Perfect Example of What's Wrong with Cycling in America

Stop the Presses (or whatever you would say in today's world of digital media)!!!

LeBron James rode his bike from his mansion to the arena on Sunday, then (shock!) rode back home after the game! A 40 minute trip each way!

The simple fact that this is considered news is stupid. He rode a bike. Big deal. People all over the world (most of them in Amsterdam) do this on a daily basis, and the world doesn't come to a screaching halt to report it.

One thing that I did notice about the article, is they made a point to mention that he was wearing a "giant helmet". This is America, after all, where any story about a cyclist has to include wether or not they were wearing a helmet - and if they weren't, and were struck by a car, it is automatically their fault.

Let's all give a well-meaning golf clap to LeBron, and get back to our lives. Don't get me wrong, I think it is great that he rides a bike, but I don't think it qualifies as news.

Outdoor Retailer Winter Market, the Pics.

While I get some of the actual product reviews ready (waiting for the products to be reviewed to be sent, and putting the ones that I have already recieved through their paces), I thought I would bridge the gap with some pics I took at the show.

Enjoy.

New Belgium Brewery cruiser bike that was being given away. (didn't win).

"Hardly Davidson" shirt from Laid Back. Awesome!

Recycled bicycle jewelery from Velo Bling Designs. Like the twisted chain link necklace, and the earrings with QR springs and spoke nipples.

Desk clock from recycled bike parts, also from Velo Bling Designs.

Using your bike as a clothesline to dry your underwear. At the ExOfficio booth.

Tarma designs. They now offer charms for a charm bracelet.

Gate separating the employee area at the Keen Footwear booth.

Panda riding a trike graphic on a snowboard. Not sure why, but still cool.

Not bike-related, but funny as hell. Advertising above the urinals in the men's bathroom.

Bike/Tri shirts, and a cool mural from Life is Good.

Extreme yoga demonstration by the YogaSlackers before they gave away a $5000 Ellsworth mountain bike (didn't win).

The weather was mild, especially for January. There were several bikes locked up outside the Salt Palace Conference Center, including this Big Dummy.

Cool sticker I picked up at the Patagonia booth. Wish I would have grabbed more, as I've had several friends ask me where I got it.

People dressed up as the Na'vi from Avatar (i.e. Dances with Smurfs). Why? No idea.

Break Up With Your Bag

My Timbuk2 collection increased by one this past week.

Yes, I now have 3 Timbuk2 bags, an XL messenger, a Commute 1.0, and now an XS D-Lux messenger. No, I do not have a problem, and I do not need to seek help for my obsession.

The way I came to have this new bag is what makes this story post-worthy.

One of my regular stops at the Outdoor Retailer show is the Timbuk2 booth. As you can possibly tell, I'm a big fan of their products.

This time, I noticed that they were doing a promotion called "Break Up With Your Bag". How it worked was they would collect your old bag (any bag or backpack), and for a $40 donation, you would walk away with a new Timbuk2 bag. There were four different styles that you could choose from.

I asked what they were going to do with the collected bags, and was told that the bags and money were being collected for At the Crossroads, a non-profit organization in San Francisco that helps homeless youth and young adults rebuild their lives.

This is the first year that they have done this promotion, and I was told that it was a great success, they ended up raising quite a bit for At the Crossroads. (Exact figures are not available yet, I will update the post when they are.)

I encourage you to go check out At the Crossroads, and see the work that they are doing for this group that has fallen through the cracks - too old to recive help from youth agencies, don't identify as "homeless" and unlikely to approach or seek help from agencies that assist the homeless.

Outdoor Retailer: Green Label Organic

I love t-shirts.


I love bikes.


So, how do you think I feel about t-shirts with bike designs on them?


Today was day 1 at the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market Show. I walked (what felt like) many, many miles and talked to many, many companies.


My legs are tired.


One of the companies I stopped to talk to today had not one or two bicycle-themed shirts, they had a whole line for both men and women.


Green Label Organic shirts are:

• 100% Certified Organic super soft Ring Spun cotton
• Gently garment washed with eco conscious low impact dyes
• Artfully printed without the use of PVCs or other harsh chemistry
• Produced without scratchy neck tags
• Pre-shrunk
• Made in the USA, as locally as possible * Sweatshop Free * Oeko-Tex 100 Certified

And, they have some seriously great designs!

click to enlarge the images to get a better look.

The shirts are available online, or at REI. 

Let's Learn Our ABC's

found on Topeak's FB page. Would love to see this as a font!

Getting Ready for Outdoor Retailer

A stack of business cards, printed and ready to go.

Printing a Bike

I saw this link last week, and thought it was pretty amazing. Obviously, it is still a prototype, but it is still impressive.

Yes, the video is fairly long, but you can make it all the way through. I believe in you!