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This one’s for The Hammer…
If you’re out riding tonight, be careful. And have a safe and happy New Year.
Monthly Archive for December, 2008
Just a couple of short weeks ago Baltimore Bicycle Works opened it’s doors to customer traffic. BBW is amongst a rare breed of shops as one sharing it’s workspace with a full service framebuilder, Nash Cycles. Beyond the partnership with Nash Cycles, BBW is a worker owned venture with a conscious about their environmental and social footprint. As Tommy Nash puts it, “Choosing products made in the United States from recycled and organic materials when available is a small but meaningful decision.” BBW sounds like a shop worth giving a look. We wish you a good 2009!
And starting with Urban Velo #11, you’ll be able to pick up print copies there as well.
Bicycle Times, the newsletter of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition has been revamped and is now being distributed as a bi-monthly zine titled Chainlinks. You can download the PDF from their website, which makes it convenient and good for the environment.
The new issue covers southern California cycling news, including an update on the Mandeville Canyon incident, as well as national news like the Bicycle Commuter Act.
Visit www.la-bike.org for more info.
According to a story on Bicycle Retailer, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association wants to make it more convenient for people to cycle to the inauguration.
Valet stations would be set up at McPherson Square and near the Jefferson Memorial.
The group says volunteers would watch the bicycles while the riders enjoyed the day’s events. Riders wouldn’t need a lock and would receive a commemorative ticket to reclaim the bike, according to the Associated Press.
The plan has won financial support from the national cycling advocacy group America Bikes. Minneapolis company Dero Bike Racks plans to lend its bike racks. D.C. transportation officials say they also support the idea.
You can RSVP online, which will help WABA an idea how many cyclists to expect. Valet parking volunteers are needed, too. Visit WABA.org for more info.
The next Bike Shorts screening will take place on Sunday January 25th at Galapagos’s new location in DUMBO. Keep filming and creating. Remember that you don’t have to be able to do barspins or backwards circles to make a movie about a bike. Be creative! Submit your work to us whenever you’re finished. The deadline is January 18th. Visit www.bikeshortfilms.com for more info.
I picked up the original Singletrack coffee mug on a trip to the UK in 2001. For those unfamiliar, Singletrack is a mountain bike publication from smack dab in the middle of old Blighty. The mug bears the slogan, “Not jumpy, not grumpy,” which summarizes their editorial stance on off-road cycling. They’re neither inundated with downhill or freeride coverage (jumpy) nor do they dedicate a lot of space to the racer set (whose excruciated facial expressions make them look grumpy).
While many people primarily associate the British with tea, they in fact drink copious amounts of coffee as well. At least the publishers of Singletrack do. Made by the Crown Pottery Works at Stoke-on-Trent in England, this slipcast white earthenware mug holds a whopping 16 ounces of coffee or tea (18 to the rim). It bears the trade mark of Tams, a company with roots going back to the 1870′s.
Unfortunately, the original Singletrack coffee mug is no longer available. They’ve introduced a new American-made coffee mug and a bone china tea cup. Both look very nice, but I’ll stick with the original. Visit www.singletrackworld.com for more info.
Bike shops, are you interested in distributing print copies of Urban Velo? We have packages that offer unprecedented sales margins with zero hassles. And we’ll buy you beer, organize your tools and sweep your shop floor. Ok, maybe not, but stocking Urban Velo will make people happy and give your customers another reason to stop by regularly.
Promoters, want to give out copies of Urban Velo at your event?
Drop us an email for details.
You’ve probably noticed that we’ve been tinkering with the website a little. We hope you like it and find it a little easier to navigate. While we’ve taken great pains to make sure everything works as well or better than before, we can use your help in troubleshooting any bugs that might remain.
If you see anything wrong with the site, please drop us an email or post a comment below.
Erok at Bike-PGH recently wrote:
It was a bit striking opening up my parent’s copy of US News and World Report and seeing a full page on how “biking to work” should be the first thing to do in 2009 to improve your life. If this isn’t a sign of bicycle commuting becoming mainstream, then I don’t know what is.
Read the whole article at www.usnews.com.
Here’s a look at the I Love Riding in the City contributions from issue #11.
We want you to represent your city.
NAME:
LOCATION:
OCCUPATION:
• Where do you live and what’s it like riding in your city?
• What was your favorite city to ride in, and why?
• Why do you love riding in the city?
• Or just say whatever you want about riding in the city… Poetry anyone?
Please provide a high-resolution photo.
Email your responses to jeff@urbanvelo.org.
You like lugs? How about this lug-work from Columbine Cycle Works?
John and Richard Murphy founded Columbine in 1979 and named the company after the high alpine flower that’s typically associated with Colorado, not California. Of course we’re not the first ones to notice these Mendocino, CA framebuilders’ talents. Columbine won the “best lugged frame” category at the 2006 NAHBS.
Visit www.columbinecycle.com for more info.
This post on Steevo’s blog gave me the idea to ask, “What did you give or get for the holidays?”
Please share in the comments below.
Urban Velo #11 is due out January 1st. It’s been delivered to the printer and the online version will be out before the ball drops in Times Square. Print copies should start shipping during the first or second week of January. Visit www.urbanvelostore.com to subscribe to the print edition and we’ll mail your copy as soon as they’re available. And remember, you can subscribe to the Podcast version and iTunes will download the new PDF automatically.
At one time, cycling jerseys were only made from wool or silk. Then along came polyester and wool became a relic of bygone days. In the 90′s the natural fabric saw a slight resurgence, and in the first few years of the millennium it sprung into the forefront of bike fashion. These days it seems like everyone’s offering a wool jersey. Hell, even we’ve got one.
Like ours, Trek’s wool trainer is made by Earth Wind & Rider. The $199 price tag puts this out of many peoples’ budget, but you could ask Santa Claus. Otherwise, if you’re just looking for wool on the cheap you can get it at the thrift store.
Trek spared no expense on this 100% Merino trainer, opting for a full zip and wool chain-stitch embroidery. The embroidery work is absolutely beautiful, and considerably softer than ordinary cotton/nylon tread embroidery.
Continue reading ‘Trek Wool Trainer’
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