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Fenders aren’t exactly my favorite bicycle accessory. Granted I live in Texas where it “never rains” or so it didn’t really until this year. We’ve had a very wet spring and summer, resulting in a lot of unexpected rain riding. So much so that I finally broke down and decided to ditch the big, plump tread of my Bruce Gordon Rock n Roads for some fenders and the biggest tire I could find that would fit…
Salsa Cycles’ Grateful Deadwood
Photos by Kyle Kelley and words by John Watson
Leave it to Kyle to bring some hippy shit into the mix for Salsa’s newest drop bar mountain bike, the Deadwood. Sorry, the “Grateful Deadwood.” Personally, I would have gone with some sort of fellen tree or Nature is Metal reference.
Kyle recently went to Saddle Drive, QBP’s open house demo in Ogden, Utah for his bike shop Golden Saddle Cyclery after having spent a great deal of time this year on the Niner Ros9+. Needless to say, Kyle came into Saddledrive with a pretty open mind about the 3″ tire platform. Over the years, he’s also sold a number of Fargos to customers who were planning on tackling the TDR either in the near or far future. How could you make the Fargo better? Throw some bigger tires on it, right?
What do you do with that old racing frame you had for over a decade after you decide racing just isn’t for you? Or those gaudy old wheels kicking around the bike shop you’ve worked at for just as long? For Peter, one of Mellow Johnny’s longest running employees, he got crafty.
Peter has had this frame since 2003, when it was fit with an actual road group. At the time, the titanium and carbon Serotta Legend was a rocket. Stiff rear triangle, compliant front end, or so they say. Whatever the marketing behind this bike was, within its design lay a beautiful possibility.
Those bolts, holding the seat stays to the dropouts can be serviced. If they can be serviced, they can be removed so Peter took the initiative to put a Gates Carbon Belt Drive system they had at Mellow’s to the test by installing the belt through that split in the stays.
There he was, with a decade-old, balleur commuter rendered in green and gold. What else could he do to this bike to put it over the top? How about a set of gold Campagnolo wheels from 2008? Voila. Personally, I think this bike is so wacky that it works and it’s been Peter’s go-to ride for years… Run what you brung.
This Tannenwald Luchs 29 was hanging at the Tune Factory and I just had to shoot it. From what I gather, Tannenwald is a local favorite. Honestly, I didn’t know much about the brand besides the frames being built in Germany. I reached out to to them and got a little bit of information about the company.
Tannenwald is Rüdiger (Rudi) Kupper and Stefan Lichtner. The frames are all handcrafted by Stefan in Palatinate, Germany. “Back to the roots” refers to their “commitment to the finest steel construction and craftsmanship”. The LUCHS 29 was inspired by a 42km long MTB trail near the builder’s house. This LUCHS is built with Tune components and has the Schwarzwald-themed paint scheme.
I love how much this bike represents the region, all the way down to the Tune Componentry. She looks like quite the ripper if you ask me.
Fairwheel Bikes in the US stocks all of Tune’s componentry. If you see something you like, they probably have it in stock. If they don’t, they can order it for ya!
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The two boys of wander are at the Tour this year and nestled inside each day’s Fabergé egg are a slew of great photos. I don’t know how you plan on spending your morning, but picking up with Stage 10 isn’t a bad distraction… Follow Manual for Speed for another 13 stages!
Photos by Kevin Scott Batchelor
Cognoscenti offers guided, catered and supported road tours through the mountains surrounding Boulder, Colorado. As a preview for what the team offers, photographer Kevin Scott Batchelor tagged along for a shakedown of sorts. Check out the story below. For more information on Cognoscenti and how you could win a free package, along with a $500 travel voucher, head to over to their Dream Tour site.
Golden Saddle Rides: From the Pit to the Crit – Mike’s Parlee Z5
Photos and words by Kyle Kelley
I met Mike about 8 years ago when he moved from Boston to LA and started hanging out at the bike shop where I was working at the time. He was a bike punk from the east coast hardcore scene, cooking vegan food by day and drumming in bands by night. Few things have changed in the years in-between and Mike is still hanging out at my bike shop, but he’s looking a lot more punk jock these days. When he isn’t roasting for Bicycle Coffee or running a Pure Luck pop up, Mike is likely out training for road or cyclocross season.
Mike is a big dude and he does not baby his bikes. He has broken just about every single one he has owned. From touring bikes to track bikes and a steel road frame to a Ritte, the guy is a crusher. Last year when Mike was down a road bike and looking for an upgrade his friend Rudi Jung was starting a new position painting bikes at Parlee. The connection was made and it wasn’t long before Mike owned what many would consider a dentist bike, the Parlee Z5.
An Intro to Imshi Cycles with a Di2 Road
Photos and words by Eric Baumann
Just over a year ago I began a multi-month frame building “class” with Bryan Hollingsworth (Royal H). He taught me the basics of brazing and then we set to work building myself a frame, one night a week kinda deal over at his shop. I had a jig already so I was able to do all the filing/fit up/lug carving at home, then bring stuff in to braze with Bryan. At the same time, I also had the privilege of having a friend in Mr. Nao Tomii, who showed me my way around a fillet. Between the two of these guys, I had some of the best guidance you can imagine for both lug/fillet frame construction. They taught me everything I know…
Photo by Andy White
Andy over at FYXO has been altering modern Campagnolo components for some time now. First stripping the clear anodizing, then sending them off to an engraver, before polishing them up. FYXO’s handywork has been featured here on the site so much that even Campagnolo took note and contacted Andy to see if he’d feature Athena 11 in a similar manner.
All he needed was a frame and a client… and boy did he ever. Head to FYXO for the full scoop!
The Driveway Race Series takes place every Thursday during the spring and summer here in Austin, TX. It’s a super chill spin from downtown, only taking a few minutes by the new Manor trail, a paved bike path that dumps you right at the gates. As part of a review for the Fairdale Goodship, Andre and I went out to the Driveway to shoot the bike, straight from the box to the 75+ field of racers.
While I don’t normally cover criteriums, I took a few minutes to document the races before editing the photos in black and white, something I rarely do as well. The resulting images are rather nice and capture the form of criterium racing.
It really is quite the scene out there at the Driveway, so if you’re ever in town, head on over to check it out on a Thursday night.
Last week our friends at Flat Track Coffee celebrated three years of business here in Austin. Wheels of all shapes and sizes showed up to ride a janky obstacle course, drink, chat and watch the shenanigans erupt well after the sun went down. Hopefully these party vibes will inspire some similar celebrations with the Fourth of July approaching… We’ll see you on Monday!
Tools of the trade:
Leica M7
Zeiss 35mm f2
Kodak Portra 400
“There is no denying that the world’s top cyclists are a breed apart, they are competitive thoroughbreds, human wunderkind graced with nearly limitless physical prowess. What they do on a bike, with their seemingly effortless speed and cagey instincts, is a sight to behold. A sight that creates hordes of ravenous fans and colorful motorcades that stretch beyond the horizon, a sight that fuels respectable economies and liberates the oppressed. These demi-gods are responsible for all of it, a great gift and a great burden, a weight that takes considerable effort to support even for those granted such remarkable powers. Even with all of their stamina and endurance, these cycling phenoms need a place where they can recover, hydrate, and watch House of Cards. Superman has his fortress, Batman his cave, and these real life superheros, they have their apartments, condos, and flats.
In this episode of YO! MFS Cribz, Manual for Speed has been granted exclusive and unprecedented access to the Los Angeles area homes of six seasoned pros to catch a glimpse of their decadent SoCal lifestyles…”
Continue reading and see more photos at Manual for Speed!
It’s not a cross bike, it’s a road bike with clearances for bigger tires. Sure it uses an ENVE disc cross fork, but the bottom bracket drop, chainstay length and angles are more in line with what many would categorize as a road bike. A road bike that likes to gobble up rugged and rutted roads.
The Bruce Gordon Rock n Road tires were the starting point for Ian at Icarus Frames to build Tyler his new all-road machine. He wanted hydro disc brakes and road gearing, which he may or may not swap out in the forthcoming months for a clutch and a wider range cassette. With a burnt orange paint and subtle Icarus branding on the downtube, Tyler’s bike has a confident stance without being overly gaudy. Keep it clean with the paint and get it nice and dirty…
Truth told, I’ve been wanting a bike like this for some time now and it was a pleasure being able to document it both for Icarus Frames and Tyler.
Thanks to Jonathan from Mellow Johnny’s for the build!
Austin has a certain gravity. It attracts cyclists of all-wheel types and for Matt, he wasn’t drawn here for the road cycling or mountain biking. Matt began his experience with the bicycle on a BMX. He’s from Australia and Austin has always been the mecca for BMXing in the US. His friends here range from pros to companies like T-1, where he stays while in town.
Summer Solstice on the Swift Campout with Beat the Clock in Austin
Words by Gideon Tsang, photos by Gideon Tsang and Spencer Brown
On the morning of the Summer Solstice, Beat the Clock hosted a Swift Campout in honor of the longest day of the year. We awoke to the familiar cloud cover that has come with Texas’ rainiest year on record. Swampy barely beats the scorching summer sun but beggars can’t be choosers, eh?
13 of us rolled out from Sa-Ten Coffee and Eats onto the desolate roads of central Texas towards Bastrop State Park. The protagonist of the route is Old Sayers, a 10 mile gravel road filled with rolling hills and handsome oak trees. It always feels like we’re riding into a Terrence Malick film. If the storybook setting weren’t enough, we pulled over for a nature break at a tree swing. We swung with giggles and ‘Grams.
As we arrived in Bastrop early in the afternoon, the rain gods welcomed us by opening the heavens. The remainder of the evening was spent fashioning coyote scarves, camp coffee and of course, whiskey. If all days could be spent bike camping with friends, make them days longer!
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Last week, Mellow Johnny’s had the great pleasure of hosting a frame builder’s happy hour that showcased the work of five local bicycle artisans. With so many talented frame builders in the immediate Austin area, it only makes sense to get them out of their work sheds and together for a party. Icarus, Chumba, Kirklee, Paramour, and Saila all descended upon the shop for a night where they could showcase their work and talk to established fans as well as potential clients.
The energy was rambunctious. Halfway through the night, I found myself surrounded by over 100 people who were enjoying beer, friends, and the company of some beautiful bicycles. The amount of “oh’s” and “ah’s” were uncountable. From someone marveling over the beautiful weld work of Lauren from Saila to an in-depth conversation about carbon frame repair with KirkLee, there was something for all tastes. The amount of support and admiration that was had for these humble local builders was a testament to the tight-knit and passionate community that is evident in Austin’s cycling community.
For myself, the highlight of the night was hanging out with the fellas of Chumba Cycles. After talking with them about their home base right down the road from Pace Bend State Park and witnessing their love of beer, it was clear these guys loved to shred and loved to have a good time. The coolest bike they brought was a fully loaded 29+ rig called the Ursa 29+. Able to fit a 3.0 inch tire, the Ursa is clearly a bike that has the potential to handle just about any terrain you could throw at it. Three bottle cages and the ability to run a Singlespeed, 1x, or 2x set up leads to extreme versatility and the option for fully loaded camping or an afternoon shred session at your favorite local trails. The Ursa they brought was outfitted with their Zulu series bags for handlebar, stem, seat, and frame. Vince from Chumba shared with me his story about taking the bike to Ecuador for a 7-day bikepacking trip from Cotapaxi to Chimborazo and all I could think about for the rest of the night was the plan for my next bikepacking trip!
All in all, the event was a huge success. Good times were had, there was much “nerding out” on bikes, and many Topo Chicos and beers were consumed. If you have a local frame builder in your town and you’re looking for your next bike, it’s so important to see what they have to offer. Check out a few more photos below and see the full gallery at Mellow Johnny’s.
I got food poisoning. My allergies are killing me. I have a fever. It must have been the shrimp I ate. Whatever the excuse was people all over the world got sick today, calling into their jobs and taking the morning off to ride bikes. The idea is genius and also a bit sketchy. You could get fired! Or you could just spend a day on your bike instead of in an office. That was the intention anyway.
When Sean from Team Dream Team first brought up the idea of #GetSickDay – which at the time was called “fuck work day” – I thought it was brilliant. After a bunch of emails behind the scenes, he organized a bunch of group rides in cities all over the world. Portland, SF, Los Angeles, NYC, London… the list goes on and on.
I happened to be home in Austin, so I led a mixed terrain ride and Andre led a road ride, both leaving from Mellow Johnny’s downtown this morning. We rode around 40 miles after determining the original route would take even longer. Rides like this take forever and that’s the intention.
Take your time, eat tacos, drink a beer and hit a few swimming holes!
Riding in the Tetons with Mavic
Photos and words by Ryan Wilson
A couple weeks ago Mavic invited a group of journalists, athletes, and myself to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to put a few pieces from their revamped Ksyrium lineup through their paces in and around Grand Teton National Park. This was my first time in Wyoming and really my first time riding in the Rockies at all, so it goes without saying I was excited to see what the riding was like.
