Un Giro Di Sporco Sud

The Pista Malmö (that's in southern Sweden...) boys & girls are organizing an extra long alleycat race in April 25th. As it will be like 100 kilometres across the country side, it will be a veritable Giro. 

It's looking good and all but tomorrow at work I will need to ask my Italian colleague Giacomo to check out the flyer because somehow I'm guessing that these guys' Italian language skills come from the side of a frozen pizza box...  

Monster Track Is Back

It is coming again, soon: 

"THE WORLD’S ILLEST OUTLAW ALLEYCAT RACE".

Check out the official site here. 

New Jersey In The House. BMRC!

Shout out to the BMRC Fixed Gear in New Jersey!

And when I'm thinking about NJ, I'm like 'F**k Bruce Springsteen, it's Naughty By Nature, biaaatch!', hah ha ha. Also, I need to point out that my girlfriend spent a year living somewhere in north NJ as an Au Pair after high school so we have almost like a family connection going on here. 

Outlier OG Cycling Pant - Straight Outta NYC

You might have already read about the new Outlier OG 4Season Black Lotus cycling pants on John Prolly's blog or somewhere else but I need to give to them an extra shout-out here.

When I read the copy on Outlier's site, I was immediately sold: 

"A garment designed to work as well in a board meeting as it does on a bicycle. Wake up and throw them on, regardless of whether you plan on climbing a mountain or running a business.

Made in New York City with Schoeller Dryskin Extreme fabrics, these pants are designed for the ultimate in versatility, both socially and technologically. This is the best technical fabric around, you'll stay cool and dry no matter how hard you ride. The Lotus or Nanosphere coating is "self cleaning". The surface is coated in nanoscopic spikes that prevent grease and stain molecules from bonding to the fabric. Water just rolls off, taking with it any dirt that might remain.

It's water resistant and quick drying, so no worries if the sky turns against you. Light rain? Forget it, that stuff just rolls right off, just like the coffee or red wine you might have spilled upon it.

You could rock it with a sport coat and oxfords or a hoodie with sneakers." 

So If you're commuting on a bike but you're commute is not super long, or you're just riding casually in a city everyday in every weather but you don't want to look like you're a professional road cyclist or on your way to go hiking on the mountains, Outlier's pants might be just what you're looking for. 

Technical, yet casual enough, and good looking in that understated and simple way. 

And if the price tag seems bit hefty, remember that they're Made In NYC by a small company run by real people who actually ride bikes themselves, they're made out of high quality technical materials, made to high environmental standards AND you can maybe get them bit cheaper if you're clever enough to click here.  Also, if you end up ordering, tell them Jussi convinced you to buy them, ok?

Keo Spin Fail

failed keo from TrackTramp805 on Vimeo.

Even though pretty much everybody pulls those Keo Spins on every single video clip out there, it's not that easy after all... 

European Bike Polo Championship 2009

All right, the location of the 2009 European Bike Polo Championship is open and anyone willing to host the event in their city is free make a bid by November 17th, here. 

You can also vote for the host city there so just click-click! 

Save The Cheerleader... Save The World!

Whoa! So it seems like Hayden Panettiere is about to get a fixie. 

Well, I love Heroes so this is cool. But what/how? According to Tracko, she was just seen getting a fixed gear wheelset from Orange Bikes in Los Angeles. Go girl! 

Bike Messengers Are Soon Becoming Extinct?

Here's the article in Wired if you didn't read it already but that picture just made me laugh. They look so sad. Sorry dudes. 

Cinelli Unicantor Saddle Is Back!

Check this out you white Italian saddle lovin' hipster!

Apparently the venerable Cinelli of Italy is thinking about your ass and your paypal account/credit card balance as they are re-releasing their classic 1960s track (and during the 1980s in a slightly modified version a BMX!) saddle model, the Unicantor. It's hard plastic with no padding of any kind, so that you know.

It should be out sometime soon, probably in several colors too, but I dunno when actually.

If you simply cannot wait, check these Kashimax Aeros out in the meanwhile...

EDIT!

EDIT!

EDIT!

Click & read much more about the saddle here... 

Pistadex Launches!

Remember the Pistadex? 

"Readers of the BikeSnobNYC blog will no doubt be familiar with the PistaDex, a means by which the popularity of fixed-gear bicycles can be measured. Well, now there is an entire website devoted entirely to this hot new pop culture catch phrase: PistaDex.com! For the moment, PistaDex.com consists simply of a single page containing a definition of "PistaDex." However, stay tuned--in the coming days PistaDex.com will transform itself into the definitive destination for all things PistaDex! There will be PistaDex forums, where visitors can not only share photos of their own Pistas, but also exchange wacky overpriced Pista ads from their local Craigslist. There will also be tickers which constantly monitor the PistaDex in major cities across the USA and around the world, so you know just how much your Pista is worth. Best of all, there will be merchandise, including t-shirts with clever slogans like: "You're spiking my PistaDex!;" "Keep your eyes on the PistaDex!;" and, simply, "PistaDex!" And that's just the beginning. So keep checking back at PistaDex.com like the the rat in a skinner box that you are!"

It will be here soon. 

Girl Fixing A Bike

Ok, here's the link to the original source of this lovely pic by Minx. Thanks! 

Japan Times Article: Land Of The Pimped Bikes

First, here's the full article. And then here are some selected quotes:

"...behind the bespoke bike trend is an entirely new breed of bicyclist."

"As any bicycle fashionista will tell you, however, it's all about accessorizing your frame. If you want it to turn heads, just as belts and bags should match, so too should certain key parts of your bicycle."

"Sugino finishes its cranks (the things your pedals attach to) in blue, gold, gunmetal gray, pink, red and traditional silver." 

Ok, but despite those funny bits the article also mentions Ocean / Pacifix frames and includes an mini-interview with Rene who runs the excellent NJS Super Market and is currently setting up a fixed gear shop in Osaka. Good luck to him. And there are addresses to Punch Cycles and Ocean Cycle Factory in the end. 

'Get A Bike, And Make Sure It Only Has One Gear'

The Anti-Fixed Gear Manifesto

Fixed gear cycling has proven to be one of the hottest new trends in the two wheeled world. Propaganda fabricated by fixed gear extremists and zealots makes exorbitant claims about "the connection" riders feel to their bicycles when riding with the deprecated and obsolete technology. Many attempt to hide the fact that fixed gear is extremely outdated and has been superceded by new, safer technologies (i.e.: brakes, helmets). While these claims are obviously false, the structure of the fixed gear community allows such lies to proliferate like wildfire. The fixed gear community is largely intertwined with the likes of window smashing anarchists and vegan extremists. It's no wonder you will find these fixed gear fascists imposing their beliefs on day to day cyclists. I will recount one story from a disgruntled motorist from Richmond, Virginia:

"I was taking my kids to soccer practice when one of these maniacs came speeding down the street and skidding into the intersection on one of their primitive bicycles. The young punk lost control while trying to show off to some hipster looking females and smashed into my 2001 Dodge Caravan. The maniac then proceeded to curse at me and swing a "U-Lock" [Editor's Note: The u-lock is favorite among fixed gear extremists for its ability to be wielded as a weapon and it has been immortalized in the song "U-Lock Justice, by the band "R.A.M.B.O."] in the air as if it was my fault. As if this was not enough he told me to 'get a bike, and make sure it only has one gear'. I didn't really understand what he meant about the gears until I met up with a support group in my city that has been started to deal with these terrorists."

Our streets are no longer safe when twenty-something's attempt to rule the road and inculcate our children with fixed gear propaganda. This is a declaration of war. We must fight these bike-nazis at every turn (pun intended).

It is rumored that the secret leader of these fanatics is a middle-aged bearded man going by the moniker Sheldon Brown. This shadowy overlord has helped to foster the fixed gear community by giving step by step instructions on how to build these death-cycles. Thanks to Mr. Brown we have kids speeding around on converted Peugeot's and classic Italian collectables. Other big names in the fixed gear cult/scene are punk-rock bands like R.A.M.B.O. who openly supports the destruction of the United States Government through bicycle militias.

Data is still sparse, but popular hot-spots and bases-of-operation for the fixed gear agenda appear to be Portland (codename "PDX"), Oregon; San Francisco, California; and New York City. Other red zones can be found in Virginia and North Carolina. These are only the most concentrated areas however and the fixed gear trend is on its way to exploding into a global threat.

How to spot a fixed gear operative: due to their close ties to the punk-rocker community, you can find fixed gear riders sporting cut off military fatigues, Dickies that are cut off to look like high-waters, military-esque headwear, and various t-shirts promoting their way of life. It is almost a de-facto standard that all fixed gear cult members be heavily tattooed and pierced in multiple locations.

Tactics: It is very common to find fixed gear agents performing what is called a "track stand" at intersections to prove their superiority to just about everyone they come in contact with. This is a potential Achilles' Heel due to the limited balance one has while performing a track stand. It should be obvious that this is a good time to strike at them. Another less direct tactic would be an attempt to monopolize the bicycle-messaging industry as nearly all bicycle messengers adhere to the fixed gear dogma; by taking a considerable chunk out of this industry we could force a good number of them into working under us. Then it would be as simple as initializing the deprogramming of their "one-gear minds." Note: Sabotage of their braking systems will not work as they do not use braking systems in attempt to be "more hardcore" than average riders.

The streets have been turned into battle grounds and it is hard for traditional cyclists to come out of their house's in respectable cycling attire (i.e.: jersey, spandex, helmet, etc.) without being subjected to a barrage of insults and one-gear propaganda. Our children are threatened by these extremists who would probably go so far as to torch the training wheels off a child's bike to teach it to "ride like a man." The attitudes of the fixed gear army are downright despicable and unfortunately this conflict can only be resolved through bloodshed. It's time for cyclists to stand up and fight against the legions of fixed gear radicals. If you don't believe me, see for yourself at your local bike shop. It is becoming increasingly harder to find and purchase a bicycle with more than one gear and with a freewheeling hub. Now, one has to wade through thousands of eBay auctions to find a simple cassette or derailleur since the trend has become a profitable commodity for e-tailers. The true cyclist is a dying breed. Don't say I didn't warn you when you wake up one day and find that it is a crime to operate a bicycle with multiple-gears.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THIS AS MUCH AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN. I FEAR TIME IS RUNNING OUT.

Rain City Fix Book/Video Clip

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO. 

From Seattle. Track bikes, tattoos, skinny jeans, messenger bags, cycling caps, funny hairdos and lots of facial hair, more tattoos, sneakers, trackstands, hip young good looking people, you know the score.... 

And here is the actual photo book, if someone is still interested.

A Giorgio Trispoke Wheel For You, Sir?

Even if some people might say that instead of trispoke aerowheels, or even this wonderful thing, you should nowadays invest your hard earned dorrah on some disk wheels, someone might still think these wheels above look pretty neat. I do, I admit it. 

And hey, look here, one of these nice Giorgio wheels is for sale right now. So you can has it, if you wants. 

Three Velodrome Themed Pictures For Friday

The Fixie Hipster Bike Style Manifesto

* No more Aerospokes, HED3 or Spinergy. 

* Tubular disk wheels. 650c in the front. 

* No more Keirin frames, Cannondale track or Bianchi Pista Concepts. 

* 1980s Lo Profile / Pursuit / Funnybikes. Italians Do It Better. 

* No more bikes covered with skateboard stickers. 

* Fluoro-splashes and masked multicolor disco paintjobs. 

* No more BMX tricks. 

* Pursuit, Sprint, Madison, Keirin, Scratch Race & 'Devil Take the Hindmost'

Copy Your Bike?

Japanese blogs are the best. Sometimes bit hard to understand, though. 

'Great Cycling Cap for the Cycling Gent or Ganrly Courier'

Since I already started posting  erotic cycling caps and other hipster-ish head accessories, let's just keep on going with this flow. Caps are good when you're cycling. 

Here's another nice one, based on a classic pattern and all, for all you 'ganrly courierers' out there:

"A great cycling cap for the cycling gent, or ganrly courier
• Made from red plaid wool
• Fantastic quality material and manufacturing
• All caps are individually sewn in the United States and your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed.
• Unique four panel design offers clean lines for a snug cap that fits nicely under a cycling helmet.
• No logos, just a right nice plain cap"

Love9 Keirin Girls

I have no idea what LOVE9 is about but I think like it. 

If they have collectors cards, I want all of them.