July 30, 2009

Please come to Boston

We're off to Boston. If you see us say hello and introduce yourself

I look like this


and my darling B.Ridget looks like this
she's the one on the right

I'll also have some Bike Jerks merch with me if you'd happen to like to make a purchase

3 Person Big Dummy

I'm sure you've all seen a Big Dummy or Xtracycle with provisions for a passenger. Well yesterday I came across this 3 person (1 regular and 2 little person) Big Dummy conversion



Sweet

All City Prizes are arriving

Big thanks to Rickshaw and Holdfast!!!

July 29, 2009

NACCC 2009 Boston

This weekend B.Ridge and I are flying to Boston to for the NACCC 2009 in Bostonxfb976[1]
Actually the race is just a pretext for a long overdue visit to B.Ridge's bro. One of the things I'm stoked on is getting to see James' loft in Charlestown. He operates a architectural and construction business called 2 Hat Design Build and his loft looks pretty spectacular.

And just by coincidence a NACCC party is taking place at his space on Friday.

The Schedule for NACCC looks like this:

Friday

14:00-22:00 - Registration and Art Show hosted by Red Bull and 4th Wall Project @ 4th Wall Project
22:00 - Welcome Scramble Alleycat
22:00-2:00 Welcome Party


Saturday

10:00-12:00 Open Forum
12:00-16:00 Sprints/Skids/Side Events & BBQ
16:00-22:00 Polo Tournament (Allston Polo Courts)
17:00-19:00 Billiards Tournament @ Flat Top Johnny's (Cambridge, MA)
20:00 Alleycat
22:00-2:00 Party@ Harpers Ferry (Allston, MA)
Arm Wrestling/Dancing/Tetris Competitions @ Harpers

Sunday

10:00 - 18:00 Work Simulation (Details TBA)
20:00-1:00 Awards Party @ The Middle East Downstairs (Cambridge, MA)
2:00 The Hustle/Cee-lo Throwdown


We'll be riding around all weekend so if you spot us say hello

July 28, 2009

RiverWest 24 the Aftermath

I was planning on writing up a big retelling of the weekend's adventures but I already did that on the All-City blog (and for those of you who maybe didn't know, I also write the AC blog, but since I get paid to do it it's usually more thoughtful and well crafted) so let me just say the following and let the pictures here and on the Bike Jerks flickr tell the story.

In hindsight, the more I think about the weekend the more grateful I am for it. It couldn't have come along at a better point in my summer or year or life. I had a spectacular time, discovered that the Riverwest neighborhood is romantic as hell (in the nostalgic, bundle up and go to the corner bar and order a brandy in the middle of winter kind of way), and realized how much I miss Wisconsin bar culture and the genuine openness that is clearly lacking when thrown in relief here in Minneapolis. Acquaintances became trusted friends and allies, strangers renewed my belief in other people, metal dudes caught some sun and you can bet your ass I'll be back next year for sure, I consider myself lucky to have been there for this one. It wasn't necessarily the race, races are what you make of them and the RW24 only served to form the framework within which the weekend developed. It was getting a peek into other people's worlds and remembering that skepticism and standoffishness are only crutches for the weak and hold few rewards.

Forgive me but I'm all emotional tonight. I'm a little drunk and my dear lil bro Matt just stopped by after finishing his long bike tour and I'm very happy to have my little man back around.

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they've never seen a girl before.

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yes, I am this dumb

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our hosts

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base camp

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Everyone is MIlwaukee has a Wisconsin tattoo, (you can see the bottom of Robert's here) you can't even believe it.

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Mark doing his "ain't I a stinker?" routine (note the 'sconnie tat)

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yes he's actually doing that

team
my favorite photo. Born with a Moustache: Boo, Mark, me, Josh

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bagoo

July 27, 2009

Minnecycle - Minneapolis Handbuilt Bicycle Show

Our little buddy Erik Noren of Peacock Groove has organized a Minneapolis framebuilders show starting next Friday at the Vine Arts Center

Minnecycle 2009 - half-page (1).epsMany folks don't realize that the Twin Cities has an extremely active and talented network of framebuilders, and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to hob nob, drool, and spill beer on several of them.Minnecycle 2009 - half-page (1).eps
I hope that all of you will take the time to come on down and support this landmark event.

Sorry no updates from RW24 yet, but I'm way too tired to go through the photos right now. Soon. Soon. To hold you over though and perhaps get you excited (nerds be jizzin') regarding the upcoming framebuilders show, here are some photos of our gracious host in Milwaukee's Chris Kvale. Even though his shop is right next to Peacock Groove, I don't ever have the chance to interact with Chris (the dude's too smart for that) or see his work, so I was pumped to to take photos of this one and share them with you.

I spoke with Mark (the aforementioned gracious host) about his experience buying a Kvale, and he told me that he went on five rides with him so that the framebuilder could see exactly how he rides, and showed him a vintage photo of a dude floating over some cobbles and stated "I want it to ride like that." According to Mark he hit the nail on the head. Kvale is straight O.G.

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Gorgeous paint (which Chris does himself), 1" threadless steerer, lovely lugs, internal brake cable routing, matching pump, pantographed fork crown, Nitto fillet stem, boy howdy. Very very classy.

July 22, 2009

One more before I go

I'm off to Milwaukee for the RW24 this weekend, so expect nothing this weekend, but I will have a full report upon my return.

Got in one last ride before the race this evening. I am currently as fat as I've ever been and I'm trying to make some life changes, namely riding more, and eating less at night. Somehow I always manage to get a case of the munchies around midnight. Weird.

Anyway I'm trying to ride more, but didn't get my lazy ass out of bed this morning to ride to work, so tonight after I got home I grabbed the Big Block and headed out to Theo Wirth for some dirt.
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This was my first off road fixed ride on the bike, and it was way better than I expected. The tight angles were great for the twistys and the high bottom bracket meant it was easy to roll over the log piles. All in all a blast and a very fun first ride.

Well that's it. I'll see you on Monday or Sunday or sometime. You have yourself an excellent weekend, and I look forward to getting down with all you Milwaukee types.

Milwaukee Bicycle Company

Sorry if this is getting old. But this is the main way I disseminate information into the larger world, and it's very important to me to let y'all know when a company steps up and supports the All City Championship and the Minneapolis cycling community.

This time it's our good friends at the Milwaukee Bicycle Company.

Thanks a bunch

Ass Fault

If you're in Cleveland check it out


info here

Riverwest 24

A 24 hour Alleycat is taking place this weekend in Milwaukee.

If you're around those parts, Joshy and I are coming down and will be riding for the powerhouse team Born With A Moustache, stop by and say "hi." (and by powerhouse team I mean drunk ne'er-do-wells)

Fabric Horse

has joined us as sponsors



Thank you so much

July 21, 2009

Hell is other people

Rickshaw Bagworks

I'd like to say thank you to All City 09's newest sponsor Rickshaw Bagworks

July 20, 2009

Surprise

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wait for it





wait for it






wait for it





boom
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and here is a photo of some lovely flowers we saw on a bike rideIMG_0979
sure is

Seagull Champ Bag

Seagull has just signed on for All City 09

Last year they sent this beautiful bagIMG_4579which was won by One on One's Mike Brauer.

Can't wait to see what they have up their sleeves this year.

*I was checking out their website in preparation for this post and came upon this:
so good

All City Championship Sponsors and Schedule

The All City Championship and Party Weekend.
Yes, that's Party Weekend, capital P Capital W.
If you've been to All City's past then you know how we get down. Drunken sprints in the warehouse district, parties in the alley, panic in the streets. The ACC has grown substantially in both size and scope every year and it's time to take this thing to the next level. A whole weekend of events starting Thursday night with the Trick Comp ending Sunday with the Polo tourney. And no stopping in between.

It's shaping up to look like this:

August 20-23rd

Thursday: 2 minute trick comp
Friday: Match Sprints (are you fast enough to beat the Robeast?), Miss n Out (crit style), trackstand
Saturday day: Polo, Freeride (booze cruise)
Saturday night: All City Championship Alleycat (the most bad ass summer race around, if you think you're fast. show up and prove it. I'm looking at you Milwaukee and Chicago)
Sunday: Polo finals

Big thank you to our friends at Holdfast


Chrome (who've been with us since the very first year)


And Profile Racing who are now with us for the second time


Also returning are all the sponsors from the BFF alleycat.


I've said it before, so apologies if this sounds like a broken record, but these are the people who support the events that bring us all together. They don't do it because they have to, they do it because they actually give a shit about us. Respect that, and keep it in mind when deciding which companies to support.

more updates soon.