The official Dancing Deer Baking Company Blog

Wheelworks jumped in without a second thought as a major sponsor of my 1500 mile/15 day ride to fund scholarships for homeless mothers.  (April 22 to May 6, 2009).  They’ve been amazing and fun in every way. It’s a big team and they’re all terrific. They brought in Trek, Asssos and Garmin in a heartbeat.  And they believe in me!  Why?  I don’t know but I’ll take it.  Sure helps me be confident that I’m not crazy and/or feel confident that my craziness is good. Principle Clint Paige is there for every question and also the ones I forget to ask.  He gets the title of Mr. Steady and Clear.  Front of the house Recumbent and GPS specialist Scott Chamberlain has put in a ton of time figuring out various technical things and also taken me on training rides.

See www.dancingdeer.com/ride  for a blog of a 225 mile tandem expedition we went on. He’s Mr. Can Do and Safety.  And Bike Sales Chieftain Rob Delisle, tall, dark and handsome (honestly he didn’t prompt me with everyone of those appellations. . .) is Mr. Funny and Positive. He seems to think this Ride is no sweat as long as I keep the wheel side down.  Erika Gerking helped me figure out the gear. I fundamentally dislike clothes shopping. She made it easy. So she gets the title of Ms. Copasetic and Helpful. Every single person I’ve run in to there has been delightful.

I was connected with WheelWorks as a sponsor by Louder Than Words founder Rich Polt, who is a huge cycling enthusiast and runs a communications agency which only takes on clients with a social mission or double bottom line. 
Of course when WW said yes to my sponsorship they didn’t even know that I’d already been a loyal customer for years.  Walked in one day around 2002 and on their say so, bought a Bianchi which was an upgrade from the borrowed 20 year old (wonderful) ten speed my friend and FABULOUS cartoonist and cycling guru Dan Wasserman had loaned me. I’ve been on a bike since I could walk, but Dan brought me in to the 21st century. See http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/outofline/

Anyway, when I told him I was ready for my own bike and asked what to get he said “Just go to Wheelworks.  You’ll end up with the right thing.”  A few years later I got in to Mountain Biking and they helped me buy something that was just right and didn’t kill my budget.  It’s tempting to get carried away when surrounded by the very coolest stuff.  When I was ready for a road bike upgrade I walked in planning to buy a new wheel set for the Climb to the Clouds Ride the next day and walked out with the bike of my dreams – a Trek Madone racing bike for women.  What a ride I had that day!!  It was so crazy to go on a 108 mile elevation ride on a new saddle, let alone a new bike but it worked perfectly.  Impulse buy. No regrets.  Exactly the right bike for me.  We are pretty much one unified happy machine.  I didn’t have a chance to get back for the free tune up/fitting within the specified time.  Over a year later I came in for some help and Rob looked at the ticket and said.  “No charge.”  With a smile.
It’s always a joy to be at WW.