Riders finishing training rides, tuneups for RAGBRAI

Mon July 07 2008
Posted Jul 7, 2008
5,286

Brian Morelli Iowa City Press-Citizen In Iowa, early July means one thing. The Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa -- better known as RAGBRAI -- is only days away. "I am just really excited," said Michael Schwab, 43, of Iowa City. "I am really pumped up for it." Schwab is particularly looking forward to biking with his 16-year-old son this year. They will hop on for the last couple of days when the route snakes through Johnson County, hitting North Liberty and Solon. These days, with less than two weeks to go, riders such as Schwab are busy getting ready by packing on the training miles and collecting last-minute gear. Schwab has been biking 15 to 25 miles every other day lately, and he was out last week picking up spare parts including a new inner tube, he said. RAGBRAI 36, a 471-mile route, begins on the morning of July 20 and ends on July 26. Although the 20this 13 days away, people get rolling a little sooner because many head for the starting town the day before. The route this year starts at Missouri Valley near the Nebraska border and the Missouri River and ends in Le Claire on the Mississippi River. This area will have two of the overnight stops, in North Liberty on July 24 and Tipton on July 25. Local bike shops have been busy helping people get ready, whether tuning up bikes, doing last minute fixes or helping people find the right equipment. Geoff's Bike and Ski, 816 S. Gilbert St., was buzzing with customers Thursday. Some picked up or dropped off their bikes. Others perused the merchandise floor for items like helmet, gloves and bikes bags. In the back workshop, staffers armed with specialized wrenches and other tools adjusted derailleurs, checked breaks and changed tires. "It is just going to make the ride easier for the individual if the bike is working properly and safely," shop owner Geoff Perrill said. "They will have more time with friends than trying to deal with their bike." Geoff's and World of Bikes, 723 S. Gilbert St., also offer bike boxing and they expect that service to ramp up as RAGBRAI approaches. Many riders have their bike taken apart, boxed up and shipped to the starting town. At World of Bikes, customers are similarly busy seeking tune ups, repairs and last-minute gear. "Usually people aren't trying to buy major new things right now like bikes or seats," World of Bikes owner Ryan Baker said. "There is not enough time to break it in."