# Horrible News



## electech (Aug 7, 2009)

At least to me this news is terrible. I went by my LBS today just to pay a visit and there were no lights on and a note on the door saying they were now closed and a Going Out Of Business sale was coming soon!! I can not believe this!! I have purchased 6 bikes from this shop over a 15 year period and now was getting ready to order a Caad 9-4 this spring. I am completely surprised and devasted now. I don't know of any other Cannondale dealers in the area. I guess the search is on now. I have seen the Cannondale 9-4 on sale at REI but that is not an LBS. Do any of you know a good shop in the N.C area that you would recommend? Specifically, something within driving distance of Greensboro or Winston-Salem area.


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## jscumbie (Jul 15, 2009)

*Yes, horrible*

I live right down the street from Paceline's Winston-Salem location and was also horribly disappointed to hear they they had to close. I bought a 2010 CAAD9-1 from them this summer. Van has recommended Cycletherapy in Lewisville and Revolution Cycles in Greensboro. I stopped by Cycletherapy and they seem like a great place to do business. I'm waiting to find out who will pick up the Cannondale dealership.


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## electech (Aug 7, 2009)

Do you happen to know what happened and when? I just saw Van a few weeks ago and he said nothing about it. In fact, I jokingly told him he better not do something crazy like go out of business!!! I bought the Giant Rapid back in August just to get my feet wet with road cycling and see if I liked it without spending a lot of money. I love it and now was thinking of getting the 9-4 as it is more in my price range. Tell me, how do you like the 9-1? Thanks for the quick reply.

BTW, is Cycletherapy the little shop there in the shopping center at the exit ramp? If so, I was in there a month or so ago and it felt like a small bedroom in size and looked to cater more to the MTB crowd. They just didn't have the setup I was familiar with at Paceline.


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## jscumbie (Jul 15, 2009)

From what I understand, it was the economy. Things haven't been great for the past couple of years, and this past year was really bad.

Yeah, I never dreamed I'd be looking for another LBS. I can't say enough good things about Van and Paceline. I know there are other good bike shops, but I sure didn't want to have to be bike shop shopping.

I love the 2010 CAAD9-1. I had a 2004 CAAD5 with some Ultegra, mostly 105 components. I had planned to upgrade the components to Dura Ace in the next year or two when parts started wearing out. Because of frame damage, I had to replace the bike, though. The 2010 CAAD9s had a Dura Ace option, so I thought long and hard, counted my pennies and decided that the CAAD9-1 was actually going to be cheaper than it would have been to upgrade my 2004 CAAD5... and it would be a much better bike.

It rides great, it shifts great and it's fast. I'm very happy with the decision.

A lot of folks in this forum like the SRAM components. Next time I am looking at a new bike or new components, I will take a hard look at SRAM, but I don't have any complaints about my Dura Ace.


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## jscumbie (Jul 15, 2009)

Yes, Cycletherapy is that small shop you mentioned. It is small, but it seems to be an intimate group. Since Van recommended them, I had to check them out. I talked to the owner for a while the day I was in there. I think the service will be good there. They sell both mountain bikes and (not so familiar) road bikes, but I believe the owner has been more involved in mountain biking than road. I think he is interested in picking up the Cannondale dealership if someone else doesn't take it. Most of the other shops around are invested in other big brands, Trek, Specialized, etc., so it's possible he might become the Cannondale dealer. I'm going to wait to see who gets the Cannondale dealership before I settle on a new LBS.


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## electech (Aug 7, 2009)

Small would be good if they have the setup. I didn't see anyway for them to fit a person or any of the neat stuff Van had going on though. What a shame, I stood there in the rain tonight nearly in tears!! I had no idea this was going to happen, dern it!

I do want to stick with Cannondale, just because it is the brand I started on and I just like it. The 9-4 I am looking at with SRAM seems like the better deal over the 9-5 with Shimano. The crankset is really a nice looking carbon unit. However, if I could swing the 9-1, I wouldn't hesitate to go DuraAce. I am not that experienced with either so I won't have to relearn anything. The Giant Rapid I have is entry level Shimano and it is good to get started on but I can see the need to upgrade, at least that is my story and I am sticking to it!!!

How long has Paceline been closed now? Couldn't have been over a couple weeks I wouldn't think. I sure would like to talk with Van, just to say goodbye if nothing else.


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## jscumbie (Jul 15, 2009)

Cycletherapy does have an area in the back for maintenance. I don't know what they have as far as fittings. That is one of my concerns.

Paceline closed quickly about 3 weeks ago. They announced and then were closed within days.

I am hoping to meet up with Van sometime in the near future, but he hasn't responded to his Paceline e-mail. I found out a couple of months ago that he is 89 years old. I would have guessed he was in his 60s. He was in the Marines in WWII and was at Guadalcanal. He's a pretty incredible guy. 

I, too, am desperately sick that this happened.


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## electech (Aug 7, 2009)

Surely he was not 89!!! I would have guessed 60's as well. He looked the same today as he did 15 years ago on my first purchase!! Man, I wish I had known they were closing! Let me know if you get hold of him.


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## ameijer (Sep 30, 2009)

I'm going to be in Winston-Salem on business Monday and was planning on looking up some bike shops. I'm in the market for a CAAD9. I'm sorry for your loss.

I suppose there is no word on their sale?


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## electech (Aug 7, 2009)

Nope, no word on the sale of stuff. I do know they had a CAAD 9-4 in 52cm size there, or at least they did, in red. I need the 50cm size though. Paceline was a great shop and the others just don't hold a candle to them.


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## electech (Aug 7, 2009)

I am going out of town this weekend for my daughter's cheer competition and there is a bike shop on the way that I am going to try out. So far though, although the website is great, getting them to return e-mails or phone calls is an exercise in frustration. My first impression is not good. The great thing about the old shop was you didn't have to spend thousands yearly to be treated well. I can say that is one thing I will surely miss. Too many places these days only have time for you when you are buying the bike.


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## electech (Aug 7, 2009)

Stopped by my former LBS and saw the SALE sign and peeked in the windows. Everything is being staged for the complete sell off. It is very sad indeed. If anyone is in the Winston-Salem, N.C area, the big sale starts 11-27 and goes through 11-30. Everything must go according to the sign. They did have a CAAD 9-4 and 9-5, though not in my size. Might be worth stopping by if you are in the market for a bike. I will probably go by just to say my goodbyes.


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## ameijer (Sep 30, 2009)

I wonder what sizes the 9-4 and 9-5 are, what color, and at what price. I'm dying to get a gray 9-4 but I can't shell out the 1500 bucks... 

Is there a phone # I can inquire about these bikes? (Although I already know that these bikes are probably 56-58cm....


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## electech (Aug 7, 2009)

I know that they did have a red 9-4 in a 52 cm. They also had a 9-5 but I can't remember the size or color. They have Giants and some exotic brands too. Or, at least they did have. Here is the phone number, not sure if it is still valid or not. 336-768-6408


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