FREAKY FRIDAY AND A DOSE OF HATERADE

It's finally Friday. The week is over and tomorrow is the much anticipated Ride the Republic in Bryan, TX. I'm going to be headed out there in the morning and getting hyped up the whole 2 hour drive.

And maybe some Haterade? Is it in you?

Yesterday when I left work, I was walking down Congress and this kid rides up onto the side walk. His feet flew off the pedals as he wasn't utilizing any foot retention system of any sorts, and then I heard it. The freewheel. Now, this wouldn't have irked me but this bike was brakeless. On top of that, it was a fairly nice bike that someone had put some money into. Leader Track frame, Sugino Messenger cranks, Velocity Wheelset, Trickster Bars (which retail around $70 I believe?) etc...



I have nothing against freewheelers or deraileurs, I just don't use them. This is not an issue of cool points, this is safety here. I've taken my fair share of gravel and shed enough blood to feed a family of vampires but I've learned how to ride brakeless, and skid.

The question was asked if this dude was a BMXer, but no. Messenger bag immediately provokes fakenger status.

Dude, please put a brake on your bike.

You don't want to end up like this:

MANIACAL MONDAY

The week has once again begun it's cycle, and everyone is back to pedaling away at their day jobs, night jobs, real jobs, schooling or slacking.

I rode into work today with my new Thrasher, and I can't say that I've ever felt so invigorated. This was my first commute to work by bike and it couldn't have gone any better.



This weekend, on Saturday will be Ride the Republic in Bryan, TX. I went last year, and almost got 2nd in the Alley Cat but I got lost and ended up in 7th. It should be bigger this year and hopefully the ramp set up for the trick jam will be different as well.

In the next few months be sure to keep your eyes open for Cog Suckerz shirts and stickers! I'll probably give away some to a few lucky supporters.

FANTASTIC FRIDAY

It's finally the end of the week.

I got a new bike today, Volume Thrasher. I still need a few more parts for it, but I'm ecstatic to have a trick frame now. My new wheel is going to be finished today at Fast Folks and then I should have the new setup ready for Ride the Republic next week in Bryan.

Tomorrow there is a cycling party at Empire, I will probably end up there in some state or another.



AND

Revoked, a video featuring Fixed Freestyle mostly on the west coast, is now up for preorders.

Get yours HERE

REVOKED SECOND TRAILER from Chris Fonseca on Vimeo.

UPCOMING EVENTS

RIDE THE REPUBLIC
Saturday, October 23
Bryan, Texas

Come out on the last saturday of Rock the Republic for a day of bike fun!

-Alley-cat race will start nid afternoon around 3 pm.
-Bike Polo tournament will start immediately after the race.
-Trick Jam will follow the polo tournament

BAGS REQUIRED FOR RACE!!!!!

live music will be playing during the trick jam from our Houston friends.

(information via Ride The Republic 2010 Facebook Event page)

AAAAAA
NNNNNN
DDDDDD




I'll probably be at both gathering more clips for the first Cog Suckerz Edit!

HATERADE: SHORT BARZ

Over the past couple of weeks, I have noticed that short barz are the hottest new trend for newcomers in the 'fixie scene' in Austin.

When I bought my first track bike, I had a pair of short cut bars, that we're quickly dismounted and replaced, for a set slightly narrower than my shoulder width. This week, I got a new pair that is slightly wider than shoulder width, and I don't think I'm ever returning to the dark side.



WHEN DID THIS UNSPOKEN CONTEST TO SEE WHO CAN RIDE WITH THE SHORTEST KNUBS ARISE?

Short bars only make your bike look somewhat 'customized.'

When riding with bars shorter than shoulder width, you are at a mechanical disadvantage when it comes to steering, climbs and hops (if that's your cup of tea).

Standing up to climb hills with short bars looks more awkward than Michael Cera farting in a room full of sex deprived sorority girls.

Now, if you think the short bars are the bee's knees in fixed freestyle, you are terribly mistaken.

Control over your bike, bunny hop heights and sliders are next to impossible on short bars. It is simply physically challenging due to the lack of leverage. Your bars may not hit your knees on bar spins, but that brings me to my next point:



650c wheels went out of style faster than the rise of Republic Bikes.

In 2008, 650c wheels could exceed $200 on eBay.

Now, you can find carbon fiber HED 650 wheels for less than $130. After 11 bids.

SO:

1) Make sure your bars are at least shoulder width
2) Don't buy 650c wheels (unless you have a pursuit bike)
3) If you want to bar spin, most frames can spin 700c wheels nowadays.

PROLLY @ FAST FOLKS

If you've been riding a track bike for more than a year, you may have heard of Prolly is not Probably.

The man himself has been in Austin this week (and I have yet to make an encounter), BUT he did a nice little write up on our very own Fast Folks Cyclery.

Check it out HERE.

CLASSY COMPONENTRY

Came across these on the web:

WOWZERZ

CROSS COUNTRY RIDING

Well, it seems some new aspiring 'filmmaker' has chosen fixed enthusiasts for the subject matter of a new upcoming 'film.'



2 REASONS WHY I CARE MORE ABOUT TAYLOR SWIFTS NEW ALBUM OVER THIS LOAD:

1) Yes, a ride from NYC to LA is pretty epic, but this teaser just leaves me dry. I've seen footage like this before, and its just shitting the same ideas into a toilet bowl of trends. The '7 friends' have no personality and come off as douche bags. This entire project would have been more interesting if they had tasks to perform along the way, or just something other than them riding and dicking around. ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

'Let's go do the same shit in 20 different states!'

2) Oh and don't you feel like you're looking into a time portal back to 2007? Yeah riding IS fun, tricks ARE fun but great videos have already been out that supercede what this guy is trying to achieve. Council of Doom. MASH SF. Macaframa. Empire. All which were filmed 'back in the day' way back in 2007/08 before a separation of 'Track Bikes' and 'Fixed Freestyle.' If this was purely a 'documentary' on the ride from NYC to LA, there would be more focus on the riding. Not so much endos, whip outs and one crank wheelies.

TOM LAMARCHE

This is how you ride fixed freestyle.

WRAHW Welcomes Tom Lamarche from WRAHW on Vimeo.

Be sure to check out WRAHW.

KEO x DVS

If you remember, Keo was one of the pioneers in the Fixed Freestyle movement.

His youtube videos from way back got me so pumped seeing his very smooth style and flow between tricks.

Well, now he has his own shoe through DVS and put out this edit to promote it.

KEO for DVS from cadence studios on Vimeo.