I got interviewed for this lovely blog out of Australia not too long ago.
"What's the best thing about cycling?" they asked, and I gave a cheeky answer....
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Thursday, September 13, 2012
THOMAS DAGG VS. PAINT BIKE
So we are getting super amped up for the Toronto premiere of PAINT BIKE - our latest film. As well as all the films we curated to be screened at the very first Toronto Veloreel this coming Saturday in Liberty Village. There are some real gems. To see Toronto Veloreel's full program line-up and events go here! It's going to be a great night!
We filmed the intro for PAINT BIKE last week, along with the help of the ever so talented Thomas Dagg. The following are portraits he shot amidst the chaos of the evening - and they act as a great sneak peak for what's to come on Saturday night.
We filmed the intro for PAINT BIKE last week, along with the help of the ever so talented Thomas Dagg. The following are portraits he shot amidst the chaos of the evening - and they act as a great sneak peak for what's to come on Saturday night.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Get Excited About Bikes
FOR IMMIDIATE RELEASE
Toronto VeloReel
Get Excited About Bikes
Just in time for TIFF! Toronto VeloReel, is a one day film festival working toward cultivating community & celebrating bike culture through film. The festival debuts September 15th in historic Liberty Village.
This year's program is guest curated by The Deadly Nightshades, Toronto's only all girl bike gang/arts collective. The Nightshades are known for organizing many cycling and arts events in the city, including Ring My Bell and Style Spin through the Drake Hotel. They hope their international and Canadian reel selections will include a snapshot of various histories, communities and viewpoints that will entertain all audiences and contribute to the successful birth of VeloReel.
To kick off the days events, there will be a peepshow film loop which includes the feature length films; Hit ‘Em in the Mouth, a Seattle Bike polo documentary, Cycle Me Home, the tale of Levi and his bike ride home to Budapest after studying abroad in Madrid, and I Felt Your Pulse, a Super 8 film dedicated to Darcy Allan Sheppard plus a few more.
While hanging out in the courtyard, be sure not to miss the various bike art instillations, a short play entitled “Cadillac Kills” and a drop in from the Bicycle Music Festival with musical performances by the Complete Street Band and Garbageface in the afternoon.
As night falls, projections will light up the big screen outdoors for a bike-in style theatre at 7 Fraser.
It will begin with a mixture of short films including; 10 Things: I Have Learned About Mountainbiking, Paint Bike and Sex On Wheels, to name a few. The audience’s heart will get pumping with 10-20 Berlin, a film made of the 1993 Courier World Championship, featuring many original Toronto names. To end off the evening, the audience will awe at Line of Sight, directed by Ontario’s own Benny Zenga, featuring world renowned Lucas Brunelle, “the gnarliest bike videographer in the world.”- Rolling Stone Magazine
VeloReel is in it's first year, but it intends to become an annual event, and a staple for the cycling community in Toronto. Please join us at 7 Fraser Ave., on September 15th. For more information and a full line up, please visit: www.torontoveloreel.blogspot.ca
Toronto VeloReel
Get Excited About Bikes
Just in time for TIFF! Toronto VeloReel, is a one day film festival working toward cultivating community & celebrating bike culture through film. The festival debuts September 15th in historic Liberty Village.
This year's program is guest curated by The Deadly Nightshades, Toronto's only all girl bike gang/arts collective. The Nightshades are known for organizing many cycling and arts events in the city, including Ring My Bell and Style Spin through the Drake Hotel. They hope their international and Canadian reel selections will include a snapshot of various histories, communities and viewpoints that will entertain all audiences and contribute to the successful birth of VeloReel.
To kick off the days events, there will be a peepshow film loop which includes the feature length films; Hit ‘Em in the Mouth, a Seattle Bike polo documentary, Cycle Me Home, the tale of Levi and his bike ride home to Budapest after studying abroad in Madrid, and I Felt Your Pulse, a Super 8 film dedicated to Darcy Allan Sheppard plus a few more.
While hanging out in the courtyard, be sure not to miss the various bike art instillations, a short play entitled “Cadillac Kills” and a drop in from the Bicycle Music Festival with musical performances by the Complete Street Band and Garbageface in the afternoon.
As night falls, projections will light up the big screen outdoors for a bike-in style theatre at 7 Fraser.
It will begin with a mixture of short films including; 10 Things: I Have Learned About Mountainbiking, Paint Bike and Sex On Wheels, to name a few. The audience’s heart will get pumping with 10-20 Berlin, a film made of the 1993 Courier World Championship, featuring many original Toronto names. To end off the evening, the audience will awe at Line of Sight, directed by Ontario’s own Benny Zenga, featuring world renowned Lucas Brunelle, “the gnarliest bike videographer in the world.”- Rolling Stone Magazine
VeloReel is in it's first year, but it intends to become an annual event, and a staple for the cycling community in Toronto. Please join us at 7 Fraser Ave., on September 15th. For more information and a full line up, please visit: www.torontoveloreel.blogspot.ca
Thursday, September 6, 2012
#knogblinder4v posthumous review
So another not-so-awesome thing about Carebear being taken was I had all my rad new Knog Blinder 4V lights on them. In a nutshell, they are excellent at being very bright vertically on your seat post, and lend themselves perfectly to the Nightshades #1 rule: Don't die.
I kept meaning to write a review, but with everyone from the Bike Snob to your mom doing a review I thought no one would notice my opinions. People did notice them on the road and at parties "AH MY EYES- what is that cool thing?" was often the remark I got. I'm telling you, if you want to talk to strangers daily- be a Knog product tester.
Anyway, in true Nightshade fashion I began to compile all the uses for them that weren't just being seen by motorists on the road.
#1- Bike Rave enabler. I powered a mini break dancing session with my blinders at the 2012 Vancouver Bike Rave.
#2- Finding crap in your bag. Sometimes finding things in your bag at night is just hard. Just drop your light in and problem solved!
#3- Bling bling! When you take it off your bike to go inside and boogie, you can wear your super duper bling ring. In some smoke the light beams look like Wolverine's talon thingies. I wish I had gotten a picture of that.
#4- Hypnotize cute bike boys with your awesome blinky bike swag.
#5- Is it too dark to climb that 50 foot tree? Not with your Blinder mouth light!
#6- Who needs a real fire when you can make a bike light fire? It's cop friendly version of the real thing.
Also, you can:
- Unlock your door when your automatic porch light just doesn't feel like working!
- Find thing in the dark on the beach/park/dance floor!
- Fight back against that stupid little barking dog.
- Feel superior to all the puny bike lights around you.
That is all. I also have their cool Bouncer lock and it worked especially well when I actually used it. Actually, it was kinda funny as I'd come out from whatever building I was in to see someone staring at my bike. I would get rampantly paranoid they were thinking about cutting the lock and say something aggressive/mean/crazy, but they were always just admiring the funky design and the conversations with strangers never ended.
Now I'm going to go back in a corner and hate myself for at least another two weeks. Is it true there is life after love? Cher isn't reassuring me. Oh Carebear, I'll wait for you forever...
I kept meaning to write a review, but with everyone from the Bike Snob to your mom doing a review I thought no one would notice my opinions. People did notice them on the road and at parties "AH MY EYES- what is that cool thing?" was often the remark I got. I'm telling you, if you want to talk to strangers daily- be a Knog product tester.
Anyway, in true Nightshade fashion I began to compile all the uses for them that weren't just being seen by motorists on the road.
#1- Bike Rave enabler. I powered a mini break dancing session with my blinders at the 2012 Vancouver Bike Rave.
#2- Finding crap in your bag. Sometimes finding things in your bag at night is just hard. Just drop your light in and problem solved!
#3- Bling bling! When you take it off your bike to go inside and boogie, you can wear your super duper bling ring. In some smoke the light beams look like Wolverine's talon thingies. I wish I had gotten a picture of that.
#4- Hypnotize cute bike boys with your awesome blinky bike swag.
#5- Is it too dark to climb that 50 foot tree? Not with your Blinder mouth light!
#6- Who needs a real fire when you can make a bike light fire? It's cop friendly version of the real thing.
Also, you can:
- Unlock your door when your automatic porch light just doesn't feel like working!
- Find thing in the dark on the beach/park/dance floor!
- Fight back against that stupid little barking dog.
- Feel superior to all the puny bike lights around you.
That is all. I also have their cool Bouncer lock and it worked especially well when I actually used it. Actually, it was kinda funny as I'd come out from whatever building I was in to see someone staring at my bike. I would get rampantly paranoid they were thinking about cutting the lock and say something aggressive/mean/crazy, but they were always just admiring the funky design and the conversations with strangers never ended.
Now I'm going to go back in a corner and hate myself for at least another two weeks. Is it true there is life after love? Cher isn't reassuring me. Oh Carebear, I'll wait for you forever...
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Nightshade Bike STOLEN- please share.
My worst nightmare happened. Ironically enough, while I was doing some errands before the Premium Rush movie/cat here in Vancouver, my bike Carebear was stolen from a front entrance- I was inside the glass doors 7 feet away to drop off my computer to be fixed. I shouldn't have left here there, I should have taken the minute to lock her up, I was stupid, and in 2 minutes the love of my life was gone...
If you are in the Vancouver area, or Portland or Seattle- PLEASE be on the lookout for her or her parts. 54 purple Mission track frame, pink vVelocity B43s, Sugino Messenger cranks, was outfitted with platforms and pink YNOT razzle straps. Covered in HMPL, Knog, Orontas, COG, Minorty and Dah Shop stickers, and Ironically a "Don't Steal Bikes Bro" Affinity sticker, although they probably stripped it. Please share this photo. Contact me on instagram or twitter @meglikesbikes or my gmail account by the same name.
This is Carebear in her natural environment- at the beach with her fellow bike friends.
When you are rushing around thinking about superficial things like parties, the cute man who makes info graphics who is in line with you, and optimized bluetooth technology, you can neglect the most important things that bring the MOST value to your life. I am taking this a personal life lesson. I am going to slow my life down and always think about the most important things to me and pay attention to that. I was rushing thinking I was getting the things done I thought I was important, I lost the thing that was the most important to me.
I wonder, if everyone was more conscious of this, we'd take much better care of our planet, the children and elders in our society, and talk to our neighbours more. Realizing that computers, things and celebrity gossip is not as important as clean air, nutritious food and community, would probably be a firm foundation for a better planet. I think this is a lesson everyone learns. I think I've had this lesson before, and will probably have again.
I just want my baby back.
If you are in the Vancouver area, or Portland or Seattle- PLEASE be on the lookout for her or her parts. 54 purple Mission track frame, pink vVelocity B43s, Sugino Messenger cranks, was outfitted with platforms and pink YNOT razzle straps. Covered in HMPL, Knog, Orontas, COG, Minorty and Dah Shop stickers, and Ironically a "Don't Steal Bikes Bro" Affinity sticker, although they probably stripped it. Please share this photo. Contact me on instagram or twitter @meglikesbikes or my gmail account by the same name.
This is Carebear in her natural environment- at the beach with her fellow bike friends.
When you are rushing around thinking about superficial things like parties, the cute man who makes info graphics who is in line with you, and optimized bluetooth technology, you can neglect the most important things that bring the MOST value to your life. I am taking this a personal life lesson. I am going to slow my life down and always think about the most important things to me and pay attention to that. I was rushing thinking I was getting the things done I thought I was important, I lost the thing that was the most important to me.
I wonder, if everyone was more conscious of this, we'd take much better care of our planet, the children and elders in our society, and talk to our neighbours more. Realizing that computers, things and celebrity gossip is not as important as clean air, nutritious food and community, would probably be a firm foundation for a better planet. I think this is a lesson everyone learns. I think I've had this lesson before, and will probably have again.
I just want my baby back.
Friday, August 24, 2012
HMPL- Spot the Nightshade
Hey behb; introducing the No 15 Saddle Bag by HMPL.
HMPL No.15 Saddle Bag spot #1 from Matthew on Vimeo.
My friends here in VanCity can make some really rad beach appropriate bags! I mean, we own the lifestyle. Riding to the beach fully prepared sans bag on your back is massively awesome if you have the kind of frame/lifestyle that doesn't support panniers. I'm in their video 'cause they offered to buy me ciders. This spot is also a prime example of the most excellent quality of lifestyle I am leading out here in Vancouver. It's is pretty much a documentary, not an ad.
Follow: #beachlife #thirdbeach #hmpl
HMPL No.15 Saddle Bag spot #1 from Matthew on Vimeo.
My friends here in VanCity can make some really rad beach appropriate bags! I mean, we own the lifestyle. Riding to the beach fully prepared sans bag on your back is massively awesome if you have the kind of frame/lifestyle that doesn't support panniers. I'm in their video 'cause they offered to buy me ciders. This spot is also a prime example of the most excellent quality of lifestyle I am leading out here in Vancouver. It's is pretty much a documentary, not an ad.
Follow: #beachlife #thirdbeach #hmpl
Monday, August 13, 2012
cycle safety popcorn
The Invisible Bicycle Helmet | Fredrik Gertten from Focus Forward Films on Vimeo.
hens don't need cocks to lay eggs
:)
hens don't need cocks to lay eggs
:)
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Badass Women's Cyclecross.
Snow, mud, fierce competition... damn! LADIES!
4ème Manche de CDM cyclo-cross from Petitesreines on Vimeo.
(taken from funknbikes)
Maybe put it on mute and enjoy the video to Maylee Todd's Arobics in Space song instead of the very European soundtrack offered.
Or maybe this new jam by Kardinal...
(I miss you Toronto music!)
4ème Manche de CDM cyclo-cross from Petitesreines on Vimeo.
(taken from funknbikes)
Maybe put it on mute and enjoy the video to Maylee Todd's Arobics in Space song instead of the very European soundtrack offered.
Or maybe this new jam by Kardinal...
(I miss you Toronto music!)
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
CLUB BELLADONA!
Seems like the Australians think we should change our name. Earlier this summer we were so exstatic to be featured in a 5 page spread in Australia's amazing bike mag Treadlie, with a wonderful article by Will Jones titled "Club Belladona." I dont want to spoil the whole thing but here's a good little excerpt:
"The girls love of creating, of cycling and of eachother brings them together to form this wonderfully wicked, scarily sexy and daringly dangerous collective. No wonder they picked the name Deadly Nightshades."
DNS does love some good aliteration. Thanks for all the kind words Treadlie & Will! Secretly I think my favourite thing is that the whole article refered to us primarily by our gang names. Hilarious.
If you haven't picked up a copy of the magazine yet, swing on over to their website and do it! Treadlie Rules!
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Momentum Magazine is looking for Toronto Models!
Momentum Magazine is putting on a fashion show at Expocycle in Toronto! They need hotties on bikes to be models- I think you should do it. You get a $100 honorarium and profile on momentummag.com will be provided.
I (MegO!) am going to be a model for them at their Interbike fashion show, Gaining Momentum!
SEE YOU IN VEGAS BABY.
YEAH.
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