Things of Late

The Renegade Craft Fair came to our town recently. It's one of the only street fair type events that I ever attend. I find most of them boring. I also think paying the suggested donation is bullshit. I'm also no fan of Miller Lite and it's twin Bud, which seems to be the preferred offering at most street fairs. Alas however Renegade seems a bit different. (there is still cheap beer however).

While browsing the marketplace I noticed something completely different from last years fair. No one was selling bicycle top tube covers. NOT ONE! I ranted about this early this year. It always seemed like a dorky idea to me. Yet, last years festival had hundreds of pads to choose from. Hopefully those of you who no longer use them can recycle that inner foam or use it for it's intended purpose, covering pipes. I have some sweaty water pipe in back of the shop and would welcome your donation. Thank you Renegade for keeping pace with trends. (and giving us all, hot ladies to check out)


With that fulfilled prediction now in the record books, I'm going out on a weak limb here for my next psychic vision. THE END of COLORED DEEP-Vs!



Enough already. These have gotten way out of control. I know you say, deep is stronger and better for the street. Possibly, yes. But all these wheels to match seats and hipster sneaker colors is just tired. Sure some of the plain colors will remain, silver, black, white. But neon anything? No way. Checkered, snakeskin? Hell no! Also, if you're gonna have a front brake? Please get a machined wheel! Rubber on powdercoat does not work and looks horrid. Last year we had people coming in asking for wheels by color. Never once asking about hubs, build quality, spoke tension or thickness. Just, "do you got any yellow deep-Vs?" I've already seen ads on craigslist for guy's wanting to sell or trade one color for another. "I need to sell these cause I changed my Oury grips to blue." Silly Hipster.

These are limited edition wheels. Only 55 pairs being made. Why limited edition? Because they will be out of style before the UPS man gets them to your door. Sucka.


Oh you colored wheels, we hardly knew ye.

A friend told me this would pass

Back in '07 a friend in the bike recycle/rebuilding business, told me he thought this whole single/fixie thing had about another year before it would be out of fashion. I remember thinking then, what the fuck did he mean? What fashion? He said to me, you know all these hipsters will be on to something else. He thought they might adopt cars or motorcycles or make train riding vogue. I said, dude... you don't get it. This ain't no fad.  Some people live for this. A bike isn't just an accessory, like a fancy purse. To many of us it's freedom. Freedom from oil, from city parking Nazi's, freedom from traffic jams, freedom from car mechanics, cab drivers and some smelly bastard, who will always pick you out as the person to sit next to on the bus.  I guess a guy that builds bikes but spends most of his time in a car and on expressways, can't actually understand.

One thing I know for sure. I've met more people who have freed themselves of the slavery of car ownership, than I could have ever imagined 5 years ago. I've also been contacted by countless numbers of folks who either want a fixie or want their current bike built into one. Many of those folks, like myself, don't really fit the hipster mystique. They seem to come from all walks of life actually. Small town kids, business types, moms, young and not so young.

I've got a new name for my old friend... 

Mr. Wrong