Ethan Laek House

Moving to a WordPress blog,

2009-06-12T12:49:00.003-04:00

I'll no longer be updating this blog, all further entries will be found here: http://www.laekhouse.com/blog/

Please update your feeds to reflect the new URL.

Thank you.

42 Below, Ride Across America

2009-06-10T14:48:00.002-04:00

Starting on June 23rd (I think) from the NYC Bike Film Festival, 42 Below is sponsoring a ride across the USA. Looks pretty awesome, 42 Below is going to be driving a van with everyone's gear in it behind the riders. The 42 riders have already been selected and have picked between a northern (shorter but mountainous) and southern (longer and hotter) route.

Laek House and Velocity, are sponsoring Adrianna Tippit-Martelli as she takes the northern route across the country. She will be joined by a bunch of people from NYC as well as notable people such as Jacqui Phelan. Pretty rad.

More on Adrianna and her build up as it progresses....

More on Jacquie Phelan: Blog
42 Below Vodka ads on YouTube

Dinosaur Jr.

2009-06-09T22:28:00.002-04:00

I'm a huge fan of J.Mascis (the bellied dude with the long white hair)and am stoked that Lou Barlow has stopped whining for a second to get the band back together!!! Hell yes!

There are some pretty funny articles about the dynamic of Lou and J from both their perspectives. It mostly came off like Lou was annoyed at J for being too self-involved (this is funny because Lou comes off just as bad, always whining about J being a tool to him and not considering his roll in the morass that is their friendship. Whoops!)

Expect to see me rocking out this summer.

European Hardcourt Bike Polo Championships, London, August 1-2.

2009-06-04T13:44:00.001-04:00

Great flier! I love the cardboard texture.

Bike Film Festival, NYC

2009-06-04T13:42:00.001-04:00

I think I'm going to be manning a table during the day? Not 100%...

CycleZine

2009-06-01T10:32:00.004-04:00

Cyclezine, based out of San Fran, is my new favorite addition to my Google Reader. The posts and editorial are consistently interesting and more importantly, original! It is a tasteful look at cycling, past and present.

Nice review of the new Pushbike shop

Bananas

Tom Simpson

And, well, Moz's 50th birthday! (A very SF thing donchakno)

Cambodian Traffic Vid

2009-06-01T10:25:00.002-04:00

Cambodian Traffic from Colby Sue on Vimeo.

There isn't much bicycle content in this vid but it is worth watching none the less.

The density and chaotic nature of Phnom Penh's traffic is really amazing. The moped and scooter seem to be the vehicle of choice. I would rather have an AT-AT (very First World of me) to get around that mess.

NY Post Editorial on Cyclists in NYC

2009-05-25T13:18:00.003-04:00

Titled "DANGEROUS BIKE RIDERS RUN WILD WITH IMPUNITY IN NYC" and written by Kyle Smith, the NY Post have published another 5th grade level, whiny and allusion-filled rant about something that irks them. I'm not familiar with Mr.Smith's writing, nor do I make a point of regularly reading the Post (if you are unfamiliar, it is a NYC establishment, a surprising right-leaning tabloid that takes great pride in its punning headlines and always a fun read) but when they attack something I'm passionate about, its hard not to pay a little attention.

According to Mr.Smith, cyclists exist in three categories:
- Messengers of Mayhem
- Szechuan Psychos
- Lance-a-Louts

Yup, that's pretty much all you need to know. Mr.Smith has divided us along sartorial and racial lines. Class.

There is a ton more that could be editorialized here, but really, it would be like fighting a Flaming Dr.Pepper shot with a forest fire.

NY Post piece

A Most Amazing Salsa Fargo

2009-05-25T12:46:00.002-04:00

Most amazing! Every aspect of this bike was thought out in such thorough manner.

Custom ELVS wheels. I remember making these rims. I'd never seen the Blunt before, but was impressed.

Off

On

Post paint and with S+S couplers! Zow!

Final build.

Flickr

The 1999 Giro - a short Pantani retrospective from Cyclingnews.com

2009-05-25T12:27:00.003-04:00

A quick and touching read on the beginning of Pantani's professional downward spiral.

Pantani had decisively won the last two mountain stages, defeating his closest competitor, Simoni, by over a minute each time. UCI tests showed a suspiciously high hemocrit level (in excess of 50%) and was indicative of EPO usage. Ugh. Pantani was ejected and his whole team followed suit. A horrible moment for everyone, from the fans to the Pros to the UCI...

The 1999 Giro - a Pantani retrospective
CyclingNews' original 1999 report

Look Bike Contraption

2009-05-25T12:03:00.002-04:00

Bonkers! I don't think this was a production model (at least I hope not!) judging from all the craziness going on. In fact, I think the only normal parts are the brake levers and the front caliper! Everything else looks like it was inspired by heavy doses of psychedelic drugs... Ah, the price we sometimes pay for progress.

pulled from here

Ross and Keith

2009-05-25T11:56:00.003-04:00

This photo kills me. Ross looks like a Ramones roadie and Keith looks like an 80's baseball player.

If you don't know who either of these fellows are and consider yourself passionate about bikes, you owe it to yourself to do a quick bit of research. Ross founded Salsa (one of my all time favorite brands) back in the day and Keith Bontrager founded Bontrager (more info).

Pulled from the HKFixed blog

B43 Laced to a Chub hub

2009-05-20T13:22:00.001-04:00

Niiice.

More images from 'Where the Wild Things Are'

2009-05-19T10:50:00.002-04:00

God damn, I'm super excited for this...

More pix

Charlie Cunningham and Cunningham Bikes

2009-05-15T11:23:00.002-04:00

This is hard. I'm trying to write something on Charlie Cunningham, his current company (Cunningham Bikes,) his involvement with the Cycling industry, Wilderness Trail Bikes (WTB) and it is proving really tough to summarize.

CC is probably one of the foremost innovators and free-thinkers in cycling from the last 30+ years.

His innovations, detailed on his site, are numerous.
- Use of over-sized Alu tubes
- Short wheelbases and far-steeper geometry for MTBs
- Development of roller-cam brakes (again for MTB)
- Aluminum Cam quick-releases.
- 135mm rear spacing for MTBs
- Hubs with cartridge bears for MTBs
- Developed the 'Grease-Guard', for ease of hub servicing

Interview from Rivendell with CC

www.cunninghambikes.com/

Total royalty.

Bike Jumble in The Brooklyn Paper

2009-05-15T11:16:00.003-04:00

Reminder, the Bike Jumble is on May 31st in Park Slope. The organizer, Harry S. and the Jumble have a nice write up in the The Brooklyn Paper.

www.nybikejumble.com

See you guys there!

Harry Schwartzman

My Killer New Saddle

2009-05-14T12:46:00.003-04:00

Last weekend was the Trexlertown spring swapmeet. I didn't attend, I almost never attend anything actually... But my good friend, co-worker and generally fast guy, Mattio made the trek. He kept an eye out for parts on my behalf and look what he came back with.

Oh shit yes. I'm not going to ride it or even mount it. Its minty.

Mattio's blog on bike racing.

Artistic Cycling Pic

2009-05-14T12:45:00.001-04:00

Snagged from Simon's blog, Hipster Nascar. I await the rest of the set!

Photos from ESPIs via Hardcourt Bike Polo

2009-05-14T12:23:00.002-04:00

Doug took this series at the ESPIs in Boston. Great idea. It really shows how the scene has grown throughout North America and regional how identities have flourished. Each shirt is either from a club/city or a tournie. Fantastic!

Hardcourt Bike Polo

I POLO NY

2009-05-11T12:46:00.000-04:00

More infos as infos are found!

Bike Fetish Day Tomorrow in Williamsburg!

2009-05-08T16:28:00.001-04:00

THIS SATURDAY - MAY 9TH - NOON TO 6PM, HAVEMEYER BTWN HOPE AND GRAND!!!

AFTER PARTY 7-10PM, AT THE CITY RELIQUARY!!!

Zach from Trackstar in Maxim?

2009-05-05T15:01:00.003-04:00

From here

Its funny cuz it ain't that ironic. I'm suspicious of the spandex and distinct lack of his signature black cut-off shorts. Zack sells out? Hmmmm, at least he didn't cut his beard...

Zack is a worker at Trackstar. Find him there!

More 'Where the Wild Things Are' snippets

2009-05-05T14:57:00.001-04:00

I'm so stoked for this movie. Its looks goddamn amazing.

Things I'd like to be able to do...

2009-05-05T14:54:00.002-04:00

Found here originally.

Riding up and over cars (parked or otherwise) is pretty high on the list of things I'd like to be able to do.

Brooklyn Bike Jumble and Swapmeet: May 31, 2009 at JJ Byrne Park in Brooklyn

2009-05-04T14:03:00.003-04:00

Harry Schwartzman is putting on the first Brooklyn Bike Jumble a bike-specific swap meet at JJ Byrne Park in Park Slope on the 31st of May.

There is still table space available for vendors, so please contact Harry ASAP.

More here

New Squarebuilt Fork

2009-05-04T12:12:00.002-04:00

Lance @ Squarebuilt has been up to some serious good. This fork looks killer!

Notes from Joey Krillz on the fork:
- Stainless.
- Sleeved design
- 395mm axle to crown
- 38mm rake

"Thanks man, Lance saw a spot in the market for a really really burly fork. I'm not sure how it was bent, the upper is a stainless u-bend with a steel fork blade sleeved into it. the drops were cut with some type of laser and are really really beefy. i think my man is gonna foam the insides of the fork as well. i should add that while mine is a 1" fork, the others wont be, and the steerer tube doesn't protrude through the bottom half of the 'crown'."

Don't know anything about price or availability yet, but I guarantee you this fork is going to be a highly sought after!

Bike Cult Super Quiz

2009-05-03T14:12:00.002-04:00

A Bicycle Quiz for Bike Month NYC 2009

Bike Cult Super Quiz begins Friday May 1, and finishes Sunday May 31.
Every morning of Bike Month NYC 2009, Bike Cult author Dave Perry of Bike Works NYC, will post a fresh set of brain-boggling bicycle-bound questions. Each topic is designed to increase bike and cycling awareness.

As a player you have a whole day to submit your answers, guesses or comments.
Super Quiz answers are posted each morning with a new set of questions.
Super Quiz is free to play. Awards will be prized for astute answers each day and also for best overalls.

Knowledge is Power! Stump da Chump? Here’s wishing the best…

(If you've never heard of Dave Perry or his shop Bike Works, be sure to check out his book Bike Cult. Its a treat and put together by a true bike enthusiast.)

3rd Ward Block Party this afternoon

2009-05-03T14:09:00.001-04:00

For when the clouds part:

3rd Ward’s Green Bikes Birthday Block Party, May 3, 2 to 8 p, FREE admission

Good things come in threes. So on our 3rd Anniversary in Brooklyn, we announce Green Bikes! Starting in May, when you sign up for a 3rd Ward membership you get a free bike!

To celebrate we're throwing a massive block party right outside our door. We’ve taken over Stagg Street for a day filled with:

* bike competitions
* films & performances
* music videos from Moviehouse
* a photobooth
* badminton
* drinks
* BBQ
* live screen-printing
* free workshops

Live Music from The Wild Yaks, Pterodactyl, Afuche, Lam, DJ Drew Heffron and DJ Clay Franklin.

Compete in a drag race, bring a t-shirt for live screen-printing, take a workshop or just come for the fun!

This is an Official NYC Bike Month event and includes partnering organizations: Make Music New York, Moviehouse, Transportation Alternatives, NY Bike Share, Empire, Goldsprints and more.

Bike Month Yo

2009-05-01T13:28:00.002-04:00

Full calender is up! Its a nice one that lets you sort by theme, location and date. Pretty handy!
Calender here

Handlebar Basket

2009-04-29T17:27:00.002-04:00

You've most likely already seen these basket/bar combos posted on other bike blogs in the past day or so. I look forward to the next iteration of the combo where the entire unit isn't supported by the front clamp of the stem. Support struts yo.

Certainly a clever idea and something that we're all guaranteed to see proliferate the next NAHBs.

from here.

Copenhagen is possibly the cutest place in the world

2009-04-29T10:30:00.002-04:00

Free helmet and a hug? I want to believe that this is standard operation procedure in Copenhagen.

Seen here.

ESPI 2009 Boston

2009-04-29T10:28:00.001-04:00

East Side Polo Invite 4
Bike Polo Tournament
May 2nd - 3rd, 2009
Boston, Massachusetts

Only top 16 teams will play on Sunday!

Boston Bike Polo

A quick update before the roll

2009-04-29T10:16:00.003-04:00

The weekend was a beautifully warm one. We saw temperatures in the mid-80's Sat and Sun. Lovely right? Played polo for the second time in 8-9 months (shoulder is really sore now) and easily put down a gallon of water in the heat.

The downside for me though is I got hella-wicked sick! Got a preventive tetanus shot on Monday and am still sickish from it on Wednesday. WTF science! Nothing worse then knowing its a lovely warm day and having the chills.

Oh well. Time passes, wounds heal and chick dig scars.

Kissena Opening Weekend is This Weekend!

2009-04-24T13:19:00.003-04:00

Caught sleeping on this one too. Geez. Working on new shirts and fighting with Adobe Illustrator has really taken its toll on me.

The schedule is here

Pre-reg is here. PLEASE NOTE!! – Due to newly enforced New York City Department of Parks & Recreation regulations, they cannot accept any race day registrations. This event is PRE-REGISTRATION ONLY!!!

Group ride!

A pic of the Velocity B43

2009-04-24T13:18:00.001-04:00

From HKFixed

Vintage Cycling Shoes Pix

2009-04-24T13:04:00.002-04:00

Vintage cycling shoes from all over these internet.

Shoes for clips:

Two different versions of the same shoe. Black is better.

Not the slickest Sidis, I am intrigued by the reinforcement on the top of the foot.

For clipless pedals:

Awesome

More awesome? Quite so!

Bike Month in NYC is May? I totally knew that...

2009-04-22T13:20:00.003-04:00

BIKE MONTH NYC 2009 YO!

MAY!

Further details from Transportation Alternatives here. And if you are a NYC local and don't have a membership to this wonderful organization, go here and join!

Fun things like:
Bicycle Fetish Day on May 9th
5th Annual Bicycle Fetish Day
Saturday, May 9, 2008 12:00noon – 6:00 PM
Location:
Havemeyer St at Grand St. In Williamsburg, BK

Commuter Race on May 21th.
The 8th annual NYC Commuter Race is between a car, mass transit and a bike. Its a bit boring cuz the bike always wins, (maybe they'll mix it up and put the rider on a BMX or a Penny-Farthing.)

Bike Month Events Coming Up

2009-04-22T13:15:00.002-04:00

In conjunction with the closing of the QI4 biennial, the Queens Museum of Art is hosting a kickoff party for NYC Bike Month on April 26. The rally will include riding lessons, helmet giveaways, live music, free barbecue, and stunt-riding demos by pro BMXers using a 100-foot ramp installation called Fast Forward (free; noon to 6 p.m.; Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Flushing; 718-592-9700).
Pilfered from NyMag

I've never been out to the QMA and really need to make it for this. One of my friends (to whom I'm clearly not the best friend) was part of the organizing body for the QI4 Biennial. I'm going to make it, I swear.

SNAP Delivery in the NY Daily News

2009-04-20T20:47:00.002-04:00

Shoestring approach has some messengers pedaling to success

They weave nimbly through traffic, don’t use even a drop of gasoline and can promise speedy delivery, so it’s no wonder bike messengers are in high demand.

Once relegated to rushing documents around the canyons of Wall Street, street pedalers now get paid for deliveries as diverse as cases of wine and DVDs. And since the business essentials are mainly a reliable bicycle, a waterproof bag and a strong dose of fearlessness, many messengers are breaking free from the fleet and working for themselves.

“The only one that makes money is the independent,” said Hugo Giron, co-owner and founder of Snap Delivery of Brooklyn.

rest of the article...

If you are interested in contacting SNAP, look here.

Theo Bos and a dubious crash

2009-04-20T14:29:00.002-04:00

Skip to about 3:30 and watch.

I clearly wasn't there (the race was in Turkey) and only have this video, but it looks awfully bad. Bos grabbed the jersey of a fellow rider and caused a pretty brutal smash up. Poor form at the very least and shitty riding at the best.

RVA Lady Race Tomorrow!

2009-04-17T11:42:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow yo!

Cadence Cycling President Stepping Down

2009-04-16T13:07:00.001-04:00

"NEW YORK, NY (BRAIN)—Cadence Cycling & Multisport Centers co-founder and president Matt Heitmann will be stepping down in order to pursue a new position heading up an effort to build a world-class, 250-meter indoor velodrome and community events center in Manhattan."

Read more here

I'm really interested to see where Heitmann and this project is in two years. Stupid financial climate better not screw this one up!

Old School Cinelli Shoes

2009-04-16T13:04:00.002-04:00

Pretty killer.

Seen here: http://fixedgearbikes.blogspot.com/2009/04/cinelli-cycling-shoes.html

ELVS Rims yo

2009-04-14T15:04:00.002-04:00

ELVS Rims from Matt Ruiter on Vimeo.

"A video made by our on staff producer/director Garrett Black, starring our very own street-dawg JBolt. These rims are now available with machined sidewalls for use with rim brakes!"

From here: http://velocityusa.blogspot.com/

Ha! This made my day.

Bike Polo Enthusiast , Gus Legit

2009-04-14T14:40:00.002-04:00

Saw Gus at the Polo Court this weekend and he mentioned that he was in town for his video at Bike Shorts.

Find more here: Legit Bike Polo

Tracklocross in Pictures

2009-04-12T18:46:00.002-04:00

Some photos from Tracklocross:

From Dom.

Dave, the eventual winner setting up. Note that he is riding a Pista Concept with an aftermarket fork and knobbies. Crazy!

A pretty robust setup.

No brakes and CX tires. Looks like a good time.

En route to checkpoint 3.

Aftermath

Women's Clothing Questionnaire

2009-04-11T16:05:00.002-04:00

My friend Adrienne is working on developing a line of classy clothing for active/athletic Women (presumably akin to Outlier). I don't think that she has a name for her nascent company yet and is focusing mostly on market research at this point.

I think she is right to pursue her idea! At least 85% of athletic clothing marketed towards women looks as if it was designed for/by the Soccer Mom Association of America (SMAA). Boring and borderline insulting, you would think that women are only interested in butterflies and colors like baby blue and pink.

"Hey Ladies,

I'm sure you have all noticed that there are many cycling inspired lines out there that cater to the boys. If a line does offer women's options, they are usually limited, designed by dudes or take a back seat to the men's options. I want to put an end to this madness and i want your help!

I'm working on developing a fashion driven women's cycling line designed by women that puts the ladies first. This project is for business school. But, if I do well on the project, I can potentially win money. If I win money, I can make the line happen. If y'all could help me out, it would be greatly appreciated. I want dudes' feedback too .... so everyone should take a look at my survey and fill it out?!

Thanks,

adri"

Questionnaire

Bike Polo on CSI:NY Last Night? Wut?

2009-04-09T11:57:00.002-04:00

Ken said that Bike Polo was on CSI:NY last night? Wha? One of the 'Suspects' is a polo player in NYC and the CSI team goes down to the court to harangue him. It wasn't filmed at the Pit in NYC (which is good/bad) and I'd love to know what city they're in...

You can literally see the actors go "Wut that?" every time they say 'Bike Polo'.

Start @ 11:10.

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/csi_ny/video/video.php?cid=446409462&pid=EKSh75_5F44zFkLas5shMsNDidhJb_zI&category=episodes&play=true

Atlanta Midsummer Invitational Polo Tourny

2009-04-09T11:48:00.002-04:00

"Atlanta Midsummer Invitational June 19-21 The Atlanta Midsummer Invitational will be an awesome weekend of bike polo and bike racing. We've got a party scheduled for Friday night, with a live DJ spinning, Tricks, Skids, Tall Bike Jousting, Beer, and more. Bike polo registration starts Saturday morning at 10, with the round robing tourney starting at 11. The Alleycat Starts at 5, and there will be an after party somewhere else. Based on Saturdays results We'll start a Double Elimination Tournament Sunday at 11. The big cookout will start at noon while people watch the tourney, and the awards will be given out around 3, or whenever the tourney ends."

More infos here: http://www.myspace.com/atlmspi

Pista Malmo

2009-04-08T10:42:00.005-04:00

The Swedish Pista Malmoe crew and are throwing a race slated for April 25th. Needless to say, I won't be there, but anyone in Scandinavia ought to go check it out.

The Poster:

The Blog: http://www.pistamalmoe.org/

The Video:

Un Giro De Spoco Sud - Trailerissmo from PistaMalmoe on Vimeo.

So Ugly it Rules Sweater

2009-04-08T10:37:00.003-04:00

Perfect for my friend Hana or perhaps the purveyor of ultimate sweater ugliness, Mike Ley.

From here: http://www.rotterdamfixedgear.com/site/?p=3111

edit: The Ebay Auction is here: EBAY

Fixed Fight 3 in St.Petersburg

2009-04-08T10:34:00.002-04:00

From here: http://www.horroh.com/Alleycat.html

Velocity's Chukker Rim

2009-04-07T17:41:00.003-04:00

"So we heard you guys were looking for something a little stronger, little beefier, little wider. How about a Velocity Deep V on steroids? We've had this extrusion in the lineup before; you might remember it as the Deep V ATB? We will be bringing it back, for the trickster crowd, as well as for the bike polo crowd, and anyone else looking for a bit wider alterative to the tried and true Velocity Deep V.

We would like your input on what drillings we should bring it in for the 26" and 700c sizes. We will probably just be doing our Ano. colors, and NON machined sidewalls to keep the cost down. You shouldn't have any problems running a brake on the Non MSW Ano. We will have some new ano. colors to choose from such as, Olive Mist Green, Midnight blue, dark Bronze, to go along with our silver, bright silver, gold, and ti. grey."
http://velocityusa.blogspot.com/

I think this is a great idea on Velocity's part. The MTB Deep V's extruding equipment is pre-existing, so why not take the rim and re-contextualise it as the market's first Bike Polo rim? I do think that machined side-walls are going to be an important feature to include in the future as most people (regardless of drive-train) seem to running rim brakes.

I'm told (by Bikepolo.ca) that NYC local, Doug D, will be testing a set soon. Looking forward to seeing the wheels hit the court!

Sunset

2009-04-07T17:38:00.001-04:00

Sunset on the Hannover velodrome.
From here: Fixed Gear Blog

Oh, this weekend is going to be niiice

2009-04-07T16:34:00.003-04:00

Was away in Connecticut for a few days, am back now!

Event Reminders!

If you are in NYC: TRACKLOCROSS!

Some pics from last year here.

If you are in RVA (and female)

Cannondale Disappoints Me

2009-04-03T13:21:00.004-04:00

Dorel, the owners of Cannondale, are shutting down the long running USA manufacturing facility in Bedford, PA and moving production overseas.

Cannondale was always the quirky, unique one of the 'big three' (Trek/Specialized/Cannondale). Despite all the weird little missteps in the company's history (Moto company? Ugliest triple crown DH fork ever? The CF Raven MTB? The Lefty?) they were amazingly innovative (the Lefty, the HeadShok, pushing Alu as material, BB30, domestic production from day one, etc...)

It really bums me out to see this shift and the worst part is, I don't know why they didn't do it sooner...

More here: Cannondale's U.S. Manufacturing Ending
Bike Radar's coverage here.

grump grump grump

Co-ed Spring Fling Bike Polo Tourny in DC, April 18-19

2009-04-03T13:18:00.001-04:00

The FIRST Polo Tournament that requires each team to consist of men and women

When: April 18th - 19th
Where: Washington D.C. Rush Rink
Located at the intersection of 13th St. & D St. in SouthEast, the Mary O’Neill Rush Memorial Rink at Watkins Elementary School

Early Registration: Friday night at Asylum Bar and Lounge 8pm - till
Located at 2471 18th Street, NW Washington D.C.

$10 per person, $30 per team

More info: Here

Shea's BIG Bike Session

2009-04-03T01:49:00.001-04:00

Shea's BIG Bike Session from Haro Bikes on Vimeo.

I was following Prolly's blog and somehow ended up on TheComeUp and watching this video. Too funny.

Stickers are back

2009-04-02T18:12:00.004-04:00

Got the "If you steal, I will beat you" stickers back in. As before, send an SASE to me and I'll put a few in the mail to you. If you're an International (yes, that includes Canada), I'm going to set up a PayPal button for $4.00 to cover shipping.

Stickers measure 1.3/8 x 4.1/4 and are small enough for steel tubes.

Mail to:
Laek House
Stickers Yo
807 Willoughby Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11206

Paypal button:

Lance Armstrong's Collar Bone

2009-04-01T11:12:00.002-04:00

Lance's "fixed" collar bone. Looks like a comb for a robot.

From here: http://velorunner.blogspot.com/

Pics from the Sireau/Bauge crash

2009-04-01T10:55:00.003-04:00

The videos of the spectacular Bauge/Sireau sprint have been fluttering around the cycling blogs for the last few days. I just came across some shots taken by Cycling Weekly from Sireau's perspective.

Unfortunately it doesn't show how the crash started, but basically, Sireau's bars hooked Bauge's left leg and lifted Sireau's front end off of the ground. When his front wheel landed, it was a strange angle and caused the tubular to roll (I've had similar crashes in Polo because of hooking bars on a big guy's legs).

At this point contact has already made and Sireau's front tire/tubular is sliding off the front wheel.

Falling onto Bauge's rear wheel. Ouch.

Sad Clown face. I think he's realized whats happened and that the race is over.

Fuuuuck.

Merde.

Heather winning Monster Track X

2009-03-30T16:53:00.004-04:00

I'd seen this photo on Corey's Flickr right after Monster Track and loved the hell out of it! It really captures the energy and momentum of Heather on her way to winning the race. Click to enlarge!

Heather is a worker/owner at Mess Kollective in NYC.

NYTimes Article on the Red Hood Crit!

2009-03-30T10:22:00.002-04:00

I think you need a log-in to read the article to read it, so I've re-pasted the whole thing here. Number 13 below is John Ktel, the eventual third place finisher...

The old cobblestones on the Red Hook waterfront in Brooklyn have felt the weight of many kinds of vehicles, from wagons to tractor trailers to the snazzy cars and S.U.V.’s of the neighborhood’s newer residents. But as a soft drizzle fell on Saturday night, the stones felt something new — a clandestine bicycle race.

From shortly after 11 p.m. until nearly midnight, about two dozen cyclists hurtled over the bumps and around the tight turns of several blocks near the East River while spectators cheered from sidewalks.

The race, called the Red Hook Criterium, was organized by David August Trimble to celebrate his 26th birthday, which had been a few days earlier. Among the participants were art dealers, bike messengers, graduate students and at least one man who said he was happily unemployed. All were riding track bikes — fixed gear bicycles fit with narrow tires and aerodynamic frames for racing. And no brakes.

Before the race, bicyclists arrived at Mr. Trimble’ s home on Dikeman Street, where they pinned numbers to their shirts. Mr. Trimble, a designer for an architectural firm, explained that he had conceived of the criterium — a contest usually run on a short course on city streets — to draw together divergent strains of racers.

“It’s a combination of two different scenes,” he said. “It’s part road racing and part fixed-gear alley cat.”

As in road races — like the Tour de France or the Giro d’Italia — contestants followed a set course, riding in packs nearly wheel to wheel. But they also benefited from skills usually honed in outlaw messenger races, called alley cats, in which participants speed along urban streets weaving around potholes, pedestrians and moving vehicles.

Mr. Trimble spread the word to friends, and the race aroused attention in the blogosphere, where the setting appeared to elicit nearly as much interest as the contest itself. Bikeblognyc.com, for instance, described the criterium as “an unsanctioned race through a desolate, postindustrial part of Brooklyn.”

Perhaps drawn by the visual prospects, several photographers showed up. And a filmmaker named Kalim Armstrong arrived with a nine-person crew and eight digital cameras, including one mounted on a bike helmet that he hoped would capture the vertiginous feeling of speeding through dark streets.

About 11 p.m., the racers left Mr. Trimble’s home and assembled on Beard Street, where the cobblestones studded the surface of the road and tall shipyard cranes loomed on the horizon.

Although the organizers had not sought official permission, there were several police officers on hand. They did not try to stop the race but warned the riders to avoid the parking lot of the Ikea store on Beard Street.

The race began with a sharp whistle, starting the cyclists on the first of 16 laps around a three-quarter-mile course running in a rough rectangle along Columbia, Van Dyke and Richards Streets.

They sped past the Erie Basin Auto Pound, where the police keep vehicles that are being held as evidence, and past hulking brick warehouses and wood frame residences. They passed stacks of marble slabs in a dirt lot surrounded by a fence topped with shiny barbed wire and a mural on a sheet metal wall that depicted an unplugged television.

Car traffic was sparse and the race course was nearly silent except for the hiss of rubber wheels and occasional cries of encouragement from small groups of spectators, some of whom had gathered at a spot where Sigourney, Ostego and Van Dyke Streets formed a treacherous stretch that included two sharp, swerving turns.

The race ended 30 minutes after it began, won by Neil Bezdek, a 24-year-old management consultant. Mr. Trimble finished second, about 30 seconds behind.

Then riders and spectators adjourned to Mr. Trimble’s backyard, where they drank from a keg of beer as Mr. Bezdek was awarded several prizes, including a jar of homemade granola, a bottle of olive oil and a cobblestone from Beard Street, which he victoriously hoisted above his head while standing on a winner’s podium of stacked milk crates.

Nearby, the third-place finisher, John Kniesly, 27, analyzed the course.

“The cobbles got dicey,” he said. “A lot of slipping and a lot of near falls.”

Mr. Armstrong, the filmmaker, said he was looking forward to viewing footage from the helmet cam.

“It’ll be dark and grainy and there’s going to be rain on the lens,” he said. “But that’s O.K. because our idea was to show this race how it actually is.”

-By COLIN MOYNIHAN
-Published: March 29, 2009

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice: Ladies Race in RVA

2009-03-29T18:08:00.003-04:00

Starr is putting on this race in the RVA area and NO BOYS ALLOWED! Ladies only!

PRIZES FROM:
SAGE BROWN
SURLY
KING KOG
LAEKHOUSE
TRACKSTAR NYC
FABRIC HORSE
OUTLAW EARTH
NYCBIKES - is donating a frame!!!

LOCAL BIKE SHOPS:
CYCLUS

LADIES:
Entry fee is $5, this pays for race entry, a raffle ticket and free drinks! Any left over money is being donated to a women's charity.

Bring a pen!

Prizes for:
1st place
2nd place
3rd place
Girliest girl
Biggest tomboy
Raffle!
and many more...

I'm no lady, but anytime someone wants to throw a Woman specific race, expect me to kick down some gear with the quickness. Every time!

The Red Hook Crit Aftermath

2009-03-29T16:34:00.003-04:00

I didn't make it last night due to a prior engagement, but here is a recap from Gabe of Team Pista Face.

"That was a super fun race. One of the most exciting times I've had on a bike in recent memory. The course was so fast, hard, slick and bumpy.

As an example of how bumpy and hard we were pushing I lost 2 spoke cards and I know Chris lost at least one. With the sound Dave's frame made hitting a pothole in turn 1 mid-race I was sure he cracked a frame or something. Amazed he didn't flat. Was great working with the chase pack, but I came from behind and never even saw Neil, so I thought there was another group of 5 or 6 riders we were chasing, didn't know it was just one guy. I think being in a break-away had a definite advantage, as the gains you got from drafting on the straights were lost by having to sort a pack out to single file for the technical sections. Neil could just choose the perfect line and TT it. Crihs was definitely super strong based on how he kept yelling at us to get organized and chase, and even had breath to yell at the bystanders (there was a particularly hilarious "Fuck you get out of the way!!" at the chicane one lap). I was hoping to have more gas left for the final sprint, but everyone checked out going over the final cobble stones, I almost got JT at the line but he got 5th by half a bike or so.

That chicane was awesome to blast through as a pack, the direction change reminded me of a motorcycle race, especially with getting on the power coming out of it in the wet.

Big ups to Neil for staying away, John for repping Team Pista Face and coming in 3rd, Crihs for making us work, the corner marshals for keeping the busses at bay, and Al for running the thing so smoooth. Many many thanks to Dave for the race and the excellent times and the beer."

Posse in effect.

Eventual third place finisher, John Ktel. Congrats son!

Lead race marshal Alex (last seen on this blog killing it at the Monster Track Gold Sprints)

Peloton before actually becoming a peloton.

Racers in action, dealing with the rain on the black top and cobbles can't have been easy.

More pics here:
Gabe's shots
Groovylab's flickr

Classic Shoes

2009-03-28T12:06:00.002-04:00

So dope. Classic styling, you can still see vestiges of it in today's Sidis.

Found here

Photo

2009-03-27T10:31:00.003-04:00

Al, wearing a Climber shirt, on his way to winning Gold Sprints at Monster Track this year.

from TRYCYCLENYC's flickr

Red Hook Crit this Saturday

2009-03-26T17:26:00.002-04:00

Press Release yo:

The Red Hook Criterium returns in 2009. Saturday March 28th

This race can best be described as a hybrid street criterium and caters to the strange half-breed racer type that is a combination of glory chasing scenester and ultra competitive road racing athlete.

The .75 mile 10 turn course in Red Hook is tight, twisty and dangerous. The course is haphazardly closed (with volunteer street marshals) and lighting is dim at best. A fast cobblestone hairpin requires teeth chattering grit to transverse smoothly and a wide open and brightly lit finishing straight offers a perfect runway for a chaotic sprint finish. In order to do well in this race you’ll need street tuned handling mechanics and an engine to match. Brakeless fixed gear bikes are required (as are helmets). Gearing is recommended to be somewhere between 85 and 90 gear inches. Lapped riders will be allowed to stay in the race but will be shown a blue flag when the leaders are approaching and must get out of the way. The finish will be video tapped for accuracy and scoring provided for at least 25 places. I will also be posting a chart with a run down of each lap time. The entry fee is $10.

The race will be 30 minutes plus 3 laps. The final race course design will posted in the next week. I am expecting a tighter and more technical layout which will include the same cobblestone stretch on Columbia St but avoiding the highly residential street of Dikeman. There will be (3) primes. One at the end of the first lap, one at the end of the halfway mark and one with 3 laps to go. The prizes for the primes will include homemade granola and booze. There will be a bell indicating primes as well as a board counting down the laps with 5 to go (based of a time calculation to determine how many laps the race will be).

Race registration starts at 9 pm. The race itself starts at 11:00 pm. Awards will immediately follow the race at 65 Dikeman in conjunction with Dave Trimble's annual birthday party.

This race will be excellent for spectators and photographers as most of the course is visible from the start/finish line and fast lap times will be around 2 and a half minutes.

Date: March 28th, 2009
Registration: 9:00 pm at 65 Dikeman
Race Start: 11:00 pm (pre-race meeting at 65 Dikeman at 10:45pm)
Entry Fee: $10
Prizes: $300 1st
$150 2nd
$50 3rd

Primes: (3) Prizes to be announced.

Rules:
Brakeless Fixed Gear Bikes only
Helmets required
No free lap

More excellence from Outlier

2009-03-26T17:13:00.002-04:00

I'm going to just cut and paste here...

"A great cap will fit you like a second skin, it doesn't just protect your head and keep you warm, it becomes a part of you. It's there every day, every ride, ready for the rain, the sun, and wind. When we set out making a spring time, cool weather cap, we wanted to make something that would last for years on end. Not just another flimsy cycling cap, but a premium garment that is wind proof, water resistant and ready for those crisp morning rides season after season.

This spring we're introducing the OUTLIER Waxed Cotton Cap. Made in collaboration with our friend and master milliner Victor Osborne, we designed this cap to fit solid, look great and age to perfection. Waxed cotton (like good whiskey) builds character and develops with time. The colors darken and the fabric's appearance enhances.

Available in navy, army green, black and tan. Fit wise, a medium is 22.5 inches naturally and stretches to 23.25 inches. A large is 23.5 inches naturally and stretches to 24.25 inches. A traditional look with a modified four panel construction, fully lined and made in New York City for style and quality.

Thanks to Chris Reed for the pic below."

Willis with Manhattan in the background.

Where the Wild Things Are trailer in HD

2009-03-25T16:03:00.001-04:00

Oh man oh man oh man oh man oh man. I can't wait.

Alas, we hardly knew you...

2009-03-25T15:37:00.003-04:00

I finally went and did it.

I sold The Roach, my erstwhile polobike. It treated me well, but after gathering dust for about nine months (due to a nagging shoulder injury caused by falling on myself), it was time to call it quits and cut my losses.

I'd never named a bike before, but the name 'The Roach' seemed all to proper for this rugged little Trek 1200. I ran it 1x7 and used a brake lever that linked the front and rear brakes (a key part of my technique was going really really slow (don't ask)) and it worked well for that. Both the wheelbase and frame were way to small for me (it was a 50 and I ride a ~54) and it made for a twitchy ride.

I'll miss you little buddy! Have fun in the Polo court in the sky!

Outlier Merino Shirts

2009-03-24T15:48:00.002-04:00

Outlier has just released their Empire Merino Tee (in conjunction with the Empire Begins film project).

Outlier's Empire Merino Tee is made of specially sourced blend of ultrafine New Zealand merino. Shipped as bolts, the shirt was designed and manufactured in New York City. The quality and feel is light-years beyond anything I've seen at a comparable price (I had the chance to handle one on Sunday and I likey). As a surprise plus, the shirt is machine washable!

Interview with Keith Bontrager

2009-03-24T15:26:00.002-04:00

Retrobike.co.uk interviewed Keith Bontrager, a seminal character in the development of the Mountain Bike, in early March. Regardless of what type of bike you ride, if you don't know about someone as important to cycling as Bontrager, you owe it to yourself to spend some time researching him.

I would love a chance to ride one of his mid-90s frames!

Read more:
Interview on Retrobike.
Wikipedia Article

Bike Shorts, April 12th

2009-03-23T21:04:00.002-04:00

The next Bike Shorts is coming up on the 12th, the last call for submissions on the 5th. Organized by Ken Stanek and Luke Stiles.

Seriously?

2009-03-23T17:00:00.002-04:00

Seriously? Non-domesticated wildlife has no business on the velodrome. Get the goddamn Coyote off the track!

from Harry Schwartzman

Bike Kill 2008 patch

2009-03-23T11:47:00.003-04:00

Finally grabbed one of these from 'Stache. Stoked.

Interview with Matt Ruiter from Velocity

2009-03-20T14:11:00.003-04:00

When I heard about Velocity's forth-coming rim, the B43, I emailed them with a few questions to see what else could be learned.

Name?
Matt Ruiter

Position?
General Manager

USA or AUS?
Velocity USA - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Role in the development of the B43?
The nine of us here in the US worked together to develop a plan for the rim. I just had the opportunity to visit our factory in Brisbane, Australia (the B in B43), so I'm pretty familiar with our production processes and was able to relate that knowledge to the design of the rim.

Project Goals?
Produce a rim that can withstand the relentless abuse of progressive urban riding, utilizing design qualities that allow the rim to fit multiple niches...all while looking damn good.

Are they deep enough to be aero?
Yes. They would make a good training wheel for a road bike.

Projected final weight?
Around 730 grams.

Drilling and finishing?
24, 28, 32, 36, 48 hole in three new anodized colors: olive mist, midnight blue, and bronze. Black, white, bright silver and mill finish are also available in these drillings. Electric red, lemon yellow, electric blue, popsicle purple, bright gold, tangerine orange, lime green, titanium grey, bubblegum pink, SID blue, celeste, antifreeze green, frost blue and teal are available in 32 hole drilling only. ELVS and powder coated images can be applied to mill finish rims on a per order basis. If the demand is there, we'll keep them in stock in bigger quantities.

MSW?
Sidewalls are non machined only, but you can use rim brakes if you really want to. Non machined sidewall anodized rims actually perform quite well.

Eyelets?
As with all of our V section rims, there are no eyelets. We use extra thick aluminum through the spoke bed. Eyelets are unnecessary in these rims and would just drive up the cost.

Sold as a built wheel?
Our team of builders would love to create a custom set for you.

Who is going to be testing these on the street?
A bunch of our friends including Sam Miller and Tom LaMarche from Bootleg Sessions. Leon the Messenger from Cleveland is going to use them on his new Cicli Polito workhorse. We're thinking about building a cart for our aged shop dog Trigger, so she'll be rocking them as well.

Trigger and her rim

Release date?
We should have limited quantities available by the end of April.

And there you go.

More Dernys

2009-03-20T11:20:00.002-04:00

More Derny pics pulled from Google this time:

My next post will be on the Derny bikes themselves. There is evidently quite a storied history to Derny racing, the Derny marquee and the bikes themselves.

Major Taylor and the Copake Auction

2009-03-18T11:33:00.005-04:00

The annual Copake Auction and Swapmeet in upstate New York is coming up in Mid-April (17th for the swapmeet and 18th for the auction) featuring some new-to-me Major Taylor imagery and other vintage equipment.

Best shots I've ever seen of the man! Clued on to this by Harry Schwartzman.

Derny Driver

2009-03-18T10:58:00.002-04:00

Just sayin'

edit: I love this guy's style. Seriously! If I had a moped, I would have a helmet just like that.

Truth

2009-03-17T09:56:00.003-04:00

This applies to soooo much more then just people on bikes... i love it.

By Jesse Brew, via Tracko.

Just some pics and a recap

2009-03-16T14:27:00.003-04:00

Yah, I'm on a mountain bike kick right now. Rode some trails yesterday with my kinesthetically gifted friend WillH and we were both reminded how far we've fallen down the fitness tree. I'm trying to winch my way back up, but lets be honest, it would help if I made better dietary concessions then picking Turkey baloney over Mixed-Parts baloney.

Some vintage MTBs culled from Retrobike.co.uk's BoTM (Bike of the Month)competition:

Crazy Shock-a-Billy from Fat Chance.

Incredible rebuild of a Yeti C-26. Those black pieces are carbon tubes, this includes the fork.

I think this one is my fav. Can't go wrong with black and red ano!

Not familiar with Zieleman per se, but I love the build and refinish.

Yeti Ultimate. Really great snapshot of MTB history!

Velocity's New Rim

2009-03-13T11:51:00.002-04:00

I know that I'm a bit late on this one in the Velo-blogo-sphere but Velocity is working/developing a new rim called the B43. From the outside, it looks like a wider, deeper and iteration of their evergreen highly popular Deep V. Internally, there is extra reinforcement via a cross-beam near the nipple bed.

Mind you, there is almost always a weight penalty for anything that increases in size and thickness, and the B43 will be no exception (physics yo). Parallels are easily drawn between the B43 and the H+Son rims with their similar rim depths and target audiences. But they are guaranteed to diverge in long-term performance as the cross-beam and extra mass of the B43 assure a solid and reliable rim.

I've been working with Velocity for well over a year now finishing their Deep V's with ELVS (black and silver pearl) and look forward to seeing the B43 cross my work table.

A.Calder and Abstract Mobiles

2009-03-12T16:45:00.003-04:00

I know this is more then a little bit random, but as I was going through my Google Reader earlier today, I came across a post on Monoscope that was a repost from Dinosaurs and Robots (new to me as of today) about making your own Alex Calder/abstract mobiles.

designers never smile for some reason. creating shit is serious business.

Totally made me remember how blown away I am with Calder's mobiles. The simplicity of the forms, the cleverness of the mobile's construction, the slow and heavy way the whole unit moves. Really quite genius and something I'd like to own at some point in the future.

Some of his work:

Art car project for BMW in the 70's. So rad!

The Milwaukee S700, PaintJobs and Neon Splatter

2009-03-11T10:57:00.002-04:00

If you follow the fixedgear blogs at all, you've most likely stumbled across Prolly's blog: Prolly is Not Probably. Noted rider, nice guy, frequently referenced Bike Snob material and progressive fixed gear trick rider. Prolly has been working with the guys at Milwaukee bikes on the development of their fixed-gear freestyle/street frame, tentatively named the S700.

For at least a couple of years now, I've been wanting and waiting to see some of the elaborate paint jobs of yesteryear come back to the forefront. I mean, why not? People around these parts are snatching up vintage roadbikes with the quickness, and frankly (though I wouldn't have space) I fully support it. Quality stuff and crazy paint jobs (Colnago and Klein were prime offenders). Anyway, one of my favorite styles during the period of the crazy paint job was always the neon splatter. A black base with neon splatter or a neon base with black splatter.

I'm guessing that the test riders are getting to customize their paint jobs on the S700. This guy's rules hard. NEED MORE. NEED MOAR SPLATA.

side note: If you come near me with a fisheye lens, I might stab you. Its just as bad a slo-mo in a Clay Porter film. Ugh.

New Bike Day

2009-03-09T15:40:00.000-04:00

A few weeks back I was stopping through NYC Velo and came across one of those ‘you won’t get a deal this good again’ deals. Long story short, I bought a new 18 inch 2006 Kona UNIT, my first mountain bike in over two years. As bikes go, the Unit is as lo-fi as you can get, its steel, rigid, has v-brakes and is a single-speed. When I was riding more, I’d tried pretty much everything in an effort to find a bike that fit me and my riding style. Rode everything from a 5x5 trail bike, to single-speeded hard-tail, and none of them fit me as well and as immediately as the Unit. Mind blowing.

But why did it fit/feel so good? I just started thinking about that as I started writing this sentence. Very meta of me I know, but my theory is that I hate suspension forks. They flex a lot (yes, still), the front wheel is held by a 9mm quick-release skewer and I can never tune the suspension to be supple and not brake-dive at the same time. It is a recipe for a poor steering front end and a frustrated Ethan! The Unit comes stock with a rigid fork and ~2.2 Nokians (not the best cornering tires, the tread pattern was seemingly designed by an intern) which makes for a stiff and very consistent steering front-end.

And so I went riding, a lot.

If you know me, you know I’m a big fan of monesty (modesty plus honesty ‘natch) and I’m a total hack on the trails. The first time out on this bike (the second time riding trails this season (the last bike was a loaner that came back looking like it fell down a cliff (heh, whoops))) I made sure to bring some rookies with me. Good times and a great idea! Not only was I not the last person every time we paused, but I also appeared to be riding really well. I rode hard and left it all out on the trails. Ate a protein bar (hamburger) and crashed out. So rad.

This bike has totally reinvigorated my passion for mountain biking. Remember when you were a kid and you wanted something so bad you literally vibrated and couldn’t think about anything else? I’m there again and I’m stoked on it.

TRACKLOCROSS 2009 - APRIL 11th!

2009-02-26T09:38:00.000-05:00

http://tracklocross.blogspot.com/

Its coming up! I'm on board as a sponsor at the very least and a racer at the most.

Some Photos from ENB

2009-02-04T20:26:00.000-05:00

My lovely friend Erin Nicole Brown took some fantastic pics of me last year. This is at my old studio space in Queens at the beginning of a print run. There are more of them, but I don't think I have copies right now...

See more of her work here: http://www.erinnicolebrown.com/

Bike gif

2009-02-04T17:43:00.000-05:00

Can't remember where I found this .gif but it rules pretty hard.

edit: I clearly suck at the internet because he is supposed to be pedaling. Grrr

More shots of the ELVS Powdercoat and Squarebuilt frame

2009-01-15T09:31:00.000-05:00

Here are some detail shots of the forth-coming ELVS Powdercoat on Joey Krillz' Squarebuilt frame. This rig is Joey's primary work bike and daily ride. It gets ridden hard and locked up all over town.

The base color is purple with the ELVS topcoat.

Secret Photo Leaks

2009-01-14T10:43:00.000-05:00

If you've been watching the fixed gear blogroll diligently over the last few days you might have picked up on the theme of reflective gear. This is what I term passive-visibility, aka normal looking items for all intents and purposes, but totally reflective as hell.
> http://prollyisnotprobably.com/2009/01/retroreflectivity.php
> http://www.zlogblog.com/2009/01/zlog-shirts-now-available.html

So, I was a little upset at first when I saw this on HKFixed: http://hkfixed.blogspot.com/2009/01/squarebuilt-reflective-paint.html

Which was a pic of this:

That is a leaked photo of the forth-coming ELVS powdercoat. In this shot, it has been applied to a very nice Squarebuilt frameset.

Joey Krillz, one of their team riders and avowed Prime Minister of Squarebuilt Public Relations/Propaganda, aka this guy:

put it out there. I was mad, but now I'm glad...

People get to see some of what I've been working on for over a year and I'm proud to see it on one of Lance's Squarebuilt frames. He does fantastic work and is located down the road from me in Bed-Stuy (Brooklyn) so it couldn't have worked out any better.

Once negotiations are done, we will be offering ELVS powdercoating to the aftermarket as well as OEM worlds.

New Color Shots

2009-01-05T19:11:00.000-05:00

So here are some shots of the new color in conjunction with the original black ELVS rim. The color is a light silvery pearl and is about 333% brighter then the black.

The main reason for the differentiation in effective retro-reflectiveness is due to the new color's decreased absorption of the visual spectrum. Wha? Basically, the reflective element, because it is closer to white, is reflecting more light and absorbing less (look at the silvery reflective stuff on your sneakers, bags and riding gear, there is nothing obscuring the reflective element). The irony here though is that the black rim isn't the least reflective color offerable, that dubious award belongs to Blue (of which the white is 1000% brighter)

ELVS Rims

2008-12-29T19:21:00.000-05:00

We've been pretty quiet on some of the new ELVS developments, but here are some tidbits for you.

A new and brighter color of the ELVS rim ought to be available soon. Its a very light silvery color in daylight and when reflecting, it is over 300% brighter(!!!!!!!) then the current black rims. Photos on friday!

Powdercoat? Maybe. Wait and see.

Thanks for the support!

2008-12-19T10:14:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to thank everyone for supporting us here at Laek House! Its been a great year and 2009 is only going to rule harder!

If you're in NYC and still need to grab some Laek House gear, be sure to support the following shops:

In the E.Village and 'Alphabet' City
NYC Velo
Continuum

In Williamsburg:
Affinity

Winter hats are sold out!

2008-11-25T08:36:00.000-05:00

AND THAT WAS DAMN FAST!

I'm trying to make more, but being a small company can make sourcing materials hard sometimes, so bear with me.

Winter hats are here!

2008-11-11T14:34:00.000-05:00

Whew! Got the Laek House Winter Hats (aka Winter Hat) in on Sunday and they've already started flying.

The factoids:
- Limited run of less then four dozen total
- All black, no art at all.
- Front panel is imported Calamai soft-shell with fleece backing. Optimal insulation and breathability with minimal thickness to insure under helmet fit
- The other three panels of the hat are wool
- Based on a standard four panel cycling cap and a traditional Euro winter hat
- Full brim
- Earflaps
- $42.00 + Shipping or directly available at NYC Velo.

S'ak Passe: A Benefit Race for Haiti

2008-11-10T10:54:00.000-05:00

My good friend Collin, a proprietor of SNAP Delivery, is throwing a benefit race for Haiti this Saturday. This is going to be a good one.

More shizz

2008-11-07T10:37:00.000-05:00

I'm hopefully going to pick up the winter hats today or tomorrow, time permitting.

More stuff in the community:
- Brad from Trackstar has opened a restaurant in Greenpoint! Its called Boneshakers (or Snackstar if you're prone to that sort of thing.) What can you expect? No meat! BYOB! Bike lovers! Tattoos! Dope sandwiches! Haven't been yet, but I'm sure he'll have a sweethart or two working there. http://www.brooklynboneshakers.com/

- Abe at Outlier is putting out some fantastic technical yet tastefull pants. Stay tuned to their blog for product updates and check here for a secret pre-order. Well worth it.

- This weekend sees a 5 Boro Generals race, the Graffiti Rider. Have fun, be safe and stay off of my lawn.

Changes and other crap

2008-11-06T10:41:00.000-05:00

Whelp, there haven't been any updates for a little while due to the overwhelming number of updates. Does that make sense? It oughta.

- We have moved the studio out of a shared 'collective' in Long Island City. The situation became regretfully untenable and we had to move.

- Studio is now set up and radder then ever!

- Winter hats by this weekend. Different then other winter hats, our as-of-now-unnamed hats are our standard four-panel hat but with ear flaps, wool and a fleecy soft shell front panel from Calamai. Good stuff and it promises to be the warmest cycling hat ever (seriously, I haven't been this excited since Obama won, oh wait...)

- Obama won!

- The ELVS rim program continues with Velocity. I'm working my hardest to develop a machined side-wall version for use with rim brakes. I actually run a disc brake on my bike but thats a post for another day...

- Empire is the new movie from New York (aka the Empire State).

- Prolly moved his blog (I'll update the side links in a bit)

- Macaframa premiered in NYC. Good shit! The footage was epic and highly memorable (especially Nate's crash.)

In Your Face Race - 11/1/08

2008-10-22T09:13:00.000-04:00

A Bad Heather and Victor race to help Dagga pay for a new set of front teeth. Dagga had an accident while riding in Bed-Stuy (no details) and needs help paying for a new set of fronts.

Be there!