Time to Begin Again...

I think it's about time to get back on the bicycle!

As winter came on strong this year and it became less of a joy to ride and among other reasons, I had to take a small break from cycling. But spring has begun and summer is creeping in from around the corner! I can't wait for it!

As often as I can, I take short rides between responsibilities, weather permitting.  I take the time on my bicycle to think about stuff and enjoy the nature around me. The weather was pretty good today, and my ride today was even better. Here are some photos.

Enjoy!

- RideaBicycle

URBAN VELO Issue #28

Urban Velo is a magazine, based out of Pittsburgh PA, about the cycling cultures in cities around the globe. They often discuss political issues relating to cycling laws, review new and available products that are always worth the read, have great advice for sticky situations, and have beautiful photographs throughout!

They encourage readers to make contributions of art and writing to this bi-monthly magazine and I was lucky enough to be included in their Issue #28, in the section of the magazine called I Love Riding In the City. This section focuses on experiences and stories of individual cyclists in cities around the world. If you'd like to submit something yourself, here is the online form.

This magazine is great because it is available to view online and with a year's subscription, the print version will arrive directly to your mailbox twice a month, on the odd months. It is also available in select bicycle shop/retail locations which is how I first discovered it at The Evergreen Bike Shop (TEBS) where I volunteer.

Editor Brad Quartuccio, and Publisher Jeff Guerrero do a great deal of work to make this magazine look great!

Go see Urban Velo for yourself! It's a great resource!

Cheers!

- RideaBicycle

Save The Bike Lane SEOUL got SOUL

This awesome short film is part of the DK Production project SEOUL Got SOUL, a series of documentary films about fixed gear cyclists living in Seoul City. This film is in response to the lack of bike lanes in Seoul. The population and large city size in comparison to how few bike lanes exist is unacceptable and this is a creatively executed statement in favor of protecting and saving the bike lane. Beautifully shot and edited, it was recently selected for the Bicycle Film Festival 2011 (BFF). You can watch the entire film here!

Riding in groups is so much fun and footage of this style always makes me want to grab my bike and ride! How convenient that I'll be riding tonight!

I thought it would be great to share and I hope you find this as enjoyable as I do!

- RideaBicycle

Morning Rides. Evening Rides.

It's been slightly warmer than usual so getting out on my bike hasn't been that desirable in the afternoon when the sun is beating down on me. My solution has been to seize the hours in the morning before the afternoon heat, and in the evening as it starts to cool and there's a soft breeze. I usually take my camera with me.
Here is a handful I favor.

Hope you enjoy!

- RideaBicycle

My Dad Visits From The Bay

With little hope that he'd be able to actually make it, I invited my dad to come up for a visit. Marlene was going to be on a road trip with her mom, and it sounded like fun to get a chance to spend some time with just my father.
He flew up from Oakland, CA last Thursday, less than a week after we started talking about it. The weather got real hot as he arrived and bicycle riding did not sound like fun.

This is what we did instead.

It was accidentally filmed with no audio, sorry.

We ended up going on a few rides when it wasn't too hot out but I didn't have a camera with me.

This was probably the most impromptu traveling experience my dad has had since I've been around. It was great to see him and even nicer to have him visit on such short notice. Visit again soon! Be sure to check out his amazing photography at billdane.com!

It's always an interesting time with Bill Dane.

Cheers, Dad!

- RideaBicycle

Henry's Complete Fixed Build

Built for the streets, Henry's IRO has been through two major accidents and is still holding up with perfection. He cleaned it up and it's looking pretty fresh. He's got the pedals back on and clean new grips from Champ Best Grip.

- RideaBicycle

Mash Transit

I grew up in the Bay Area so I have a bit of familiarity with Mash Transit, a group of cyclists in San Francisco that ride fixed and cross bicycles. I know them as the cyclists with mad skills for bombing the San Francisco hills. They regularly go on rides and welcome any cyclists who care to join them. They host cycling events, tour, and produce short films featuring their rides/riders. They produced a DVD that I have yet to purchase and watch that is self-titled. It's on my mental list of things to purchase this month. It comes with the 1 hour feature film, 1 hour of bonus features, and it also comes in a 120 page book that features the production of the film. It's definitely worth having.

These are such sweet builds. I love how they all have so much personality you can practically see the riding they've been through. In fact, I asked Mash if any of these were still in use, and apparently only the Ciocc and maybe the black Samson are being used. "Many broken bikes!!"
Figures though, right? They ride hard.
Check them out for yourself here or visit their shop in San Francisco at 773 14th Street.

Photo Credit: Garrett Chow

- RideaBicycle

California

I'm visiting my home in California right now and I've been trying to take advantage of the weather and the riding opportunities here. Benson and I rode north out on the East Bay Trail to Point Richmond yesterday. The ride from Albany was about 30-40 minutes one way. We were taking it easy most of the ride, but because of how windy it was on the water, it didn't quite feel that way.

We went out to Keller Beach once we got to Point Richmond and walked through the train tunnel. Once we were out the opposite end, I noticed my gloves were no longer on my persons. I backtracked and tried to find them in the tunnel but to no avail. They were once my closed finger BMX riding gloves, and last year I dug them out of a pile of old things and cut the fingers off so they would fit (my hands were on the verge of bursting out of the finger tips). Since then I've used them for my everyday riding. They've served me well.
I guess it's time for some new gloves.

But none the less, the ride was fun - I hadn't seen Benson in a long while so it was great to ride and catch up with him. 

I'm sure there'll be more rides in the next few days before I head back up to Washington.

Ride safe!

- RideaBicycle

Benson's Bicycle

My bud Benson Lam and I have been great friends and neighbors since I can't remember when and we've been riding together for about 4 years.
Before I moved up to Washington, we'd go on fun day rides together, and on clear nights we'd go out late and ride the empty streets. On nights after a day or two of rain, the pavement would glisten as we mashed, skidding as much as we could only in puddles was a frequented game (assuming it wore less of our tread). Benson prefers night rides so I was pushed into a zone that I then became comfortable with, and now enjoy very much.

Frame: Bianchi Fremont
Fork: Bianchi Carbon Fiber
Rims: Velocity Deep-V white (front), Weinmann dp18 650 white (rear)
Hubs: Formula black 36H (front), Formula black 32H (rear)
Spokes: black (front), black (rear)
Cog: 17T
Tires: Armadillo
Saddle: Bianchi Leopard
Seatpost: Bianchi
Headset: Bianchi
Stem: Bianchi
Handlebars: Easton EA50 Risers chopped
Grips: Oury black
Bottom Bracket: Bianchi
Cranks: Pake 165mm black
Chainring: Sugino Messenger 48T
Pedals: MKS Sylvan Stream
Toecages: MKS Silver L
Straps: Missing Link Nylon
Chain: Unknown

How’s life treatin’ you?
Life is good and calm.

How long have you been riding?

I've been riding for about 4 years now.

What makes you want to ride your bicycle?

I love riding when the weather is nice. No wind!

Do you have a favourite route when you ride? Anywhere you especially enjoy?

My favorite place to ride is a car garage in Berkeley. It's completely empty at night and there's an elevator at the bottom that takes you to the top after you ride down. My favorite times to ride are at night and after it stops raining.

What do you fancy besides bicycles?

making beats, drawing drawings, rock climbing.

If you had to pick one place on earth, where would you ride?

On a carless autobahn.

What’s your favourite part on your bicycle?

The leopard print strip on my saddle, oddly it's a stock part.

We all know helmets save lives, do you wear one?

I should.

What's next for you? Got any plans?

Hoping to get into design school in Pasadena and I have plans to get drop bars for my bike!

And do you have any words for the bicycle riders of tomorrow?

Reflectors are actually very helpful for cars to see you at night. Keep riding and push yourself.

We'll definitely ride in August and sweet that you have 2 bikes, that's something to look forward to.

Thanks Bens! You gotta show me that garage in Berkeley - sounds sweet. I'm looking forward to the trip and going on some rides.

Photo Credit: Benson Lam, Bill Dane

- RideaBicycle

The Keirin

The Keirin is a track cycling race where the competitors race to the finish in a 2 Kilometers sprint.
The Keirin race started back in 1948 but today it's regulated by the JKA foundation and is part of the Olympics.

There is a Keirin School, that looks super intensive, where cyclists go to train for this race. They train for more than three hours every day on top of other studies. It sounds kind of fun to me, but I'm sure that it's such a challenge.

Check out the book Fixed: Fixed-Gear Bike Culture by Andrew Edwards and Max Leonard. It's a great book if you're interested in a bit of history behind the fixed gear bicycle. I picked mine up here.
You can also read about the book on this website. 

Photo Credit: altalang.com

- RideaBicycle