Bike Shop in Maryland
- Thread starter badm3
- Start date
Steve
New Member
I can help if you like. I've got nothing but time! What are you planning on doing? I can handle just about anything you have planned except for PCIII or dyno tuning. I can do tires, shocks, forks, rearsets, race plastics, etc. Just let me know what you're looking to do.
I've got room to work on a bike in my garage, you've just got to get it here. I'm just off Route 1 in Hanover. Real close to BWI. Email me if you like at ummkay at comcast dot net.
I've got room to work on a bike in my garage, you've just got to get it here. I'm just off Route 1 in Hanover. Real close to BWI. Email me if you like at ummkay at comcast dot net.
sportrider
New Member
Here's a post I wrote sometime back recommending A&J Cycle (Terrance):
Some may know that I bought a new race ride and was told that it had been set up for my weight -- 170 lbs. I was psyched. Ohlins shock, Thermosman treated forks with Penske internals, this was going to be sweet. Well, not so sweet. When I recorded baseline suspension measurements the day before it's maiden track day, I was able to get a grand total of 8mm sag in the front forks. So much for the bike being set up for my weight. Fa*k.
Well, to confirm that these forks weren't sprung for me, I cranked out all preload, slapped on a zip tie and rode it at Summit Jefferson. Ooh, not a whole lot of compression. I mean, not a lot at all -- at least NESBA guru's Bobby G and Moon got a good laugh out of it. With other track days just over the horizon, I shot an urgent "I need help" call to Morph. Morph said "call Terrance, that is all" (advice confirmed by a .com post from David (SteelRain)). So first thing Monday morning I called Terrance, a long-time racer and owner of A & J Cycle. In truth, I woke the poor soul up. He'd been racing that weekend at Summit. Sorry about that Terrance. But, he said bring it right in. I did.
The cool thing about Terrance is that he is a racer who wrenches -- a mechanic who walks the walk -- and he's a one-man shop. He's also quite polite -- his military background apparently stuck -- and I had to get used to a lot of "sirs." That was ok by me though, and I returned the courtesy.
Terrance threw a leg over the bike and said, buddy, this bike is sprung for me. Great -- but Terrance's weight isn't exactly 170 lbs. . .. As I needed the bike for VIR that upcoming weekend, I asked him to do what was needed -- he said let me open up the tubes and then I can tell you what you need. Which was cool by me. He did. Turns out the springs were 1.0's, which is just a wee bit strong, well actually completely wrong, for a 170 lbs. rider.
Now here's what I really appreciated -- Terrance gave me options, from low to high price points, explained the pros and cons for each, and let me make the decision. The really cool thing is that even the lowest cost just replace the springs option was quality stuff from Traxxion, and this is the one I went with. Going lowest cost didn't phase Terrance however, he went above and beyond anyway, inspecting the internals, catching and replacing some facked up buffers and pouring in fresh fork oil. Most cool was that when I picked the bike up on Thursday night, on the eve of a race weekend in Ohio, as he's prepping bikes for racers and even Morph
)) late into the night, and I mean late like early morning late -- he took the time to set my bike up for me, which meant fiddle, watch me ride it, and fiddle some more until it was right. Then he double checked the bolts and sent me on my way. Sorry Morph for delaying your trip to Summit Main -- at least traffic was light.
I took the bike to VIR and I'm glad to report that the bike rode like a dream. Solid and stable, everything I'd hoped it would be. When I got home, my wife said "Terrance called -- he wanted to know how you liked the ride." Unless you live in a different world than me, that kind of customer connection is hard to find. Very, very hard to find. So, like David's post about Terrance's shop, my race and street rides have found a new maintenance home. They won't be going anywhere else.
A&J Cycle Performance
7830-A Penn Western Court
Upper Marlboro, Md 20772
301-516-4144
Some may know that I bought a new race ride and was told that it had been set up for my weight -- 170 lbs. I was psyched. Ohlins shock, Thermosman treated forks with Penske internals, this was going to be sweet. Well, not so sweet. When I recorded baseline suspension measurements the day before it's maiden track day, I was able to get a grand total of 8mm sag in the front forks. So much for the bike being set up for my weight. Fa*k.
Well, to confirm that these forks weren't sprung for me, I cranked out all preload, slapped on a zip tie and rode it at Summit Jefferson. Ooh, not a whole lot of compression. I mean, not a lot at all -- at least NESBA guru's Bobby G and Moon got a good laugh out of it. With other track days just over the horizon, I shot an urgent "I need help" call to Morph. Morph said "call Terrance, that is all" (advice confirmed by a .com post from David (SteelRain)). So first thing Monday morning I called Terrance, a long-time racer and owner of A & J Cycle. In truth, I woke the poor soul up. He'd been racing that weekend at Summit. Sorry about that Terrance. But, he said bring it right in. I did.
The cool thing about Terrance is that he is a racer who wrenches -- a mechanic who walks the walk -- and he's a one-man shop. He's also quite polite -- his military background apparently stuck -- and I had to get used to a lot of "sirs." That was ok by me though, and I returned the courtesy.
Terrance threw a leg over the bike and said, buddy, this bike is sprung for me. Great -- but Terrance's weight isn't exactly 170 lbs. . .. As I needed the bike for VIR that upcoming weekend, I asked him to do what was needed -- he said let me open up the tubes and then I can tell you what you need. Which was cool by me. He did. Turns out the springs were 1.0's, which is just a wee bit strong, well actually completely wrong, for a 170 lbs. rider.
Now here's what I really appreciated -- Terrance gave me options, from low to high price points, explained the pros and cons for each, and let me make the decision. The really cool thing is that even the lowest cost just replace the springs option was quality stuff from Traxxion, and this is the one I went with. Going lowest cost didn't phase Terrance however, he went above and beyond anyway, inspecting the internals, catching and replacing some facked up buffers and pouring in fresh fork oil. Most cool was that when I picked the bike up on Thursday night, on the eve of a race weekend in Ohio, as he's prepping bikes for racers and even Morph
)) late into the night, and I mean late like early morning late -- he took the time to set my bike up for me, which meant fiddle, watch me ride it, and fiddle some more until it was right. Then he double checked the bolts and sent me on my way. Sorry Morph for delaying your trip to Summit Main -- at least traffic was light. I took the bike to VIR and I'm glad to report that the bike rode like a dream. Solid and stable, everything I'd hoped it would be. When I got home, my wife said "Terrance called -- he wanted to know how you liked the ride." Unless you live in a different world than me, that kind of customer connection is hard to find. Very, very hard to find. So, like David's post about Terrance's shop, my race and street rides have found a new maintenance home. They won't be going anywhere else.
A&J Cycle Performance
7830-A Penn Western Court
Upper Marlboro, Md 20772
301-516-4144
RollieManollie
Control Rider
+1 for AJ's.:agree:
+ 1 for B&E. Bob's is alot like what AJ's sounds like, racer who wrenches. He will work on all types of bikes, and his rates are great!
Bubba Zanetti
Member
I stopped in to B&E a long time ago and spoke to Bob. Super nice guy. I was impressed for sure.
I take my bike to a guy closer to me and I have an established relationship with him (John Hovey at Hovey Performance Cycles in Dover, Delaware). Seems like those of us in the Maryland/ Delaware area have more than a few great independent shops to choose from!
BZ
I take my bike to a guy closer to me and I have an established relationship with him (John Hovey at Hovey Performance Cycles in Dover, Delaware). Seems like those of us in the Maryland/ Delaware area have more than a few great independent shops to choose from!
BZ
MRP is on Ritchie Highway behind that large bowling center about 1.5 miles south of 695. I've bought a couple things from them in the past and they seem to be nice guys. I do most of my own maintenance, so I haven't needed their services yet. I know they run a couple tackdays each year at Summit Main, so they are riders too.
EngineNoO9
Member
+1 for MRP as well. They did my forks and I'm hoping to get there for some tuning before the season starts. I know several other people that've gone to them and have been quite pleased. It's nice having it local so if I have a problem I can go back to them easily.
