So not only is NAHBS in Austin this year but NACCCs as well!
Help raise some money for what will be an epic several days of messenger eminence and mischief!
While you’re at it add NACCC 2011 on FB and register here and more info here.
All posts by Jon
Bigger Than Your Ego & Four Points Rumble! | 2/26
NAHBS is not just about bikes looking fast. Like last year’s race,
You have to be fast. Let’s see if an out of towner can take the glory this go ’round!
Fast Folks is throwing a race on the 26th as well as a trick jam.
To stay up to date on their events, shop news and general what’s awesome in Austin info,
Follow @fastfolks & friend ’em on FB
Rapha Gentlemen’s Ride | SAT 2/26 | 6:30am
Date: February 26, 2011 @ 6:30 am Location: Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop 400 Nueces Street
Last year’s ride, as documented here by Jeremy Dunn, was fantastic.
If you will be in Austin for NAHBS this year. Wake up early and make sure you do this ride.
Join MJ’s and our friends at Rapha for their 2011 NAHBS edition of the Rapha Gentlemen’s ride (ladies welcome too!).
NAHBS and Rapha don’t come to town every week so we’re rolling out a special ride from our top secret training ride book.
Delicious Juan Pelota Cafe Coffee at 6:30am and ride leaves at 7am with Nuetral support provided by SRAM.
This 2-2.5 ride will enjoy a more spirited pace (17-18ish) and sample some of the beauty that is Austin–including the hills west of town.
Start your day off right and finish up in time to enjoy a full day at the 2011 North American Handmade Bike Show.
Be sure to RSVP on FB and even better on Rapha Rendezvous on your iphone.
—
Quoted text above from: MellowJohnnys.com & first photo by Donna Miller
First Run of twotoneatl.com Stickers!
I am stoked to announce that leading up to the site’s 1 year bday,
twotoneatl.com stickers will be available in time for NAHBS.
I teamed up with two of the best guys in the biz to get the job done.
Kurt of Kräutstache Design developed the logo.
Phillip of Velo Stickers & Cutaway Clothing is bringing them to life.
They will be 1.5″ wide & available in BW (seen above) and color (below).
Contact Jon[at]twotoneatl.com if you’re interested in getting your hands on some.
Brooks Visits Loose Nuts Cycles
Michael & Gianmarco of Brooks England stopped by Loose Nuts this past Saturday to showcase several
of their new products for 2011. Brooks is continuing a tradition of ingenuity in product design and these
offerings are not just for die hard Brooks fans with an aesthetic attraction even non-cyclists can appreciate.
Anyone who know me knows I am fanatical about Brooks. How could you not be?
They have been getting it right introducing new options and reiterating classics since 1866!
For more info and photos of these stylish, durable and functional goods head over to Loose Nuts.
The Adventures of Otto ~ Vol. 2 | SF
I love San Francisco.
This is maybe my 4th or 5th time here. Its where Stacey & I got engaged at NACCCs 2007,
my bud Philipp of European Touches & I traveled here last year
and now Otto & I would explore the city by the bay.
Our first stop was My Dutch Bike on Market Street a stone’s throw from our hotel.
Otto & I would need wheels like the bakfiets we got from J.C. Lind Bike Co in Chicago last year.
This shop ruled. Not only was it an instant step straight to Holland, it is done with unique SF style.
While Otto snoozed I snapped some shots to showcase the shop. Below is a bike that was recently stolen!
I hope its recovered quickly. Bikes like the Workcycles above and tandem for three below are still rare.
I do think that is changing as individuals and families begin to make such velo-vehicles more mainstream.
And My Dutch Bike is doing its part! The shop was stocked with an array of styles and models of bikes.
Of course Brooks was well represented. What else would you put on a Dutch bike? Or any bike really!
Unless it would be a San Marco Rolls. This heavy duty cruiser caught my eye for two reasons:
one, it looked like the fastest bike in stock and two, its name was Otto!
That was pretty funny and right about the time my Otto began to awake from his slumber.
We saddled up, dropped the stroller off and and did a quick ride to test this beast out towards city hall.
Otto was stoked. I was was too. I knew we’d have a blast this trip and decided to celebrate at a park.
We found one nestled right in front of city hall with this ironic signage welcoming visitors.
We did some swingin…
…and some slidin and then headed back to the hotel to rest up for our packed agenda the following day.
We woke up early. like 5 AM early, as Otto was still sleepin on East Coast time and we slowly got rolling.
Around 7am we finally were heading towards the ferry to make our way to Berkley.
I stopped for a moment to let Otto check out the scenery while took some photos on the Embarcadero.
A guy rolled up on a super fly Bullitt cargo bike. It was Erik Zo of ZO bags! What a killer coincidence!
We talked about all kinds of things and as we chatted I, of course, inspected his ride for neat details.
These made in SF pedals caught my eye. In my opinion, its exactly what most GR9 riders would love.
The large flat platform with skateboard griptape is ingenious. The bearings felt buttery. Great pedals!
We missed a ferry by minutes but took the time to have a mid morning snack in the ferry station.
Whilst waiting on the next boat, Otto zonked out. No way to plan for naps with a time zone shift!
But this was perfect.
He snoozed leading up to the ferry’s arrival, as we boarded and then as we crossed the bay.
I was amazed as the wind was really blowing and the vessel was super loud as we sped towards Oakland.
I bundled him up with a blanket and my softshell.
Pac bags have a removable pad which made a great pillow.
We then faced our main challenge of the day.
We had missed the early ferry and now, to avoid an all day in Oakland option, had only 1.5 hours to burn.
No one one thought I could make it to Berkeley and back in this span of time. I knew Otto & I could do it.
With only missing one turn we made a straight shot to Jitensha Studio.
This shop was one of the places I was determined to see but now would only have literally minutes to visit.
Otto stood in amazement as I blasted a frenzied round of photos
while the owner, Hiroshi, was on the phone.
These place was mystical. So much history packed into so few things in such a small space was unreal.
You just don’t see relics like this in person. Part museum part custom bicycle studio,
Jitensha is indeed unique.
Still Otto gazed around. He is used to bikes and always excited to see them but rather than B lining it
towards whichever one caught his eye, he continued to simply look around. This was cute and practical.
Hiroshi Iimura has been designing bicycle frames for over 40 years. The frames featured at Jitensha Studio are built to his specifications by various frame builders depending on the kind of bike. Custom bikes are built to order. For those who want a high quality hand made frame for a more reasonable amount, we offer the EBISU, a limited production bike supplied in a limited number of stock configurations to keep the cost down.
More about Ebisu here.
This bike was placed at the doorway before we arrived and its location was also quite practical!
I really began to regret not having more time to stay and talk.
Or even to potentially see some of this build come to life but Otto and I were running out of time…
Again, what at first seems sparse is anything but. Each specific item is stocked with a distinct purpose.
I purchased a shirt and a Crane bell for my Costello and we rolled out back towards Jack London Square.
We made it back with minutes to spare. Even I was surprised despite my confidence that we’d pull it off!
Awake for the ferry back, Otto was excited to see all the birds, boats and not blue shrouded in fog skyline.
Upon arrival our first encounter was a street troupe of ballsy Brits doing daring tricks.
10ft unicycle anyone?
Of course a stop by Pier 39 was in order. Albeit a bit sparse with sea lions, it was as loud as ever.
The next morning, our last in SF, we still had some places to go and faces to meet.
First we headed to Mojo to meet Mike from MASH. Below is his Cinelli. These frames are solid!
Mike and I talked about about bikes and bein’ dads.
The best part is when they that go together so well!
I picked up a ton of MASH goodies, photos of which will be popping up on the site very soon.
Mike and the MASH crew are legends and I hope to see them keep setting the bar for years to come!
Also while at Mojo, Otto and I met up with long time friend Chuey of Chuey Brand.
I first met him at NACCCs here in SF in 2007. For years he made caps for the shop I formerly co-owned.
Since then we have stayed in touch and Chuey Brand caps are more popular than ever!
He is also beginning to produce limited apparel runs. Not alot of details yet but I know they will be stellar.
He generously gave me a vest that I have been wearing it everyday since! Thank you again Chuey!
From there Otto and I picked up Stacey.
Yep, she just hopped in up front and after lunch with our friend Joey we headed towards our last stop in SF.
The timing was getting dire as Otto was setting a course towards naptime with a pitstop in grumpytown.
Lucky Stacey was there to keep him in good spirits as we made out way into the Mission.
Mission Workshop. These guys are the best. So friendly and everything they produce is genius. Seriously.
I last visited nearly a year ago and the company has covered an impressive amount of ground.
Not only building out a super sharp showroom here but launching storefronts in London and Paris.
Stacey was in need of some shoes for her commute and what other option than DZR?
She picked up a pair of Kowloons. More photos and her feedback on their performance will be posted soon.
Another brand I have watched make smart product decisions over the past few years is Outlier.
Its a no brainer that these guys would team up to share shelf space here.
The brands compliment each other quite well as ingenuity, quality and unique design are at their core.
Further down on the rack is the the Orion. This jacket has saved me from soaking several times already!
Thank you guys again for the hospitality & keep up the good work!
Visiting MW is always on my SF todo list!
By this time Otto was really getting sleepy and we had a Caltrain to catch to Menlo Park to visit friends.
We made the train and Otto caught his Z’s wrapping up yet another epic adventure for my little guy!
Below is a gift he received from our friend Joey and it couldn’t be a better souvenir for his first SF trip!
More photos from our adventure can be found here. Otto can’t wait to go back, I know I can’t!
FM:RACE 2011 Kit Sneak Peek!
I am excited to be racing with FM:RACE this season and just saw the new kits. So sick!
Unveiled for the first time today on FM, the design looks great.
Especially with the support of such awesome sponsors.
Kurt of Kräutstache Design really nailed it this year!
Look for some twotoneatlxkräutstache radness soon too!
Product Review: Selle Royal Contour
The The Selle Royal Contour is back. A re-ride of the original 1972 Contour.
According to Selle Royal, it was the first saddle to consider the relationship between
saddle fit, the human anatomy, comfort and performance.
I recently got a hold of a white microtex covered model and took it out for a brisk 40 miles this morning.
Its was quite surprising to me how unassuming this saddle is.
I mean, white saddles always manage to be more conspicuous than than darker ones.
But, the Contour has made its point over the past 40 years, and knows how to do its job discreetly rather well:
Be classic.
Be comfortable.
Designed and shaped with slightly visible indents toward the rear of the saddle,
the Contour provides a ‘natural’ platform for sit bones.
Like the original Contour, this saddle includes two hardly visible indents,
providing a pre-shaped sitting surface for the sit bones and requiring zero break-in time.
Speaking of break-in time, If you know me, you know I swear by Brooks.
All my bikes have a Brooks saddle and most with Brooks leather bar wrap to match.
Though there is always that first few weeks where Brooks tests your love to some degree.
As I headed east towards Stone Mountain with Justin and John this morning.
I even forgot I was on a new saddle. In fact, I forgot about my saddle completely.
Justin Barber below, an FM:Race teammate and ALTA colleague had a buddy, John, in town from Nashville.
We decided on rolling out to Stone Mountain and doing a long loop then heading back. A cool 40 miles.
I take that back. A cold 40 miles.
John had hoped to get some time on the road while in town on a short visit and I think he got his wish!
The cold kept the streets and especially Stone Mountain Park pretty vacant. That was a great bonus.
Beautiful weather, minimal wind and hardly any cars on the street?
What more could you ask for?
How about a unique piece of cycling heritage that is as at home on a period specific build from the 1970’s,
an around the town fixie, or even a modern road racing rig? The Contour fits the bill across the board.
Not only do Brooks require breaking in, but most saddles require time to get taint acquainted.
Right off the bat, The Contour let me focus on riding whilst lending timeless style to my steed.
For more photos of this morning’s ride, check ’em here on flickr and more info on the Contour go here.
If you are in Atlanta looking to treat yourself, or that special cyclist in your life to some Contour comfort,
contact the fine folks at Loose Nuts Cycles in Grant Park. Or purchase direct at origins.selleroyal.com
The Adventures of Otto ~ Vol. 1 | MLK Day
Today was a very important holiday, The Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.
Though neither my wife nor I are employed at companies that offer the day off, our son’s school was closed.
Initially, the plan was that I’d work but the plan changed and instantly I got stoked about Otto’s 1st field trip.
We live very close to the MLK National Historic Site and not visiting on such an occasion wasn’t an option.
It was Otto’s first visit and certainly not his last.
Don’t let his mean mug fool you. He was excited about this and every trip on our Civia Loring!
We stood and listened to Mayor Kasim Reed’s speech and took a look around as the day’s crowd grew.
You can see the big screen above right where all the events transpiring within the church were shown.
Behind where I am standing taking this photo, Auburn Avenue was closed and vendors were setting up.
Otto caught a glimpse of bikes and we rolled over to check it out.
He has become quite adept at identifying bicycles in books, pictures and of course in streets.
It was the Metro Atlanta Cycling Club!
Next year will be the 10th Annual “Let Freedom Ring” MLK ride
I’m bummed we missed this ride, I need to step up my radar of ATL bike events. Please email them to me!
I am certain Otto and I will participate next year.
I followed the peloton north on Boulevard and turned off at the Freedom Trail for our day’s next stop.
New to me, Condesa Coffee has been open a month or two.
They serve Intelligentsia & Spanish style Bocatas with style.
The space looked great and had some good reading out for patrons to peruse.
I had a machiatto and Otto & I shared a slice of vegan zucchini bread. Otto was fanatical about it.
Again, the space looked great. Clean and well designed.
The view is off the charts and atmosphere on point.
Otto and I decided to head south for another cruise through the MLK Festivites as naptime encroached.
We spotted a track bike that looked familiar to me. A KHS?
A quick release?
It was my buddy Joy. The KHS Pursuit formerly belogned to a former friend of mine and looked real nice.
Joy is a cycling connoisseur like no other. His period specific builds have always been amazing.
His Viner Pista was always one of my favorites. Good to see you Joy!
Below is the original Ebenezer Baptist Church on Auburn.
Atlanta really was the epicenter of some epic events from that era in American history.
Its hard to imagine how recently segregation existed. Or that it existed at all. Seriously.
America has come a long way and I look forward to seeing how it changes as Otto grows older.
We kept cruising west on Auburn. An unfortunately derelict district despite its deep roots.
Not to mention it was no mistake the 75/85 Downtown Connector was paved straight through it.
Horrible.
Though some lots are coming to life it appears, as the community garden below reveals.
Signs of life. Indeed, its rare that many people are found on Atlanta’s streets on any given day.
Events like this are great. Its nice to see this many people walking, riding and getting around sans cars.
Ariel Hart of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution wrote:
In the early 1950s as a six-lane thoroughfare The Downtown Connector was introduced.
According to Wikipedia, it carries more than 272,000 vehicles per day at its busiest point
— between Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Edgewood Avenue,
while no portion of the Downtown Connector carries fewer than 236,000 vehicles per day it is
one of the 10 most congested stretches of interstate in the U.S.
Again.
Horrible.
And speaking of horrible.
Who do these these guys think they’re helping? Today’s supposed to be about service. Not scary signs.
Though this is the blog’s 1st Otto Adventure installment, its hardly his first adventure.
Otto & I have conquered the streets of Chicago, visited Starlight Bikes in Roanoke & Bilenky in Philly!
Stay tuned for our next Adventure in San Francisco happening later this month.
On our way home as the clock struck nap-thirty Otto zonked out and he made it into the crib still asleep.
Below on our route back to the house is the King Memorial Marta Station. More photos can be found here.
Happy MLK Day!
The Airport Ride | Sundays, 10am
Sundays 10am departing from Peters St, downtown Atlanta from right here.
Below are some of the basics as far as the route, speed and time.
More info can be found at http://www.facebook.com/theairportride