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Act One: We Can’t Stop Here, This is Nats Country!
In which our anti-hero-TeamLifeLOL-genderwhatever sets the stage with cold takes on Chicago-lite.
What a December it was for The Cyclocross in Chicago. I’ve seen a few different versions of this: rain and sleet off Lake Michigan for Montrose; 60 degrees (and a hot tub at both!), bitter cold and wind at Afterglow; and for USAC CX Nationals in Wheaton, IL, there was a complete fall-to-winter seasonal transition.
As I sit here looking through the rolls of film shot at this year’s Cyclocross Nationals in Chicago, IL, the feeling is bittersweet. Traditionally, Nationals marks the end of the domestic racing season, but as I wandered through the parking lot catching up with old friends, it felt more like the beginning of something. After two years of canceled events, postponements, and isolation, gathering in Chicago for this year’s race almost felt “normal.”
A few readers have sent this over, including our good friend Bailey here in Santa Fe. Bailey first met Jermell when he was a 16-year-old kid working at @blackstonebikes, a community and youth-focused non-profit bike shop in Chicago’s Woodlawn neighborhood. As an adult, he’s continued to work within the bicycle industry, most recently working for Divvy, Chicago’s bike-share program. He also lent a helping hand here in New Mexico in the start-up of @silverstallionbicyclecoffee in Gallup.
On November 30th, Jermell was shot 3 times while taking groceries from his car to his mother’s apartment. After time in the hospital, he has staggering bills. I know this time of year is tight for everyone, but if you’re able to, kick some extra dollars his way at Jermell’s GoFundMe.
Logo by Sam Scipio
While it was the most violent in Illinois history, the Chicago Race Riot of 1919 still remains widely unknown to many. The Chicago Race Riot of 1919 Route Campaign honors the centennial of the riot in 2019 and is a collaboration between PeopleForBikes, Ride Spot, Newberry Library . The CRR1919 Commemoration Project to educate riders about a bitter piece of Chicago’s past while supporting a better future through Blackstone Bicycle Works’ efforts with youth on Chicago’s South Side.
-The goal is to inspire 300 riders to complete the CRR1919 route before Oct 31.
-If we succeed in activating riders and sell all of the CRR1919 Guidebooks, we will raise $7500 for Blackstone Bicycle Works, a non-profit program to expanding the educational and vocational opportunities of BIPOC youth on Chicago’s South Side and contribute to the CRR1919 Public Art Commemoration Project.
This year, riders can follow that same route thanks to Ride Spot. By downloading the mobile app and joining the Chicago Race Riot of 1919 Route challenge, riders will be guided by turn-by-turn directions to each stop along the route.
They can also download or stream an audio tour or purchase a limited edition 1919 CRR Route Guidebook for $10 with 100% of the proceeds donated to Blackstone Bicycle Works and The CRR1919 Commemoration Public Art Project.
To learn more, see the route and access the companion guides, visit CRR1919.COM.
At the top of the hill where the jump lines begin at Big Marsh, I slung back over my pink Nova, joining the crowd of jump regulars ready to hit the medium and small lines and the first arrivals of the Convergence. The only sport I give my all to is spectating, and I’m great with a,“There he goes!”
Good steel frames never die, they just get repaired. Mary got this Humble Frameworks years ago. She raced it and eventually, the frame developed a few stress risers and cracks. It took a while, but she eventually took the frameset back to Michael at Humble and he repaired the bike. Liking the way the repair marks looked, Mary clear coated the reparis and turned this ‘cross bike into a single speed dirt road bike. She now rides it at races, including the Land Run 100, where I was able to document this unique race machine.
UPDATE: Mary got third in the single speed category this year!
Best of luck to all the racers taking on the 100 mile course this year. It’s a dry and dusty one out there!
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Follow LandRun 100 on Instagram
Bailey lives and rides in Chicago, where he’s one of the owners and operators at Comrade Cycles. He and Kyle from GSC are buddies. They met a few years back at QBP’s Frostbike tradeshow. At some point, Kyle left an open invite for him to visit Golden Saddle, so Bailey rolled out to Los Angeles to soak in the sun, ride some mountains and officially break in his new Pachyderm Bikes dirty 650b tourer with his girlfriend Allison. The two of them took on some of the rides in the area, during one of our gnarliest heat waves of the year and even braved our psychedelic camping trip up in Chilao one night. I swear, the spider chicken had eight legs.
This bike was inspired by randonneuring bikes, yet Bailey wanted something he could fit a chunky tire on, namely something like the WTB Byway. For this trip, since they’d be sticking to mostly sealed and dirt roads, he went with the 48mm Compass Switchback Hill. Other details include White Industries cranks to an XTR derailleur and Shimano cassette, a Shutter Precision hub powering a Luxos light, with a USB recharging node, powering his Garmin.
For me, the paint is what really sets this bike off, aside from its owner, obvs. The painter masked mountains wrapping the seat tube and top tube, giving it a subtle contrast before finishing the head tube in a bright orange. Brown and orange bikes remind me of A&W root beer and mountain sunsets, with at least one of which I know for certain Bailey and Allison enjoyed on their recent trip. My only complaint was not being able to shoot the bike at sunset!
Here’s a video about a few female cyclists in Chicago making the transition from commuting to something more…
Read up more at DNAInfo!
The Long Haul with Humble Frameworks
Words and Photos by Kyle Kelley
A lot of people asked me why I was flying into Chicago for NAHBS this year when the show was another 5 hours away in Louisville, KY. Well… the answer was easy for me. I wanted to get the party started up north and keep it going all the way down south. There were friends to see, hot dogs and pizza to eat, bike shops to visit and dogs to be walked (my dog lives in Chicago). And last but not least I wanted to spend time driving down Interstate-65 through my home state of Indiana with Michael Catano from Humble Frameworks.
It’s sad to see yet another Midwest velodrome need our support. The Chicago Velodrome is in desperate need of your help, as it requires a chunk of change for repairs. You can find out more at their Go Fund Me or pick up a South Chicago Velodrome Association shirt.
See more information at Tracko!
This year, the Oregon Manifest changed gears into the Bike Design Project. The idea was simple: five cities, five builders and five design offices would propose, construct and test a bicycle that was born from the DNA of their city’s unique demands.
Chicago’s MNML x Method Bicycle is pictured above, see the rest below and head over to the Bike Design Project to cast your vote. Which one do you think is my favorite?
The Urban Cycling Hall of Fame committee met last week in Chicago to select the first year’s inductees, as well as next year’s board. I still can’t believe I was in Chicago for two full days and only got to pedal around for an afternoon. But hey, work is work and sometimes I fly into a city without getting to fully emerse myself in it. There are dozens upon dozens of rad shops I wanted to check out but didn’t have time. Even though we only went to one shop, I have to say, I’m pretty stoked on visiting this one in particular.
Cycle Smithy has so much eye candy hanging from the walls and ceiling of their space. It’s overwhelming and was totally unexpected, mostly because I had never heard of the shop before. With the short amount of time we had there, I managed to shoot a few (quick) detail photos of this Cinelli Laser pursuit track. It’s a bit of an odd-bird build, with a mix of Italian and Japanese components (that seatpost) but I’m not complaining. Nor was FYXO. I wish it wasn’t raining so I could have taken it a block or so away to shoot better photos but this is what I got.
Check out more photos in the Gallery!
Here’s the latest from State Bicycle Co, in Chicago!
“The State Bicycle Co. – Undefeated is a 7005 Aluminum Track Bike with Full Carbon Fiber Fork and intergrated FSA Headset. This race ready machine feature SRAM Omnium Cranks standard. We’ve partnered with Ritchey Components on the cockpit and seat post.”
See moe at State and a few photos of the completes below!
If you’re in Chicago this weekend and you’re looking for something to do. You might wanna check this out. Toronto-based photographer Todd Mclelland has a knack for disassembling everyday items and cataloging them through his lens. Right now, he has an exhibition up at the Museum of Science and Industry until May 19th.
The Museum of Science and Industry
5700 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60637
United States
Via Hypebeast
Photo by Jake Ricker
With everyone finally detoxing from CMWC, it’s great to see the first runs of film photography making it out of the processing facilities. Jake’s photos from Chicago (and the ride to Chicago) are great. If you really want to see a behind the scenes look at the comradery that goes down at events like this, check out his Flickr photos here.
Photo by Peter DiAntoni
From the velodrome to the streets… CMWC was last weekend in Chicago and while there is more coverage coming to the site shortly, I had to post up this photo Peter from COG magazine took of the classic LeMans race start. I love the energy these starts create. Great photo Pete!
Photo by Rick Anderson
I don’t think this photo could get any more dialed, just like Tom’s legit as hell 360 from the Chicago video. Rick, he’s perfectly centered on that wall. Well done man!
