The annual Real Ale Ride, Bicycle Sport Shop’s most popular event, rolls through the scenic hills of Blanco on Saturday, May 20, 2017, and this year the event is celebrating its 10th anniversary. It’s a ride for cyclists of all levels with distances of 15, 30, 50, 65, and 80 miles. Routes are fully supported with rest stops that provide water and nutritional snacks for participants along the way, as well as “SAG” vehicles to help cyclists with mechanical issues or those who need help getting back to the finish line. Afterwards, everyone gathers at the Real Ale brewery for a post-ride celebration with live entertainment, local beer, and barbecue. Old 300 BBQ will provide delicious food and beer is, of course, provided by Real Ale Brewing Company.
Bicycle Sport Shop always makes a sizeable charitable donation from the proceeds of the ride. This year, a portion of the proceeds from the Real Ale Ride will go to Bike Austin and Gem of the Hills Community Senior Citizen Center. Bike Austin improves quality of life for all of Austin and Central Texas by growing bicycling as a form of transportation, exercise, and recreation. Gem of the Hills is a facility built using energy-conscious construction where senior citizens and the community gather to enrich their daily lives through programs and activities of recreation, health, fitness, and general welfare.
For almost 35 years, Bicycle Sport Shop has sold countless bikes and accessories to Central Texas cyclists. A passion for cycling drove Hill Abell and Laura Agnew to purchase a small bike shop on Barton Springs Road in 1985. The tiny shop was one of only a handful of stores in Texas that sold mountain bikes, and what Hill and Laura lacked in business experience they made up for in sheer exuberance for riding.
Soon, that little specialty store gave way to a second, larger store that carried mountain bikes, road bikes and an expanding selection of cycling accessories.
Today, Bicycle Sport Shop’s five Austin locations offer a large but thoughtfully chosen selection of cycling products, as well as services, educational programs, weekly group rides, and special events, from a diverse staff of passionate cyclists with a common love for riding. It is not too late to register to participate in the Real Ale Ride. To register, or for more information, go to RealAleRide.com. Participation will be limited this year to the first 2,200 registrants.
