Bontrager Race Convertible Jacket

Price: $109.99

Browse the Men’s and Women’s Bontrager Convertible Jackets

We knew we had a winner on our hands when the Bontrager Race Convertible Jacket showed up at the shop and our staff fought to try them on.

It easily converts from a jacket to a vest perfect for changeable weather conditions at the beginnings or ends of your next bike ride.  It’s beauty is in its flexibility.  This cycling jacket is wind resistant and features a durable water repellant finish.

In our testing it performed great on days that were a little wet, but nothing torrential. It was also great for long rides that started early on a chilly morning and lasted into the rising temps of the day.  We also loved riding with it on a late afternoon spring bike ride that lasted into the night. And since this describes so many of the rides we do here in Northern Virginia, this jacket is killer!

Bontrager Flare R Tail Light Review

Flare R

$59.99

The Bontrager Flare R tail light is the brightest bike rear light that we’ve ever had in our bike shop. Period.

You will be super visible on your bike ride during the night and the day from a full 270 degrees with the Flare R. This means that you can ride safer than ever and will be visible to cars and everyone else while on your bicycle.  It also is one more product to help you fall in love with commuting to work on a bike.

Trek claims that you will be visible from 2k (Be seen while cycling from over a mile away) during the day or night time. While we haven’t tested this specific claim, after checkingthe Flare R out on a few local road and mountain bike rides, we can safely say this is one Crazy bright bike tail light.

It has four different modes for you to choose from so you can balance battery life and brightness.

The Two Daytime modes are: 65Lumens flash-4.25hrs runtime, 35Lumens all-day-10hrs runtime, 25Lumens steady-4.5hrs runtime

The Two Nightime modes are: 65Lumens flash-23hrs runtime, 5Lumens steady-21hrs runtime.

The Bontrager packaging includes a quick connect bracket and also comes with a usb cable.

Charge time is 2.5 hours via micro USB.

The Verdict?

Buy it! This Bontrager tail light is a super popular light down at the shop because of the great value.

Super bright, short charge times and four different modes = safer riding during the day or night!

The Bontrager BallistaBike Helmet Review

The Ballista is a stylish wind cheater.

The Bontrager Ballista Bike Helmet at $174.99 (with free shipping) is Bontrager’s take on the holy grail for Aero helmets.  It is incredibly aerodynamic, super light, easy to get a great fit, and surprisingly well vented for an aero time trial helmet. While $175 isn’t cheap, it is a great deal in this competitive category of bike helmets.

The Verdict?

Grab one if you race and are looking to save time on the course and want to keep as cool as possible while doing it.

Other colors

White Silver

Ballista in Black. Did we mention how light it is?

White with Trek Factory Racing Graphics

Key Features

Bontrager’s Ballista bike helmet was Jen’s Voigt’s aero choice for his hour record. Ballista is perfect for cyclists who want to cheat the wind and gain an advantage on every ride. The air vents are strategically placed to keep you cool and fast while the Headmaster II fit system keeps it snug.

Bontrager features a 30 day return policy and a crash replacement guarantee on bike helmets (which we think makes this a great option if you’re actually going to race with it) to keep you covered during your first year of ownership.

Sizing and Technical features

• Weight: 258 grams (Small), 262 grams (Medium), 294 grams (Large)
• Small: 51-57cm
  Medium: 54-60cm
  Large: 58-63cm

This video from Bontrager goes into great detail about how it was designed and produced.

Bontrager Velocis Bib Bike Shorts Review

Bontrager Velocis Bibs are an exceptional value

Bontrager’s Velocis Bib Short , for $159.99 (with free shipping) at our online store thebike lane.com is a sleek pro-level bib short for everyday road cyclists and weekend warriors alike. Velocis features unmatched comfort and performance so you can ride hard all day long.

The Verdict?

Grab em.  These bike bibs hit the sweet spot in three important ways: the chamois, fit and straps are just right.

They also come in another color:

The Velocis Bibs also come in Miami Green.

Key Features

– Arcus inForm BioDynamic Chamois – Italian made, OverEasy constructed Aircell pad
– Profila Power main material with Profila Cool mesh bib back
– Lightweight, low-profile, no-sew bib straps equal great support and comfort
– PinchLess leg construction design is more comfortable and looks great
– Clean cut compression leg gripper
– Reflective elements to enhance visibility
– 9.5″ (24cm) inseam
– Fitted cut provides streamlined body fit for enhanced performance

We carry a full line of Men’s Bike Shorts and Women’s Bike Shorts.

The Bontrager Rally MIPS Mountain Bike Helmet Rocks!

The Bontrager Rally MIPS Mountain bike helmet offering mips technology and a ton of other great features for just $119.99 (including free shipping) has been a huge reason why this helmet is one of our best sellers this spring.

The Verdict: Grab it!

The Rally MIPS mountain bike helmet raises the bar in comfort and protection at an amazing price point. Great coverage and prodigious venting keep you riding all day long on the toughest trails.

It comes in two other colors too.

The Bontrager Rally MIPS in Black. Notice the visor swings up to accommodate goggles.

 

Olive Green has been super popular this year.

Key features

Equipped with MIPS Brain Protection System

In-mold composite skeleton allows a greater variation of vent shape and size

Intuitive, one-handed Headmaster fit system adjusts height and circumference

Flexible head-conforming FormFit brow band has a tailored feel and improves venting

FlatLock dividers make helmet strap management simple through fixed position fit

Internal, recessed channels manage airflow through the helmet and over the head

Drop-in coverage offers additional protection below traditional bottom edge of helmet

Crash Replacement Guarantee provides a free helmet

Replacement if involved in a crash within the first year of ownership

The Key Technology

MIPS, “Multi-directional Impact Protection System”, sets a new standard in helmet safety. Developed by brain surgeons and scientists, MIPS helps reduce rotational forces on the brain caused by angled impacts to the head.

Mips is a revolutionary technology that lets the helmet slide relative to the head, adding more protection against rotational violence to the brain caused by angled impacts. To identify the new generation of helmets, look for the little yellow mips logo.

Trek Domane- Your King of the Classics

Spartucus’s taking the lead at the 2013 Tour de Flanders

Admit it, we have all gone on bike rides with friends and found ourselves playing pro peloton,  choosing which pro rider we want to be and doing play-by-play chatter like Paul Sherwen and Phil Liggett as we battle our buddies to imaginary finish lines at the biggest races.

But it doesn’t all have to be fantasy.  The Trek bikes used by professional riders in the biggest races in the world are very similar to the bikes you’ll find at The Bike Lane stores in Springfield and Reston.

Project One Domane 6.9 Spartacus

Fabian Cancellara’s Trek Domane 6.9 that he rode to win the Tour of Flanders last Sunday and will ride again this Sunday at the Paris-Roubaix spring classic is not much different from the Domane models you’ll find at The Bike Lane.  In fact, “Spartacus” prefers to ride the comfortable Domane in all of his road races and is capable of producing more than 500 watts of sustained power on the bike, as evidenced by the way he dropped Cannondale’s Peter Sagan on the final climb and time-trialed his way to a stunning one-minute, 26 second gap to secure the Flanders win for his Radioshack-Leopard-Trek team.

Tony M. doesn’t stand for Tony Martin; it refers to Cancellara’s longtime nickname, Tony Montana (from the movie Scarface). Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com

The only changes he makes for the cobblestone classics are slightly wider 25mm tubular tires and manual shifting instead of his usual electronic Di2 setup due to the battering the system takes while riding the stony bergs.  He does have a special Trek Project One custom paint job with his SPARTACUS nickname across the top tube and a smaller decal that says “Tony M”, a reference to an earlier nickname from the gangster film “Scarface,” whose lead character was Tony Montana.

His saddle height is 78cm and his saddle-to-bars reach is 62cm.  He uses a 140mm stem, 175 mm crankarms and a regular 53/39 chainring setup.  Fit is just as important to a recreational rider or weekend warrior, as it is for a pro.   Interested in Domane yet?  The TBL folks are experts at getting your personal measurements dialed in so you can ride away this weekend on your new King of the Classics!

Tour de Flanders – Dominated by Cancellara

Trek voted favorite brand by Bicycling Magazine readers

North America’s widest-read cycling publication, Bicycling Magazine, has published its 2013 Reader’s Poll results, with Trek winning the honors of favorite brand. The Bike Lane  can’t agree more!  There were a lot other interesting findings as well!  Personally, the climbing preference was a little surprising but we love that 29% thought that shaving their legs was a sign of dedication to the sport!  Come pick up the new Bicycling magazine at The Bike Lane and read more favorites from the 5000 cyclists that took the survey.

Trek Rummmmmble Fish

Yes, they are here and in perfect time!  The Bike Lane’s Demo fleet of Trek 2011 Rumble Fish (Gary Fisher Collection) have arrived!  And they are sweet!!  If you have not had a chance to ride a 29er this is a great bike to try out.   The Rumble Fish is an awesome trail bike.  Many of The Bike Lane staff have taken these bad boys out to ride in the snow, at the Shed, and Fountainhead.  The overall consensus is “the bike rolls over everything”.  Smooth handling and big wheels make this bike the Ride for any of the logs, roots, and rocks that come when riding on the East Coast.  Come in today and ask about our demos.

My Demo Experience

All of us at The Bike Lane understand the importance of the “demo mountain bike.”  In fact, I tell people all the time that you can’t get a true sense for a mountain bike until you ride it off-road.  I was about to get a huge dose of my own advise…………As I stood in line to demo this bike at TrekWorld this summer my thought was to ride this bike first, confirm it was a silly bike to make, and then get on with the more serious bikes.  Funny thing about a demo day though, is once and a while it can really be an eye opening experience.   As I rode the bike out of Trek’s parking lot and toward the trails that IMBA had built as a testing ground across the street, I began to realize this bike might actually be for real.  Currently I ride a Fuel EX 9.5, I love this bike. It’s one of those bikes that you immediately feel comfortable on, that you can immediately ride fast.  The bike has 5″ of travel, but only weights 24lbs.  It’s great on the climbs and great on the downhills.  The 69er is all this, and more.  Everything I love about the 9.5 is present in the 69er as well as all the things I love about riding a 29er.  It accelerates like a 26″ bike, but you have this big wheel up front that just devours terrain and provides tons of traction.  I think I’ve found my new race bike for 2008!!  Anybody interested in a slightly used Fuel EX?????  I’ll even let you take it on a demo.