Philly Bike-Crazed!
Photo courtesy of Angelo B
Philly is going bananas over bikes, and no, we’re not just talking about banana-seated bikes… we’re talking about bikes, bikes, bikes!!! I haven’t seen a huge attempt from the city to promote the biking efforts, perhaps it’s because the city has been losing money off of tickets for traffic and parking violations. I got nearly over a $1,000 in fines for being the driver of a passenger, who accidentally littered a can on 9th and Snyder, when it could’ve all been avoided if I was just riding my bike that night. Tell me, that’s not the city being desperate.
Anyway, McJAWN is in support of this new awesome wave of bicycle love. I’m in love with my vintage Royce Union with the metal basket on the front. My Dad loves it too. For are you slow-riders, like myself, my only advice is beware of the Mexican gangsters between 10th and 6th Street on Washington Ave, I would get harassed and chased after late at night with some guy calling me “Mamasita!” At least they’re not nearly as bad as the Vietnamese hair-gelled fobs in their Honda Civics, riding along beside me asking me, “Hey Bab-beeeee, can I give you ride?” Like are you serious? I’m just trying to ride my bike home.
Anyway, I’ve checked out all the cool things happening in Philly, gearing towards this cool movement of bike love. Check it out.
Events
09/05/2009 – Free Bike check up at the Locust Loop on the Schuylkill River Trail from 9am to 1pm.
09/06/2009 – Philly Naked Bike Ride
09/12/2008 – 13th Scenic Schuylkill Century
09/13/2009 – TD Philly Bike Ride (Free “Bike PHL” t-shirt with registration)
09/18/2009 – The 7th annual Bike Part Art Show Benefiting Neighborhood Bike Works
Organizations
Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia
The Bicycle Club of Philadelphia
And blah…
Design Philadelphia: Bike Rack Design Competition UPDATED with CASH PRIZES
CHECK OUR CALENDAR FOR THE LATEST BIKE EVENTS!
Olympic Cyclist Chris Boardman Designs Theft and Puncture Proof Future Bike
Chris Boardman, an Olympic cyclist, reveals his design for a carbon, theft, and puncture proof bicycle that looks like it’s straight out of the future. Apparently you could build one today, if you had a bajillion dollars.
If you ask me, it looks pretty awesome in this ‘this is what the future looks like’ way. Not sure if I’d actually not feel like a huge douche while riding it.
At least it comes with sweet deep v rims. Totally gotta keep up my messenger image brand.
Read about it more on Gizmodo here
Papergirl Street Art Project Delivers Art Like The Morning News
Because police in Berlin are cracking down on wheatpasting more than ever, so in reaction, Berlin artist Aisha Ronniger has started a project that distributes art to the public in a different manner, via papergirl. The girls ride around on bikes with packs filled with prints rolled up, which they throw at unsuspecting pedestrians on the sidewalk.
Papergirl #3 from Papergirl on Vimeo.
Read more about it here at coolhunting
Monkey Electric Bike Wheel LEDs Make Your Wheels Pretty While You Ride
For just $60, you can turn your bike wheel into a custom, spoke mounted, dazzling 256 color all-weather LED display. With a little programming savvy, users can create custom images and even videoesque clip to add a little zazz (and perhaps even save your life) with its super bright LEDs. Probably great for acid as well.
The Making Of Lance Armstrong’s Shepard Fairey Designed Trek Bike
http://www.highsnobiety.com/news/2009/05/06/the-making-of-lance-armstrongs-shepard-fairey-designed-trek-bike/
Artsy Bikes Are Anything But Bauhaus
To any of you biked-crazed kids who are looking for the hippest new ride to get you around town, Montana Transit Authority in Portland, Oregon may be the place for you. As one can see, Neal Fagen’s creations are over the top and actually quite beautiful, sporting some animal style motifs (eg. dogs and bats). Regardless of their sometimes 10+ feet of length, Neal claims they can still handle around any hazard you throw at them.
Even better is you can ride these and not lose your brakeless fixie coaster brake cred.
MTA TRAILER from Jonathan Fegan on Vimeo.
McSafety Public Service Announcement
Today I would like to inform you all about a small bit of train safety. When it is nice out and you are trying to ride the bike trail and to your dismay, TRAINS! Not just one but 2 trains block you from getting to the bike trail, do not even think about lugging your bikes over those trains. Just ride up the street to the bridge and carry your bike down those steps. Just see this sign before you make the decision to go through the train, even if you see other people doing it. If you decide to cross them the train WILL decide to start moving while you are on it and also its going to eat your bike. Hopefully it is not hungry for humans that day.
Thankfully the train was only craving seat posts today. Please do not cross those trains. Thank you for your time and have a safe day.
Contrail
Combining bicycle safety and a sense of whimsy, Contrail is a tool that sends a colorful message to the mobile community. The small apparatus attaches to any bike’s seat tube and applies a thin layer of chalk powder in one of several colors to the rear tire.
The result is an eye-catching streak that traces wherever you ride. In addition to visually enhancing the street, it serves as a directional guide for subsequent cyclists and a constant reminder to motorists that they should share the road.
Developed by Brooklyn-based Studio Gelardi, Contrail was created as part of last year’s Design21 “Power to the Pedal” Design Competition, where it was a finalist.
Find out more about Contrail and Studio Gelardi’s other designs on their website.
http://www.coolhunting.com/archives/2009/03/contrail_biking.php
Empire: Fixed Gear
Ride/Relax Productions, the gentlemen who brought you Bootleg Sessions volumes uno y dos, are currently working on a new bike culture documentary focusing on New York City cycling. As far as I know right now, it looks to be mostly New York riders, but Philly’s own Tom LaMarche, whose wheelie to endo in 2.0 is my personal favorite trick in the video, makes an appearance. For those unfamiliar, this is basically the bike nerds version of a skate video and is also, I’ve heard, the first to be filmed in HD. My television is about as big as my computer screen, so this means nothing to me, but somewhere out there is a person who will appreciate the extra effort. No word yet on the release date and it appears as though a Bootleg Session v.3 is also in the works. Cool!
Empire from Empire on Vimeo.
The song is ‘Fractured Skies’ by Parts and Labor, who are ridiculously awesome.
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Also, I’m going to post this video too, because I can’t stop listening to the Magic Numbers’ cover of Take Me Out since I saw it last week.
San Fran
Cat 1 Über-bike by Byron Hemmes
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| This Limited Edition (of one) cat 1Uber-bike by artist Byron Hemmes. It is a 1200cc Motorcycle. A big cat Motocycle. Powered by 1200cc Buell 97 S3 Thunderbolt engine, body made from high-grade stainless steel. It price at £320,000 (about $567,000).” See from bookofjoe.com.
I searched more info and high definition photos about this project. This bike named the Jaguar Concept Motorcycle from Massow Concept Cycles. “Massow Concept Cycles – When first given the opportunity to view Barend Massow Hemmes’ concept chopper folio nothing could prepare you for the impact of his collection. Using high end car trade marks and logos, Hemmes has developed these pioneering concept motorcyles making use of cutting edge engineering and materials technology. The jaguar ‘leaper’ cat logo became the first from his limited range to be built into a real machine. Engineered in high-grade stainless steel the bike flaunts a jaguar cat fairing on which the rider sits. This has been finished with ultra high gloss ebony lacquer. Hemmes is currently in talks with Jaguar to determine how they intend using it as radical new brand-awareness tool.” • Length: 2.3 meters |
   
I want! It’s only $567,000, who wants to buy it for me? HAHA. |
Unlatch My Stowed Away Rainy Day Goodies
A week before Neil leaves for Japan, I’m pleased to see him once more.
Stay away from Vivanno drinks at Starbucks. Buy books from Atlantic on South St, it makes me sad to see a struggling bookstore. Get caught in the pouring rain riding your vintage bike, and remember to wear your Rain-Bans to protect your eyes from the massive droplets.
Yo Adrian
I’ve been riding my bike ever since I moved to this city (about four years ago) and I’ve been riding fixed for almost a year and a half, but I just recently got into the local alley-cat races. Though, I’m never in it to win it, today was the annual Rocky Balboa race and it was one of the most intense rides I’ve been on. Though I got a big fat DNF and a flat tire, I still had a great time and was generally satisfied with my performance. I may not have won a prize, but the case of cold PBR my partner and I split on Lemon Hill was good enough for me.
For those of you that don’t know, the Rocky race is a two person relay/sprint all over the city, and I mean ALL over. The ride from the Art Museum to the stadiums was particularly rough. I’m glad we decided to get beer at that point, instead of riding from the Spectrum to Kensington.
I tried my best to snap some pics of the event with a disposable camera. Hopefully, I’ll be able to have them developed by the middle of the week.
-Dan Hughes
