I like cool things. And cool things are things I get excited about. Something new, different, unique, smart, efficient, beautiful, delicious. I love cycling and the Rapha brand. I like efficient cars and recently upgraded from my 2006 Prius to a 2012 Plug-In Prius. I love food and have started to recently OD on Coolhaus gourmet ice cream sandwiches. I post things here because I’m convinced there are other people, like me, who love these same things. Tell me, what do you love?
Filtering by Tag: bicycling
I love it when Rapha puts up a new video!
SELLA
Directed by Andrew Telling
Named after the arduous climb in Spain, Sella is a highly atmospheric and visually arresting insight into life at a pro team training camp. Shot during Rapha Condor Sharp’s recent training camp, the film is the work of Andrew Telling, winner of the Rapha Condor Sharp Film Competition. Andrew’s compelling short perfectly captures the rhythms and rituals of training camp life, with seemingly mundane tasks such as team meals, meetings and massage offering a marked contrast to punishing rides in the winter sunshine. To capture each rider’s style and personality on their bikes, Andrew spent hours interviewing each rider off them. Andrew’s dedication pays dividends out on the road, as elegant and innovative camerawork, set to Andrew’s own haunting score, results in a rarely seen glimpse of what it looks – and in some cases feels – like to ride among the pros.
Oh I love it when Rapha puts up a new cycling video!!!
This bicycle shop is LITERALLY in my backyard. A MUST GO this weekend!!!
Redmons Bicycle Shop: Hold on to Your Handlebars
With spring approaching, it’s time to hop on a bike that actually moves (no offense, spin class). Pedal over to Redmons, the sister shop to L.A. Brakeless. Founded by partners Anna Martin, Dave Cargill, and Joshua White, the old-school Mar Vista bicycle boutique (antique road signs, vintage tile flooring) harks back to a time when there was only one speed: cruise.
Creatures of comfort find superior ergonomic design in elegant Dutch models like the Montego Daily Urban and the Gazelle Tour Populair. And a wide selection by everybody’s favorite Cali manufacturer, Linus, satisfies speed demons and easy riders alike.
Fill your basket with nifty accessories, like Brooks England leather grips, stylish saddlebags by Velo Orange and Basil, and Yakkay helmets fashioned as herringbone fedoras.
Don’t want to ride solo? Sign up for a frequently scheduled group excursion.
And set the friendship wheels in motion.
Redmons, 12218 Venice Boulevard, between Centinela Avenue and Grand View Boulevard, Mar Vista (310-313-6600 or redmonsla.com).
Where can I get one for my Sistah & MeerCat!
Another great video from Rapha on urban road riding in Oslo!
I picked up my bike with my fancy new wheelset yesterday. I LOVE THEM! The great folks over at Bike Effect hooked me up! I now have fancy new DT Swiss rims with RED Chris King hubs. How sweet are these? :)
I live on a hill so a Fixie isn’t for me but if I could, I would get this one!
Fuji Feather
There’s a part of every bike-riding city dweller’s commute that is rarely discussed. Everyone knows about dodging cabs, weaving through lanes and hopping curbs, but nobody brings up the flights of stairs you often have to carry the damn thing up when you’re done. The Fuji Feather not only delivers on all fronts, but also is light enough so you don’t have to do shoulder presses just to carry it. You won’t absolutely break the bank on this fixie either which is nice seeing as how you have to pay rent and all. Plus, it comes in a few different color options, including our favorite—Apple … err, we mean white, which will definitely get you noticed when you’re watching out for hot dog carts. $689
Hmmm…I love this idea - it marries two of my favorite things - wine and cycling - but it sort of looks like it could fall off at any moment. Is it just me?
Bicycle Wine Rack
Generally, wine and bicycles go together like oil and water. Polish off a few bottles of vino and mounting your metal steed isn’t a great idea. Getting to your destination with an unopened bottle intact is almost as difficult. You can’t just throw it in your bag because it will end up getting destroyed, and riding with it in your hand makes maneuvering a challenge. What you really need is some sort of holster that you can mount to your bike. This is it. Two pieces of olive oil treated vegetable-tanned leather that you mount to your 1” bike frame in order to cradle your sweet nectar.
NOTE: This holster will only attach to a 1” bike frame!
I’ve seen this thing on tv commercials and although it seems really cool, it also seems really BIG. Not sure I want all that on my handlebars.
iBike: A Cycling Trainer on you Handlebars
Every so often, a transformative motivator appears in the world of sport.
Phil Jackson. Bobby Knight. Emilio Estevez in Mighty Ducks.
They all have one thing in common: they can’t fit on the handlebars of your bike…
Which brings us to iBike Dash + Power, a sensor and app that turns your iPhone into a tiny onboard cycling trainer, available online now.
Imagine your phone displaying all your key biking stats (speed, routes, cadence) and keeping you on your training program. Uphill climbs, rep exercises—all of it—in a waterproof case on your handlebars.
After you install a few things (a sensor here, a case mount there), you’ll download the app that goes with it all and enter in information about you and your bike. Then… you’ll pedal. As you reach a fork in the road (or mountain), you’ll check your map to see which way you want to head. You’ll check your speed (don’t stop pushing until it reads “of sound”) and your heart rate. The app will time and direct your training (thresholds, tempos, Tours de France). When you’re finished, you’ll email all your stats to yourself and check out graphs of your epic ride.
Graphs are the hallmark of victory.
For the boys in your life….
Decked Out: On Two Wheels
Traffic sucks. Running sucks. Unfortunately, people still need to get places and exercise, which is where the bike comes in. Any bike will get you from point a to point b with some amount of physical exertion, but you still have to look good in the process. Looking good doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort though, so start with some staples like a Hanes V-Neck, Levi’s jeans and an L.L. Bean flannel and spice it up with some comfy UGG sneakers, recycled bike parts and a 666 Barcelona watch.
1. Recycled Innertube Belt – $42
2. Hiplok Wearable Bike Lock – $113
3. Mission Workshop The Shed Messenger Bag – $139
4. Recycled Bicycle Chain Bottle Opener – $8
5. Levi’s 511 Commuter Jeans – $78
6. 666 Barcelona Adventure Watch – $130
7. L.L. Bean Fleece-Lined Flannel – $64
8. Hanes V-Neck – $20 (3 pack)
9. UGG Corbin Sneaker – $130
general bikestoke, brought to you by a company pulling out of cycling sponsorship next year.
I want an old-timey bike just so I can put this tool case on it!!!
Wheelmen & Co Black Smith Tool Case
Synthetic materials are great for a lot of things, but when it comes to bike accessories leather is better. Unless you’re riding your bike with a paper race number trying to win something, you’re probably going to have your phone, wallet, keys and maybe even a road soda with you whenever you clip on your helmet (safety first) and head out on the asphalt. Having all that stuff in your pants can make riding a real pain in the ass though, so why not throw it in a bike bag with looks as well as function? The Wheelmen & Co Black Smith Tool Bag is just such a bag. It’s a hand stitched, leather roll style bag that easily attaches to handlebars to hold your important belongings while you ride. The locking mechanism is also simple enough that you can operate it while in motion, but there’s no warranty against crashes in that scenario so be careful. $78
Rapha’s Wear Your Story
Rapha is starting a “Wear Your Story” section on their site. If you have a great story about a ride or crash or something while you were wearing your Rapha gear, send it in and maybe win a pair of Rapha jeans. The first story is pretty funny!!
“Three weeks ago, while wearing my favourite Rapha Country Jersey, I went down in what I was told was a rather spectacular crash. Sitting somewhat dazed on the ground, I was quickly attended to by other cyclists and the driver of a car who had witnessed my mishap and immediately called for medical attention. I realized pretty quickly that I had not broken my collar bone or anything serious, so I declined their offers of help, remounted my bike, and pedaled another five miles to a hospital where I knew I could get my road rash cleaned up.
By now you are probably asking why I’m telling you this. You should know that even though I was a pretty ugly sight from the road rash, the primary concern from the cyclists who saw me was rather different. “Wow, I can’t believe you ruined that shirt. That’s a Rapha jersey, right? That sucks.” The story doesn’t end there. The doctor who attended to me entered into a huge debate with his nurse about whether or not the jersey could be saved. He thought it could. Seems he was a cyclist as well.”
I’m so in love with these Gentleman’s Rides and little films about them that Rapha keeps putting up!
RAPHA RIDES LITTLE SWITZERLAND
film by Ertzui°film
The Fränkische Schweiz (aka Franconian Switzerland or Little Switzerland) is a delightful place to ride in the summer. Its landscape made up of forests, jagged rock faces, brutally sharp climbs and winding rivers, it was named after the obvious comparisons to its larger cousin. It also just happens to boast the highest density of breweries in the world, with hundreds of Biergärten to boot. So the Gentlemen’s Ride planned for the 3rd July, leaving from our good friendsbikedress, should have made for a lovely day out. A testing route over 130km, including gravel and forest tracks, a refreshment stop with a view at one of the most famous breweries, plus BBQ and drinks back at the store. Not to mention the chance to work on my pathetic cycling tan. Unfortunately, the weather gods clearly had other ideas. Even with a day to go, I was somewhat naively hoping we might get away with just a couple of showers. As it was, the conditions on the day would be best described as apocalyptic. Instead of the usual 25-30°C weather, temperatures plummeted to 7°C in the hills. I was so wet and cold by the time the sheet rain and hail arrived that I just had to laugh about it. But conditions like that bring a whole different sense of achievement to those brave enough to venture out. Knowing that others are just as cold as you are if not more so, you shiver and suffer together as you smile about the ridiculousness of what you’re doing. Berating yourself for being so stupid to be out in such weather whilst at the same time knowing that you respect yourself all the more for having done it. And with that knowledge, I’ll be one of those out there on the roads and trails this autumn and winter, come what may, even if I won’t be lending my Rain Jacket to someone else this time. So if you happen to pass me in a car and wonder who that poor soul is, please remember that I’ll be the one spending time on my bike, not you.
Rapha & Oakley Auction
Rapha and Oakley are auctioning off two pair of pretty awesome looking Rapha Cyclocross Oakley Jawbone glasses. Check out the details:
With the new cyclocross season well underway, Rapha and Oakley are offering you the chance to own an exclusive pair of Oakley Jawbone glasses. The custom-made Jawbones have frames painted in the candystripe livery of the Rapha-FOCUS team kit and the glasses come with three sets of interchangeable lenses. The Rapha logo is etched into the primary set and a unique carry-bag also features the team colours. For five days, beginning on Monday 10th October, Rapha will auctioning two pairs of Rapha-FOCUS Oakley Jawbones via a private email bid system. All of the money raised by the auction will go directly to support the Rapha-FOCUS professional cyclocross team. Rapha will contact you by email or telephone to collect payment via credit card.How to bid
oakleyauction@rapha.ccTerms and Conditions
(@rapharacing and @rapha_n_america)
Can you imagine cycling this road? I might die from fright and excitement all at the same time.
More Rapha…
And Rapha seems to have the best customer service. 90 day return policy, they’ll fix anything they can if you crash AND if you lose a bunch of weight from cycling, they’ll trade out your too big gear for stuff that now fits you. It’s expensive but I’m lovin’ it!
New Rapha Cycling Gear
You know that you bought something expensive and fancy when it arrives in its very own little branded “sleeves” to protect it. I LOVE THIS STUFF! I almost wore one of those pink base layer t-shirts to work today I love it so much.