December 31, 2010

A Few Gears Eve Tonight, St.Paul

fge 4 FLYER

Dec. 31st, 7pm.
Corner of Marshall and Howell in Saint Paul.
$5 entry fee.
Race ends at 9 at the Gopher Bar in downtown, followed by a house party
As always, time bonuses for occasional drinks along the way.
Newbie-friendly while still being competitive for those who want it
NEW FOR 2010: better tiime-keeping, sweet prizes (top men, top women, top 3 overall, "DFL" and a special prize) plus some new twists.

December 30, 2010

Human Powered Rollercoaster Video

some video of the legendary Human Powered Rollercoaster

Favorite FGFS Photos 2010

Here are the best shots from my camera in 2010 of people getting rad on a fixed gear. While I didn't have the opportunity to shoot many FGFS photos this year, I am pretty proud of the ones below.

#4 Wonka bank to wall Midwest Mayhem in Milwaukee, January 2010
IMG_1119
While this isn't the greatest photo, this bank to wall was the biggest thing anybody had seen done on a fixed gear at that point. I would even argue that the moment captured here will go down as one of the most important moments in fixed gear freestyle. The trick not only changed everyone who was present's (which was pretty much everybody who is a name in FGFS) idea of what was possible, but after that weekend the direction that the equipment would take was pretty transparent. This was the game changer.


#3 Tom LaMarche pedal grind Milwaukee, January 2010
tom grind
The lights in the background totally do it for me


#2 Antonyo footjam whip at the Bicycle Film Festival New York Street Jam, June 2010
antonyo
I keep wanting to crop out the hand and camera, but the photo isn't nearly as good if you can't clearly see the scale and pitch of the ramp

#1 Tom LaMarche wallride Milwaukee, January 2010
tom wall ride
you had to hop a curb and snowbank on the way into the tranny, the transition itself was sketchy and uneven, the fence was jank as fuck. Tom LaMarche absolutely killed it

Vintage Track Photos

Was rummaging around the internet and found some neat old track/fixed photos on Classic Lightweights. Thought I'd pass them along.

butler-theaker-gallery2
dtalbot2-800
dt-aug07-5.JPGkdthillclimbmb3.JPGmb4.JPGtoni-merkens800

Wednesday

IMG_5808
IMG_5810IMG_5813

December 29, 2010

Stolen Bike Alert Minneapolis

Dereck Larson would like you to keep an eye out for a Black All-City Dropout with white Velocity B43's (super deep rim) on it. It was most likely stolen by the group of theives who snagged Nate's bikes a few weeks back.

If you spot it please let me know.

All-City Welcomes Cara Notestine

bankride1bikecheck

via

TCU Top BMX Web Edits

Since I like watching BMX web videos but don't really keep up on that stuff, so I was stoked to come across a post on The Come Up with their top videos of the year.

For your viewing pleasure here are the web edits that made the list


The Latest Video from SundayBikes.com


STRANGER/CRAIG PASSERO from THEM on Vimeo.


T.I.Y.B.O.L. #1/DAVID GRANT/CRAIG PASSERO from THEM on Vimeo.



The commercial is a pain in the ass, but you need to watch this one!


Go to PropsBMX.tv for more videos.

December 28, 2010

Winter Essentials

I've been way into Young MC's first album "Stone Cold Rhyimin" lately. Now I love Bust A Move as much as the next guy, but fuck that shit. Because of that song nobody bothered to listen to the rest of the album.

This song has been so slept on.

Young MC - Nonstop

Dose of Awesome

nick-cave-smith-wesson

Cadence Sprinter Fleece

This is embarrassing but I've got to admit that after reading John's review of the Cadence Sprinter fleece I wanted one. Now I hate buying bike specific clothing, I realize that sounds dumb but dudes who pay $150 for some "cycling knickers" have always seemed to be trying way too hard for my tastes. I'm way more of a thriftstore Dickies kind of person. So right away buying a hipster bike specific fleece was a hard one for me, then to top it off I'm buying it because I read about it on Prolly, which also made me feel lame. Not that Prolly's blog is lame or that John is lame, because I happen to be big fans of both. Like everybody else in the fixed gear world I check the blog a bajillion times a day and consider John to be a friend and ally. It just made me feel like one of those 16 year old fanboys who's only cycling reference is Prolly is Not Probably (aka Sheldon Brown 2.0).

IMG_5771

Anyway, after seeing John's post I had to have one because it reminded me of an old cycling jacket that I love but that doesn't fit very well.

IMG_5795

They've got similar windbreaker fronts
IMG_5801
IMG_5798

and breathable backs
IMG_5800

forgot to grab a pick of the back of the Cadence fleece

The Cadence fleece adds a hood and front pockets, but does not have the windbreaker material on the arm. I'm not trying to compare the two in terms of features since obviously Dustin was not trying to duplicate my old jacket, but I do think it's worth noting the differences between what I'm used to and this new piece. Between the two pieces of outerwear though, I've got to give it to the Sprinter, the cut for riding hood, the front pockets, and the magnetic back pockets definitely give it the edge in terms of functionality.

Since John already wrote a very thoughtful review I'll send you over there for that, what I would like to add is that it came with a water bottle, keychain, stickers, and a nice booklet of the whole collection. The extra stuff was awesome but my favorite add on was that it also came with a thank you on the box which is always a nice touch and helps you feel good to support a rider's company.IMG_5803
IMG_5768

I will say though that I find the name of the jacket to be a misnomer as usually when something is called a fleece you'd expect it be made of fleece material and this is not. (at least what I've always considered "fleece" to be. You know that soft snuggly fabric that Patagonia has made millions off of). It's more of a thick cotton.

The other thing that I was shocked at was the price, $74. When I bought it I was blown away that something made by Cadence was only $74, as there are very few quality things you can buy made in America for a reasonable price. When it arrived though the mystery was solved as the tag revealed that it was in fact made in China. Now I'm not trying to take shots at anybody, hell I work at a bike company who's bikes are made in Taiwan. The reason we do this is so that the things we design and sell are attainable and affordable, I assume this is Cadence's reasoning too. It's my mistake for making an assumption, and I always assumed that Cadence's stuff was all sewn in the U.S.* For $74 it's still a hell of a nice garment and a bargain regardless of the country of origin.

*after consulting the catalog that came with my fleece, some of their stuff is U.S. made and some is overseas

For those of you who may be thinking about one you should know that it's cut slim, I'm a fairly wide dude and it's a little tight in the shoulders and the sleeves are just barely long enough, but it will definitely work (I have long arms as well). In case you were wondering, I purchased a large.

I'm stoked to own and eventually ride the crap out of it. It's affordable, has nice details like the magnets on the pockets and reflective piping, looks swell, is from a rider based company and is a nice cool weather weight.

Holdfast Hoodie

Jeremiah sent this over, thanks dude!

IMG_5790

I have no idea if these are a production item or what. All I know is that it's awesome and I've got one.

Holdfast

December 27, 2010

Back

IMG_5762

from Christmas in Rhinelander.

IMG_5765

Yeti Johnson

Cartoonist to the stars, MPLS' own Roger Lootine, drops his latest.

YETI

Check out some more of his work here

BMX Video Monday


BMXFU3: Greg Henry and Charlie Crumlish from Charlie Crumlish on Vimeo.

December 24, 2010

Happy Holidays

Thanks to all of you who read this here blog. I appreciate it.



Have a good holiday, I'll be back on Sunday

December 23, 2010

Word

tumblr_l4nyebyD461qzfhblo1_500

December 22, 2010

Skate Video Wednesday

Two killer sections from The End





1998 wants you to have a nice Wednesday

Tool Kit

While I was doing that last post on the backpack I realized that I had never done anything on my tool kit. Now I don't claim to know what the perfect tool kit is nor I do suppose that my setup is ideal for anyone who isn't me, but I figured I'd share which tools I find essential enough to carry around with me everyday.

IMG_5741
early Trash Bag tool pouch

my kit
IMG_5742
from left to right
15mm box, chain tool, non glue patches, tire levers, 3 Wrencho, dental floss, more patches, 4/5 hex combo, red spoke wrench, pump, knife, chain segments, multi tool, pump, headlamp

IMG_5744
Campagnolo tire & Schwinn tire levers: both thin and super ergonomic. The Schwinn especially has nice area to push with your thumb

Portland Design Works 3 Wrencho: The 3 Wrencho isn't in here for it's box end, I can't give up my big 15mm, it's in there because it's the best tire lever I have ever used and if you flat on a tire that has a tough bead it can really save your ass, especially in cold weather or on a Pug wheel (or on a Pug wheel in cold weather). It's thin enough to easily slide under the bead, it's coated so as to not gouge your rim, and it's steel so you can pry without worry of breakage.

IMG_5745
When I need to mess with seat height I pocket the 4/5 combo
The chains are segments for every size chain I ride: 8 speed, 9 speed, 10 speed, 1/8th"

IMG_5746
Generic Leatherman style tool (in pouch) with pliers, and various tool bits
700X23-25c tube: fits in my summer bikes and stretches to fit the winter ones
headlamp: you never know

That is what I carry in my kit. Is there a tool that you find essential that I'm missing?

First Impression: Chrome Soyuz Back Pack

I was in The Hub last week and was browsing their bags and came across the Chrome Soyuz laptop backpack. I've been looking for a slim and compact pack to use for commuting and was immediately drawn to the Soyuz's size and number of easily accessible pockets.

IMG_5732
light loop and pen slot in middle of bag, lower zip pocket 


IMG_5733
front flap open to show two outer sleeves

IMG_5735
pulling front flap forward to show inner outer pocket organization


IMG_5736
the gaping maw of the roll top compartment.  looks like a whale's mouth

IMG_5737
the side laptop pocket

IMG_5739
back of bag


If you've seen the Mission Workshop backpack that has been sweeping across this great nation's bike shop employees, then you're probably thinking to yourself that this backpack looks eerily similar.   Yeah, me too.  I don't claim to know what the deal is over there in San Francisco with the employees who left Chrome to start Mission, nor do I actually know any of those people in real life so those politics don't enter into the equation for me.   I'm guessing that it's a matter of the same people and ideas informing the design of both bags, rather than a case of rip off one way or the other.

What I do know though is that this thing looks bomber.  I'm expecting the same life out of this as the other Chrome bags I have owned,which have remained in like new condition after years of use and abuse.  It's sleek, well padded, well thought out and I'm hoping is the perfect size for my commuting needs.

This is the stuff I carry on a daily basis on my commute, plus a change of clothes
IMG_5740
wallet, pen, marker, chapstick, tool pouch, camera case, lock, light, knife, emergency glasses


While it's a laptop backpack, the laptop pouch will house my tool bag and my camera.  The extra padding for the laptop should protect my back from these two super pokey items and the side access to the laptop area gives me easy access to my camera.

Marker went in outer pen slot, pen in inner, wallet in inner compartment, glasses in outer zip, knife on outer sleeve pocket.  Lock in deep pull forward pocket.

I'll start riding it tomorrow, I'll let you know how it goes.

Huboom

There's this network that just popped up, or I only recently discovered, called Huboom and they play an episode of Transformers at 11 and one of G.I Joe at 11:30.

gijoe_03208509647_97b88a9237

It's totally ruling

Bob Roll on some recent Injustice's

December 21, 2010

Fixed Gear

People have said fixed gear is a fad, but you and me we know this is untrue.
This was what my bike looked like after my commute into work this morning,this is why fixed gear will never die.
Like Colt 45, it works everytime
bigblock 002
bigblock 003bigblock 004bigblock 005bigblock 006bigblock 007bigblock 008bigblock 009billydeesign[1]

via AC Blog