Moving to a WordPress blog,

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

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.

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.

Great flier! I love the cardboard texture.

Bike Film Festival, NYC

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

CycleZine

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Niiice.

More images from 'Where the Wild Things Are'

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





More pix

Charlie Cunningham and Cunningham Bikes

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

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

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

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

Photos from ESPIs via Hardcourt Bike Polo

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

More infos as infos are found!