Val Vanderpool

Val is BRAIN’s newest staff writer. She comes to the magazine with a varied background including stints as a bike shop manager, bicycle tour guide, and race and event director. She also worked as a freelance writer in the outdoor and travel industries. Most recently, she taught women’s clinics and drove a demo van, working with Giant retailers all over the west. An Idaho native who has lived all over the northwest, Val is excited about her recent relocation to sunny southern California, where she can mountain bike, trail run, and garden year round. She lives in Silverado canyon with her boyfriend Brian and their two dogs. 

All articles by Val Vanderpool

October 30, 2014

YPSILANTI, Mich. (BRAIN) — When Two Wheel Tango unexpectedly closed in early October, many customers who had purchased bikes from one of its three stores wondered where they would take them for service.

Posted in Retail News
October 29, 2014
Race Pace serves the first customers to patronize the Maryland retailer’s new location in Ellicott City.

ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (BRAIN) — After learning that the strip mall where Race Pace Ellicott City was housed for 30 years would be torn down, owner Alex Obriecht began looking for a new building to rent. Buying property wasn’t something he had initially considered, but commercial rentals were expensive and difficult to find. So in December 2012, Obriecht purchased a 7,000-square-foot warehouse that had previously been used to store excavating equipment. He hired an architect and the building was gutted and remodeled inside and out. An additional 4,800 square feet of space was also added to the building. The process took more than 21 months — nearly a year longer than Obriecht had anticipated.

Posted in Retail News
September 25, 2014
Revolution sells Surly, Raleigh, Santa Cruz and other bike brands.

GREENSBORO, N.C. (BRAIN) — Besides gaining a better location and more space, Revolution Cycles also has also added taps to its store following a recent move. Owner Watts Dixon moved the shop about a mile down the road in May, putting it closer to a college campus.

Posted in Retail News
September 18, 2014

SEATTLE (BRAIN) — Located a stone’s throw from the original Starbucks and the Pike Place Market on Seattle’s waterfront, Elliott Bay Bicycles will close its doors at the end of September. Framebuilder Bill Davidson and retailer Bob Freeman opened Elliott Bay in 1983.

Posted in Retail News
September 2, 2014

FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany (BRAIN) — ­­Ridley Bikes has partnered with Belgium's LRM and Taiwan­-based Ideal Bicycle Corporation, one of the country's largest bicycle manufacturers.

Posted in International
August 28, 2014
Kenda's Juggernaut Pro fat bike tire.

FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany (BRAIN) — At a press conference hosted by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), several leading Taiwanese companies came together to launch new products on the second day of the Eurobike show.

Posted in International
August 28, 2014
The new S5 has a Cevelo-branded aero drop bar.

FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany (BRAIN) — After winning awards for the S5 VWD aero road bike, engineers at Cervélo didn't sit back and bask in the glory for long. "We took it as a challenge," said Heather Henderson, senior product manager at Cervélo. "We knew we could make it faster."

Posted in Product/Tech
August 27, 2014
The new SB6c.

FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany (BRAIN) — Scarcely one month after launching the SB5c trail bike and just one week after it introduced a new cross-country race model, Yeti rolled out a third new bike on the opening day of Eurobike.

Posted in Product/Tech
August 27, 2014

FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany (BRAIN) — Before the Eurobike show floor opened, journalists gathered around the coffee bar in BMC's sleek and modern booth for a critical cup to fuel the day ahead.

Posted in Product/Tech
August 26, 2014

FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany (BRAIN) — Occasional rain showers and cool temperatures didn't stop  showgoers from getting on the trail for Eurobike's Demo Day on Tuesday. For the first time, Demo Day was held on show grounds, adjacent to the Messe where the Eurobike expo takes place in Friedrichshafen.  

Posted in International

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