My Bikes - Rocinante

This bike was built from the frame up by John, mostly with parts he had been hoarding for a dream-project mountain bike. It is the most comfortable bike I have ever ridden, and it goes like the wind. I call it Rocinante after Don Quixote's horse, and it is a trusty steed indeed. I cannot wait to ride this bike on a major tour, possibly across the country if I can ever afford to do it. I have a Bob's trailer that I bought from Tim to go with this bike that I can carry all kinds of gear with. If I ever won powerball I'd leave tomorrow to ride it around the world.

My Bikes - the Green Machine

This I believe to be one of the best looking bikes I've ever seen. It is a custom built Gunnar frame that I bought from Mike Oster and tricked out with disk brakes. I use the bike in the woods, usually at Burlingame State Park and around the Great Swamp Management Area, and I hope to expand my off-road riding this summer. The bike feels great, is very responsive and handles extremely well. It is a single speed, which my friend Tim convinced me was the way to go. After riding geared mountain bikes for many years, I agree. There really is no need for the ridiculous amount of gears that bikes come with these days. It brings back alot of the joyous simplicity that riding bikes had as a little kid. Riding the Trackster convinced me that gears weren't needed on the street, and this bike proved that you don't need them in the woods either.

My Bikes - the Maserati

I call this bike the Maserati as a play on the framebuilder's name, Masi. This bike was built for me by Jim from the frame up, with some new parts and some I bought from other Stedman's groupies. It is a totally sweet classic steel racing bike. I use the bike to ride long distances (for me). I've never really ridden more than 70 miles in a day. This summer I hope to get in good enough shape to ride 100 miles at least once every couple of weeks. The Masi is perfect for this type of training. I've never really felt very comfortable on the bike, but then again I've never been in very good shape since I got it. Sure is a pretty bike, though. Even got a compliment from Mr. Stedman on it once, and those ain't easy to come by.

My bikes - the Trackster

This bike I bought from my friend Tim. It is Bianchi Pista track bike with flat bars. I absolutely love riding this bike. I use it for recreational rides and as a general around town bike. I got exposed to alot of fixed gear bikes while I was working as a bike courier in Wahington, DC (seemed like at least half the couriers were riding them), and I knew that I had to have one. Since I bought it, I have learned that the allure of fixed gear bikes is not their minimalist coolness or their cultish fashionability, but in fact the totally different experience riding them provides as opposed to regular bikes. There is a Zen-like oneness with the bike that is difficult to describe.

Mr. Stedman

Let's take a quick tour and meet some of the guys at the shop.
This is Mr. Stedman, who has been operating the shop since 1955.
The shop has been in operation continuously since before 1900.

Jim

This is Jim Walsh, an integral member of the Stedman's Bike Shop staff. Jim does it all, from management to sales to wrenching bikes to racing. Jim is always ready to help any customer out with their questions, from the brand-new cyclist to the avid racer.

John

This is John Thompson, bike mechanic extraordinaire. Always in
a good mood, John rides his bike to work everyday except in the most
terrible conditions, when he occasionally breaks down and drives.