Google Bicycling Maps

Photo by EcoVelo

Did this just happen? Wow. Google can now route you not only by car, public transport, walking, but now bicycling! Google, what don't you do?

Earl

2010 NAHBS

Wow, that took a long time to upload those photos but worth it if you enjoy them. Some short descriptions and a whole heck of a lot of pictures. Flickr Fun!

Earl

Carradice Stockist! / Holdfast!

Photo By AK Rando

So we are now a Stockist on Carradice's website! In today's bike-lane-warrior world, you have a barrage of messenger bags available. Pockets and all sorts of compartments, apparently to hide your magical beans or other mystical paraphernalia. Some come big enough to put a dead yak in, not that you would do that, but you do have that option. There are, however, other ways to carry your beans.

I rock a vintage Karrimor and squeeze in a green army surplus bag in for travel. So other than carrying cats, other live furry creatures, or ninja stars you can just throw about anything in them. Keeps your bike's weight symmtrical other than having one pannier and it's closer to your center of gravity, which is around your saddle. Again, like I've mentioned before, this may not be your cup of tea (or coffee) but it's another option. My back will thank me when I'm older and I won't need special cremes or supports to keep my spine from feeling like hell. Peep Carradice here.

Thanks Christine for making such a splendid bag.

Speaking of my touring bike, I use Holdfast straps for touring. Excited to use them for my first touring bout of the the year. I'll let ya'll know how they work out!

Earl

Tube Art

Who would have ever thunk it. What dynamic compositions!

Marc Chevallay

MBC Compression Plug in Bicycle Retailer!

Boom. That just happened.

Earl

Post-Fixed Gear Beer Party

Had to say, I was expecting to see only a handful of surly fixed-gear riders chugging this sweet new ale at last night's Lake Front Brewery Event. Instead, The Gig was packed. Oh not that 'wow there's a couple of cyclists here,' the bar was filled to the brim. So many people came out to support the new brew, Red Ale that is. Even got compliments on the green track bike we built for the event. So much so, I think we made a sale or two out of it! So many great people out, so many introductions made. Funny how close beer and bikes come together. What a beautiful marriage. It made me happy. How happy? This happy...


Much thanks to Colin and the Lakefront Brewery crew as well as the Gig and others I'm missing out. Great event. This is a mid-event-bike-ride pic I took. Gorgeous night.


Earl

A jet plane and a big idea.

Spring is trying to sprung. The sun is still up by the time we’re closin’ up shop and the temps are regularly above freezing during the day. Cool. I’ve taken it easy the last few weeks because my esteemed colleague Earl has been up to some exciting stuff and has been posting about it like our favorite Brooklyn based architect. And while PINP, BbBbbbBb. So there. Song from two weeks ago brought to you by our fearless leader. Bam. Um. Song of last week from the man in black. Bam. Never mind his jacket. Playing ketchup here. I built a new bike. Fun. It’s the latest 650b mountain bike.

Sweet huh? It’s a Raleigh Sport, no big deal. British three speed might be my favorite bikes. I gave it a real low gear ratio so I can do some ATBing with it. At least until it breaks.

Some product plugs from the build. Nitto 302AA bars. A teeny Technomic 50. Some PDW Dapper Dan grips. Tektro long reach brakes. Brooks B67. Wanna know why that saddle is cool? Too bad, I’m gunna tell you. It is wide, sprung and it is single railed (easy to use with current seatposts). Sheldon knows best.

Mr. Brown on springs…

” Until the 1970s bike boom, virtually all bicycle saddles had springs. The only cyclists who rode un-sprung saddles were hard-core, high-intensity riders. These cyclists carried such a large proportion of their body weight on their legs that they didn't need springs in their saddles, and they were weight-concious enough to begrudge the weight of the springs. Sporty cylcists also preferred unsprung saddles because they made it easier to pedal rapid cadences without bouncing.

When the bike boom struck, and everybody in America bought a racing-style drop-bar ten speed, the unsprung saddle was part of the deal. Unfortunately, neither the un-sprung saddle, the drop handlebars, nor the narrow tires suited the needs of the more casual, "recreational" cyclist.

The mountain bike revolution was a movement away from the drop bar and the narrow tire, but the unsprung saddle remained. Since the mountain bike came with big fat squishy tires, the tire was able to provide enough shock-absorbency to make the bikes reasonably comfortable to ride. Unfortunately, those same tires also made the bikes slow and hard to pedal.

Despite fashion, I believe that saddles with built-in springs make a great deal of sense for most cyclists, who favor a fairly upright riding position which puts more of the rider's weight on the saddle. “

Let’s see, there is some other things on the rig that we don’t stock, but I think are neat so you have to hear about them. Like the firm grip of death on Martha the passenger pigeon, Russell the Muscle snapped up two of the last Sun CR-18s in the 650b bead seat diameterway. To which I attached a bitchin’ scavenged alloy shell Sturmey-Archer AW and Panaracer/Rivendell Fatty Rumpkins. 650b is cool on a bike like this because it is nearly the same size as the original 26x1-3/8” that these bikes were equipped with.

If you are in the “the good land” this evening members of the BC/MBC community in the band Hyena Hyena and Scrimshaw are playing down the Frank’s Power Plant. Check it oot.

I'm going to see iffn I can add some blogs to the blogroll, too. The Beatles Complete on Ukulele. Its a good weekly read if you're into that sort of thing. They produce a uke version of a Beatles song and do a little write up...weekly until the 2012 London Olympics. I'll throw up Muzzle of Bees which I mentioned in a previous post, as well.

Song of the week is by the Avett Brothers. They are my British three speed of music. They are going to be playing a show at the Riverside Theater tomorrow. I proved to be incompetent in ordering tickets before they sell out but my determined and vigilant (and lovely) cohort was able to wrangle up a pair of tickets. This'll be fun..uhh...Bam.

That might be enough rambling for three weeks.

Go to bed or giggle (but not for real).

Steve Z.

P.S. I don’t mean to make light of the extermination of a species and over exploitation of natural resources, but I like to throw in a little WI oriented educational material.

I Don't Care Who You Is...

but if this doesn't make you wanna get on your bike and ride around then you are a damn cold hearted fool. Summertime!? Riding with yer buddies!? Bombing yer City!?! Q-tip?! Man I used to get hyped as all hell to ride after watching this. Fixed or not, I don't care if your rocking biopace chainrings or bedazzle your frame with zertz, enjoy the ride. Good times great oldies.

Earl

Fixed Gear Beer - Lake Front Brewery

Lake Front Brewery will be releasing their Fixed Gear Beer starting tonight @ 7pm at The Gig, Milwaukee, WI. If you're in Riverwest, you have no excuse for not coming. Unless your fighting ninjas. Then if you are, good luck young samurai.

So come chill wit us like this mo-f*ing monkey will be. But don't piss him off, he just might be a ninja. If you cool, this monkey will be cool too. Bring...it...on.

Earl

Smoov

Bridging the Gap Vol.1 from Joseph Lobato on Vimeo.

Plus sweet tunes. Oh summer where you at?!

Earl

All Them Warm Fuzzies

Late on the updates on our excursion to NAHBS, but been a little catatonic with sickness. Gotta give it up to our man Dave Wages of Ellis Cycles for winning 2010 Best of Show! He won best lugged last year, but this year he took it to the top. Damn them be some sexy bikes. Oh man so much hometown pride! Also my buddies at Banjo Cycles were seemingly a huge hit at the show.

More to come on our flickr, just gotta say this weekend was more than I could ever imagine. So much ingenuity and hard work went into so many of these frames, products, and clothing. Not to mention meeting up with old friends, meeting new ones, making connections, it all just felt quite united (except for a lil pitter patter, but not going into that). Learned so much! Good to see John and Kyle reppin it up in Richmond. Big ups to Carytown Bicycle Shop, Cog, FBM (which we didn't make it to), and Death Pedal for sick ass after parties. Lastly, the Trick and Polo Jam was quite hot. Polo kids were killin it and the tricks were just off the hook! Gotta give it up to Antonyo for slaying it out there. Go hard or go home!

Lastly, thanks for all your support! Much love, at least every fifth bike we saw this weekend was a Bruiser! Ima gonna cry...

Not to mention a Milwaukee Track in the mix...Bam! Hot sparkly goodness.


Earl