Don't steal bikes bro

i had to post it. I really had to. Sometimes how you feel about your bike clouds your thinking on how you feel about violence. I'm not sure about the advertising your assaults on youtube part of it but if I did see someone trying to steal my bike I would be VERY upset.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiG9jQJLig0

Reelight bike lights.

My brother and sister in-law found these and I just had to post them. The little crescent shaped things are magnets which get attached to your spokes and cause the light to turn on with each rotation (induction power....who knew?) There is no battery, no pressure on the wheel, and no need to turn them on or off. I do wish they came in a slightly sleeker design but I can put my design fetish aside to appreciate all the little problems they do solve. They cost around $40 for a pair at various online bike shops though I have yet to see them carried anywhere in NYC.

For more info go here: http://www.reelight.com/

bike porn. Velorbis Scrap Deluxe

I just really love the look of this bike. Clean and classy and it comes with things you might need like a rack, a bell, and a chainguard. I would still probably switch out those handlebars for something just a little racier but I do think this bike is a beauty.

Manhattan Bridge bike path

There is now a separate bike lane just off the Brooklyn side of the Manhattan Bridge! This allows me to skip the suicidal bus/bike lanes that go through downtown Brooklyn and go home without added stress. Officially it's called the Sands Street bike lane but I think we can abbreviate that to "smooth awesomeness." New York now has about 170 miles of painted bike lanes and the network is thankfully continuing to grow. This does not mean that bike lanes are free of opening doors, parking taxis, or Chinatown grocery carts (Im talking about the Grand St. bike lane with that last one) Apparentely putting in a bike lane and making people understand that its...you know.. for bikes is more complicated than it might seem. You would think that the little figure on the bicycle would be pretty obvious but I think some people see it as more of a creative interpretation of Man with Cart or Man Kicking Two Round Dogs.

Googling "bike lane asshole" will give you plenty more samples of what I'm talking about.

Going to war on your bike

The anti-spandex courtesy of the New York Public Library.

The wishlist. Ahearne Cycles

These are really amazing handmade bikes from Portland, Oregon. The frames start at about $1900 and the forks and racks start at about $350. What you get for all that money are some of those most unique and intricate frames out there. They have also recently designed a travel bike that is a full-size frame that comes apart to fit in a carry-on case. Check out more of their work here http://www.ahearnecycles.com/index.html

Death and Texas bike bags

I just came across this little company on etsy while looking for a handlebar bag that doesn't look like it should go hand-in-hand with spandex shorts. These bags are made from canvas, cotton, and leather and are all handmade with really nice detailing and hardware. They also make a Ulock holster in case you need it quickly accessible to lock your bike or pummel belligerent pedestrians.

These bags are available through etsy at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7428460 and at Trackstar in NYC.

bike porn

sooo beautiful.
Thanet Silverlight courtesy of http://www.theracingbicycle.com/Preservation.html

wooden bike fenders.

http://www.woodysfenders.com/store/

I have a pair of these amazing wooden fenders and they look so beautiful that I have trouble keeping my eyes on the road. As an added bonus, the pair that I got matches the Brooks honey colored saddle exactly. These are slightly heavier than aluminum fenders but I would willingly pedal just a little harder for all of that prettyness. They aren't exactly cheap but they are handmade in Oregon and you can feel good about supporting a small business while really giving in to your cracklike bicycle habit.

vintage pamphlet

An introduction

Velo City is a blog about urban cycling and bicycling in general. This is mainly a place to put my growing enthusiasm for biking and bicycles toward some sort of purpose and to share that excitement with others. The plan for this blog is to feature bikes, parts, events and images that I feel are noteworthy and to promote biking as a way to actually live your commute rather than ignore it.

I'm a designer living in Brooklyn who has somehow amassed four bikes that I can't live without. This doesn't actually stop me from shuffling through craigslist, ebay, and flickr to find that next perfect build, or from trying to figure out how to copper plate a bicycle frame in a bathtub.