Fuck Twitter, write it on the walls

Old frameset with a new face

Kids in the Hall was awesome!...

And I wish it had never ended

Chrome: Yalta, Re-visited

The Yalta from Chrome's new travel backpack line accompanied me in a trip back to the mid-west for the holidays.  It was a short trip supposed to last four days, ended up being six because of the snow "storm" on the east coast.  I originally packed the main, large compartment of the Yalta with four changes of clothing consisting of t-shirts, socks, underwear, and the usual hygiene instruments.  The side zippered compartment held a small sketch-pad, idea book, Friedrich Nietzsche's "The Anti-Christ," and American Arts Quarterly.  With all said inside, there was ample room left so a change of pants, gloves, scarf and long-sleeve shirt were added.  Philadelphia International Airport went smoothly, the Yalta fit smoothly into one of the plastic bins for x-rays, making the bag unquestionably a carry-on.  Riding coach can be a bit of a squeeze even without a carry-on sitting at your feet but the bag fit nicely under the chair's storage space.  For the travel back I grabbed some books that I had forgotten at my parents house in the move from Wisconsin and literally crammed the Yalta with as much as it could take, some large and some small.  In total, with all the clothing and newly acquired presents, I managed to get sixteen or so books to fit!  Making the bag quite heavy but still manageable.  Carrying the Yalta must have been good luck too, every time I have ever flown, the airport security has bestowed upon me the privilege of being searched but not this time!  I had many chances for them to search me, being that we had three flights cancelled and a fourth that finally flew out two days after the intended date.  We also were given a first class flight in exchange for our several cancelled seats!  Next time I travel, Chrome's Yalta is most certainly coming with me.

http://www.chromebagsstore.com/bags/packs/yalta.html

Chrome: Yalta

I recently, about two weeks ago, got the Yalta roll-top/traveling backpack from Chrome and have been quite pleased.  I picked the Yalta over the larger Brigadier bag because of the carry-on restrictions for airplanes being what it is.  The Yalta is just a hair under the size limitations, for U.S. Airways that is.  When the bag first came it seemed smaller, deep-wise, than expected but once I actually started filling the bag up I didn't think it small anymore.  Luckily, the first day that I received the Yalta in the mail I was in need of going on a beer run.  My apartment is 22 blocks from the nearest beer dispensary, not super far but none the less a decent little trip across West Philly.  I was hoping that I would be able to fit the 24 pack of Lionshead beers straight into the bag, knowing from the get-go it was a fruitless idea.  I went for 24 cans of Modelo instead.  Sadly the bag's roll-top is ever-so-slightly too small to slip the case in there.  The method which worked was just to slide them in one-by-one.  The ride back with the beers was quite comfortable!  Even with my hurt shoulder which hurts from carrying around an empty backpack felt great.  The inner-lining of the bag also acted like a cooler, keeping the condensation from the cans inside of the lining.

Like I've said, I have used this bag everyday that I have left my apartment since receiving it and I couldn't be more pleased.  A couple days of treking into center city proved to be moist ones.  The only place that absorbed a tiny bit of rain was in the front pouch, be it very little however.  Today I rode my bike (without fenders) through the first snow home and felt completely comfortable transporting my laptop in the Yalta's built-in laptop pouch.  

In a little over a week, I will be writing up another review with the reaction of plane travel and how it fares, especially with all the ultra uptight and personally invading security procedures.  

http://www.chromebagsstore.com/bags/packs/yalta.html

Motörhead! By Chrome

Kursk, re-visited

It has been a little over a month now since I began wearing Chrome's Kursk shoe and now, even more so then before, the shoes are feeling great!  I've been wearing the shoes everyday; walking through the city, riding my bike, at work standing for up to 10 hours... and they have never hurt my feet.  It has been raining a lot lately, forcing me to walk to my destinations and my feet remain dry.  The once stiff construction of the shoe has loosened up for a comfortable wear but has still maintained its structure.  Not only are the Kursks great to wear, I am constantly getting compliments.
I highly recommend the Chrome Kursk to anyone, regardless if they ride bikes or simply need a new pair of shoes!

Chrome: Kursk

I've just receive the Kursk shoes by Chrome a couple of days ago and I haven't stopped wearing them since.  Usually, I tend to be a bit leery of ordering on-line but these run pretty regular sized.  The first day they were very stiff, not unheard of, but have progressively loosened up.  The shoe so far seems to be of great construction.  The outer layer of fabric seems like it is going to hold up after much wear and tear.  My first reaction to picking the shoe up was that they are quite heavy but then remembered that is a pretty easy task from being used to slip-ons.  The rubber toe guard is great!  When pulling up on my cages, I no longer feeling my toes trying to press up and through the metal.  The extra sole, Propulsion Plate and Crash Pad Cushioned Heel, make riding through Philly seem like I've found a way to keep my feet off the pedals and still pedaling.  It was definitely a strange feeling at first to not feel the pedals at all when stepping on my bicycle, like I said, I am used to slip-ons with a worn out sole, but now I'm getting used to the feeling and its great. 

This isn't as much related to the quality of shoe but a testament to their look.  Every time I leave my house, I have gotten a compliment on my shoes!  So all-in-all, great pair of shoes so far.  As time grows longer,  and the shoes start to wear-in I will write further on my idea of the Kursk.

http://www.chromebagsstore.com/shoes/kursk.html

Probably the worst idea this guy could've had.

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/mcy/1928495453.html

Josh Juice Julius' Blatz Mobile

older set-ups

The motorcycle!

2007 XL883 Sportster

S&M rider, Mickey Marshall

Micky Marshall S&M Bikes from Eric Ballard on Vimeo.

pretty neat video

creativity!

Bikes Aren't Fun! from North of Ten on Vimeo.

Wienerstick "Chris Gefvert"

2010 North American Handmade Bicycle Show from Michael Wendell on Vimeo.

I'm just watching some videos and I can't believe what I come across, the video to the NAHBS (North American Handmade Bicycle Show) has, in the very first segment, friend Wienerstick.  I haven't seen him for quite some time now and have been thinking about taking a bike ride up to Madison on a quest to find the Stick.  Low and behold, he has shown up on a Nationwide video!  Very awesome!  I hope that you find my blog through some sort of fashion or we have yet another chance meeting very soon and are allotted more time to speak with one another.

Alex's Bike

My brother's first fixé, finally done.

                                BRUISER with her large bone joint

haha, great part with the digger

月刊現場 from MKM on Vimeo.

Bike Dancing

this kid is quite creative

my new eighthinch 1/8" track bike

pegless

S&M Chad Johnston Pegless from inTRIKat on Vimeo.

faux old school skate video

how you say 12 months in estonian, haha listen carefully

the xx

this guy has some huge hopping ability

This video is fucking NUTS

Mike King Self Filmed Edit September 09 from Mike King on Vimeo.

Thomas A. Edison

trials is gnarly

video by chris akrigg

One gear No idea from chris akrigg on Vimeo.

not. a summer edit by Kris *Lockedcog*

not. a summer edit. from Kris *lockedcog* on Vimeo.

This video is pretty terrible but funny

Schlitz Bike

My Schlitz bike minus the finished bars

The painted frame for my new bike: the "Schlitz Bike"

Bike built for Kyle

The frame is a Firenze GL 5000. I set up the gear for a single speed 48t chain ring and 20t freewheel.

ninjasonik- negative thinking about tight pants lyrics

Frank Zappa playing a bike 1963

new bike project pre-paint job

I'm excited to get my new Nishiki Prestige up and peddling. The frame is slightly smaller than I was going for but I shall live with it. I have some plans in store for a custom, original paint job that should turn out to be pretty neat! This is going to be a fixed gear and the bike I will be using to work out learning a couple tricks on.

resistance is fertile

fixed gear first

I've just finished putting together my first fixed gear bike! I haven't had much of a chance to ride it because of inclement weather but what I did get to ride on it was hella fun. The bike I set up is the blue Schwinn Continental, which still has some work left to get the frame to my aesthetic liking but is ridable. I put my first set of 700c x 23 wheels on with a 16t sprocket. Tomorrow I will take a photo to put up (it looks pretty slick).

the collection that I have been working on this summer

This is the bike that I have ridden around most of the summer for long and short rides. It is a Schwinn Varsity that I converted into a single speed. I don't have the tool to take off the cassette at the time so it will remain until I can do something about it. The frame is a bit small but it works. This bike also has a bag that I made from canvas for carrying my tools in case I get into some bike trouble. I've recently SOLD this bike.
This is a Bike that I have gotten mostly set-up but still in progress. It is a 1965 (I believe), Schwinn Continental that I've converted into a single speed. This frame suits my height a bit better than the Varsity does so once I get this into shape, it'll be my main bike I'm thinking.
This bike I made for my girlfriend Courtney. It is a girls 1973 Schwinn Varsity. I was riding a bike trail one day and found it sitting in a parking stall for a car and it appeared to have been thrown into the lake right behind where I found it. I removed the front 48T chain ring so there would be less problems as far as shifting goes but left the derailleur so she still has some options.
This bike is quite obviously in progress but it is another Schwinn Continental. I've been having some trouble removing the fork from the headset because it had been sitting out to let the weather have it's way with it and in effect rusted the two pieces together.

2/3 of painting

post-most sanding