Goldstream Sports Fairbanks Alaska

This is a reminder that the second women’s mountain bike camp is in a week.  Sat. and Sun., July 16 and 17, from 10 am to 1 pm.  Sign up at Goldstream Sports if you haven’t already!  The first camp was a success.  Everyone had a lot of fun and learn some really great biking skills.  There were some free gifts and coffee as well.  Pass the information on to your friends.  See the flier:  womenscamp.pdf

Happy 4th of July Everyone!  “Let Freedom Ring”!

I am planning on riding on the 4th of July depending on the weather.  We will meet at Goldstream Sports and ride at 6:00 as usual. Up Ester Dome we go we go, and what goes up must come down.

Don’t forget our first Tuesday Dirt Divas “B” ride starts on the 5th.  Meet at Goldstream Sports and ride to UAF.  The weather forecast looks better for Tuesday.

See you on the trails

Many riders suffer from frequent tingling in hands on longer rides (2+hours). If, after having a professional bike fit at a bike shop like Goldstream, Sports, the problem persists, you may need to look at other sources of the discomfort. Sometimes an old injury may be the source, like a shoulder injury, can cause the sensation, but not always .

A question to ask is could the numbness and tingling in my hand be related to the shoulder, or is it more likely a bike fit thing?

Hand numbness, also known as cyclist’s palsy, can be tricky and persistent.

While it is possible that a shoulder history is contributing, it is unlikely. More likely is nerve compression of one of the nerves in the wrist. If you’re getting numbness in your pinky and ring finger, it’s probably the Ulnar nerve being compressed. This is the most common due to its location, at the bottom of the wrist, close to the bars and hoods of a road bike.

Next is the Median nerve. This nerve runs in the middle of the wrist and compression can cause the pointer, middle, and ring fingers to feel numb. This tends to be more problematic on a mountain bike, however neither is mutually exclusive.

Radian nerve compression is also possible; this nerve runs through the wrist near the base of the thumb, on the top of the hand.

So why would a nerve in the wrist get compressed? The hand and wrist aren’t very good weight-bearing structures, yet some is required for riding a typical bike. Here at BCSM we see many extrinsic causes of hand numbness, and not all are related to the handlebars. To be sure, bar position can play a role in this, and having the handlebars too high can be just as detrimental as having the bars too low.

We also see improper saddle position, saddle shape and support causing hand numbness issues. Rotational orientation can cause hand numbness, too. For instance, if you are sitting with your right hip forward, this can translate to a slightly different reach to the right shifter, and possibly more pressure.

There are some good products to help distribute the pressure on the hands. Properly fitting gloves, cushy gel under the bar tape, even switching to a different-shaped hood or grip can help mask the pressure, but not one fix works for everyone.

Finally, some factors causing hand numbness while cycling are intrinsic. Weak core musculature, insufficient range of motion of hamstrings, hip extensors, or degenerative changes in your cervical spine can also cause hand numbness. If you have a known factor, or have exhausted all of the mechanical causes, seek a medical provider that is conversant with cycling to delve into the medical considerations.

If you are having numbness or pain in the hands, come and speak to us.  We can work with you to alleviate the issue!



Thanks to all the hard work by the volunteers who went out and swept and cleared the trail on Friday, and thanks to the warm weather which dried up most of the trail.  I personally rode the trail on Saturday morning and had a blast!!!  There are some wet spots still, and and apparently the new outer loop has some exposed roots.

Enjoy the trail, and let us know what you think!

1. Follow the Rules of the Road
• Ride with traffic and obey the same laws as motorists.
• Use the rightmost lane that heads in the direction
that you are traveling.
• Obey all traffic control devices, such as stop signs,
lights, and lane markings.
• Always look back and use hand and arm signals
to indicate your intention to stop, merge or turn.

2. Be Visible
• Ride where drivers can see you.
• Wear brightly colored clothing at all times.
• At night, use a white front light and red rear light
or reflector. Wear reflective tape or clothing.

3. Be Predictable
• Ride in a straight line and don’t swerve between
parked cars.
• Make eye contact with motorists to let them
know you are there.
• Do not ride on the sidewalk.

4. Anticipate Conflicts
• Be aware of traffic around you and be prepared
to take evasive action.
• Learn braking and turning techniques to
avoid crashes.
• Be extra alert at intersections.

5. Wear a Helmet
• Make sure that the helmet fits on top of your
head, not tipped back or forward.
• After a crash or any impact that affects your
helmet, visible or not, replace it immediately.

Often times we end the summer season with complaints about our bike.  Most of the time it is fit issues causing the complaints. We hear about hands going to sleep, saddles putting very painful pressure on the nether regions, neck pain, back pain, and other items of distress.  Why not start this season with a properly fitting bike!

We have a fit area in the store, and Joel has been through many fit training clinics over th past few year. And, he has been fitting bikes for 20 years.  Our fitting services start with the basic fit for the recreational and occasional rider, and we also offer the pro fit for the more serious rider.

We guarantee our fits as well, so if something just isn’t right, come on back!

Please call ahead to ensure we have a fit specialist available for when you want to come in!

Say “Be Gone!” to those nasty pains and pressures!

Clearing your nose is part of cycling.  Fact #1 – your nose will run and you will need to clear your nose.  Fact #2 – knowing how to snot rocket without getting it all over yourself or riding partner is cool, and is even considered sexy. Before you attempt to snot rocket, there are a few etiquette hints to help you clear your nose safely and with style.

1. Make sure you are aware of what is behind you – if you are in a paceline or a group of riders, be sure there is not someone directly behind you.  If you are in a paceline, either pull to the side, or drop to the back.  The last thing the guy or gal behind you wants is your nasal discharge in their face.

2. Even more importantly, make sure the coast is clear in front of you.  When you do actually let one fly, you will need to turn your head to the side, so ensure the coast is clear in front of you as you will not be able to see ahead for a few seconds.

3. When you are ready to clear your nose, decide which side of the nose you would like to clear first. Joe likes to do everything from the right side.  You can clear your nose from each side, or all from one side.

If you are going to clear your right nostril from the right hand side, you can do the over the shoulder technique where you use the back of your hand or index finger and shoot over your shoulder.  There is the under the arm technique where you drop your head down, lift your arm up and you can either use your right hand over your nose, or your left hand across your body.  We will let Joe demonstrate.

Snot Rocket to the right

Snot Rocket to the left

Snotting under the arm

Schedule of Events

8am – 3pm Bike Swap
8:30-10am Equipment check-in
10.30am Sale Begins . Find that special bike or gear item at amazing prices!
10am -2pm Volunteers in Policing bike rodeo
1:00 pm Bike repair clinic – On the road repairs
1:30 pm Bike repair clinic – Home maintenence

Bring your old bike, your still good clothing, gear and componentry! Bring your items in the morning and take home a nice fat check in the afternoon!

Come and find a bargain, find a new best friend.

Bike Rodeo
Volunteers in Policing will hold a bike rodeo to emphasis bicycle
safety for kids. Kids learn skills to ride safely and ultimately build
confidence in their riding abilities while staying safe! This very fun
clinic allows kids to learn in an environment that promotes healthy,
safe kids, while having loads of fun at the same time!

Save Time – fill out the consignment form ahead of time.

Want to earn brownie points and the respect and loyalty of your peers?  Volunteer by showing up at 7am!

Call 455 6520 for more information!

Facebook users click here to view in chart view on blog at http://goldstreamsports.com/blog/

Goldstream Sports is looking for customer service employees. Applicants must be available to work weekends and evenings. We need a full time employee or a couple part time employees that can work a minimum of 20 hour per week. Basic bike knowledge is needed. Please drop off resume at the store.