How we look to others and post season crossing

So I just saw this article thanks to Barry Childress of Baltimore Spokes it is an article by the managing editor of BikePortland.org Elly Blue about Baltimore's progress toward being a bicycle friendly city. It is an interesting perspective from someone who is from what many think of as the urban cycling nirvana: Portland (cue angelic chorus).

I also wanted to make sure to shout out Jim who lives here in Baltimore, but works for Proteus Bicycles down in College Park. He is organizing a cyclocross race down in College Park, MD at another bike shop that will go unnamed (alright, it's proteus) and it looks to be a real nice event. So for all of you who just haven't gotten all the suffering out of your system this cross season, this race is the equivilant of that one last hit of cocaine/heroin/marijuana/caffine/jenkem or whathave you before shipping off to the Amy Winehouse Memorial treatment center.

I am not going to be able to go, I am going to be sitting here working. But I wish the organizers and participants well and that the event goes off well.

Alright you cats, get out there and ride in this awful slosh.

Commuting to work today

I saw this video this morning on the Drunk Cyclist blog, and I think it is how most people feel if they commuted to work down the hill today.




Mud Wrestling Downhill Mountain Bike Racers- What A MESS!!! (and - video powered by Metacafe


I didn't actually take a spill this morning, but I was riding so slow that I was going backwards for a minute there. It was weird, I think that the earth's rotation was messing me up.

Makes a guy want to invest in Nokian Tires.

Another Used Bike

This is a recent used bike added to our line up.  We've had a few go out the door since the last post, but we've kept up to date on saying what has sold.  Check out the other used bikes HERE...

Bianchi Pista Fixed Gear - 55cm

Bianchi Pista fixed gear in a 55cm frame size.   Color is Bianchi gang green.  Bike has a brand new, never ridden wheelset with a fix/free flip flop rear hub.  Comes with bull horn bars and equipped with a front brake and bar end lever.  White Turbo saddle.  MKS pedals and toe clips with brand new leather straps.  Gatorskin tires with plenty of life left in them.  Bike is in fantastic shape and is in 100% working order.  Come on by and check it out in person.

$400.

New New Bikes in stock

We are thrilled to announce that we have just received a mess of bikes from our newest brand : Jamis Bikes.

We have mountain, hybrid, road, touring, cyclocross, commuting, and kids bikes in stock.

We will put up pictures and more thoughts soon.

Everything old is new again

Did you know there was an American Bicycle industry?

And that it featured unionized workers?


from:
http://books.google.com/books?id=Q8EUAAAAYAAJ&dq=machinists%20bicycle%20union&lr=&pg=PA308&ci=49,795,938,661&source=bookclip

strikebreakers union

As you may or may not know, we here at Baltimore Bicycle Works are fans of organized labor.

The weekend, 40 hour weeks, an end to child labor. All good stuff in my book.

I just saw this on the internet. I believe it comes from one of Micheal Moore's TV shows. Either way, it is pretty funny.




Update: On the subject of collective bargaining and worker's organization, I just saw this piece on someone else's blog. It is about the US Air Hudson River landing and rescue. It raises an point that all of the 24 hour media that has been covering this story from every angle failed to bring up. All of the heroes of this story are union members.

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/01/16/this-miracle-brought-to-you-by-americas-unions/

Alex got us fresh T's and other shop news

Attention Baltimore cyclists and T-shirt wearers.

We have gotten our T's back into stock. They also come in white. At only $10, you can't afford not to buy one. Come in and pick one up, and rep us hard ... most likely under 8-10 other layers of clothing. It's cold out.



So cold, you might want to pick up a Swobo wool beanie. It had ear flaps to protect those little hearing units.




In other exciting BBW news, we have upgraded our chess set in the shop. So if you have a free hour (we don't play with a clock ... yet) come by and beat me in chess. Then buy a tube so I don't feel too bad.




That is me blogging it up in the background. And in the foreground it is our freewheel tool rook ... we lost a piece in transit. Too bad we didn't loose a king because crank pullers are very regal.

When I see all of you commuting hard women and men still churning those pedals past our storefront when the mercury dips below sensible, It warms my heart. Which is nice because the shop is expensive to heat. It also makes me think that what a great bike the SWOBO Dixon could be for you all. Understated style, huge tires clearance, disc brakes, and the SRAM internal geared 9sp hub. This bike is the ultimate all weather commuting machine.

.