Downshift - Hand Crafted Bikes & Brews

Happy new year everyone. Here's hoping your resolution for 2026 is to spend more time on 2 wheels. Be adventurous, take the long way home, get lost, make new friends, explore the alleys in your cities, go fast and let the wind blow through your hair.

Happy Valentines Day!

Roanoke: Why is the city saying one thing and doing another? Painted bike lanes are not safe https://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/study-shows-painted-bike-lanes-arent-enough/. This is a once in a lifetime bridge project designed to last decades. Let's build it right and make it an asset for our future. Rob Issem who do we need to talk to about getting protected lanes added to this project?

What a way to make a kid feel special! Thanks to the Roanoke Police Department - VA and City of Roanoke, Virginia - Government for paying a visit to our home. They got to meet Brooks and show him all their cool police gear! We have a really wonderful community here in Roanoke and it’s amazing to have the police make time for this type of engagement. Brooks will be talking about this for weeks! 😄 If you haven’t already voted for our contest to help keep our neighbors safe from speeding drivers here’s the link to vote! https://pr.easypromosapp.com/entries/963389

We need your help! We are in a contest to bring a Radarsign to the streets of Roanoke to help keep our pedestrians and cyclists safe in their neighborhoods. Please vote for us!

Radarsign™ Video Contest To enter for a chance to win, submit a short video, 30 seconds or less, about why your organization wants a radar speed sign. The sillier, the more creative, the better! Any group or organization can participate in the video contest! It can be your city, town, county, state, police department, sheri...

The Ride Smart Challenge starts this week! Let's get some car trips off the road and help them reach their goal! Head on over to ridesolutions.org to learn more.

Tonight at 6pm and every other Monday this season join us in an east 6 mile cruise down the Roanoke river greenway. Bring your bikes, bring your family, bring your good attitude. Leave the spandex at home. More details at our website. Downshiftcycling.com or in our bio.

We met with Jeff Todd of Roanoke Mountain Adventures and discussed Virginia Bike Laws on Episode 7 of the Downshift Podcast. Our intention is to help riders learn and understand the rules of the road for both riders and drivers to keep everyone safe. We all deserve to get home safely!

Downshift Podcast - Episode 7 - Virginia Bike Laws Explained We meet with Jeff Todd, owner of Roanoke Mountain Adventures and discuss his new shop! Roanoke Mountain Adventures: https://www.roanokemountainadventures.co...

The shop ride returns! Join us for a greenway slow-roll tonight at 6pm and every other Monday hosted by . After ride libations at . Don’t have a bike? Rent one at RMA. Check our website for more info.

Roanoke suffered an immense loss on Friday when our friend Tabitha Thompson was carelessly struck and killed by a reckless driver while riding along a popular training route in Virginia. We can't begin to imagine the immense pain that her family is going through, however, we understand that many in the cycling community are asking "what can we do?" to ensure this never happens again. Here are some meaningful actions you can take right now to lend your support.

1. Join or donate to the Virginia Bicycling Federation. https://www.vabike.org/join-or-donate/ VBF is a leading advocacy group that has a direct impact on advancing the safety of vulnerable road users through changes in laws and policies in Virginia.

2. Join the email list for the Roanoke Valley Regional Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee:
https://rvarc.org/transportation/bicycle-pedestrian-greenways/bicycle-advisory-committee/

3. Get out on your bike. Join a group ride, bike with friends, or ride to work. The simple act of being out on your bike shows members of our community that cycling is normal everyday behavior. The more people that do it, the more likely protected bike lanes, intersection safety improvements and changes in laws will be supported.

Our heart's are with Matt and Tabitha's family and we will be hosting a memorial group ride and ghost bike dedication on 2/27 in honor of Tabitha. Details to follow but this will be a short route for riders of all skill levels and abilities.

Stay safe everyone.