Dykes on Bike-Cycles Video on DapperQ

DapperQ Exclusive -- Dykes on Bikecycles from dapperQ on Vimeo.

These folks are hot, they bike, and they want you! On the road this summer and at their fundraiser this Saturday nite. It's June 4, Bar 4 in the Slope.


Learn how they drink, how they dress, and how they want you! www.dykesonbikecycles.com

Bespoke Spoiler: The Handbuilt Bicycle Show

Bike Love graffiti on the Manhattan Bridge

Last Saturday was K's birthday, so I decided: "What better way to celebrate it then by going to see an exhibit that I'd been wanting to see! Yay! Happy Birthday K!"

We started our adventure by going to Milk Bar, this cute place on Vanderbilt that I love to go to in the summer because all the open doors and windows make the place feel breezy. Also, they serve coffee that looks like this:


K is officially 24, which she says makes her feel old and puts me somewhere in the dinosaur category. I overheard some woman talking on the train the other day about getting her first gray hair. I wanted to be like, "Girl, I've had gray hairs since I was 14." Some of us are... old souls (a.k.a neurotic Irish Catholics). K had expressed interest in going to an outdoor dance festival in Tompkins Square Park, but I convinced her to take the long ride up up the West Side Highway on a busy Saturday afternoon. We debated over taking the Brooklyn or Manhattan Bridge - I prefer the Brooklyn Bridge even though it is jam-packed with tourists that are incapable of interpreting pedestrian/bicyclists symbols, it's pleasant and of course, cooler. K said she hates all the planks that make her rickety bike rattle non-stop. So, we took the Manhattan Bridge and I dealt with the racing zealots that pumped and passed me on my left. After all, it was her birthday.

Admittedly, every bicycle sojourn is an opportunity to add to this blog, and I forced K to stop and take some action shots. This is what we look like on our bicycles:

me (Q.)

K.

The West Side Highway bicycle path was a blast, but also very crowded on a Saturday afternoon. I cringed as K rode her $20 wonder bike head-on in the other direction as she passed leisurely cyclists. Nevertheless, riding on the path is a lot more relaxing than having to stop every five minutes at a red light. The crowd thinned out once we got to 34th street and we took the path all the way to W 60th, where we were forced to climb a short, steep hill full of potholes. This climb reinforced the fact that NYC is, in fact, hilly.

We got Columbus Circle and parked our bikes outside. I made K take pictures of me posing/blocking the Bespoke sign:


The ponytail is a new-old look for me. K says it makes me look like Gaston. For everyone that doesn't know (and for all you Disney enthusiasts that DO know, that's kind of weird), Gaston is the French dude from Beauty and the Beast that wears a low ponytail. I'm unclear about his exact role in the film but I think he wanted to get with Belle. Here he is:

Alas, I digress. The Bespoke Exhibit. Although a modest exhibit, this made me happy for a variety of reasons. First of all, I know A.N.T. Bike Mike, who was interviewed for this blog, was going to have some bikes on display, and I've never seen his bikes in person. Secondly, I'm glad that bicycles are being acknowledged as beautiful and museum-worthy pieces of design. While some may balk at the idea of fifteen (or so) bicycles adorning the inside of the Museum of Art and Design, it confirms the importance of practical, well-made and stylish designs that we can use in our everyday life.

A perfect example of these well-built, stylish bicycles were the Vanilla Bicycles on display. I had heard of Vanilla Bicycles and visited their website before, but I had never seen one up close. I loved the clean blue design of the Track 2006 model, and I was impressed by the attention to detail and precision of the bike as a whole. My favorite, however was the Radonneur, which they had on display in a lavender color, with matching fenders. It seemed well-built and sturdy but thin and light at the same time - it looked like you could pick up a good amount of speed on that road bike.

Track 2006

Radonneur

Then, of course, the question becomes: if I had a few thousand dollars to spare, would I commission Sacha White to build me a sexy Vanilla bicycle? Probably not. It would be a shame to add scratches to something so expensive. However, there is something appealing about having a custom bicycle made for you and knowing that your exact measurements were kept in mind while it was built.

A.N.T. Bike Mike's bicycles were sleek and sophisticated, exactly as I had imagined. K was partial to the thick white tires on his Truss Bicycle (2010), but I loved the simple black paint and rusty A.N.T. emblem. I also enjoyed the playing card chainring that he put on that bike - another subtle addition that complements the bike's simple style.

A.N.T. Truss Bike (2010)

He also had a sort of pizza delivery bicycle that I liked. I'm not sure how much one would use this carting stuff around Brooklyn (unless you are in a band?!) but it has that "no frills" style for which Mike is known.

A.N.T. Basket Bike (2010)

As for the other bike builders, I wasn't into Richard Sach's bikes as much as his bad ass persona, complete with red Ray Bans that he used instead of protective goggles when welding. I also liked his collection of New Yorker magazine covers showing dating back to the '50s. J.P. Weigle had an impressive set of bikes that reminded me of Vanilla Bicycles, although more classic. One of them was a pretty blue that made me second guess my preoccupation with Bianchi gang green.

J.P. Weigle's "French Blue"

J.P. Weigle's bikes are accentuated by intricate lugs, a bike part that still mystifies me. My impression is that these little pieces are a important element of the bike building process and their craftsmanship is a signifier to others that this handbuilt bicycle is rad. A Google search of "why lugs important" brought me here, which depicts the lug as a controversial but respected addition to handbuilt steel bicycles, one that serves to strengthen the joint of the bike.

J.P. Weigle lug designs

Personal additions like the detailed lugs above are what sets apart the builders featured in Bespoke from other bike builders. Whether it was A.N.T. Bike Mike's handbuilt racks and fenders, Sacha White's subtle V's, or Peter Sach's insistent use of firetruck red, all these bikes spoke to their builder's true style.

Post NYC Bike Culture Summit: A Rant

I went to the NYC Bike Culture Summit hosted by Transportation Alternatives on Thursday. On Twitter, the Summit has received some mixed reviews, mostly of the racial profiling variety. I have to admit, I was unsure what to expect and how fun and/or productive the event would be. They invited Bike Snob, so I knew it would be bearable because he would be making snarky comments all night.

Here's the deal: a room full of mostly white, self-righteous, middle-aged, progressive New Yorkers doesn't surprise me. When I first got there, I thought: these people are probably members of the Park Slope Food Coop! It kind of had that vibe like, "We work for organic groceries and you better believe we commute 15 miles by bike to work too." Taking into consideration the $15 ticket price and the Thursday evening slot, it's not shocking that the crowd wasn't more diverse. These are people who are already invested in biking, probably commuters, and they're angsty about the trials they face as cyclists. I'm okay with that - I don't think I'll survive in New York into old age, but hell, you have to give it up to the people who do. And if these middle-aged progressives want to make donations to a forward-thinking non-profit like T.A. so they can gripe, then let them gripe.

The format of the event was disorganized, but that was also to be expected. At first, I was like, "Oh wow, they actually chose a neutral moderator." But when the blond actress (still don't know her name) cut off TA's legal counselor when he was explaining the new laws about parking garages, I lost all appreciation for her. It's one thing to adhere to the 2-minute cut-off with the silly bike bell, it's another thing to disrupt an important conversation that everyone wanted to hear. Also, she wasn't neutral once she claimed she felt "raped" every time she went into a bike shop and suspected that someone was judging her rusty chain. Wow.

Despite it's shortcomings, the Summit raised a lot of significant concerns about cycling in NYC. The most important and provocative question was: are we, as cyclists, expected to obey all the rules of the road?

This is the crux of many cycling-related issues in New York. We're all too quick to condemn drivers for inching into the bike lane, but we're also the least likely to make a complete stop at a red light or a stop sign. (Or any stop for that matter). What does this mean? Well, I think the chef/messenger/dad/son/entrepreneur/cyclist said it best when he said, "This is not an issue we, as cyclists, can ignore." And he's right: this isn't an issue we can brush off. Perhaps if we institute traffic signals specifically for cyclists that work with a "wave signal" like those mentioned by Caroline Samponaro (*swoon*), the animosity between opposing means of transportation would be lessened.

But as the majority of traffic currently exists in New York, there isn't room for both bikes and cars to be happy. There is too big a dichotomy because NYC was built around cars. So, on one hand it's unfair to expect cyclists to adhere to a city plan that excludes them. On the other hand, we can't evict cars from a city that was built for them (unfortunately). This is an issue that remains unresolved, despite Biking Rules' efforts to promote positive attitudes between car drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. We still live in NYC and everyone is trying to get everywhere as fast as possible. That is a huge part of what attracts people to NYC and I'm not sure how easily that mentality can be changed.

Another issue raised at the Summit was the unfriendliness of bike shops. I took issue with the women who said they are totally intimidated by entering bike shops. OK. I am a woman (though perhaps not the most feminine) and I have a nice bike, but either way I would not feel horribly self-conscious about entering a bicycle store. Don't get me wrong: I have been brushed off my "too cool for school" bike dudes who really don't care at all if I spent money at their shop or even if I come back (hello, R&A Cycles). My response to these women is this: if you are mistreated at a bike shop, go to a different one. To say that ALL bike shops are full of pretentious dudes is not true and I know of more than one bike shop in Brooklyn that can attest to that.

However informal this event may have been, interrupted by babies, Bike Snob, stuttering dudes, and a "neutral" moderator, I think it was an important forum for biking in New York and I would encourage T.A. to do something similar, but more organized, in the future. To promote a more diverse population, perhaps the next event should be highly publicized, on a weekend, and free or based on a sliding scale donation.

Giant Chixie: Cool or Uncool?

I was drawn to a twitter post today that mentioned Giant's new bicycle: the "Chixie," a fixed-gear ride built specifically for women. Though perhaps gimmicky and slightly offensive (chixie? really?), I think there are some good ideas behind this bike.

Let's be honest: bicycle components and clothing built specifically for women have to walk a fine line. Ideally, they would appeal to urban hipster 20-somethings AND forty-year-old suburbanites who are more likely to actually dole out the cash to buy their products. The incentive to make products that people actually buy seems to mean that most of this stuff is designed for the forty-year-old suburbanites (re: trying to buy decent cycling gear here), and less for the 20-something urban rider. The Chixie represents a big step away from the grandma stuff towards the cooler stuff.

My initial reaction to a large manufacturer like GIANT is: ugh, another factory pumping out bicycles without any style. I feel this way about Trek too, although my father would probably disagree. Perhaps it's pretension, but there's something achingly uncool about GIANT and Trek; I just feel like these ubiquitous navy blue/silver hybrid bicycles have no soul. Of course, was my mini Fuji pumped out by some other assembly line in China? Yeah. But at least Fuji knows a thing or two about style (check out their 2010 Classic series: it's so sexy).

I think the ideas behind this bike are good. I know I sound like a broken record when I talk about bicycle sizing, but it IS nice to see a mainstream manufacturer produce something that fits. There is a lot to be said for that. Also: the Chixie incorporates a Sugino crankset, the 46T Messenger, which is a nice crankset for a stock bike. Also: this bike is a little bit cool. It has the plain chrome frame that some fixed-gear riders crave and a nice bright blue color scheme. My guess is the Giant Classic Road saddle is neither comfortable nor designed for women, but that is easily replaceable.

Clearly, if you're a female fixed-gear rider, this isn't the bicycle you're going to take to the track. Also, it's way overpriced. You could buy a small, nicer IRO for $200 less. In fact, I think is speaks more to the "I have money to burn and I might ride this cute bicycle to get my coffee" crowd. But, I'm happy to see companies producing small, sexy(ish), fixed gear/singlespeed bicycles for women. Amen to that.

Interview with a Bike Builder: A.N.T. Bike Mike

Photo from Antbikemike.wordpress.com

This is my interview with A.N.T. Bike Mike who owns his own bike building business in Holliston, Massachusetts. Check out Mike's sweet bikes and read his blog here.

Did the name A.N.T. precede Alternative Needs Transportation or were you looking for a name as you started your bike-building company?

Yes. I always liked the name A.N.T. and I think the image fits what I was trying to convey. An ant is small, but can carry many times it's own weight, it works independently, but is part of a larger group [like a bicycle].

How did you initially land a gig at Fat City Cycles and what exactly was your job there?

I rode my bicycle cross country, ended up in Boston and just got a job at Fat City off the street. I worked in the paint department and moved up to lead painter after 5 years.

Did you enjoy working in a bicycle factory? What were some things you liked and disliked about that job?

Fat City was a sweat shop, but a good one. It was a lot of fun, being with other young people that were into bikes, music and art. I disliked the politics, the low pay and lack of benefits...long hours etc... I guess the same issues other jobs in sweat shop factories have.

Are you still involved in Independent Fabrications? I have seen their bikes sold at NYC Velo.

I am still friends with everyone at Indy Fab and drop by there every once in awhile to see what is going on. It is a good place to work, but I wanted more.

How long did it take you to get your independent shop set up (machines, tools, income) to a point where you were able to start your own company with your partner Betsy?

I worked part time as A.N.T. for about 1 1/2 years, before going full time with it. I was still at Indy, working full time, when I started A.N.T.

Do you do any advertising for A.N.T. or do you just rely on word of mouth?

I advertise in Momentum Magazine, Urban Velo Magazine as well as Eco Velo [blog]. I used to advertise in more magazines and blogs/websites, but have tapered off. I depend more on shows and events, like NAHBS and local events. It is better to meet with people in the flesh and show my work off.

Do you enjoy working alone your shop? Do you ever miss having co-workers?

Yes, I enjoy working alone. It would be nice to have someone do the dirty work...book keeping, clean the bathroom, clean the machines, assembly and shipping...answering emails.

What was the first bicycle you made and how did it go?

My first one was made at Independent. It went easy, because we already had a system in place and someone to help me. When I started A.N.T. I was already moving along fine.

I have heard from newbie bicycle welders that it “takes a while to get the handle of it.” Would you say this is true?

My first 50 frames were pretty good, but then the next 100 I thought were not that great. I did not feel good about my welding until I welded about 300 frames. I have welded many, many hundreds now, so pretty good at it now.

About how many bicycles do you build a year?

I build about 45 to 50 complete bicycles a year. These are most often with forks, stems and racks made by me and I build the wheels too, along with being a fully equipped bike with fenders, dyno lights, chainguards and stands. If I were building racing bikes I could make a lot more in a year or if I were only making frames.

How long does it take, on average, to make one bicycle?

Anywhere from one a day to one in a week or more. I have basic bikes that are easy and cost less and others that take a lot of hand work and those take a lot out of me. Making the bike is the easiest thing I do. I am good at it and have a great honed system. It is the running of the business that is hard. I get so many emails and phone calls it can take up a whole day.

What is your favorite part of the manufacturing process of a bicycle, from start to finish? What is your least favorite part?

I like the whole process. I guess that is why I wanted to work alone, so I can do just that...well I don't like shipping.

On average, how much do your bicycles cost?

I don't like averages. My bikes range from $1,400 complete to $6,000 I can make a very nice bike for $2,000 to $3,000

I know you make commuter-minded bicycles that have a retro style. What is your favorite kind of bike to make and why?

I can't have a favorite. I like bikes to much and think you should have many to fill any void. My favorites change with my mood, the weather...but I guess if I had to boil it down...a fixed Roadster with a D-Rack in the front.

How many bicycles do you have and which do you enjoy riding the most?

Right now I have 3. I normally have about 4 or 5, but one just got stolen and the other I sold and have not replaced yet. I have a fixed Scorcher that I like the best right now.

What are people generally looking for in a bicycle when they come to A.N.T.?

Most people see what I have made and offer and just go for an image that I have shown and then maybe modify it a little. I have a nice niche of building a certain style and people come to me for that.

Do you approach your bicycles from more of a design perspective or more of a functional perspective?

I do both. Sometimes from design and others from just function and then melt them in the middle.

How do you think your bicycles reflect your personal style?

Simple from a distance, taking a closer look finding something of interest and much more intricate.

What is the main thing that separates A.N.T. bicycles from other handmade bicycles?

It used to be that I was the only classy black bike with a front flatbed rack...so I guess now it is only my personality and they way I work with people.

You say in the Zachary Lee video on your blog that U.S. cities were (unfortunately!) built around the automobile. I think NYC in particular is initiating changes that encourage cyclists to hit the streets—whether it is more bicycle lanes, more bike parking or even free helmets. But there is the feeling, especially in Manhattan, that cars still rule the streets. What do you think we can do as cycling enthusiasts to change this? What do you think is the most important change that we need to see in order to promote cycling as a viable means of transportation?

I think cycling enthusiast are doing all they can and they are getting somewhere. These things take a long time. In the 20 years I have been in Boston it is way better now. Unfortunately I think what would really do the trick is having two things happen...Celebrities on bikes and cute girls on bikes. Most of us in the U.S. are TV babies. We need TV people on bikes. Cute girls on bikes, make boys want to be on bikes [not in a SUV, motorbike or whatever]. Now this is already happening and I think it is helping a lot. Just need more of it and for it to not stop [like a fad].

What would you be doing if you weren’t building bicycles?

I just can't think of what I would rather do.

Dagga in New Bike Film: "Empire"

As I was reading through old Spokes articles (the NY Times bicycle blog) I noticed that Dagga, a female bike messenger who was interviewed for this blog, is featured in the film! I can't wait to check it out. Here is a trailer:

Spring Cleaning

I am back to bloggerdom, I have Spring Fever and I have reinstated my unhealthy obsession with websites like velospace.org and http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/bik/ (enter: Nitto riser, no luck so far...).

In an effort to reclaim my bicycle fanatic status, and in keeping with all things "Spring," I cleaned my bicycle this weekend. This was a poor idea on many levels, namely (1) I wasn't quite sure what I was doing (2) it was 30 degrees out - a brisk and unpleasant change from last weekend's 65.

One good thing about fixies is: there isn't too much you can mess up. I can take off the wheel and the chain without doing do much damage, and that is reassuring. Before I decided to clean my bicycle, I referenced the website of the bicycle encyclopedia man, Mr. Sheldon Brown. Unfortunately, his chain cleaning instructions called for a can of Coca-Cola, but I'm more of a Dr. Pepper kind of gal. With that said, I did what any self-respecting young woman would do: I visited TeamEstrogen.com.

TeamEstrogen was much more encouraging, complete with discolored photos from the '80s, featuring dish towels and products called, remarkably, "Clean." I noticed the toilet bowl brush they pictured but steered away from using anything that had previously scrubbed the... tub. As a rag I used a black pair of embarrassing Capri pants I was forced to buy at CVS on the way to the gym when I forgot my gym shorts again. They were kind of too big around the waist so I folded them over a thousand times and they were still too baggy in the crotch, but... I digress. I also used a brand new bottle of Simple Green, a bucket that seconds as my bedroom trash can, a Tupperware that became the official chain degreasing machine, and two old toothbrushes. I began scrubbing my BMX grips (I think the dirt is forever stuck in all the ridges). Next I set to work trying to get my back wheel off so I could unhook the chain. This proved a lot harder than I had previously thought - especially because I was using a .99 cent wrench I had just bought at the dollar store.

I was huffing and puffing trying to put all my weight on this nut, when this old (homeless? dude saw me and probably felt bad for me so he offered his assistance. He seemed to know what he was doing but when he tightened the wrench and brought his whole foot down on it (kind of kicking it) I couldn't stop myself from yelping: careful! He didn't seem fazed. He got one side loose and but couldn't get the other side off. He left and told me "I'll be back in awhile." This was interesting, considering I hadn't anticipated a team effort, but sure enough he came back within 5 minutes with a bigger, stronger wrench. He secured the wrench and kicked (wince) it down until the bolt came loose. Yay! When I tried to thank him profusely he just said, "We help each other darling."

I set about diligently scrubbing with toothbrushes, but my fingers got so cold I that I had to take breaks, one of which involved me jumping up and down and running water over my frozen hands in the sink. I scrubbed off the dirt as much as I could from the chain with my toothbrush and scrubber sponge, and I wiped Simple Green over the whole bike. I found that the scrubber sponge worked a lot better than a toothbrush on my chain--the toothbrush seemed to be just spreading the grease and dirt around instead of wiping it off.

In my heated living room I scrubbed down the rims and spokes, and I used Q-tips to get behind the cog and under my brake. I tried to clean as much as I could without taking it apart and I think it turned out pretty well (excuse poor flash photography). Now it just needs to stop raining.


Notes for next time:

1) Wait until it's at least 60 degrees outside
2) Get a wrench that costs more than .99 cents/doesn't strip the track nut when the homeless? man jumps on it
3) Use brushes bigger than a toothbrush