was born out of a friendship between two guys with a love for coffee. Perhaps what we found most intriguing about Madcap, aside from the fact that we find their espresso and coffee delicious, is the company’s dedication to sourcing their beans in a conscious, thoughtful way. Read the rest of this entry »
Need ideas to satisfy everyone for whom you’re shopping this holiday season? We have a few here and even more if you ask us our opinion on the subject given the specific interests of the bike or coffee lover in your life.
A Ride Studio Cafe Gift Card is guaranteed to please. It’s available in any denomination and is the same as cash at the Studio. It may be used to purchase bikes, anything in the cafe, apparel, accessories, nutrition products and bike service. Need
Happy Holidays! As it’s that festive time of year, we are offering up a multitude of suggestions to delight anyone on your list of people who have been good this year. Ask us what we recommend as well, we have a lot of ideas to share with you from stocking stuffers to the gifts that will blow someone’s stockings off.
Let’s begin with the gift of all-things RSC: the Ride Studio Cafe gift card. Load it up for any value and your friend or loved one will receive this sweet card. We can do the transaction over the phone (339-970-0187) and we will write your personalized message on the card.
We’re all about making your shopping as easy as possible. With this card, one can buy anything: cafe items (mocha or hot chocolate, anyone?), a bicycle tune-up, a tire pump, bright lights, a Rapha long-sleeve jersey, a set of fun wheels, a custom-built Seven bicycle or absolutely anything in between. As you can see, it’s a long list and we’re here to help you make a good decision from making a great cup of coffee to selecting the perfect bike or riding accessory.
Join us for the Studio’s “Grueling Gruel Thanksgiving Ride.” We’re serving oatmeal all morning – on the house for anyone riding. We expect great weather, quiet roads, and an appetite inducing 52-mile ride at about an 18-mph pace.
RSVP for the ride and breakfast on Facebook or email us.
Here’s the Studio’s Thanksgiving schedule:
Check out the route.
We hope to see you bright and early on Thursday morning!
Have you ever dreamed of riding with the pros? Here’s your chance to roll with two of the nicest professional mountain bikers on the international circuit! Not just pro but two-time Olympian, too! Ride Studio Cafe and Seven Cycles are excited to welcome pro mountain bike racers Mary McConneloug and Mike Broderick to Lexington for a great weekend of riding and coffee drinking. 
Mary McConnelougis a multiple-time mountain bike national champion and a two-time Olympian. Mike Broderick has been racing mountain bikes on the World Cup circuit for the last decade and a half. Together they have become legends in the race community for their green lifestyle and their long-term perseverance. Two nicer people you will not meet. On November 17 and 18, Mike and Mary will be leading four rides from the Studio. Mountain and cyclocross rides will leave twice a day from the Studio, with a gathering on Saturday night so you can ask Mary and Mike all the question you ever had about racing at the elite level, traveling around the world, and racing the Olympics in Beijing. The rides are open to the public but there is limited space available. Spaces available to those that sign up early. RSVP so you don’t miss your chance to ride!
We all seemed to survive the Fall Five somehow. It was truly an amazing race and one of the funnest times we’ve had on a bike – alone.
We had a lot of category of winners by the end of the race. Here they are. Thank you again to everyone that participated. We’re already bracing for the next Five.
Lantern Rouge, Men’s: Martin Hillion
Lantern Rouge, Women’s: Sandra O’Connor
Nine Climbs Award: Dimitris Zervas
Most Improved: Henry van den Broek
Spirit Award, Men’s: Felipe Spinel
Spirit Award, Women’s: Michele Smith
Sprint Champion, Men’s: John Bayley
Sprint Champion, Women’s: Sara Cushman
King of the Mountain: John Bayley
Queen of the Mountain: Sara Cushman
| Place | Person |
|---|---|
| 1st | John Bayley |
| 2nd | Edward Parsons |
| 3rd | Jon Anderson |
| 4th | Jeff Soderman |
| 5th | Art T. - Keep It Tight |
| 6th | Henry van den Broek |
| 7th | Leon Palandjian |
| 8th | Felipe Spinel |
| 9th | Erik Husby |
| 10th | David Reich |
| Place | Person |
|---|---|
| 1st | Sara Cushman |
| 2nd | Patria Lanfranchi |
| 3rd | Katherine Snell |
| 4th | Pamela Blalock |
| 5th | Michele Smith |
| 6th | Teri Carilli |
| 7th | Zabeth Billingham |
| 8th | Sandra O'Connor |
This is the first-ever cycling event at the Harvard General Store and it’s BIG: it’s this Saturday between 10am and 2pm. Cyclists will ride from all over to arrive in Harvard between 10 and 10:15am. Between 10:15 and 10:30, group rides of all speeds will depart for a beautiful 31-mile ride covering the roads of Harvard.
The Harvard General Store will be serving free chili and apple cider to riders. They and we will also be passing out free drink cards so that the next time you ride to the Harvard General Store or the Ride Studio Cafe, you will enjoy a coffee or espresso drink free.
The Harvard General Store has been a destination for cyclists all around because of its great location and selection of food and coffee. Now, with a new owner and staff who are into cycling, they’re fully committed to being the best stop possible for those who arrive on two wheels.
The Fall Five Race Series is well underway. Great results from a very competitive and fun field. Hurricane Sandy is making strategies a lot more interesting. We’ll see how it affects the standings overall.
Here are some words and images from the second stage.
Footprints – photo – Patria Lanfranchi
The Fall Five Race Series has begun. Here are some words and images from the first day. It looks like people had fun today!
Outbound – by Jonathan Anderson
by Steven Lim, RSC Barista
Jesse Nelson, the owner and master roaster of Conduit Coffee Roasters, is a dear friend of mine. I first met Jesse when he was living in Colorado. We used to gather at a weekly coffee cupping with a mutual friend/company called Ozo Coffee Roasters in Boulder, Colorado. We were both trying to do the same thing, enter the world of coffee by working for Ozo at some point. Fast forward to the 2011 Seattle Coffee Fest where I randomly ran into Jesse! It turns out that he couldn’t score the job he was hoping for and decided to pilgrimage to Seattle to find work, and get into his passion: coffee roasting.
Join the Ride Studio Cafe for the funnest ride series of the fall:
Happening from Friday, October 26 through Friday, November 2.
This is a five-stage solo road cycling challenge that is open to all riders with gumption. It’s a fun way to extend the road season, and each stage is a short, intense effort that’ll keep you warm as the leaves fall. The Fall Five is similar to the Studio’s ToTU – Tour of the Unattended – event from last season.
Why? Because of the Five P’s!
We’re racing five stages spread out over eight days. For stages 2, 3, and 4 you have a few days from which to choose; do the race on the day you prefer. This is one of the beauties of this solo race – race at your convenience. And, this makes it easier to participate in all five stages.
| Stage | Date | Type | Route | Distance |
| Stage 1 | Friday, October 26 | Prologue Time Trial | TBD | ~2 miles |
| Stage 2 | Choose a day:Saturday, Sunday or Monday, October 27, 28, or 29 | Point-To-Point Cake Race | TBD | ~20 miles |
| Stage 3 | Choose a day:Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday, October 28, 29, or 30 | Mountain Stage | TBD | ~15 miles |
| Stage 4 | Choose a day:Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday,October 30, 31, or November 1 | Circuit Race | TBD | ~13 miles |
| Stage 5 | Friday, November 2 | Criterium | TBD | ~4 miles |
The questions here have been developed from questions we’re receiving at the Studio.
A: No, but you do need to have some GPS device that will record your location while you race the course. Most SmartPhones have this capability.
You will need to upload the file to RideWithGPS.com so that you will be placed on the Leader Board. Each route has a Cue Sheet associated with it, familiarize yourself with the turns and roads for each stage so it’s not imperative that you have a device that shows you the route.
iPhone users: Cyclemeter is the recommended app to use. For Android, MyTracks works well. On either program, there is an email TCX/GPX feature. If you email a GPX/TCX file to upload@rwgps.com it will log that activity to your account. Note: you need to send the email from the same email address that you have registered with your ridewithgps account for this to work.
Yes, we have begun posting the routes. Feel free to take a look at them and familiarize yourself with the roads. The cue sheets will be edited by the night before the start of each stage and printed versions of the cue sheets are available at the Studio the day(s) that particular stage is to be completed.
The Cafe pastry case is getting a splash of added color this week as we welcome Moochie’s Macarons to Ride Studio Cafe! Created by Nina DiBona-Pauk, a one woman macaron machine, these sweet treats are lovely, delicate, and, above all, tasty. Some of you may have had a chance to try them out at our art opening last spring.
The story behind Moochie’s Macarons could happen in any of our own cozy home kitchens. Looking to add an authentically sweet addition to a Parisian-themed meal in celebration of a trip to the City of Lights, Nina decided to roll up her sleeves and get baking.
“A light Bourgogne, ripe Pont-l’Eveque, crusty baguette, and a few delicate macarons seemed only appropriate for an evening engrossed in Parisian guidebooks. The only dilemma? French macarons seemed harder to find than a Parisian woman in sweatpants,” explains Nina. “Determined not to let my French inspired night be anything less than authentically delicious, I decided to take matters into my own hands…and mixer.”
After many trial batches of the handheld (but temperamental) treats, and a long-awaited home kitchen certification, Nina feels like she has perfected her recipes, and is overjoyed to share them with Ride Studio Cafe’s dedicated patrons.
While delicious on their own, the taste-factor is taken to a whole new level of wonderful, when these bright bites are paired with an invigorating shot of our espresso, dipped into a creamy latte, or eaten slowly with a steaming mug of one of our many teas. Plus, as we all eat with our eyes before our taste buds, there’s no denying how gorgeous Moochie’s Macarons look with an espresso drink crafted by one of the Cafe’s latte art maestros.
Macaron kick-off day is this Friday, October 5th, and they’ll only be available for the weekend to start so be sure to catch them while you can!
Our new pour over offering from Stumptown Coffee Roasters is up and running! Honduras Finca El Puente.
We’ve featured a variety of roasts from Portland, Oregon-based Stumptown since Ride Studio Cafe first opened, and for good reason. The description of the company’s roasting process reads like poetry, and here at the Cafe we’re happy to reap the benefits of their dedicated art form.
“Each sample gets sniffed, slurped up and vetted through silver spoons hundreds of times a day in our cupping laboratory,” reads Stumptown’s website. “The delicate hand-picked seeds containing sugars and natural perfumes are roasted in our old-school, cast-iron German Probat machines. The green beans go through a metamorphosis in the hands of our roasters who guide them through a constant evaluation of colors, aromas, sounds, and shapes while tumbling through our vintage double-walled steel drum roasters. Finally, the beans are released out into the world when sweetness and nuance meet up in our cooling trays. The coffee literally sings.”
We asked the friendly staff for a lighter offering this time around and the Finca El Puente, one of their newest offerings, was immediately suggested. The Puente is a Honduran coffee, Bourbon and Catuai variety, described as having notes of Concord grape, blueberry, hibiscus, tangerine and milk chocolate. While our first taste test resulted in a cup that was quite good albeit a little too light, Sal suggested grinding the beans a little finer, and with the help of our Stumptown reps we’re experimenting with this smooth and satisfying coffee to make it even better.
Region: Latin America
Farm: Marysabel Caballero and Moises Herrera
Altitude: 1200 – 1450 meters
Varietal: Bourbon, Catuai
Processing: The El Puente lots are mechanically demucilaged (the removal of the coffee beans’ sticky fruit pulp), fermented, washed and soaked overnight before drying
Tasting Notes: Concord Grape, Blueberry, Hibiscus, Tangerine, Milk Chocolate
We’ve switched our Sightglass Coffee pour over offering from a South American coffee to an African one! The Ethiopia, Yukro, Gera.
Sightglass is an incredibly fun coffee company to work with. The passionate staff is eager to share information on their new offerings, and almost always tuck a few sample bags in the box along with our regular week-to-week orders. The independent company is based in San Francisco and relishes in the hands-on craft of creating coffees and espressos that are simply delicious.
Say the owners (and brothers!) Jerad and Justin Morrison, “Attaining a perfect roast is a sensory craft; it’s an intuition, a smell, a sound, a slight change in color―it’s about deep attention to detail, and it comes through in every cup. We believe that knowing the story behind your coffee―where it was grown, how it was processed, and who handled it along the way―is a powerful link from the cup to the wider world.”
This is one of Sightglass’ two African offerings (the other was just added this month). It’s an Ethiopian Heirloom variety described as having notes of orange blossom, cherry, peach, strawberry, and Meyer lemon. Expect a super fruity kick that dances in your mouth without being overly sweet. We’ve already received some great feedback on this one from a few regular Cafe customers who can’t go a day with out their pour over fix.
Region: Gera, Jimma
Farm: Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (OCFCU)
Altitude: 1900-2200 masl
Varietal: Ethiopian Heirloom
Processing: Washed
Tasting Notes: Orange Blossom, Cherry, Peach, Strawberry, Meyer Lemon
There will be a raffle with jerseys, bike shop certificates and more from a variety of donors. We’ve contributed numerous items so chances of winning something is very high. We hope you choose to participate in the raffle.
Our contribution to the raffle includes over 100 items:
Starting Location: Meriam Street Municipal Lot, Lexington Center
Many of you may have noticed the growlers full of cold
brew here at Ride Studio Cafe, or even better, tasted the flavorful and refreshingly cool coffee. We make our cold brew by steeping coarsely ground beans in cold filtered water for 22 to 24 hours, resulting in a strong concentrate that we then dilute to create the cold brew itself.
But why choose cold brew over iced coffee?
Lemons, limes, raspberries, pineapples & oranges. All of the wonderful flavors you crave during and after workouts are here. You’ve asked for Skratch Labs sports nutrition products so now you can pick up single-serving and 1-lb sizes!
And look at what else just arrived that couples quite nicely with Skratch’s tasty, lower sugar & higher electrolyte drink mix: Ride Studio Cafe custom-designed water bottles. These bottles are 2 oz larger than our previous large water bottles, BPA-free and they have a self-sealing, leak-free valve. They are also 100% recyclable.
Like many of our customers, the Ride Studio Cafe Curator, Patria, has ridden a lot of bikes and after years of riding, racing and learning about bikes, decided a custom titanium Seven would be the right bike to have. She wanted a bike perfect for:
Ride Studio Cafe’s cat 3 men’s team will be targeting these races in their summer road campaign. As you can see, summer is crit season! Criteriums are generally shorter races on courses with 1 mile or shorter laps, making for action-packed, spectator friendly events. If you’re in the area for a race, check out it out and make sure to say hi!
Join us and our friends from Rialto and Trade - two of the best restaurants in the Boston area – for a final group training ride:
The Plan: Ring in the second half of the year with our expansion on the first Team Rialto-TRADE ride of the 2012 season. Two rides from which to choose: 88-miles or 100-miles. With a fair amount of climbing. We’re wrapping up the Rialto-TRADE Pan Mass Challenge training ride project in a big way.
The RoutesWe’re offering two routes; really one route with and optional additional climb. We’ll have printed cue sheets available on Sunday morning. GPS file links are below.
Route One: Eighty-eight miles in a double figure eight set of loops – hence the name. We originally wanted to do an 80-90 mile ride for this Rialto-TRADE collaborative. Here is a link to the route and GPX file options.
Route Two: A century: 100-mile loop that follows the same route as the Crazy 88 with an addition of about 12 miles that brings you to the top of Mount Wachusett. Here is a link to the route and GPX file options.
Pamela Blalock comes to the rescue for this ride. Pamela has a great route that heads west past Harvard, to Wachusett Mountain. Remember, the Wachusett climb is optional. Even without that climb we’re seeing some of the beautiful roads west of the Studio.
The high point – if you’re not climbing Wachusett is just shy of 1,000 feet. The top of Wachusett is just over 2,000 feet.
The Ride Studio Cafe and Team Rialto-TRADE were joined by 90+ riders yesterday for the first of two Pan-Mass Challenge training rides. The very beautiful metric century route included 3,700 feet of climbing so all were hungry enough for the wonderful treats along the way.
The first stop was at Keyks, a custom cake and cupcake shop, in Chelmsford. They had a tent set up and a table full of delicious cookies.
Keyks generously made the cake for the Studio for our 2nd Anniversary celebration with club members. Not only was it the coolest cake we’ve ever seen, it was also incredibly tasty. The edible coffee mug is being frozen until the Studio’s 3rd anniversary.
words by Jay Robbins
photos by Todd, Oscar, Jay
Longer is better. Or so that’s what Dan Vallincourt told us around mile 90 of our ~140 mile journey from Ride Studio Cafe to Pack Monadnock and back.
Fuel by Erica
But it actually all started a week or two before. The studio team has been starting to think about the 2012 NE Rapha Gentlemen’s Race, which will take place on June 23 somewhere in Western NH (on an intentionally vague route). Since that ride will entail 120-140 miles and around 14,000 feet of climbing on something like 70% dirt roads, a few extra hours of saddle time would probably help. Plus, it’s May, in New England. There are few places on earth I’d rather be riding right now! Read the rest of this entry »
Join us and our friends from Rialto and Trade – two of the best restaurants in the Boston area – for a special training ride:
This is a training ride for the Rialto-TRADE’s team; they’re participating in the Pan Mass Challenge. Rebecca Fetner called this ride a Friendraiser – not a fundraiser. Speaking of fundraising, Rialto-TRADE is having a PMC event on Thursday evening – so on Sunday we’re working off all that food and drink from Thursday by riding 100 kilometers.
The Rialto-TRADE team is leading the Observatory Metric Century ride. Some of the Studio’s Team and Club will be on hand, too, to help organize – and add a bit of town-line fun.
Team Rialto-TRADE
| Ride | Observatory Metric Century |
|---|---|
| Type of ride | Road ride |
| Date | Sunday, June 3 |
| Departing from | Ride Studio Cafe |
| Departing time | 10:00 am - Sharp Be ready at 9:45 for ride prep meeting |
| Estimated time in the saddle | About 3.5 - 5 hours |
| Distance | Just over 100k, or about 62 miles |
| Average speed | Fun Group: 14-15 mph Fast Group: 18-19 mph |
| Difficulty rating | It depends on whether you join the Fast ride and Fun ride. 3,760 feet of climbing - not the easiest 64 miles. |
| Rain information | We're riding, rain or shine. It's going to be a blast whether it's wet or dry. |
| Coordinator | Please RSVP to Ride Studio Cafe connect@ridestudiocafe.com |
Food is always a good excuse to ride. For this journey we have four enticements:
Cafe Racers represented last weekend at the Sterling Road Race on Saturday in Sterling, MA. The 24-mile women’s race presented another great opportunity for the team to work together for strong results.
Written by: Celia Riechel – 7th place finish
The Cat 4 women’s race started from Sterling Middle School at 8:40am; we rolled in from a warm-up ride at about 8:30, at which point Lauren and I both decided we needed to go to the bathroom. Run! Running down a linoleum tiled hallway in bike shoes is like stiltwalking on an icerink. We careened into the bathroom, completed the operation, and skittered to the start in time to…start at the back. The race was neutral to the start/finish line just up a hill from the town center. Read the rest of this entry »
While the west coast already has a number of stage races in the books for this season, New England welcomed its first stage race of the season with the Tour of the Dragons in Bennington, VT. Of the three major Vermont stage races, this is the most condensed with a 10.7 mile hilly time trial and downtown criterium on day one, and a hilly road race with three KOM sprints and a bit of dirt on day two. That’s three races in two days. For those of you that have never attempted this, it’s hard not only on the body but on the mind. Read the rest of this entry »
Quabbin Reservoir from atop Quabbin Hill
words by John Burkhardt
On Saturday Sean Griffing, Jay Robbins and I drove out together for the Quabbin Road Race. Jay and I did the 3/4 race and Sean did the cat 5 race as his first ever bike race, a ambitious start to racing! And for me, this was my first road race in over 10 years so I was plenty nervous and excited. Read the rest of this entry »
Since announcing our latest guest coffee roasters, Sightglass Coffee of San Francisco we haven’t brought you much coffee news. Over the next couple of weeks expect a few blog postings discussing our offerings and brew methods at the Studio. But for this week, we’ll stick to the subject of Sightglass Coffee. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s Bike Safety Week and it’s naturally a good time to take a few minutes to step back to think about some things that will help you stay safe on your bike. Yawn, you’ve heard this before. No, these might actually be new to you. Please read on.
At the Studio, you’ll find a flyer on our community table created by the Bicycle Advisory Committee of Lexington. It describes the various markings on the road for cyclists and cars so everyone is where they should be. Follow the rules when driving a car and a bike, it helps ensure everyone has a pleasant trip.
Are you aware that if you’re riding at night you must have a white headlight, red taillight as well as pedal or ankle reflectors? Also, motorists are required to slow down when passing bicyclists and pedestrians. Spend time reading through the flyer with your family.
Photo by Jay Robbins
The road season is off to a great start for the Cafe Racers, with our new women’s team taking podiums in each of their first two target races. Read on for stories about their experiences!
If you’re a woman who’d like to ride with the RSC team, come out this Saturday, April 21st. At 9am, they, along with RSC team mentor & pro cyclist Mo Bruno Roy, are hosting a group ride and clinic for beginner women. (No charge, just show up!) Check out the details.
Following this ride and clinic at 11am, the team will host a fast women’s ride for those who are up for a pace of 17+ mph to/from Harvard for approximately 60 miles.
Read on for their exciting race stories! Read the rest of this entry »
We’re excited to announce an expansion of the Cafe Racers to include a Cat 3/4 women’s development team. The Cafe Racers formed in 2011 and was initially comprised of an Endurance team and an Elite Road team. With the addition of the 3/4 Women’s development team, the Café Racers add 8 strong, experienced women from a variety of racing backgrounds.
Co-captains Joy Stark and Lauren Kling assembled the team with the goal of improving Cat 3/4 racing experience and advancing the level of women’s racing in New England by fostering a sense of teamwork, community, and pushing the level of competition. In addition to Joy and Lauren, women’s team roster includes Erin Faccone, Celia Riechel, Cindy Brennan, Kristina Donehew, Cait Dooley, and Lauren Tracy. Read the rest of this entry »
Our Seven demo fleet is second to none. We have an incredible selection 
of bikes from which you can choose to ride. We like to switch things up so that you can try the newest, coolest components and wheels, along with the frames that interest you. The key is getting what is best for you; the optimal way to determine that is by trying out the different bikes and components. Want to check out Di2 electronic shifting? How about the 2012 SRAM kit? Let us know what piques your curiosity.
Joining our demo fleet is the Seven 622 SLX, built just over two weeks ago. The bike’s inaugural ride was a 104 mile century (on the Super Saturday ride). The rider couldn’t believe how well the bike rode, it’s weight, handling ability, responsiveness, style and road feel. He promptly came back (though he wasn’t keen on returning the bike so quickly) and scheduled a discussion to determine how his one-of-a-kind 622 will be outfitted and designed.
Would you like to test ride this incredible bike? We have it here now through April 1, then we’re loaning it out to our friends in Boulder, Colorado at Boulder Cycle Sport who will be hosting an evening called “Art of the Custom Bicycle.” No better bike to be in attendance at this event than this 622. Come in to check it out and let us know you want to ride so the moment it’s back here, we’ll get you out on it!
A covered bridge in Battenkill
Battenkill is a fun and very popular New England spring classic since it mimics the exciting pro tour spring classics going on this time of year (think Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, or Strade Bianche). Battenkill has its own American flavor, including many kilometers of dirt roads in deeply rural areas with farm animals and covered bridges.
Each year I like to not only compete in the race, but make a trip out to the course in the weeks prior to recon the course. Read the rest of this entry »
One of our missions at the Ride Studio Cafe is to bring our customers a constantly changing array of outstanding coffees. To achieve this goal we are always on the look out for the next great coffee roaster. Started only 3 years ago, Sightglass Coffee has come into the San Francisco coffee scene with full force. This roastery and coffee bar was started by brothers, Jerad and Justin Morrison. Although Sightglass itself is a young company, both Jerad and Justin have years of experience working for the renowned San Francisco coffee roasters, Blue Bottle and Four Barrel.
As with many of the selective roasters we bring into the Studio, Sightglass is trying to elevate coffee. For them this means bringing the customer the full story about their cup of coffee; who and how the coffee was handled from farm to cup. This includes sharing information about the farmers, the growing environment, and the processing of the beans. Here at the Studio we find that concept to be perfectly in line with what why try to bring our customers. Our friendly baristas are happy to answer any of your coffee questions or show you brew methods to help elevate your coffee experience. While having the story behind the coffee is a nice addition, taste can’t be left behind. Sightglass most definitely delivers on flavor. In their own words:
“Because coffee is a seasonal fruit, we source it from origin in tiny, freshly harvested lots.We practice small production methods which allow us to scrutinize and perfect our processes. Attaining a perfect roast is a sensory craft; it’s an intuition, a smell, a sound, a slight change in color—it’s about deep attention to detail, and it comes through in every cup.”
When we first decided to bring Sightglass on as our guest roaster they sent us samples of their four current coffees. All four coffees had a delicious fruitiness and sweetness to them. Those flavors matched along with a perfectly clean crisp finish placed them among some of the best coffees we’ve tasted here at the Studio. The blackberry and clementine notes in the Columbia El Altico particularly caught our attention, making the El Altico the first Sightglass coffee we’ll be featuring at the Studio.
Randonneurs during a moment of reflection in the dead of night
Please RSVP.
Join us on Saturday, March 31 to share stories of distance cycling, great bikes, and the search for personal meaning one finds in the beam of a generator headlight that points the way down a dark, desolate dirt road.
The day begins, at noon, with a 110 km ride departing from the Studio. This truly beautiful ride will take you on some serene and little traveled roads. We’ll have comprehensive cue sheets of the route. We are fortunate to have brevet experts Pamela Blalock and John Bayley leading the way, along with a cadre of additional Studio Team members – the Cafe Racers – riding with small groups along this fun, and a bit tricky, route.
Ride "Lost Lake Randonneur"
Type of ride Road ride
Day of the week Saturday, March 31
Departing from Ride Studio Cafe
Departing time 12 noon - Sharp
Estimated time in the saddle Fastest riders 3 hours
Funnest riders about 5.5 hours
Distance 110 km, or 68 miles
Average speed At your own pace with a cue sheet; probably somewhere between 14-20 mph; this is not a race--it's fun.
Difficulty rating Fun to Fast
Some hills
Rain information We're riding rain or shine. Here is the weather of the moment.
Coordinator Ride Studio Cafe connect@ridestudiocafe.com
What’s a Brevet? Brevets are organized self-supported long distance rides from 200km to 1200km. Learn more at www.rusa.org.
Once you get back from the ride we’ll have towels and drinks – hot or cold – ready for all. Take a moment to recover, relax, and check out some great bikes and gear since you may not want to leave because at 6:30 we have…
The Ride Studio Cafe men’s cat3 team plans to target these upcoming races in Spring 2012! Other races will be contested as well, but these major races are the focus of much of their training. Wish them luck, they are often found at the Studio!
The race schedules for the RSC women’s team, the endurance team and cat 1/2 men will be published as soon as they are available.
Without a doubt, the Rapha Classic Softshell is on RSC’s Cycling Clothing Best of the Best list. It really is one of the nicest cycling pieces we’ve seen. We strongly recommend it for every wardrobe.If you’re a Ride Studio Cafe Club Member, you have the option of getting the jacket embroidered. Ask us for details.
Good matches to the Softshell:
As always, they’re in stock at the Studio–come in and try them on!
Even though I did see a few riders out today in shorts, we are technically in the dead of winter and the temperatures have been dropping (slightly). To make sure you’re keeping warm on your way into the office, out for a ride, or over your lunch break we are bringing you the Big Coffee Week. Starting today, stop by the Cafe frequently to try out all the offerings of our coffee mashup.
Espresso:
On the La Marzocco we’ll be pulling shots of the George Howell Alchemy espresso. We’ve brought this great espresso into the Studio a few times before, but just for a day here and there. Now we’ll have it all week, giving you the chance to try it out in all your favorite drinks. Start with an espresso on day 1, a Cortado on day 2, and perhaps a latte on day 3.
Pour Over Coffees:
With Alchemy in the espresso grinder we couldn’t leave our Stumptown fans behind so, while Hairbender will be taking the week off, we’ll be offering a Pour Over of an excellent Ethiopian coffee from our friends in Portland. From the four Ethiopian coffees Stumptown offers we chose their newest, the Ethiopia Sota. This is Stumptown’s first offering from Western Ethiopia, where only 143 farmers make up the Sota growers group. One of the particularly unique things about these beans is that they are Ethiopian Heirloom varietals, meaning that the plants are indigenous to the country. These are some of the most coveted beans in the world. If that wasn’t enough to entice us to give them a try, the tasting notes of the Sota couldn’t be passed up; “a dense cup reminiscent of cola brimming with flavors of dark fruits and Satsuma orange accented by cinnamon and honey.” Simply mouthwatering. If you’re sitting at your desk, with a few more minutes to kill before the big escape, be sure to check out Stumptown’s stunning pictures of Ethiopia on their webpage dedicated to the Sota beans.
Last, but not least we’ll be continuing the new coffee from Ritual Coffee Roasters that we started on Monday. Check out our last blog post to learn more about the Kaliluni Peaberry from Kenya. As customers over the past few days have pointed out, this is a very unique coffee that is a great example of the special and different flavors that can be found in single origin coffees. As with all coffees we offer, these beans have been medium roasted to enhance, but not overwhelm the flavors inherent to the beans. The gentle roasting process brings out the notes of Oolong tea, dried raspberries, and chestnuts. While we are more than happy to offer you milk and sugar to accompany your coffee, try it without first, you might be surprised! Because of the light flavor, many people have found they can forgo the usual accompaniments and enjoy a black cup of coffee (sometimes for the first time in their life!).
