718 Cyclery hasn’t just been sitting around in the Snowpocalypse. They’ve already hosted a Fat Tire bike race. Held in the trails of Queen’s Cunningham Park on 1/30/16 (pushed a week due to record snow storm) they put on a fun, challenging event and an opportunity for riders to test out those crazy looking fat tire bicycles. Read more about it in their blog.
Now their hosting another event this Saturday (2/6/16)
Sasla Demo Ride, 9:30am in Queens, Cunningham Park.
Sign up on their site: 718c.com
Stay in touch with all this amazing bike shop has to offer by signing up for their newsletter.
I’ve also started up my yearly events calendar: here. Let me know if you have events to post.
Catching up on old news, sadly bassist Lemmy, a bona fide rebel, rock God, and founder of Motorhead, died of brain cancer on 12/28/2015.
His first claim to fame, came in 1972 as the lead vocalist on the single ‘Silver Machine‘ a song about a silver bicycle, a number 3 UK hit, with his previous band Hawkwind.
Written during the space age and the 1970’s ‘Bike Boom‘ the song is described partly by its lyricist Robert Calvert in Wikipedia as thus:
“‘Silver Machine’ was just to say, I’ve got a silver bicycle, and nobody got it. I didn’t think they would. I thought that what they would think we were singing about some sort of cosmic space travel machine. I did actually have a silver racing bike when I was a boy. I’ve got one now, in fact.”
You’ll be missed Lemmy!
I just took a ride in a Silver Machine
And I’m still feeling mean
Do you want to ride
See yourself going by
Other side of the sky
Well I got a silver machine
This blogger has had a bit of a hibernation since July-2015. I just needed a good Snowpocalypse to come out of my AirBnB ice cave.
Here is a posting from a ‘mystery’ guest who wanted to share his experience with cycling in the snow and the issues of the lack of priority of bike lanes when it comes to snow removal.
On Saturday 1/23/2016 a near record blizzard dumped anywhere from 26 to 30 inches of snow on NYC.
While NYC emergency services were still busy clearing the streets of snow, one intrepid cyclist, wondered Sunday afternoon if the Manhattan Bridge bike path would be cleared enough to get to work, the next morning.
Here is a video of his long journey from Brooklyn to Manhattan (warning PG-13).
Post Blizzard Manhattan Bridge Bike Lane – Exposed – 1/24/2016 – 3:10 PM
One can see, a serious job was not made by the City to maintain this vital route, putting an undo burden on the cyclist for his/her own safety.
If it were not for some above freezing weather temperatures the last few days, #bikeNYC would be in a much worse place.
So it seems you will either have to wait for the City to get around to it, or you can file a complaint here. and hope for the best.
Across the City, as late as Wednesday 1/27/2016 (and continuing) many other bike routes were still unplowed generating a series of articles in the press including the Gothamist: ‘Hope You’re Not Planning On Biking Anywhere Today’
In the future it has been suggested to use the hashtag #plowbikelanes to crowd source areas in need.
What was your biking experience during the blizzard? Did you start biking again? When? Leave your comments below.
Red Bull has been ahead of the curve (pun intended) when it comes to constructing tiny tracks and having urban street racers test their skill in both speed and daring. This year the Mini Drome challenge returned to NYC in a 19th century dance hall turned art space in Maspeth Queens. In order to up the challenge, a figure 8 track was constructed which added a whole new degree of difficulty from the standard circular direction. Competitors had to navigate tight turns as well as switching directions on the over-under wooden track.
Action packed photos and a recap can be found on Steven’s blog: bikeyourcity.nyc
Congratulations to the winners:
1. Addison Zawada (FL)-Who also helped build the track 2. Ryan Locasicio (Bronx) 3. Matt Reyes (SF)
This New York based company, founded by Dave Weiner and Conner Swegle, took many of the innovations from their Priority bicycle line and applied it to two sizes of kids bikes. The idea was to give parents a maintenance-free experience in teaching their kids how to ride and make better, longer lasting kids bikes.
Here is a Press Release:
NEW YORK, NY (June 15, 2015) On the heels of winning Inc. Magazine’s 2015 Best In Class Design award, New York-based Priority Bicycles successfully funded their second Kickstarter campaign. The campaign launches a new line of innovative kids bicycles, the Priority Start, which re-imagines the cycling experience for both children and parents. Reaching its funding goal with over a week and a half left to back the project, this milestone brings Priority Bicycles’ total Kickstarter funding in its first year in business to over $600,000.
“With the funding of our second campaign that allows us bring our concept to riders of all ages, it signals that Priority is continuing to deliver innovative products in high consumer demand,” said Connor Swegle, CMO and Co-Founder. “It’s great to have our backers not only support our growth, but play an important role in a feedback loop that ultimately helps us develop and refine the features and products they want.”
The successful Kickstarter campaign enables Priority to now deliver on their mission of “making cycling simple” for all age ranges. While the original Priority Classic was engineered to bring simplicity to recreational riders through low-maintenance, high quality bicycles, the Priority Start is designed to make riding more simple for kids 2-8, as well as for parents who are teaching children to learn to ride and sharing the passion for cycling.
The Priority Start features many of the signature elements the company’s original line of bicycles became known for, including a grease-free belt drive in lieu of a greasy chain, and a rust-proof aluminum frame. The bicycle also features air-free Easy Go tires that never go flat, and the patent-pending Priority Start System of simplified training wheels for on-the-go adjustments without the need for tools. The Priority Start is available via Kickstarter until June 24th at an introductory rate of $199 for the 12” model and $209 for the 16” model. The bicycles are scheduled to ship in October 2015.
Red Bull’s action packed Mini Drome is Back. This Friday in Brooklyn. This time…A figure 8 track!
Here is a press release:
FIERCE CYCLIST COMPETITION RETURNS TO NYC
ON RARE INDOOR FIGURE EIGHT TRACK
Country’s Best Fixed Gear Cyclists Descend on NYC for Red Bull Mini Drome
Red Bull Mini Drome is an all day racing competition for single-speed fixed gear cyclists where they can race against the clock and then against each other to see who is the fastest burner on two wheels.
Taking the normal circular “velodrome” concept, which is usually located in arenas or outside, shrinking it down and bringing it inside a unique location in NYC is what Red Bull Mini Drome has brought back to one of the five boroughs for the past 2 years.
Red Bull Mini Drome in 2015 is set to be extra special because a barely-ever-before-seen figure eight track is going to be built this time around. The mythical concept, which is known to only have existed a few times, one being the 1995 Toronto Cycle Messenger World Championships, involves more speed, extra precision and a bit of danger as cyclists take turn after turn without rest.
The legendary concept will come to life on Friday, June 19 in an old 1920s Queens dance hall that has been holding up as a creative art space called Project Studio for the previous twenty years. It’s recently restored colorful and antique fixtures and moldings lend to the spectator-friendly and the ‘playing-where-you-don’t-belong’ vibe that Red Bull Mini Drome has become known for.
Tickets to the event are free and on a first come first serve basis. For more information, please visit minidromenyc.eventbrite.com.
Red Bull Mini Drome features the top cyclists from around the five boroughs and across the country. Including Professional Bike Messengers, accomplished fixed gear competitors and Red Bull Athletes Austin Horse (NYC) and Addison Zawada (FL).
WHEN:
Practice Day – Thursday, June 18, 2015 3PM – Midnight
Event Day – Friday, June 19, 2015 7PM – Midnight
WHERE:
Project Studio, 56-70 58th Street, Maspeth, NY 11378
Explore Brooklyn and Sell or Buy a bicycle of your dreams.
Three great events.
1st Up:
Transportation Alternatives:
11th annual Tour de Brooklyn
Date:
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Check-in Time:
20-mile ride: 8:00am
Start and Finish Location:
Beard Street and Dwight Street
Erie Basin Park
Price:
$17.50 – T.A. Members
$22.50: Non-members
The Ride:
The 2015 Tour de Brooklyn will start in beautiful Erie Basin Park, alongside IKEA Red Hook. The tour will be approximately 20 miles and will visit some of Brooklyn’s most iconic neighborhoods, including Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Flatbush, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Fort Greene, and Williamsburg. Our rest stop will be at one of Crown Heights’ crown jewels, Lincoln Terrace Park.
Riders of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate!
Then there is the Bike Jumble flea market in Redhook Brooklyn.
SUNDAY, JUNE 7, 2015
10:00AM-4:00PM
RED HOOK
The New York Bike Jumble presents The Red Hook Bike Jumble in conjunction with Transportation Alternatives’ Tour de Brooklyn. Join us at Erie Basin, by Ikea, at 1 Beard St, Red Hook, Brooklyn.
And… Bicycle Roots Bike Shop’s Second Birthday Party
Sunday, June 7, 2015 – 6:30pm to 10:30pm
– See more at: http://bikenyc.org/event/7404#sthash.WFfRlc16.dpuf
In June of 2013, Bicycle Roots celebrated its Grand Opening in Crown Heights. Since then we’ve helped you start riding, keep riding, and take your riding to the next level. We’re so grateful for the opportunity to serve you, our customers. And now we’re throwing a party to say Thanks!
Join us at 6:30pm on June 7th, 2015 for our store’s Second Birthday Party. We’ll be serving food and pouring a *limited edition beer* called Sunset Cherry Pale Ale, brewed just for us by our friend Jesse Dowell of Hungry Cat Brewery. We’ll also be holding a raffle with amazing prizes, including a Mission Workshop backpack!
What it is: Bicycle Roots Bike Shop’s Second Birthday Party
Date: Sunday, June 7th, 2015
Time: 6:30 pm – 10:30 pm
Location: Bicycle Roots is located at 609 Nostrand Avenue between Dean St. and Bergen St. in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Click here for directions.
Contact: Do you have questions about this event? Call us at (718) 668-5224 or shoot us an email at info[at]bicycleroots.com.
We hope you’ll come and help us celebrate our continued involvement in the local cycling community. See you there!
There is a great NYC classic bicycle event this Saturday in Williamsburg Brooklyn.
Part bike show, part block party…a great hang out for those who love bicycles.
The City Reliquary Proudly presents the
11th annual Bicycle Fetish Day 2015
Fellow Bicycle enthusiasts please join us this year for our 11th Annual Bicycle Fetish Day. June 6th. 2015
Bicycle collectors, bicycle builders, bicycle shops, bicycle activists, bicycle attire designers and bicycle fetishists of all sorts we want you to come and table and celebrate at Bicycle Fetish Day 2015. Set up a table to sell your wares, show off your collection and share your skills with like-minded bicycle lovers.
If you plan and selling wares and making some money then tabling is only $25
If you plan on showing off your collection hanging out and sharing your skills then tabling is FREE
bring your own table please
Who: The City Reliquary Museum and Civic Organization Bill Scanga bill@cityreliquary.org
What: Bicycle Fetish Day. A block party for your Bicycle. A day to celebrate New York City’s diverse bicycle culture
Where: Williamsburgh Brooklyn N.Y.C. Havemayer between Grand Street and Hope street.
When: Saturday June 6th 12noon – 6pm set up starts at 10am. Rain day Sunday June 22th
Why: so all of NYC Bicycle Cultures can join together and celebrate the bicycle.
![Red riding[1][298]](http://www.bikeblognyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Red-riding1298.jpg)
![blue priority kids[1][302]](http://www.bikeblognyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/blue-priority-kids1302.jpg)
