A buddy of mine, Henry May, is an avid cyclist. I always look forward to our rides because he's got that "I want to go and never stop" attitude that I share and appreciate in other cyclists. Thanks for sending these photos, man!
IRO
SCHWINN
A lot of the parts on these have come from bicycle swaps and have no real identification or signature.
IRO
Frame: 53cm IRO Angus frame (orange)
Handlebars: no name
Grips: OURY black
Stem: no name
Headset: Shimano 105
Saddle: Specialized unmarked
Seat post: Campagnolo Brevetti
Brake lever: Dirtech 99
Brake Caliper: Ultegra
Rims: Mavic CXP22
Hubs: Formula
Crank Set: Dura-Ace
SCHWINN
Frame: 54cm Schwinn LeTour (red)
Handlebars: Sakae Champion
Saddle: San Marco saddle
Brakes: Diacompe
Crank Set: Speedlight
Pedals: MKS
Cassette: Suntour freewheel cassette
(The rest of bike is STOCK from Schwinn factory.)
How's life treatin' you?
Life is pretty good right now. The weather here in the East Bay is always perpetually mild, so rarely are there days when I can't ride. Off the bike, I've been pretty focused on my studies and trying to go on as many day trips as possible, there's a lot to discover in the little outlying towns around the city.
How long have you been riding?
I've been riding bikes my whole life. I'd say that I started taking cycling most seriously 5 years ago, when I started high school.
What makes you want to ride your bicycle?
When I wake up in the morning and the sun is already shining through my window. I think about taking a ride out to Oakland, everything's green and you don't have any plans for the rest of the day. It just makes me want to ride and not stop.
Do you have a favourite route when you ride? Anywhere you especially enjoy?
I have a couple of fun routes that I always like to do. Most are short, easy rides that I can invite friends on. There's one that runs from Emeryville along the shoreline, and down to Pt. Richmond, which is super nice. You can stop in town and get a burger and walk through the old rail road tunnels to the beach, it's awesome. Another favourite ride would be from Richmond through Berkeley, up to Claremont Ave. where you can stop and get coffee before continuing up into the hills or down Claremont into North Oakland.
What do you fancy besides bicycles?
I love my cameras, a Nikon F3 and a Canon T2i. I like to draw, paint, read Haruki Murakami books, and eat. I like railroad museums too.
If you had to pick one place on earth, where would you ride?
I've heard of guys riding up the coast to Canada, through Oregon and Washington, which sounds really fun. I'd like to ride in Georgia too, it's really beautiful in Atlanta and everyone's pretty bike friendly.
What’s your favourite part on your bicycle?
It's gotta be the saddle. Without a comfortable seat, you're not going to get very far on the bike. I think it's overlooked a lot of the time.
We all know helmets save lives, do you wear one?
Helmets are a necessary thing for cyclists. We ride on roads dominated by cars, and you can't always predict what the drivers are going to do. I've been in one very serious accident, in downtown Oakland, where I was t-boned by a car. The impact threw me over the bars a couple of yards, where I landed directly on my face. In the hospital, the doctor told me that if I had landed any other way, it would be probable I'd have serious brain damage. I don't always wear a helmet, even now, but for long rides I think it's very important.
What's next for you? Got any plans?
In the next month I'll be moving up to Chico, California. It's a college town west of Sacramento, and has a huge bike culture. I'm excited to make new friends and go on some awesome country rides.
Do you have any words for the bicycle riders of tomorrow?
I'm no authority on the subject, I'm not a professional cyclist or an experienced mechanic. With that being said, I think there's something really special about just getting on a bike and riding, with no clear destination in mind. You fall into a rhythm, and a lot of the stress you carry with you all the time seems to melt away. You focus on your breathing, the wind around you, and the things quickly passing you by. It's a very pure, unadulterated experience, and one that I think everyone should have a chance to enjoy.
Thanks Moses!
Thanks a lot Henry! And I hope that the next time I'm in town we can go for a sweet ride somewhere. Maybe we can take that ride out to Keller's Beach in Pt. Richmond.
Keep in touch, man.
Photo Credit: Henry May
- RideaBicycle
IRO
SCHWINN
A lot of the parts on these have come from bicycle swaps and have no real identification or signature.
IRO
Frame: 53cm IRO Angus frame (orange)
Handlebars: no name
Grips: OURY black
Stem: no name
Headset: Shimano 105
Saddle: Specialized unmarked
Seat post: Campagnolo Brevetti
Brake lever: Dirtech 99
Brake Caliper: Ultegra
Rims: Mavic CXP22
Hubs: Formula
Crank Set: Dura-Ace
SCHWINN
Frame: 54cm Schwinn LeTour (red)
Handlebars: Sakae Champion
Saddle: San Marco saddle
Brakes: Diacompe
Crank Set: Speedlight
Pedals: MKS
Cassette: Suntour freewheel cassette
(The rest of bike is STOCK from Schwinn factory.)
How's life treatin' you?
Life is pretty good right now. The weather here in the East Bay is always perpetually mild, so rarely are there days when I can't ride. Off the bike, I've been pretty focused on my studies and trying to go on as many day trips as possible, there's a lot to discover in the little outlying towns around the city.
How long have you been riding?
I've been riding bikes my whole life. I'd say that I started taking cycling most seriously 5 years ago, when I started high school.
What makes you want to ride your bicycle?
When I wake up in the morning and the sun is already shining through my window. I think about taking a ride out to Oakland, everything's green and you don't have any plans for the rest of the day. It just makes me want to ride and not stop.
Do you have a favourite route when you ride? Anywhere you especially enjoy?
I have a couple of fun routes that I always like to do. Most are short, easy rides that I can invite friends on. There's one that runs from Emeryville along the shoreline, and down to Pt. Richmond, which is super nice. You can stop in town and get a burger and walk through the old rail road tunnels to the beach, it's awesome. Another favourite ride would be from Richmond through Berkeley, up to Claremont Ave. where you can stop and get coffee before continuing up into the hills or down Claremont into North Oakland.
What do you fancy besides bicycles?
I love my cameras, a Nikon F3 and a Canon T2i. I like to draw, paint, read Haruki Murakami books, and eat. I like railroad museums too.
If you had to pick one place on earth, where would you ride?
I've heard of guys riding up the coast to Canada, through Oregon and Washington, which sounds really fun. I'd like to ride in Georgia too, it's really beautiful in Atlanta and everyone's pretty bike friendly.
What’s your favourite part on your bicycle?
It's gotta be the saddle. Without a comfortable seat, you're not going to get very far on the bike. I think it's overlooked a lot of the time.
We all know helmets save lives, do you wear one?
Helmets are a necessary thing for cyclists. We ride on roads dominated by cars, and you can't always predict what the drivers are going to do. I've been in one very serious accident, in downtown Oakland, where I was t-boned by a car. The impact threw me over the bars a couple of yards, where I landed directly on my face. In the hospital, the doctor told me that if I had landed any other way, it would be probable I'd have serious brain damage. I don't always wear a helmet, even now, but for long rides I think it's very important.
What's next for you? Got any plans?
In the next month I'll be moving up to Chico, California. It's a college town west of Sacramento, and has a huge bike culture. I'm excited to make new friends and go on some awesome country rides.
Do you have any words for the bicycle riders of tomorrow?
I'm no authority on the subject, I'm not a professional cyclist or an experienced mechanic. With that being said, I think there's something really special about just getting on a bike and riding, with no clear destination in mind. You fall into a rhythm, and a lot of the stress you carry with you all the time seems to melt away. You focus on your breathing, the wind around you, and the things quickly passing you by. It's a very pure, unadulterated experience, and one that I think everyone should have a chance to enjoy.
Thanks Moses!
Thanks a lot Henry! And I hope that the next time I'm in town we can go for a sweet ride somewhere. Maybe we can take that ride out to Keller's Beach in Pt. Richmond.
Keep in touch, man.
Photo Credit: Henry May
- RideaBicycle
No comments:
Post a Comment