the Kry Fund - for a young Brooklyn cyclist/bike mechanic/artist

Joe Nocella, owner of 718 Cyclery, sent out the following message about their bike shop mechanic, Krys Blakemore:

On March 15th, Krys was hit by a car here in Brooklyn. After major surgery, she is unable to walk, work or ride her bike. Her rehab period will be extensive, but a full recovery is planned.

Krys was 718 Cyclery's first employee, and is the kind of person who would help others at a moment's notice. She is also the kind of person who would never dream of asking for help... I am not that kind of person...please donate what you can to help offset the costs of her not being able to work.

It is incredibly hard for me to hear when someone is hit by a car while biking. And of course, very sad to know that this young woman has a difficult rehabiliatiion ahead of her.

If you've ever visited 718 Cyclery you know what a wonderful and caring bike shop this is -- so naturally they have set up:
this DONATION PAGE where you can safely give any amount to go to Kry's relief fund.

I hope you can join me in helping out Krys during her recovery.

illustration by Krys from her website

going local: 718 Cyclery

If you haven't yet visited 718 Cyclery's new home in Brooklyn (3rd Ave. corner of Union) you simply MUST! Not only is Joe an incredibly nice guy (along with his friendly staff) but his new shop is HUGE, well stocked, includes a nice sitting area, has rental bikes, is open until 8pm most days of the week, and continues to offer collaborative builds. The new space also home to maintenance and safety classes, a Do It Yourself (DIY) Bench, and bike boarding if you are lacking indoor winter storage. You can even rent out the space for your own event... umm, if I hadn't eloped years ago I would totally entertain the idea of getting married here! 

Seriously, could you ask any more from a bike shop?!

And... with Black Friday almost upon us, don't underestimate how important is it to SHOP LOCAL and support brick and mortars like 718.

While I was incredibly sad when he moved the shop out of his original Park Slope spot (around the corner from my place) -- it was totally for the best.

Meet Your (bike) Match & Garden Party - Behind the Scenes

Yesterday's Meet Your (bike) Match & Garden Party was an absolute blast! Nona Varnado, you rock for coordinating!!! The official bike portraits from the party will get posted shortly... in the meantime, some snap shoots of friends and passer-byers who stopped, sipped iced tea lemonade with us, picked out a dreamy city bike and jumped into the photo shoot...

Eric Wolfe, the man of the hour, photographer and bartender extraordinaire

Hiplok's US debut @ Mission Bicycles via London

Minimalism is essential for lots of urban cyclists who stick to bikes without baskets and racks -- but really who doesn't want to carry less, travel light, and streamline. The fantastic SanFran bike shop, Mission Bicycle, held a Bike to Work Fashion Show last Thursday at which they debuted their exclusive US product release of Hiplok: the world’s first bike lock designed to be worn on the body by London-based designers John Abrahams and Benjamin Smith.

Hiplok is the first bicycle lock developed specifically to be worn around the waist.  Hiplok's integrated and fully adjustable belt fixing allows the rider to tighten the lock around the waist without actually locking the device, offering a level of portability, comfort and versatility never seen before. Due to it’s unique design, Hiplok is never locked into a loop while it is attached to your body, and it remains fully adjustable and quickly removable at all times when being worn.

and my favorite colour combo (love that white buckle detail) but comes it lots of options...

Available for US purchase [here] on Mission's site + watch the Hiplok video [here]

Thanks, Jefferson!

god kväll! Bianchi Cafè&Cycles

Last October I posted about the opening of a Bianchi concept store in Stockholm... and here it is OPEN - though closed for the evening. Thanks, Victor!

Speaking of Stockholm, I'll never forget how cool it was to come across these air pumps in Stockholm when I was there in 2008... a nice addition that makes biking that much easier.

Mission Bicycle Company: on a Mission to build the bike of your dreams

Check out their lovely little promotional video which starts out sweet and sentimental "My first bike was a Huffy"... 




Based in San Fransisco, Mission Bicycle Company offers simple straightforward steel frame bikes - sticking with the bare essentials - for city riding.  Based on your riding style, fit and aesthetic choices you can customize your components and frame finish (from a serious rainbow of color options), choose to have a single gear freewheel/fixie/3 or 8 gear internal hub + they offer a 'build together' option! With a price tag starting at $750 they are pretty sweet street machines.

Jefferson, the store manager, walked me through the bike selection process:

When a customer comes in, we size them up and put them on a bike that we think will be a good fit.  We have a demo bike built up in each size... send them for a ride around the block. We can tweak the fit with stem length, stem angle, handlebar style, and of course a saddle which is adjustable in 3 ways.

That's what we do for people that can physically come in to the store.  Sometimes people will make a visit to Mission Bicycle a part of their vacation to San Francisco.  They get to come into the store, we personal guide them through the whole process.  Then we build their bike and ship it back to their home country.  Last weekend to women flew up from Los Angeles specifically to build their own bike here.  They took their bikes home with them on the plane the next day.  We're shipping bike all over the world.  Built right here in the Mission.

They crank out about a bike a day and don't think they've built two exactly alike. Just check out their online gallery for proof!

718 CYCLERY - a new bike shop in South Slope

This past weekend I happen to stroll on by 7th Avenue b/w 16th Street and Windsor, Brooklyn... and come upon a NEWLY OPENED bike shop in my hood!

718 CYCLERY, INC staff is super friendly and appear to offer quite a lot.. the most unique being Collaborative Builds which they describe as "providing the ability to learn to become the master of your bike" - they will build up a bike WITH you so you learn the in's and out's of your bike and how to maintain it yourself. You can either bring in a frame you have or buy one from them - the shop deals primarily in steel vintage road frames from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, but also works with new frames (I spotted a beautiful CASATI frame in there - which was already called for).

Photos from their collaborative build gallery - the owner had been working for years out of his home...
Who could asked for a better addition to the neighborhood?!
Yip Yip Hurray!

rapha on the bowery - allez allez

in store bike racks representing the heights of major climbs in the Tour de France

Speaking of Rapha... these days you can make a pit stop to pick up their high-quality well-tailored cycle clothing/accessories at NYC's very own Rapha Cycle Club on Bowery. The shop/cafe is also host to live daily Tour de France screenings. One Tour appropriate purchase: The Rapha Touralet Jersey...

The Rapha Tourmalet Jersey is a special edition cycling jersey to commemorate the centenary of one of the key moments in cycling history. On 21st July 1910, Stage 10 of the Tour traveled over the Col du Tourmalet, the highest mountain in the Pyrenees, for the first time.

It was Alphonse Steines, assistant to Tour founder Henri Desgrange, who first suggested the Tour take on the Giant of the Pyrenees, a climb which features on this year's Etape du Tour. In January 1910, Steines had undertaken a reconnaissance of the mountain. When snow stopped his car four kilometres short of the summit, he continued on foot, eventually being rescued by a search party at three in the morning. The telegram Steines sent to Desgrange contained the now immortal line that the Tourmalet was, in his opinion, "Perfectly Acceptable".

shop photos via PSFK

Brooklyn's Newest Addition: Rolling Orange

photo via Brownstoner

Brooklyn's newest bike shop Rolling Orange opens their doors TOMORROW(!)... Saturday, June 12th / 2-8pm with local food & music, bike rides, games, prizes and "some special guest speakers" at their 269 Baltic Street location near Court Street.

"Our mission is to introduce Dutch cargo and city bikes as a common part of the Brooklyn streetscape (and beyond). We are promoting a different urban life style; moving from ‘the fast lane into the slow lane’ with closer attention for what is going on in daily urban life. In addition to selling bikes and accessories, we start hosting several events – from movie-nights, to lectures to bike-related events – in this way we would like to become a valued asset to the local community."

That's right, a Brooklyn shop with cargo bikes in stock!!!

hello NYC bicycle boutique: Adeline Adeline

last month / renovating... not yet open

this month / photo from the NYTimes!

Last month, posters of over sized images of bicycles in a storefront peaked my interest. Then last week while biking in Tribeca along Reade Street's bike path... I was thrilled to find Adeline Adeline was open! FINALLY - NYC's answer to London's Bobbin Bicycle.

Adeline Adeline is "a very nice bicycle shop" indeed! Julie Hirschfeld, store founder and graphic designer, translates her aesthetic and design expertise into the world of bicycles beautifully by creating a cheerful and friendly "bicycle boutique". Located two blocks from the West Side Greenway bike path (perfect for test rides!) the shop is well stocked with a great assortment of city bicycles "that focuses on comfortable, relaxed riding for pleasure"! They also have a full service shop downstairs + stylish selection of accessories from helmets to baskets to bells...

Pashley's Princess Sovereign / Abici's Grandturismo / Bakfiets' Cargo Bike / Biomega's Amsterdam / Linus' DUTCHIE 3

It's well worth a visit!

jersey prints

Sweet illustrations of vintage jerseys by Chris McNally... hand silk screened, limited edition, numbered and signed. Available at NYC Velo in the East Village (2nd Avenue, b/w 3rd and 4th) for $25 - I recall them being approx. 14" x 20" in size.