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What a fabulous year it was for Polartec Team John Henry Bikes powered by Ethical Bean.

There was racing, results and in the end there was a team that made a big difference.

Here is a quick look at our team of partners and racers in action building swanky new youth bikes for some awesome kids at our end of year bike build night.

Take a look and thank to all that supported the team on their mission to build a world of brave kids.

Team John Henry Bikes Build Night

Life is fun. Live to ride.

Polartec Team John Henry Bikes Year End Report

What a year!

It was a stretch but when the rubber met the road…and the trail…this was the greatest season of racing yet.

Why a stretch? Back in January we went out to throw a number of different ingredients into a big bowl to see if we could create a whole new riding experience. Like a brand new recipe for an old favourite. Why change what works? Why bother? The race teams around bike shops seemed to be working.

There was resistance. There was a bit of confusion at the outset from past partners and fortunately there was interest and intrigue.

Team John Henry Bikes would be a mixture of all bike racing styles [downhill, road, cross country, ambassadors, event junkies and youth], a completely new way of sharing training stories, sponsors that wanted a bigger reason to support ‘just’ a ‘local’ bike team, and a secret ingredient.

That secret ingredient mixed in with the passion surrounding the team was where all the fun was had. Our goal as team organizers: How would it all look if we could tap into the raw emotion and joy people everywhere recognized from the first time they ever received a new bike?

Polartec Team John Henry Bikes powered by Ethical Bean was born.

Find like-minded partners.
Train hard.
Race hard.
Share those stories.
Raise money and awareness to support buying young people a new bike and a week of kid’s camp. This was the secret ingredient.

Over the year our team of thirty strong riders and ambassadors managed to fly the colours in over 300 events around British Columbia, across Canada, in the United States and even as far as France and India!

Polartec Team John Henry Bikes riders were seen on the podium on over 20 occasions and were definitely the having fun no matter the result. We had riders from the age of 17 to the more mature of over 50 [maybe a little older but we aren’t counting]. Our team consisted of Adventure Racers taking on huge events like the Furnace Creek 500 miler and Raid the North Extreme all the way to France to do the Alpe d’Huez ride for charity. There were Gran Fondo road riders and serious Pro level Downhillers of every age category. The Downhillers crew was the most consistent bunch of fun loving riders. Ryan, Tim, Rob and crew always were up for a trip, a ride and getting friends behind the mission to provide kids bikes. A big congratulation going out to Masters DHer Gord Longden for again being tops in BC. We had seriously fast cross country mountain bikers with our girls really rocking this year. Megan Rose, besides running a charity ride across Canada, coming in the top three of BC pro women and getting a podium down in Oregon for a 100 mile off road race. We had our freeride friend from the Flow Show fly the colours in India and we had so many fun rides locally that there just is too much to mention. All in all there was so much riding and sharing of the Team story. The jerseys and banners were everywhere. We could not have been more impressed and proud of the entire team’s effort.

What’s more?

We made a difference in a lot of kid’s lives.

As the season finished we made a final push to support young people get the same chances we once had and at the very end of November we invited several local kids to come to a special evening…

The surprise was an invite for the kids to come to a ‘learn about bikes night.’  Through a  partnership with the lower mainland Boys and Girls Clubs we had found some deserving families to come and share a night of ‘learning’ with our sponsors, friends and team.

The plan was to gather everyone and in teams of 4 or 5 learn to build some bikes. It was fun and chaotic. We ripped kid’s bike after kid’s bike out of boxes along with our little helpers. Their eyes opened wide in amazement and I for one was taken aback by how much they were just enjoying a field trip of fun and exploration. Cardboard was flying everywhere and Team riders were leading the charge with their little groups. Colours, wheels, cardboard, tools all dancing together and strewn across the store floor. For about an hour and a half we all battled vainly to assemble these bikes slowly and steadily producing what would turn out to be a beautiful rainbow of children’s bikes. The kids were very proud and their parents and Boys and Girls Club reps were in there getting greasy too.

As the bike chaos eased we gathered at the front to talk about what we had learned. Children from 6 years old to 12 sat and answered questions engaged by what can only be called a really fun night. Their eyes were scanning everything and they were ready to depart after food, drink, revelry and learning to build bikes. But there was one twist…

Now, as the loony guy that put this whole thing together I must confess that I take the most joy from this night so it was selfishly that I sat at the front and announced the final piece of the night. In a loud voice to command attention we hushed the children and then announced that they would all rise, find their team groups again and…

Pick out one of the bikes they built to take home!

Wow. The organized chaos returned in a frenzy of joy. It was just glorious to see our team shaking hands with eight year olds and just general pride from our sponsors and team about what they had accomplished. They were providing the Merriest of Christmas’ to so many.

And this was all accomplished simply by sharing the joy of riding a bike.

Next year is already coming soon but that was a great night and what a great year. Some people grow a moustache, others do a single ride, but our team shares an entire world of what riding a bike can be.

A special thank you goes out to all of our riders and our fantastic sponsors. Without you this could not have happened. Cheers to the companies below for helping make such a big difference. We look forward to growing the program with you.

Polartec

Ethical Bean Coffee

CCI Renovations

Red Racer Beer

Ryders Eyewear

Chimp Fund

Phoenix Tents

North Shore News

Norco Bicycles

Shimano

Mortgage Dave

We would also like to recognize Escape Adventure Bike Camps for graciously donating the week of camp for each of the kids and we can’t wait to se their faces again next summer riding their bikes on the Shore.

Check out the wonderful faces and new bikes in photos on our flickr stream.

Thank you to all that were involved, that took a chance on a new idea and that supported our riders.

Live to ride.

Polartec Team John Henry Bikes powered by Ethical Bean: making a difference through riding.

That’s right. We are going to be upating parts of the store again…

And we need room.

Are you doing a big charity ride next year? Grand fondo? A big trip?

Maybe it’s time to get a great deal on a road bike. All remaining road bikes are on sale and priced to move. Maybe even time to get a new rig for this year’s remaining awesome sunshine!

Road Bikes

All remaining 2011 Specialized, Argon 18 and Norco road bikes priced to inspire. Ride now! Train now!

Roubaixs, Secteurs, Dolces, CRR’s, Krytons…everything!

2011 CRR3 Promo Special  $1299.99 MSRP 1780   CARBON FRAME!!!! 105 shifting. Incredible deal…! Only a few left.

2011 Norco CRR 1 Special $2599.99 MSRP $3340  Only one left.

2010 Specialized Tarmac Expert (1 only 56cm)  Special $2999.99 MSRP $3970

2010 Specialized Tarmac Elite (1 only 54cm)  Special $1899.99 MSRP $2660

2009 Specialized Tarmac Comp (54cm) Special $1999.99 MSRP $3000

2009 Specialized Transition Expert (small)  Special $2659.99 MSRP $4660

2011 Specialized Tarmac Comp (54cm) Special $2499.99 MSRP $2900

2011 Specialized Tarmac Elite (54cm)   Special $1899.99 MSRP $2380

All remaining 2011 Specialized, Argon 18 and Norco road bikes priced to inspire. Ride now! Train now!

Get in here and get riding!

Live to ride.