Those of us who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s remember these pedals. Or at least our shins do! Before clipless foot retention, having a flat pedal with “bite” was necessary! The BM 10 pedals, aka the “Foot Jaws” feature a cage wrapped with teeth that grab onto your sneakers for a premium grip. These iconic pedals are coming back for MKS day 2024 and are in stock at Blue Lug today. The US should be getting these in stock any day now as well!
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Blue Lug Purple SON Hub and Edelux ii
When it comes to the world of dynamo lighting, one name reigns supreme: SON Nabendynamo. The German manufacturer has made the world’s best dynamo lighting for decades, and to celebrate its accomplishments, Japanese bike shop Blue Lug just announced an exclusive, limited edition purple SON hub ($388.80)–in quick release and SON 28 ($453.60) 12 mm thru-axle–to match the purple Edelux ii ($230.40) lamp.
These are in stock now but probably not for long. Roll on over to Blue Lug to see all the details!
Reportage
Origins and Activations: How Ronnie Romance Found Inspiration at Blue Lug Bike Shops
This is a long story. It is a story of Blue Lug‘s influence on me, an interview with the co-founder, and hopefully it will lend some inspiration to American bike shops.
The photos you are seeing are of Blue Lug employee bikes that I shot one after another as we visited each location. We thought it would be cool to document the personal bikes of the build artists whose handiwork you see each day on the Blue Lug Instagram softcore porn for bike nerds.
We will begin with the story of my 650b leather and canvas activation as a lead in…
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Radar Roundup: New Chris King Color “Midnight”, Steve Potts Original Dirt Drops, Kate George x Cosmic Dirt, Angel Revo Saddle, Soma Jawbone, Ergon BA Hip Bag, and Cycling to Argentina
Our Radar Roundup compiles products and videos from the ‘net in an easy-to-digest format. Read on below for today’s findings…
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Radar Roundup: Sim Works Super Chill, Welldone Chips Bag, RX8/RX8R, Big Kev, Bicycle Film Festival Returns, and Kromvojoj 2022
Our Radar Roundup compiles products and videos from the ‘net in an easy-to-digest format. Read on below for today’s findings…
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Readers’ Rides: Takahiro’s Panasonic Singlespeed Basket Bike
Basket bikes are our Achilles, and today, for our Readers’ Rides, we bring you Takahiro’s Panasonic singlespeed. If you’re into clean, minimal builds and photos, this one’s for you!
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Radar Roundup: Manitou Mastodon, Tomii Stem Caps, CnGS Mugs Return, Pit Viper Flip Up, Cool Breeze Party Pace Cycling Cap, The Good Days, and ANOTHER Trophy Cup Flick?
Our Radar Roundup compiles products and videos from the ‘net in an easy-to-digest format. Read on below for today’s findings…
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Radar Roundup: Shafer AL, Sim Works Refresh, Tange 26″ Forks, Lolo Pricing, RLT 9 RDO, OD/Coyote Cams, 2022 HuRaCaN 300, Rwanda Tour, and Part of Me
Our Radar Roundup compiles products and videos from the ‘net in an easy-to-digest format. Read on below for today’s findings…
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Sim Works Updates the Doppo ATB All-Terrain
The Doppo ATB has been a popular frame for Sim Works since its original release in 2018. Over the years we’ve documented multiple ATB builds (like this, this, and this) highlighting the frame’s versatility. With the updated model that’s available today, Sim Works has made it even more capable by using a lighter tubing spec, changing from quick-release to 100×12 thru-axles, Paragon rear dropouts, and three-pack mounts on fork legs and underside of the downtube. Continue reading for more details from Sim Works…
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Radar Roundup
Our Radar Roundup compiles products and videos from the ‘net in an easy-to-digest format. Read on below for today’s findings…
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Sim Works Bubbly Pedal Ezy Superior Pedals
Sim Works‘ newest product announcement utilizes the MKS Ezy Superior System with its Bubbly Pedal platform. This system allows for these pedals to be quick-release. Why would you want this? In Japan, it became popular for Shinkansen users who have to break their bike down in a Rinko Bag. We did this with Sim Works on our Mt. Fuji bicycle tour a few years ago. Quick-release pedals make this process all the easier. Other uses could be if you have minimal space in your apartment for bikes. Sometimes removing pedals enables bikes to be hung on a wall closer to each other. For whatever reason you might have the Sim Works Bubbly pedals now come in the MKS Ezy system and are available now at Sim Works for $148.
Want to see more from our Japan trip? See lots of stories in our Related Archives.
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Bombtrack House Blend: Matthew Cycle, Tokyo
Bombtrack just sent over its latest “House Blend” video series, featuring Tokyo’s Matthew Cycle and now we want to go back to Japan!
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Jet Fuel: Kosuke Masuda’s Custom Aethos
Today we’re honored to feature the latest from Japanese artist Kosuke Masuda for Specialized. Read below to see his latest work…
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Blue Lug Makes Da Brim Look Cool
Chances are, you’ve seen Da Brim before. I know you have. Usually, it’s the cyclo-tourists on the Adventure Cycling Bicycle Route 66, or the TransAmerica Trail that wear these kooky devices.
Let’s be real, skin cancer is a very real threat and keeping your nose, ears, and neck protected from the relentless sun is only going to get more important in the coming years.
Our friends at Blue Lug know how to take a product like Da Brim and make it look cool, meshing safety with fashion.
What do you think? Excessive sunblock? Or a kooky (in a good way) sum brim?
Radar
Shimano’s 100 Works: a Centennial Site
Shimano is celebrating its centennial this year with a special website, commemorating 100 years of making fine componentry. Check out this short video first and then head over to 100 Works to see more!
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Graphic Artist Iancu Designed a Very Special Ginko Firefly for a Japanese Friend
As a designer, sometimes you get a commission that really jives with your hobbies. Graphic artist Iancu met a Japanese Cyclist through the Rapha Cycle Club and designed him a dream bike with Firefly Cycles.
“One of the benefits of being part of an international club, the Rapha Cycling Club, is getting to know great people from all over the world. One of them is Haj, who lives in Miami, US, but was born in Tokyo, Japan.
We’ve been talking about our cycling and Japan interests over the years, and he’s always been very kind and appreciative of my work. He really liked the Quirk bike design I had done before, so he asked if I could help design a bike for him as well. The world-renowned Firefly Bicycles team from Boston were building it. This had all the markings of a dream project, so I said yes, of course.”
Head to Iancu’s Portfolio Site to see the full bike.
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Sim Works: New MKS Bubbly Pedal
If MKS is known for anything, it’s their ability to design and construct a no-nonsense pedal with zero required maintenance. However, MKS hasn’t seen many advancements in its catalog over the years, so when a brand like Sim Works reaches out with idea, you get the best of both worlds. The Bubbly pedal is the result of a tight collaborative effort between two Japanese companies, fusing the heritage of MKS with the practical, modern designs of Sim Works. These pedals include a triple-sealed bearing housing, a stainless pedal spindle, and the largest platform of any MKS product to date. The Bubbly comes in black, silver, and a limited edition bronze for $98. They’re in stock and ready to ship today at Sim Works’ webshop!
Reportage
Crust Bikes and MKS: the Gordito Pedal – Where It’s Made
A few years ago I went to Japan for a visit with Nitto to discuss some ideas I wanted them to work on for Crust. While there, my friend Nori asked if I would like to visit MKS pedals. Being a huge bike nerd I could not turn down the opportunity to see a company that has been manufacturing pedals since 1946. That’s right, 1946!!!