It’s not hard to screw up a new bike. When most of us track the status of our new multi-thousand dollar package on FedEx or UPS, we’re not thinking about how exciting it will be to tune the suspension or adjust the stack and saddle height. We’re thinking about how fast we can slap it together and take the new bike to the trails.
What potentially lies in this process is disappointment with a new bike because of a minor setup error. Maybe the fit is off, maybe the rebound is too fast or the compression too high. Alchemy Bikes, now based out of Golden, Colorado wants to prevent this from happening and they want to treat you to good beer and tacos while they help dial in your new bike.
The boutique brand, dealing in high-end carbon fiber and titanium bikes, recently moved their headquarters from Cherry Creek, Colorado over to Golden which gives them better proximity to mountain bike trails (and mountainous road riding) and a great location for either coffee and breakfast or beer, cocktails, and dinner. The new shop is called the Alchemy Ride Experience Center or AREC for short.
The shop is situated in a plaza off of I-70 and Morrison Road next to the Origin Hotel, with Nomad Tacos nestled into their first floor, and Over Yonder Brewing, Vice, and Launch Coffee. I happen to be local to the area and find myself over here frequently either before a trip to ride in the high country for coffee and breakfast (Launch is a fitting name) or afterward for beer and food.
Alchemy Bikes and Simbol PR invited a group of media folks to check out the new digs and the new bikes.
The new showroom is modern and welcoming. Alchemy’s beautiful carbon and titanium bikes make up the better part of the decor and there are leather couches where you can get deep into a magazine and a coffee or sit at the bar for a beer sourced from Over Yonder.
The gist of the program is this: Riders buying a new Alchemy bike are offered a night at the Origin Hotel, test rides, a bike fit, help with bike and suspension setup, a gift card to Over Yonder Brewery and a burrito and coffee at Launch Coffee, and a swag bag with a shirt, hat, mug, glass, and more. Tacos aren’t included but it would be foolish not to try Nomad’s menu with a free night at the Origin. The program is called DARE to Ride Golden.
Then of course there are plenty of options to test the bike before taking it home. There are a handful of trail networks within riding distance, including Mathews Winters and Dakota Ridge, Green Mountain, and Apex Park that all vary in style and difficulty.
I took the Arktos 150 for a short ride up the Argos trail at Apex and back down. It was my first time riding on an Alchemy and the Sine suspension felt efficient and responsive and the bike picked up speed quickly on the descent.
When the bike and rider are ready to go, riders have the option to drive it home or have it shipped fully assembled using Kitzuma. Shipping options also include FedEx and Beeline.
It’s a pretty neat program and unique to the direct-to-consumer bike space. Professional assistance while dialing in a new bike is great and the other treats are icing on the cake. Alchemy plans to launch the program in mid to late July 2022.
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