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Community Corner

Rite of Spring: Zane's Cycles Big Wheel Sale

While Spring tries to get its warm-weather act together, the folks at Zane’s Cycles in Branford are having no trouble gearing up for their annual farewell to Old Man Winter. It’s that time of year for the Zane’s Big Wheel Sale, being held this weekend, April 4–6.

For more than a quarter century, Zane’s has celebrated the start of another cycling season with this event, offering deep discounts on its gigantic inventory of road and mountain bicycles, parts and accessories, apparel, and other gear. From daily commuters and weekend warriors to first-time riders and hardcore racers, there’s something for everyone.

The Big Wheel Sale has become a yearly tradition for the Shoreline’s cycling community. Beyond the opportunity to save big bucks, it’s a great occasion to hobnob with fellow cyclists, pick up tips on riding and maintenance, ogle the newest bike models, and meet representatives from major companies, such as Trek, Specialized, Raleigh, and Pinarello.

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Like the swallows returning each year to Capistrano, past employees flock back to Zane’s every April to work the Big Wheel Sale. “It’s a great time for them to get together and hang out again,” says owner Chris Zane. “It’s cool for those who’ve moved away to have a home base, and working the Sale is like coming to a huge family reunion. And they always get a kick out of seeing customers they dealt with years ago.”

The past two years, Zane’s has sponsored a unique sculpture competition, inviting area artists to transform old bicycle parts into whimsical creations and display them at the store during the Sale and afterward. Many pieces were ultimately sold, with the proceeds going to The Zane Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing college scholarships for local high school students.

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This year the store organized a t-shirt design competition open to the general public. The only artistic requirement was to have Zane’s iconic “Z” somewhere in the design. “We’ve chosen the top five designs and will have them available for sale during the Big Wheel Sale,” says Tom Girard, Zane’s director of retail operations. “The top seller will be the grand prize winner, and that design will be the official Zane’s t-shirt for 2014, available for sale all year at both our Branford and Fairfield stores.”

There’s a tremendous amount of work that goes into the Sale every year, yet owner Zane always views it with a touch of nostalgia. In fact, the very first Big Wheel Sale, 26 years ago, was intended as a going-out-of-business sale. “I had no money and a ton of inventory,” he says, recalling the point at which he was almost ready to quit his then-fledgling business. “Thankfully, we ended up making enough money during that inaugural event to keep the store open.”

Zane’s has flourished ever since, moving its flagship store a couple times before settling into the current location, at 330 East Main Street, a few years ago and then opening a second shop on the Post Road in Fairfield last summer. And now, to paraphrase the Beatles, at the end of a long, cold, lonely Winter along the Shoreline, here comes the sun—and the Big Wheel Sale.

 

 

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