Chains for Fools

http://www.spotbikes.com/

Has anyone seen the funky Spot Brand Bikes popping up all over town? You may be asking whose Spot, and what makes their bikes better than the big cats in the game. Spot Bicycles, located out of Golden, Colorado, has stumbled upon a wild technology and now Trek is starting to copy their lead.

The company emerged in 1997, adamantly committed to the single-speed mountain bike. Their single-speed mindset has led Spot, in collaboration with the Gates Company, to develop a chainless technology which stands to revolutionize the bicycle, and make a real splash on the single speed scene. Instead of the traditional chain, Spot utilizes a patented Poly Chain Carbon Belt Drive. The fifty-five gram belt, never needs oil and performs great in adverse conditions like rain, snow, and mud. As all riders know, the steel chain doesn’t always rock out in the mud; and in Colorado you never know when the sky will open and your dusty trail morphs into a swamp.

I recently tried out the Spot Longboard (yes the bikes name is Longboard), and I had a Zen like experience. Ripping trails causes some serious chain slap, but when riding the Longboard the only noise you here is your 29inch tires floating over the rocks and sand. I usually ride mountain bikes with at least twenty one gears, but the efficiency of the Longboard may be changing my mind. The hydraulics disk breaks stop on a dime, and the front suspension provides a confident pop through technical downhill. The true temper steel frames offers a light frame with a reassuring stability. The Longboard ensures a smile, and at the end of the day you just hose down the belt.

Further more, Spot Brand Bikes is a local company, and passionate about the Front Range bicycle community. Unlike Trek, Giant, and Mongoose, Spot is proud to declare each bike hand welded inside the states. Riding a bike keeps your footprint down, and when the manufacturing takes place right down the road you can feel good about your bikes birthplace. Spot also offers custom paint jobs; paying close attention to detail every paint job transforms the bike into a work of art.

The company also partners with Oskar Blues Brewery to put on some fun ride events. They even have their own Bicycle Bar in Golden, which mingles them into the Colorado micro-brew scene. It’s great to see Spot Brand Bikes growing, and as you look around town, I bet you start to notice the belt drive silently coasting along.