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While John was hanging with Whit from Meriwether Cycles in the Nevada City area, he shot his Silk-Ti Flex Pivot bike. Whit calls this bike the Luddite. While we already featured this bike and the following write-up as a Readers’ Rides, John and his mindful eye have cataloged and fully documented it. Read on for the full story on the Luddite, along with some stellar photos of this titanium dream sled!
We love to see framebuilders make their customer’s dreams come true. That’s what legendary builder, Jeremy Sycip, did for Matt in California who wanted something different than a straight-up gravel road bike…
Whit Johnson’s handmade bike company, Meriwether Cycles, has been featured here at The Radavist periodically over the years. Recently, John spent a day at Whit’s small garage shop in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains of California and got out on a sunset pedal with him. Read on for a look inside and out of Meriwether Cycles, in addition to a preview of Whit’s new adventure gravel bike, the Ponderosa…
We’ve got a wonderful Readers’ Rides today, that doubles as a review, sent in from our buddy Jason Fitzgibbon, who submitted his UNpaved Cycles Vertigo single pivot steel full suspension. Read on as he supplies a beautifully documented review of this bike…
Grant Petersen, the founder of Rivendell and one of the pioneers of alt-cycling, has an amazing write-up in the New Yorker about his modus operandi and motivations for encouraging people to ride slowly. We’re big fans of Rivendell over here, as we know many of you are. It’s a fantastic read, so roll (slowly) on over to the New Yorker to check it out.
Made in the Bay Area by our buddy Tom, the Solar Shirts are a boxy and cropped fit UPF sun protection shirt. These button-up shirts are sewn from a beautiful, lightweight woven nylon with a UPF 50+ rating and a cotton-like hand-feel. Breathable, antimicrobial, and blocks 97.5-98% of UV radiation from harming your skin. Snap button closure for easy on and off. Designed to be worn every day, for every occasion. These shirts have been worn to weddings, thru-hikes of the Pacific Crest Trail and everything in between. Doing more with less, over a longer period of time.
Specs:
The last run of these sold out fast, so if you’ve been curious about them, roll on over to VRNCLR!
In Northern California, climate change and 150 years of forest mismanagement have led to some of the most catastrophic wildfires in the state’s history—including the Dixie Fire, which in 2021 devastated the Lost Sierra’s already struggling communities. In the face of that destruction, one group turned to trails for hope and to the past for a better future.
Support the Sierra Buttes Trails Stewardship.
“California Summer” is the eighth layout of the Radavist 2024 Calendar. It was shot with a Canon R5 and a f2.8 70-200 mm lens in Nevada City, California. Photographed by John Watson.
“On the way back from MADE, John and Cari swung through Nevada City to do some Shop Visits and on one ride, the sunset did not disappoint!”
For a high-res JPG, suitable for print and desktop wallpaper*, right-click and save link as – The Radavist 2024 – September. Please, this photo is for personal use only!
(*set background to white and center for optimal coverage)
The mobile background this month is a vertical crop of this photo. Click here to download September’s Mobile Wallpaper.
On his way to last month’s MADE bike show in Portland, OR, following a weekend in Fairfax, CA, for our premier of the Camera Corner documentary, Josh spent an afternoon with long-time friends of the site – artist Chris McNally and designer Jessica Chan of Tunitas Creative – and documented their collaboration on this month’s Group Ride giveaway item.
Below, get to know the San Francisco-based artist/designers and take a detailed look at making one-of-a-kind Day Totes up for grabs this month for Group Ride subscribers, as well as $150 gift cards from our friends at Ripton.
This little website got to shine a light on one of the many people involved in the early klunker and mountain bike scene in Northern California last night with our premiere VIP screening of Camera Corner. We’ve spent three years working on a feature-length documentary of Wende Cragg, and the Marin Museum of Bicycling was the perfect venue to debut this beautiful film…
Check out this quick tour of the Sklar Bikes workspace where custom, one-off bike frames are fabricated. This is also where Adam designs and build prototypes for the production Sklar Bikes like the SuperSomething, Tall Tale and PBJ. In the latest video from the Sklar Bikes workshop, Adam says a quick hello to neighbors Piecemeal Vintage, Billings Cycle Works and Pass and Stow Racks…
Join us on Friday and Saturday, August 16 and 17th, 2024, for the screening of Camera Corner, a feature-length documentary by The Radavist showcasing photographer Wende Cragg’s influential documentation during the genesis of mountain biking.
Friday’s fundraiser event (doors at 6:30, film starts at 7:30 both nights) is now open to all. Guests are invited to attend Wende’s post-movie “Chewin’ the Fat” discussion with mountain bike pioneers like Joe Breeze, Charlie Kelly, Otis Guy, and more.
On Saturday, August 17th, we repeat the fundraiser with another viewing of Camera Corner, then stick around for round two of “Chewin’ the Fat” with Wende and local legends.
Proceeds go to supporting the Marin Museum of Bicycling.
The Marin Museum of Bicycling is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to illuminating and celebrating cycling’s past, present, and future. Fundraisers like this make its exhibitions and programs possible so thank you for the support!
Photographer Wende Cragg has been a pillar of the cycling community since she began documenting road, cyclocross, and the early days of mountain biking in Marin County, California, and throughout the United States over 50 years ago. We are delighted to launch the trailer for our first feature-length documentary film, Camera Corner: Wende Cragg Documents the Birth of Mountain Biking. It profiles Wende’s work and its lasting impact on the cycling industry.
We’re also unveiling a book and merch pre-order, as well as the beginning of a growing list of film screenings, which kicks off with the world premiere at the Marin Museum of Bicycling on August 16th & 17th and another at MADE’s movie night on August 23rd. There’s exclusive early viewing access, pre-orders for an epic photobook featuring Wende’s work, and an associated throwback merchandise run.
Continue reading below for all the details!
In celebration of California Mountain Biking Month, Lowelifes Respectable Citizens’ Club is partnering with the California Mountain Biking Coalition to give away your choice of top-of-the-line Ibis mountain bike and raise funds for the organizations. One lucky donor will take home a brand new Ibis of their choice with the finest components from SRAM, Fox, Shimano, Maxxis, and more.
80% of funds raised will support Lowelifes’ trail stewardship work on the Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles County, and the remaining 20% will bolster CAMTB’s statewide advocacy and land manager engagement efforts.
Each $5 Donation = 1 Chance to Win
Roll on over to the Lowelifes to enter!
Patrick McGrady toured from San Diego all the way up the coast of California to San Francisco and documented the trip over ten days.
Wahoo‘s Why I Roam series features our buddy Dillon Osleger. Dillon “gets it” and this short video showcases some of the major shortcomings we feel that the bike industry overlooks. Education on the land, its geology, biology, and human history is so important but it’s up to the individual to embark on those journeys. Check out some words by Dillon and photos below!
During his sojourn to Northern California in April, John Watson wanted to document one framebuilder in particular whose work had caught his eye. John Fitzgerald has been building elegant custom steel bicycles under the name Fitz Cyclez for just under two decades, yet he tends to fly under the radar. He doesn’t attend the big bike shows, and he’s not really interested in marketing his brand. But as anyone who’s seen a Fitz in the wild can attest, his work speaks for itself – and his work is seen often throughout Sonoma County and the greater Bay Area, thanks to Fitz’s popularity within the randonneuring community.
To tell the tale of Fitz Cyclez from the eyes of a local, John Watson tapped Santa Rosa’s own Nicholas Haig-Arack to interview John Fitzgerald. Take a peek into the world of Fitz Cyclez.
Common Ground, Rapha’s series where riding crews and filmmakers merge, bringing to life the behind-the-scenes moments that make riding magical. The series’ third film features Isaac Wallen, captured by Russell Holliday, riding his home-town trails in Santa Cruz, California…
