Tech Tips & Info
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Playing Defense: Advancing Helmet Technology
Helmet companies are inventing new ways to protect your brain.
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Holiday Gift Guide
Experts at QBP picked out top-selling and trendiest products to create this year’s gift guides.
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Building Pump Tracks, Building Community
Pump tracks and bike parks bring together people of all ages and abilities.
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Fat – Always in Season
In the past, the true capabilities of fat bikes got buried in sand and snow when it came to marketing. We think the modern fat bike deserves another look.
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Welcome To The Pain Cave
The time of year when many cease riding outside and retire to their pain caves for a winter of carpet crits is nearly upon us.
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The Little Bike That Could
For shorter riders on smaller sized bikes, carrying cargo for commuting, touring, or bikepacking can present challenges in regard to where it can all fit. We’ve compiled a list of products that can remedy some of these issues.
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Heckles & Cogs: A Guide to Singlespeed Cyclocross
Do you have what it takes to join the ranks of riders ditching their gears to race singlespeed cyclocross? Learn the ins and outs of how to get started.
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Get Noticed!
Statistics are showing that riding a bike in traffic is getting increasingly dangerous. Luckily, there are cycling brands creating products that let riders take greater degrees of safety into their own hands.
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It’s in the Bag
There are endless options when it comes to bike bags. Check out what QBP commuters use and pick up some tips along the way.
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Getting Less Muddy: MTB Categories
Mountain bike categories these days grow as fast as bottom bracket standards change. XC, Trail, Enduro, All-Mountain… We gave some of our QBP engineers and product managers a few beers and asked them to try and make sense of it all.
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Break into Bikepacking
As bikepacking becomes increasingly popular with all kinds of riders, it’s an obvious category for bike shops to pick up on.
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Suspension Corrected
A shop that knows a thing or two about servicing today’s suspension systems holds the key to saving on labor costs while processing more suspension repairs.
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Get A Grip
Cyclocross racers train all year to get their bike handling skills up to par. But what about their bike’s handling skills?
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Happy Employees, Happy Shop
R&R: The Key to a Stress-Free Busy Season Summertime is peak season in the shop. It can also be a stressful time for your staff. Keeping employees happy with rewards and recognition will ensure your staff stays engaged throughout the busy season. For reward ideas both large and small, Call Up’s got some praiseworthy suggestions.
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Climbing the Social Ladder
A strong social media presence keeps you top of mind when it comes time for a bike upgrade or tune-up. Call Up’s got some social media advice you’re sure to click with.
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Knowing When To Let Go
Selling through older inventory is an instrumental part of making your cash flow available for new and exciting products. We’ve put together some tips and a handy chart to show you how to make “out with the old and in with the new” part of your store’s standard operating procedure.
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Identify Yourself!
Creating a strong brand identity is key to business success. Your brand not only brings customers into your store, it keeps them coming back. From why you need a brand to how you build one, the tutorial you’ve been waiting for is here. Read on.
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Mountain Bike Evolution
As mountain trails have evolved, so too have the bikes we ride on them. Call Up looks at current geometry and component fit trends.
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Fully Charged In Less Than 24 Hours
Never dismiss the power of a break from routine, even if it’s for less than 24 hours. Surly Bikes is making a point to promote the healing properties of short getaways by taking dealers and customers out for an overnight on shop visits.
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What’s Up With Down
Down? Synthetics? Hydrophobic down? Fill power? Baffling? Join us as we go down the feathered rabbit hole of down (and synthetics)
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Setting The Course For Success
This article in our Business Building series shares our methodology for creating an annual performance plan to help guide your store towards greater profitability and stability.
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It’s Electric
Electronic shifting is here to stay. Call Up offers a breakdown of SRAM, Shimano, and Campagnolo’s electronic offerings.
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Energize Apparel Sales
Successfully sell cycling apparel with these tips from industry expert Mercedes Ross, and make concerns about stocking clothing a thing of the past.
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Increasing Profit Through Margin Maximization
A key component to profitability comes from a thorough understanding of how to make the most of margin. In this article, we’re going to dive into the nuts and bolts of margin maximization.
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Rubber Side Rad
At no time is proper traction more important than in winter. Here’s everything you need to know about staying upright on two very wide wheels this winter.
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Best in Snow
The idea of “one riding season” is changing with fat bikes and a rising number of areas that are grooming trails.
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Finally Seeing The Light
The implementation of new light and battery technology from multiple industries is making riding bikes better for everyone, both night and day. Andrew Ibanez from Cygolite took some time to share how.
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Boost Your Potential For Growth
Boost is a new front and rear hub spacing that gives added design flexibility as tire widths continue to expand, and short chainstays for quick acceleration remain a goal. Find out the long and short of what Boost is all about, and why it’s likely to catch on.
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On The Plus Side
Cycling’s latest trend has arrived in the form of plus-sized tires, and riders are quickly realizing the benefits that more rubber affords.
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Roll With The Changes
The road bike is a constantly evolving entity. Stay informed on the most innovative changes occurring in road cycling technology.
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On The Road To Success
The Wisconsin Bike Fed shares how Safe Routes To School helps young students get active and do better in school, and how bike shops can get involved.
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Mountain Swagger
While mountain biking, dressing for the trail is just as important as dressing for the season.
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The Final Packlist, Or Is It…?
We've put together tips for tackling the never-ending question, "Do I have what I need?"
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Power to the People
Bike shops that know how to use and put power meters in riders’ hands are receiving lifetime loyalty in return.
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Seal The Deal
Knowing how to identify compatible rims and rubber for tubeless tires will save you and your customers time and trouble.
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Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment
The Shock Treatment Center staff at QBP has an affinity for all things suspension- and hydraulic brake-related.
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Sermons On The Mount
With the inundation of new fit terminology and event-specific geometries, the crusade for the perfect fit can get confusing. We asked two of our most experienced bike fitters to shed some light on how much really changes and what will always stay the same.
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A Total Pit
Having a solid mechanic and pit setup for a cyclocross race is not just a luxury; it can be the difference between finishing a race and grinding your bike and components into complete oblivion.
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Spring Into Action
Suspension has had a place in mountain biking since the early 1990s, and it’s played a pivotal role in how we ride.
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Change The Oil, Not The Engine
Service and repair can be the key to getting new commuters into your shop to drive profitable sales.
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All Dressed Up With Everywhere To Go
Scandinavians say, “There is no bad weather, only bad clothing.” Thanks to materials both time-tested and cutting edge, cyclists nowadays have access to a vast array of layers to shield them from the elements, and stay on their bikes year-round.
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Elemental Protection
Mike “Kid” Riemer, marketing manager for Salsa Cycles, has spent a good chunk of time riding bikes in the extreme cold, and knows first-hand how amazing a chilly ride can be—with the right preparation. Here he offers up advice and safety tips to help you focus on the “wonderland” part of winter.
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The Family That Plays Together
Walt Disney said, “A man should never neglect his family for business.” For many bike shops and their customers, business is family.
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A Numbers Game
“Power” is easily one of the most talked-about topics in our industry at the moment—either by proponents of measuring power performance or by the rapidly dwindling group of skeptics.