You may remember last summer when we put together a fleet of rental bikes for Bike China. They made for a great ride and have kept Bike China’s clients happily pedaling along. Some of our friends in Chengdu here have had the good fortune of riding them on some of our countryside rides.

Being in Chengdu, surrounded by an endless array of world-class roads and scenery we’re no strangers to touring. So we weren’t surprised with Escape Adventures, a New Zealand touring company that guides tours all over the world asked us to give their bikes a full refurbish in time for this season’s tour.

They wanted to take their stock Avanti hybrid touring bikes and have them outfitted with complete Deore groupsets, given a proper overhaul and most importantly given a fresh coat of paint befitting the company’s style. Orange with the updated logos and markings of Escape Adventures.

It took a bit of elbow grease and little bit of magic, but the end result is twelve striking good-as-new bikes. Eye-catching and clean they’ve had all the right bits updated for another dozen seasons of introducing groups of eager riders to Western Sichuan. Read more

A couple of weeks ago we hosted a free bicycle maintenance workshop wherein we had the chance to share with our friends a few basic tips and pointers on how to keep your bike running smooth.

The course was a cursory look at how to diagnose problems with your bike: what that sound means, where it’s coming from, what the issue is and how to fix it. Bikes may seem a little overwhelming but with a bit of know-how and some elbow grease you can sort out most anything.

Afterward we opened up the conversation to a little friendly Q and A where we fielded more specific questions about folks personal bikes and even took the opportunity to problem shoot a few of them on the spot.

If you’re looking for a little bit more independence on the bike, the security of knowing you can sort out any of those odd problems you might encounter out on the road, then keep checking for when we’ll be hosting our next maintenance workshop. We’ll also be sure to include details as to what you might expect to learn.

Our workshops are bi-lingual so whichever language you’re comfortable speaking, we’ve got you covered (if you speak Chinese or English, that is…).

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Anyone who’s ever come along for the Friday Night Ride knows it’s no secret. Beer plays as an important part in the activity as the people and the bikes. It’s the perfect lubricant for socializing and creating stimulating conversation.

So when the Beijing-based JingA brewery recently approached us and asked if we would be up for doing a tap takeover we were more than excited. We’re fans of beer, but quality craft brew is a whole other level of awesome. How could we miss the opportunity to introduce to our friends a few new tasty beers to enjoy along with the ride?

Not only will we be offering pints of JingA’s “Mandarin Wheat” and “Koji Red Ale” for ¥30, but we’ll be taking the show on the road. With the ride ending up at The Craft Project, a super rad little space located in Shui Jing Tang, next to Lan Kwai Fong. We’ll have full control of the space where you can expect the same awesome beers on tap. No need to worry about locking up as we’ll be able to bring all our bikes inside!

More exciting is that this next FNR we’ll be working with our buddies in the Big Ten Small Business Salon. What’s this mean? Natooke is an active participant in an events exchange that works to introduce like-minded businesses with other cool companies in Chengdu and sample activities they organize to support their community. In short, expect a whole slew of new faces along for the ride to experience the kind of fun our crew gets into.

We take fun pretty damn seriously and if ever we were fun forecasters we’re confident there’s a 100% chance of a good time. Be sure not to miss this iteration of the FNR, because not every chance do the factors necessary harmonize for such an incredibly fun occasion.

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Think about a woman in your life who’s influenced you in a positive way. It’s not that tough. You may have thought about your mom or a friend or a mentor who’s guided you in becoming the person you are. For us here at Natooke we can’t help but be constantly reminded of the primary reason we’re in business, Ines Brunn. Known across the world  for her incredible gymnastic feats on the bike, we more closely know her as the inspiration for everything that has allowed Natooke to become what it has here in Chengdu: the events, the memories, the community and the future of cycling in this city.

But now there’s a couple new kids on the block. Gong Jinjie and Zhong Tianshi have taken gold for olympic track cycling. The importance of this is significant in that not only is it a first for China, but they easily beat the boys to the accomplishment. Having set a world record in the preceding races, Gong Jinjie and Zhong Tianshi narrowly beat out the Russian team in the final race, sealing the deal.

This comes as vindication after Gong, as well as her London 2012 teammate, Guo Shuang were eliminated from receiving gold over in their final race. In Gong’s words, “We are like old warriors who have kept fighting.” Gold at last.

We’re hopeful in seeing this as some greater sign that the future for women and cycling in China is looking real bright. It’s something, having also been directed inspired by amazing women that we’re planning to more actively support. So in the coming weeks keep your eyes peeled for an opportunity to partake in a little spirited activity. Women only. Because we feel that the sort of hard work demonstrated by people such as Gong Jinjie and Zhong Tianshi deserves it’s own just reward. Read more

As a renowned bike specialist, Natooke is now providing a chance for visitors to cycle the Hutongs throughout our newly introduced guided tours. Our bike tours aim to reflect our passion for quality and authenticity. As a custom bike shop our tours have been crafted in a manner that caters for every individual taste, as your Hutong Tour can be customized to meet your desires and interests.

Our Olympic Park and 798 Art District Tour explores the legacy of the Beijing 2008 Olympics through visits to the Bird’s Nest, Water Cube, Olympic Torch and Olympic Forest, before visiting the 798 District for lunch and an afternoon. Lasting five hours and led by a professional, English-speaking guide, the tour will include a city bike rental, helmet, lock, bottled water and an anti-pollution mask. Key sights and attractions include:

• Bird’s Nest
• Water Cube
• Olympic Torch
• Olympic Forest
• 798 Art District Galleries
• 798 Art District Cafes

For more information, contact freda@natooke.com.

This coming Wednesday, August 17 we’ll be hosting this month’s movie night. August 17 also coincides with the Chinese Spirit Festival. In the spirit of the holiday, we’ll be showing “Spirited Away” from the esteemed director Hayao Miyazaki.

The story follows a sullen young girl as her family makes a move to the suburbs. Quickly it dives into a strange world of mystery, excitement and adventure as the young girl meets a whole array of new friends. A fantastic coming-of-age story, this visually luscious animated film shows that through hard work, compassion and friendship you can overcome any challenge.

Starting at 8 p.m. we’ll be showing the film at Natooke. Show up early to save a seat!

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Two weeks seem to have come and gone in the blink of an eye. Happy to announce that in fact, yes, this week there is a Friday Night Ride. Don’t miss out on your choice to join in on what’s likely the coolest tour of town.

As usual, expect to listen to some solid tunes, chat with some solid people and have a solid good time. Swing by before 8:00 p.m. and enjoy a happy hour ¥20 pint of Asahi. Take the edge off this summer heat! Read more

Over the course of the summer we’ve led several different countryside rides. Each time they’ve become successively more interesting as we take our friends along to explore more and more unique little pockets of the Sichuan basin.

This time while scouting for routes we found an area that is all but too nice to just spend one day riding around. So, we got to thinking: why not not make for a full weekend of riding?

Here’s the scoop. The ride will be organized in a similar way as our standard single day ride. We’ll plan to meet up at Natooke on Saturday, August 20 at 7:30 a.m. We’ll depart at 8:00 a.m. sharp.

We’ll then drive out to Luojiang, deposit overnight bags at the arranged guesthouse and set out for the first day’s ride, a loop of roughly 70km. During the first loop we’ll stop for a light lunch before finishing up the days ride.

The afternoon we’ll have time to explore the back alleys and parks of the town. This includes taking in the local architecture, tea houses and a rural Sichuan opera house. Dinner will be at the guesthouse before turning in for the evening.

The following morning we’ll offer breakfast before packing our things in and setting out on the second day’s roughly 70km ride. At the end of the ride we’ll have a lunch before packing it all in and heading back to Chengdu.

The total cost is ¥800 and includes transportation to and from, a night’s stay at a lovely guesthouse and the above mentioned meals. To reserve a private room there is an additional ¥60. Bicycles designed for comfortable long-distance rides are available for an additional ¥100.

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August 9^th doesn’t appear to be a remarkable date. However according to the lunar calendar, it’s the 7^th day of the 7^th month. This date holds a special place in that it’s the traditional Chinese Valentine’s. It’s the one day that Zhinü, a heavenly fairy and Niulang, her human husband, can reach one another by crossing a heavenly bridge. Read more

As a renowned bike specialist, Natooke is now providing a chance for visitors to cycle the Hutongs throughout our newly introduced guided tours. Our bike tours aim to reflect our passion for quality and authenticity. As a custom bike shop our tours have been crafted in a manner that caters for every individual taste, as your Hutong Tour can be customized to meet your desires and interests.

Our Imperial Tour is perfect for visitors to Beijing wishing to explore the city by bike. Lasting six hours and led by a professional, English-speaking guide, the tour will include a city bike rental, helmet, lock, bottled water and an anti-pollution mask. Key sights and attractions include:

• Forbidden City
• Jingshan Park
• Tiananmen Square
• Beijing Observatory
• Ming City Wall
• Temple of Heaven
• Lama Temple

For more information, contact freda@natooke.com.