The Radavist

190 days. That’s over 6 months. For Doug D, that’s how long he’s been living in and on this bike: a custom Brooklyn Machine Works tourer. This frame is in fact the only custom bike the Brooklyn framebuilders have made over the years. Sure, there have been numerous prototypes and one-offs, but Doug’s touring bike is the only completely custom ride they’ve made.

For good reason. A touring bike like this weighs around 100 lbs and carries everything Doug needs to tour all over the east coast and northeast during the harsh winter months. It has specific engineering requirements and plenty of custom details.

It features custom-designed and laser cut dropouts, as well as an integrated cable sheath at the seat tube cluster. Doug specifically requested BMW’s signature double plate fork, with aero blades, specifically drawn to hold the weight of panniers. Then, to top it off, the decals are the first ever die-cut vinyl logos the brand has done.

All in all, it’s a rather straight forward build. Pieced together with whatever spare parts Doug had on him at the time. Take for instance the Dura Ace cranks and Ultegra front derailler. Yet the 48h Phil Wood touring wheels, Paul Touring Cantis, Brooks saddle, hand made front panniers and Arkel bar bag are very much touring specific.

So what’s Doug been doing for 6 months? He’s been visiting various factories and facilities where companies still make goods in the USA. Everything from Easton hockey sticks, to boot makers, military equipment, stand up paddle boards and yes, even bicycle frame builders.

I caught up with Doug briefly in Austin yesterday, shot his bike, took him to my favorite bar and heard stories about stealth camping, staying sane and most importantly, warm during the winter months. He has tons of film and digital photos, which he hopes to put into a book at some point.

Follow Doug on Instagram for more stories and photos. If you see this man on the road, say hello!

The owner of this Gangsta track has been hanging around Shifter Bikes since he was in his early teens. Now, years later and he’s got an itch to ride his bike out from the city on a big, weekend ride. Before he could do so, he needed Dan to add bottle braze ons to the frame.

Now, the technique Dan used didn’t involve a torch, but it did involve a drill and a device called a Nutsert. More on that later. For now, let’s check out this rad Gangsta Track!

From a company whose name resonates in the NYC downhill and street scene comes a new bike model, suitable for the modern rider. If steel is real then Brooklyn Machine Works are as authentic as they come. BMW’s history lies heavily in tried and true mountain bikes, so it should be as no surprise that when Joe decided it was time to develop a few new models, one of the first on the agenda would be a 27″ or 650B.

This bike is literally 10 days fresh and it’s already been put through the works. Fresh off the mountain, I was able to not only photograph this beauty, but take it for a spin around the block. I’m a sworn 29’r rider, through and through but even I was impressed at the zippiness and tight, responsiveness of this Made in Brooklyn masterpiece.

Don’t let the mix of parts distract you, Joe wanted to ride it as soon as he could get it built up. With the tapered fork, even with the smaller diameter wheel size, the 650B comes in 9 ounces heavier than the 29’r. It’s still a prototype, so some specs are to be tweaked but I think it’s safe to say “so far so good”… Check out more in the Gallery.

Without New York City, I wouldn’t be who I am today and quite possibly, this site wouldn’t even exist. The people here are like family and while I may be detached from their day to day lives, I still always roll through for a quick visit when I’m in town. Lauren and I arrived late Sunday, so yesterday was our first day in town.

I swung by a few spots in Brooklyn after my friend Harry and I took a morning spin around Central Park. Later, day turned into night and I turned to some of my old digs to meet up with some old friends. Beer, bros and bikes. Just like the Brooklyn I left three years ago.

Most of these photos are quick shots, or portraits but all came from the Sony RX100… Check out some narrated photos in the Gallery!