SHAKE A TAIL?

Big Red is making stuff!! Check it out here and keep going back for more!!

The Joy of Cycling

Jamie Wieck's artist statement here.


(It's very important to know and understand where the valve is and how to treat it. It's a good idea to choose a cycling partner who values a good valve treatment. )

Cyclist are Bloody Vampires

So Australia is pretty neat and sweet for bikes. The guys from Knog over there introduced me to this amazing blow-my-mind damn-you-pacific-ocean-getting-in-the-way event called the Melbourne Bike Fest. It's a clean, modern, youthful and design-centric bike expo thingy going on from the 24th to the 28th in Melbourne.

Their program promises: "Bikefest features art, design, forums, workshops, markets, music, screenings, bike rides and more. It is a non-competitive, celebratory event for bike riders of every ability and riding style."

In particular, I'm hoping their seminar on Cultural Shift: Women and Bikes is uploaded TED styles to the interweb.

And they have promotional trailers that feature vampires. I think this shows their legit quest to strive for normalcy and popularity- vampires are like the biggest meme going on out there right now.

ONCE BITTEN - Part One from WHO BY FIRE on Vimeo.

ONCE BITTEN - Part Three from WHO BY FIRE on Vimeo.

Best joke about vampires and bikes curtsy of the Super News at around the 4 minute mark.

100+ years of TRYING to get along

Yesterday Big Red, Cannibal Vixen and myself went down to MTV to voice our opinions about cyclist's, motorist's and pedestrians on our Toronto city streets. There were a panel of experts featuring a commuter biker, driver's and our fav female courier Sunny D.

Needless to say the discussion got heated. Can we truly all get along on our busy streets?

Can we all understand that generally that the anger is created by fear and mis education and not a hate between cyclist's and motorist's (except for cab's, you all suck)

I went on a little research mission today and found this awesome video about bicycle culture in Denver in the 1890's.

Funny, the issue's that we cyclist's face today, from the poor city infrastructure to politicians trying to make a buck off us (trying to liscense cycling... WTF!) has all been battled by our community before. We just need to keep educating and accepting people into this awesome community and eventually our voices will be heard.

Anyways check out MTV Sunday November 21st at 8pm to catch all the goods.

RIDE FAST, RIDE SAFE,RIDE HAPPY!

BOSTON.

So after a whirlwind trip to Boston, I've come to the conclusion that the one edge they've got on us Torontonians (aside from foodler), is some mad gorgeous frame building going on. Over the past few days, I've had the privilege of checking out the workshops of Geekhouse Bikes, Icarus Frames & Royal H. Cycles. Makes me wish I had a few grand kicking around for my own custom. Check out more indepth shop tours at Prolly Is Not Probably - who also happened to be in town & gets cred for all these lovely photos.

Overall, my weekend was some great biking, and some better company. But I think it's probably best summed up with one silver velour snake-skin jacket with a pearl zipper. Or.... this.

FALL BALLIN'

Snow White & Cannibal Vixen did us so so proud! Also check out these rad shirts that Patty silk screened for the tournament. Who doesn't want one of these puppies?

SCRAPER BIKES

We'll I am tickled by this vid. Oakland "hood" green movement, mixed with bikes, promoting youth to embrace sustainability and stay in school.

GO CHAMP GO is all I have to say. I may also be tricking out my polo bike "SCRAPER" styles very soon.

P.S You open that bike shop and DNS will help you fund raise for sure. HOLLAH!

BRAIN BUCKETS?

I admittedly very rarely wear a helmet (unless at Polo), and as I was being eaten alive by the street car tracks on Queen (while it was raining a few weeks ago after Hell Track) my dear friend Meg OH!'s face flashed through my mind

"Where's you're helmet lady?" spirit Meg OH said.

"On my coat rack, keeping my coats safe?" Imaginary Megs didn't look impressed.

Meg's promotes proper safety while biking but NEVER shoves it down you're throat. That's why the people at PROHAB snatched her up to pose for their calender to raise funds to provide helmets for those in the cycling community who don't have them. Check them out and donate or purchase a HOT calender with Meg's in it. Look at her honestly. HOT DAMN:)

And I promise Meg's the ol' brain bucket is finding a more permanent fixture on my skull.

Cause we all know the only DNS rule: DON"T DIE.

Women in the Bike Industry

So, I had a fun month in September, where I got to go to the Bicycle Trade Association of Canada's ExpoCycle and Interbike, North America's MASSSIVE trade show in Las Vegas.

Holy 180 from the Fashion world. It's all straight dudes. Walking through the halls of Interbike, a few men of the bike industry even said "Thank you" as I passed them. They were looking at my name badge (here is to hoping), maybe they really like Momentum Magazine and how we help put people on bikes? Apparently a tank top and knee shorts and some wedge heels is all it takes to be the pinacle of "fashion" in this industry... Impressing spandex-racers ain't to hard.

Sarah, the editor at Momentum, attended a seminar at Interbike called "Selling to Women", and wrote a great article about women in the industry. You should read it here: Cycling's Litmus Test. Seeing as women account for only 12-15 percent of the industry, the amount of attention I got at this sausage party isn't that surprising.

The most AWESOME man that I met is the mind behind the Celeste Bianci Colour... I was a total blubbering idiot. How can you keep your composure with a soft spoken Italian genius legend?

He thought the Nightshades were cute. :)

(P.S. Vegas is gross... and the only safe bike route on the strip is actually on the astro-turff in the center. It's a weird kinda mountain biking I tells ya... On another note, those infamous sex card guys all ride bikes! Cool, eh? Husslin' and bikes... hand and hand.. )

Awesome Competition

So, the competition deadline is closed, but the Young Entrepreneurs of Canada are putting on a great competition, with a real cause and some money to be won.




They are having the awards on the 25th of November at the MArS institute on College and University, right on the College street bike lane. You should go, because I want to but there are like, 4 provinces separating me from this event right now. Boooo....

Spider vs. Unicorn