Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Bring in your bike videos to Times up for a screening.


Every Thursday Time's Up has been having free screenings of environmental and bike related movies. Now its time for you to bring in yours.

This Thursday, May 31st. at the Time's Up space in Manhattan...49 East Houston...as if you don't know. Starts around 8:00pm



If people want to screen a short tomorrow nite, they should arrive by 6:30 to 6:45 p.m., so
we can figure out technical details and make the schedule. Bike shorts should be from
1 to 10 minutes long. DVD format would be great but we can also play from a laptop and i believe we
can even handle Hi8.

check here for calander of other fun Time's Up events.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Portland biker kicked ass at the NACCC


This in from a cool blog... Bike Portland

"Portland messengers fared well at the North American Cycle Courier Championships (NACCC) this past weekend in San Francisco.

Local track racer and messenger Zak Kovalicik took home the coveted “Fixie King” crown for having the fasted fixed gear finish in the main race. According to read Bjorn Warloe, who attended the event, it was Kovalicik’s second time as fastest fixie rider.

And it was an all-Portland final in the bike polo tournament, with the team of Mason, Drew, and C Murder taking home the top prize.

A group of Portlanders used the NACCC as an excuse for a bike tour. Reader Tom Rolf rode his fixed gear down to Rickreall, Oregon (a small, country town just west of Salem) to send them off. Check out his photos here.

Back in 2005, Portland played host to the NACCC. Check out my photo gallery of that event.


I believe Zak also won tickets to Ireland on the track. Check out cyclehawk for more details.

Lets get this started...

So we are taking a beating at Critical Mass here in NYC and we need to talk about it. Better than myspace...I found ning. This is a cool free service that allows you to build your own social network just like Myspace, only not owned by Fox mogul, Rupert Murdoch...yet. I created nyc critical mass ning as a place where like minded individuals can discuss critical mass, how to change it, what to try, what to avoid...etc.

Right now the site is private and people need to be invited to join. My goal is to build a network of people, like myspace, to specifically talk about nyc critical mass.

If you would like to be involved goto the ning site and join up.

I know this site is rough right now, but I will work on improving it.

Lets get talkin.

Sunday, June 3rd...3rd annual tour de Brooklyn


Transportation Alternatives presents the 3rd annual tour de Brookyln, a slow paced tour, through Brooklyn, NY.

more info at tour de brooklyn

Monday, May 28, 2007

San Francisco is hosting the NACCC

On the West Coast, San Francisco is home to the 2007 North American Cycle Courier Championships...no idea who won...yet.

Here are some pictures from this weekend from Flickr.

Our own Kym P. in the main race...picture found by Adam Alpren


a few pictures from the trackstands...from 100 fires
Dagga in the trackstand competition

Alex


McBomb
Hal, from Tokyo, doing skid



Here is a great blog from Kansas City Missouri... Bikeliker ...yes they have alleycats there...

They interviewed Austin about being the 2006 NACC Champion.


I'm getting the impression that the 2008 Naccc is being held in Chicago. Goto Bikeliker to vote on the logo you like best.

Another video from Carlos

From Bridge battle race and Trackstar's track events/bicycle film festival block party...

Congratulations!

There's a new biker in town...


Congratulations to Amy and Kevin "squid" Bolger on their new baby...Keiran Wolf Bolger 5lbs, 9 oz. Born 7:44am May 25th, 2007

Video from Carlos

Here is a video from Carlos of Angel's race, goldsprints, Joy Ride art show and the NYC messenger community.

Saturday, May 26, 2007

A little rushed

sorry, I was a little rushed on the latest critical mass report and didn't really put in much details.

Here is a video from Chris "teamspider" Ryan, from last nights, NYC criticalmass.

This just in...Event today.

See these happy bikers...

They are on the...

Upper Manhattan Bike Tour
Saturday, May 26th, 2007
North end of Central Park at W 110th Street and Lenox Ave. (right by the exit of the park's East Drive )
2:00 pm

Bike the upper reaches of Manhattan to learn about the recreational resources, historic landmarks, and vistas from the highlands. This Saturday's ride will highlight landmarks associated with artists, writers, poets and public figures of Harlem , such as Julia de Burgos, James Baldwin, Countee Cullen, Audre Lorde, Jacob Lawrence, Augusta Savage, and many others. Bring $ for refreshments.

Friday, May 25, 2007

Bike Month Critical Mass as advertised by the DOT

Well its coming to the end of Bike Month and what better way to celebrate it then to go the monthly bike ride, critical mass. This is where you can ride your bike in a group and get harassed by the NYPD who STILL has nothing better to do then criminalize bike riding. Tonight was no different.

About 200 people showed up, about 150 more then last months drizzly ride where we all hopped on the subway and headed downtown to avoid the cops.

This time the ride left Union Square and headed down 5th Ave. where they were surrounded by tons of cops. This month the cops officially gave out the parading without a permit ticket...Happy Bike Month.

The group split up and 50 people went to Washington Square park to reconvene, another group of about 25 went to Madison Park. Madison was surrounded by cops and people were affraid to leave.

I heard rumors that the ride linked up and a group of 50 rode without harrassment for at least an hour. More info to come.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Saturday is Bike Fetish Day.

Hosted by the City Reliquary and there will be an Alleycat Race leaving from Bicycle Fetish Day...

my flyer with cool picture from last year

Their flyer with useful information...like where Bike Fetish Day is.

Flashback...of Pirate Bikearrrrs

Chris Ryan has this video from the Saturday Bike Film Festival Bike Parade.

Arrrrrrghghghghgh!!


and from the Track Bike events... a supreme New York thing

Planning meeting for waterfront bikeway.

Eleven miles of the waterfront bikeway (from Coney Island to the Navy Yard) have been planned.

The three miles in Williamsburg & Greenpoint have not.

Come out and make it happen!

What: Greenway Planning Workshop for Greenpoint & Williamsburg
When: Thursday, May 24th, 6: 0 0 PM
Where: Brooklyn Brewery, 79 North 11th St. (L train to Bedford Ave)

THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT DEAL! According to the Community Board in Williamsburg, our community wants a passive greenway, meaning no bikes and small paths made just for walking, etc etc. If we don't speak up...that is exactly what we will get.

Come to this workshop style meeting (aka less talking, more table design work a la community charette) and get your vision for the williamsburg waterfront heard. (And then enjoy a little beer tasting at the end...ooh la la! this is my type of meeting!)

Your voice and your ideas are needed to make it happen. Register today at info@brooklyngreenway.org. . Space is limited.

Get a glimpse of the vision in this clip from the "Fifth Annual Future Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway Bike Tour"- Read about it on streetsblog

A free beer tasting will follow the workshop!

Bike Lane Liberation

Quick reminder...

TIME'S UP! BIKE LANE LIBERATION RIDE
Thursday, May 24, 2007
6:30 PM at Washington Square Park, meet near the Arch

**Clown makeup & props available at the start of the ride and at the
Time's Up! space from 5:15pm - 6:00pm

Come ride with the Bicycle Clown Brigade as we clear the bike lane for
the evening bicycle commuters so they can enjoy a safe ride in
car-free bike lanes.

Ride will end at the Time's Up! space for movie night.

Monday, May 21, 2007

make your bike shorts tight...and get them on dvd.


Time to start showing off your bike videos. Velodrome super star and filmmaker Luke Stiles is hosting bike short films.

Info from the site:

Bike Shorts is a low-key event to share whatever you've been working on with like-minded folks. It is is not a festival. We started Bike Shorts because we know there are a lot of people out there creating great stuff, and it should be easier to share and show your work. Plus, YouTube is really only good for the latest dancing baby clips, cultural nostalgia, and highlight reels . This is all about bike stuff.

So get out there, strap your camera to your head, and make some movies. You know what though? If all you're gonna do is strap your camera to your head and film you & your buddies dodging traffic, you're not going to win the $100 cash prize So be original. Be creative. Impress us.

Check the site for more info and make in your shorts.

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Events...


Friday, May 25th, 2007

Check out this event:

There is a day location--and an evening location...check the flyer.


For more info check out-
Bikes in the kitchen

Coverage of this amazing weekend.

A supreme New York Thing sent this link to a video he made of the Joy Ride Art show on Thursday.

Check it.

Bikes Rock and win fastest commute...


Transportation Alternatives put on a race to see who is the fastest commuter...

Battle for the Fastest Commute!

Cyclist Out-Commutes Straphanger and Car Service

Friday, May 18th 8:33am from Fix Cafe in Brooklyn to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan

This morning, Luci Olewinski, Nurse Practitioner at Bellevue Hospital, won Transportation Alternatives' Bike Month NYC 2007 6th Annual Commuter Race by making it from Fix Cafe on North 11th Street and Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan in 15 minutes, despite strong headwinds over the bridge. Olewinski beat subway rider Phillip Pond, by 4 minutes and Cab rider James Vincente, by 8 minutes.

Olewinski, a nurse practitioner who commutes daily to her night shifts in the Bellevue Hospital Emergency Room, reported that she was happy that her "victory proves to would-be bike commuters that getting to work by bike is fast and easy." She encouraged others to "take advantage of the good summer weather and give bike commuting a spin."

According to 2000 Census figures, New Yorkers have the longest average commute in the country, about 45 minutes. However, the average bicycle commute in New York City only takes 30 minutes.

Cycling is booming in New York City, and Mayor Bloomberg's PlaNYC long-term sustainability initiative commits to making cycling an everyday form of transportation and recreation for New Yorkers. Bicycle use is at record levels with over 120,000 daily cyclists in New York City, up from 75,000 just ten years ago. Mayor Bloomberg's goal of adding 200-miles of bike lanes by 2009 and 40-miles of greenway paths by 2010 will improve safety and encourage more New Yorkers to ride. More cycling will help achieve PlaNYC's goals of reducing global warming emissions by 30%, achieving the cleanest air of any big city in the U.S. and improving travel times -- all necessary to maintain livability now and in the coming years.

Bike Month NYC, presented by Transportation Alternatives, the NYC Department of Transportation and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene honors the bicycle as a healthy convenient, quick, quiet, clean and community-friendly form of transportation. This year's sixteenth annual celebration of cycling in New York City features over 175 events throughout all five boroughs between April 24 and June 3, culminating with the 3rd annual Tour de Brooklyn bike ride. The calendar of events is available at bike shops and online at bikemonthnyc.org.

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Pablo reviews knickers...


Pablo, who spends the majority of his day on his track bike as a NYC messenger, knows a thing or two about what feels right to wear. He reviews bike knickers for the NYtimes...

NY Times article with slideshow

Gear Test With Pablo Airaldi, Bike Messenger and Racer
Pants in a Twist? Try Some Knickers

By STEPHEN KRCMAR
Published: May 17, 2007
URBAN cyclists can’t win. Snug-fitting Lycra shorts offer a padded chamois and seams that don’t chafe, but lack style. Regular pants with rolled-up cuffs may be more fashionable but can become clammy for anything longer than a short ride.

Cycling-specific knickers can be a good compromise. These three-quarter-length pants stay clear of a rider’s bike chain and have a rear pocket to carry a U-lock. Some riders choose to wear bicycle shorts under the knickers and others don’t, even on 50-mile outings, said T. J. Flexer, an owner of Orange 20 Bikes, a Los Angeles shop that carries knickers.

“Urban cycling is no longer comprised of just bike people and messengers,” said Tim Parr, the president of Swobo, the company that first designed casual cycling knickers about a decade ago. The reasons vary, he said. Rising gas prices and the growing cachet of courier culture have more people saying, “Why don’t I just bike?”

Pablo Airaldi, a New York bike messenger training for the Cycle Messenger World Championships in August, tested knickers while delivering packages.

Friday, May 18, 2007

Bike Film Festival 07 off with a great start.

Photo by Tod Seelie:

Despite foul weather and a major band not playing the opening party...this years Bike Film Festival 07 is off to a kick ass start.

Wednesday night was a party at Studio B in Greenpoint with bands and Ines Brunn, known for her skills on a fixed gear.
Artistic Cycling...this video is not from Wednesday night.

More photos from Tod Seelie here.
More photos from Wednesday night Susan Buice

and Jenac


Here's a trailer for this years 2007 Bicycle Film Festival made by:
Some pictures from Tod a suckapants


Last night (5/17/07) was the Joy Ride art show with all works inspired by the bicycle. Lots of people took photos...here are mine...Mostly of Bicycle messengers inspired by free Pabst.

my flickr set here

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

West Coast Troubles...

Looks like San Francisco/Berkley has had some altercations with their rides.

In San Francisco, there were a couple of incidents with angy bikers

Headline from San Francisco Gate
Critical Mass pedals politely through S.F.
A SMOOTH RIDE: After last month's heated confrontation between bicyclists and a driver, participants were determined to make this month's event a more pleasant experience

Then check out this bizarre ride from Berkely's Critical Mass which was last Friday (I guess its the 2nd Friday of every Month)

Video of ride.

The driver of the minivan claims people threw bikes under his van...kind of like when demonstrators damage police equipment with their heads at demonstrations. The driver, a 70 year old man wants to negotiate better about how the pedestrians, bikers and motor vehicles can share the road. I wonder how those negotiations would go..."you bikers talk about your problems...while I run you over."

The video is really disturbing and you end up feeling bad for everyone...but the driver kind of looks like Dick Chenney and he is behind a machine that can kill people...maybe he should negotiate like our Vice President and tell people to go Fuck themselves.

Here is an article about the incident.

Mutant bike class looks for new instructor...

Wow, I was bummed out today. I got all hot and bothered about "bike culture being for sale." I thought we had another hot button topic about weather an art space could actually have classes on building mutant bicycles for more money then you could buy a bike. I thought there would be lots of fiery responses on the issues of public space and selling out. Instead a few people told me I was just whinning. What fun is that? Last time tallbikes came into question I had major newspapers calling me up and asking, "whats with these mutant bike gangs that are terrorizing the city?" It was fun pretending to be an expert on a fringe sub culture of a sub culture that barely existed, then watch how the New York Times and the Village Voice blew it all out of proportion. So I ranted and it went flat and there were no discussion about to be punk rock or not. damn. Then, right before the day was up...Sweet vindication.

The supposed teacher of this Tallbike class wrote in:

"hi. this is carlos valpeoz, the person who, i guess seems responsible for this mess. first of all i don't feel like i should justify this situation because i have nothing to do with 3rd ward anymore. i only feel compelled to write this response because since i have lived in brooklyn i have been very involved in bicycle culture. your argument, mr. green is completely valid. you elaborate mostly on exploiting bicycle culture. this class has never existed, does not exist, and will never exist...at least under my instruction. when i was dealing with 3rd ward, the purpose was not to exploit a culture which i am fully immersed in, but to offer people an opportunity to create and design at a place which seemed to not be run by business men. it was never about building tall bikes so that the affluent brooklyn scene-ster could swing their dick around. i was fooled into thinking that 3rd ward really cared about maintaining a strong community in this seemingly exploited city as opposed to just making money. i had absolutely no idea that they were still running this class. i have nothing to do with 3rd ward anymore and do no agree with their mentality, prices, and all of the above. my appologies. carlos."

Whos whinning now...

Carlos, please email me off the blog. I'd love to talk more about this and thanks for taking the time to respond.

classes on bike culture

So 3rd ward in Bushwick,
is this big art space offering space and classes. They have office space available, a wood shop and a metal shop. They have studio space for photographs or perhaps an insert stage for film and video purposes. They also offer classes...cool things like electronics for artists and introduction to MIG welding. They have passes that for $300.00 a month you can have access to all of their facilities and make the art of your dreams. Add another $150.00 and you can have a desk.

They contacted me about their new class in May called: Mutant Bicycle Mechanics and it reads something like this:


Teachers: Carlos Valpeoz & David Messinio
6 classes on Tuesdays 7-9pm
Price: $450.00 + $40.00 materials fee.
This course will introduce students to an entirely new aspect of bicycle culture. The focus is to allow the students to fully understand the mechanics of a bicycle while allowing them to build their own mutant bike out of raw steel and recycled bicycle parts (i.e. tall bikes, tricycles, chopper bikes, tandem bikes, bike carriages, etc.)
Students will be persuaded to conceptualize at home, bring in their ideas, rationalize, and create whatever is feasible in class. With the aide of introductory machining and welding processes, students will be able to use their imagination and response to raw and pre-existing material to create a form of transportation that is aesthetically sound and entirely functional. A 6 day shop pass will be included in the price of the class so that student can work on their own during the term of the class. This course is an introduction to mechanics of bicycle components, bicycle maintenance, welding and light bicycle fabrication. People with any or no experience in these areas are encouraged to attend this class.

huh? I dunno about you but this seems a little weird. I mean, I'm all for putting more bikes on the streets that are colorful and cool but sounds to me like another large whiff of "Bike Culture is for sale." How can you have a class on bike culture...Is 3rd ward going to have classes on being a squatter and dumpster diving and how to be a radical anarchist. For $450.00. You can buy a bike for cheaper but it won't be as cool and people won't think your part of some bicycle gang.

I guess instructors Carlos Valpeoz & David Messinio must be design majors in radical mutant bicycle building. I mentioned many of these points to 3rd Ward, in a length, heartfelt email that reminded them about the vandalism of Brooklyn Industries and offered advice to not to be so blantant about this kind of thing. I asked them, why can't you just have welding classes and people will build what they want.

They didn't respond...which pisses me off even more, especially because their original contact email was warm and inviting and told me if I had any questions to get back to them. They must be far to busy figuring out how to package culture into a $450.00 class.

Well folks, welcome to the future of NYC living...when all of our public space is sold off to developers and real estate moguls and all the culture makers and artists will be left with is spaces in which you have to make your art for large sums of money.

To be fair, these aren't radical prices for 6 days and lab time for welding classes but they didn't take my advice and they don't want to respond in a community sort of way so I can only assume that they are just interested in money and want to sell off our culture because its cool and sexy from all the hard work we did FOR FREE!

So, maybe bad press is good for them...they got a plug anyway...but remember you can make Tallbikes for free in the few remaining FREE spaces we have left until Bloomberg sells them off or Ratner evicts them with eminent domain.

One is the Freegans...What is Freeganism? Freeganism=living beyond capitalism. In a society of massive overconsumption, enormous quantities of usable resources go to waste. Through dumpster diving, squatting, guerilla gardening and other strategies, freegans transform waste into resources to meet real needs, allowing us to live our values of ecological sustainability, cooperation & sharing while reducing our contribution to capitalism's abuse of humans, animals and the earth.
contact the freegans about bike building by calling Janet (347) 724-6954 or email ask@freegan.info or visit Freegan website

Also, as part of Bike Month, Time's up is offering a welding workshop FOR FREE on May 27th at 49 East Houston. The class won't be enough time to complete a tallbike, but you can get time on a welder and TIMES up is always open to promote bike culture for the right price...FREE.

I will be leading a class on May 25th, 2007 called: "Critical Mass bicycle riding" Here students can learn how to avoid arrest by the police and how to freely assemble without a permit...while in the friendly classroom of the streets and a safe environment filled with 40,000 cops all on crack. Maybe they can bring their new shiny $500 tallbikes and choppers to the event. Probably won't because its cool to make bike culture but not cool to participate in it.

I am also working on some new ciriculum called: How to live in an unaffordable city and a history class on how we have lost all of our squats, community centers and free spaces so Bloomberg can get rich. Look for it soon. All classes are $500 + $150 fee for me to buy tallbikes at Walmart, made in China and promoted on MTV's new reality show...Radical Bikers gone wild.

Monday, May 14, 2007

Bicycle Film Festival Week is here

Ok it's bike month...
and now its the week of the bicycle film festival which means...
The screening of MY MOVIE...oh joy!

here is a 30 second trailer...

Thanks to: Bucky and Keep it street level for posting on their blogs.

This is part of the messenger night which is Saturday the 19th, 2007.

There are 17 short videos including the six pack attack by Luke Stiles, a documentary on Kamikaze, by Gary Beeber, and master of the helmet camera...Lucas Brunelle. Awesome.

screenings are three times: 7pm, 9pm and 11pm

Tickets and festival passes are on sale now at the bicycle film festival's website.

But this is only a small inkling of what is going down this week.

Here is the run down:

May 16th, Wednesday

Bikes Rock...opening night party/rock show.

7-10pm Free

Solar1 23rd and East River-NYC

Bands: Mates of State--Parts and Labor and Team Robespierre
then bike ride over to the Opening Night Party @
Studio B
259 Banker Street. btwn Calyer and Franklin
10-4 Free
with Gang Gang Dance and DJ's from Black Label Bicyle Club.
-------------------------------------------------------
May 17th, Thursday

Joy Ride--an art show inspired by the bicycle
Curated by Festival Director Brendt Barbur
hosted by Fountainhead Films...creator of the movie B.I.K.E.
6-12am
33 West 17th Street near 5th Ave.
Art by:

Gina of King Kog
Amy Bolger
Swoon
Michelle Gondry
Shepard Fairly
Daze
Peter Sutherland...
and many many more...
A picture from the Joy Ride art show in Tokyo...to inspire.


Then an after party...
---------------------------------
Then its movie time!! All Screenings at the Anthology Film Archives 32 2nd Ave. at 2nd Street. in Lovely Manhattan, USA

Here is Brendt warming up the crowd at last years BFF in Tokyo...

May 18th, Friday

Programs 1-3
7pm, 9pm and 11pm
Featuring the New York Premiere of Monkey Warfare

Attractive woman on bikes and SUV's on fire...what more could you want?!?!
here is a clip from Youtube


----------------------------------
May 19th, Saturday...
During the day...two Alleycats...
One is in New Haven CT...cool flyer

And here in NYC is the 3rd annual Bridge Battle...


Meanwhile Trackstar is hosting Track Bike events out front of the Bicycle FIlm Fest...


at 1pm there will be a BFF bike Parade to the Track events...the site is TBD and will be posted on the BFF website. Oh my god...bikes riding together...the apocolypse is near...oh wait...they have a permit. Whew.

There will be films screen while all this is going on at 1:30pm, 3pm and 5pm...see BFF program for complete schedule.

Then Messenger night, where you will all see TRACK KAIJU...I command you!!
----------------------------------------------

Sunday, May 20th

More movies including this one...Eat!, Sleep? Bikes!
Four friends embark on a 508 mile non-stop 46 hour bike ride through Death Valley, Ca. on fixed gear bikes...


Hope to see you all this weekend!!!
LOve

MG

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Quick article about last months critical mass



Article and photo by Jeff Siegel

Critical Mass transit for cyclists

By Jefferson Siegel

Last Friday’s Critical Mass riders made use of their wheels, ingenuity and MetroCards. After several dozen cyclists assembled in Union Square, many wearing copies of the Constitution with the words “My/Our Permit,” they quietly marched down the stairs of the Union Square subway station. There was a frenzy of MetroCard swiping as cyclists lifted their bikes over turnstiles. Transit police stopped several riders, claiming they had entered without paying the fare. Ultimately, only one cyclist was given a summons for nonpayment of fare and allowed to proceed.

They took the Downtown Lexington Avenue express train. Several got off at the Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall station, then got back on, prompting the train conductor to announce over the loudspeaker, “You got to make up your mind where you want to go.” They got off at the next stop, Fulton St.

Mounting their bikes, they pedaled down Broadway to Battery Park, up the West Side Highway and through the West and East Village. For the first time in recent memory, police did not escort or chase the ride.

The only incident occurred before the ride started when cyclist Jamie Favaro was riding up Fourth Ave. en route to Union Square. While pedaling up the bike lane, she was sideswiped by a car. Favaro said the driver lowered her window and asked, “Why aren’t you in the bike lane?” and continued without stopping. Favaro was not injured.

“It’s one of those things that happens to bikes every day,” she said.

Alleycat this weekend in NYC




Who you gonna call?

Ghostbusters Alleycat
3 person team race

start at the Firehouse at 14 North Moore Street @ Varick

Saturday, May 12th
Registration at 2pm
Race at 3pm

Prepare to be slimed!

There a new Chumpionship in town.

Ok you have the North American Cycle Courier Championships, the European Messenger Championships, the Cycle Messenger World Championships and now theres one in Brooklyn...

sounds like this one is more about fun then competition...

July 4th-8th, 2007

The The East Coast Messenger Chumpionships

ok Chump...

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Velocity 07, pictures and a video


On Sunday, May 6th was the kick off of a three city velodrome tour where bike messengers compete for tickets to the world championships in Dublin Ireland. Messengers from the East Coast came out to race on the Kissena Park Velodrome in Queens.

Congratulations to Kym Perfetto (NYC) and Peter Bradshaw (Boston) for wining first place and getting two tickets to the Ireland for the worlds in August.

Just to clear up a few things...Kym is a working NYC courier, I rode around with her on Thursday for a few runs in between teaching two spin classes at NYC Sports club...this is why she won, because if she is not riding her bike for work, she's training on her bike or teaching on her bike or just plain on her bike.

Also the picture of Team 6 racing was not taken at Sears...duh...it was taken at JCPenny.

and there will probably be a reality show about messengers soon beacuse atleast 3 production companies are trying to pitch the ideas to the networks, so hurry up and get your team together and get your pictures at Sears Portrait world.

Here are some pictures from the Velocity tour:




These photos taken by Dave August and found at flickr set

Here is a video we don't like to see of a crash between Dagga and Beth O'Brien.

I hear they were ok...here is a picture of Dagga smilin after the crash which I hope is a good sign. Riding on the track can be dangerous, so you have to wear a helmet and sometimes you crash and get right back up and buy a new helmet.


there was also an alleycat race hosted by Felipe which was a great way to get back to Brooklyn from all the way out in Flushing, near the track.

It looks like the Nations fastest courier, Austin Horse, won.


and here is a picture from the new reality show coming soon to fox..."Drunk Messenger." The guy with the bucket won the prize for best bucket on your head during an alleycat.

Saturday, May 05, 2007

Theres a new messenger team in town...

Team 6 Racing.


Kym, Dagga, Pablo, Dan, Chris and Sushaku...
They're young, they're fast and they didn't pay me to say any of this.

Look for them delivering your shit, racing alleycats or on the track!

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Big WEEKEND



Ok its the first weekend of bike month and its jam packed with events here in NYC.

First off, we got the two art shows listed below...One for Time's Up and one called-"Why I ride."

This Friday (5/4/06)

New York Bike Messenger Fund, NYBMF, is having a jump off party at 49 East Houston St. (Time's Up Space) between Mott and Mulberry Streets in Lower Manhattan.

The NYBMF, is a non profit organization dedicated to financially assist bicycle messengers who have been involved in accidents while working.

The party is from 7-10pm, there will be food and beer and films being screened of messenger related activities. I will be screening "death race 2005" and "Bridge Battle 2" so come check it out.

Friday is also the last day of the Skidface Track bike series under the BQE in Williamsburg...Starts around 8:30pm-9:00pm

here is a short video from Jason and Kyle to let you know...NYC ain't sleepin


Saturday is GOLD SPRINTS PARTY...
at Rocky's Bar in Williamsburg 351 Kent Ave. at South 5th St. 9:00pm
Photo by Ed Glazer


Sunday,

5 borough bike tour and the Velocity tour out at Kissena...

Art show celebrating the bicycle


Tonight opens an art show which celebrates the bicycle called Why I RIde, the Art of Bicycling in New York.

Here is information on the show from On NY Turf.

A great art show is opening tomorrow, and it is great because it is all about bicycling in NYC! It's the perfect way to start the summer. Why I Ride opens tomorrow and runs through June 3rd, and organizers Carol Wood and Elizabeth Stuelke say it is going to make the NYTime's Friday events list. Woot!

The show has four locations throughout the lower east side:
Lower Eastside Girls Club gallery/cafe
56 E. 1st St.

Bicycle Habitat
244 Lafayette St.

NYC Velo
64 Second Ave.

Trackstar
231B Eldridge St.

Plus a online gallery

The exhibit includes works by at least 17 artists, and the catalog has essays by more than 26 people including city councilor Rosie Mendez. Yay Rosie!

On Ny Turf has a piece which shows a timeline of Critical Mass in New York since the RNC.

see you at the show.

3 ways to support Times Up


There are 3 ways to support Times Up, NYC's favorite environmental group that tirelessly puts on tons of free rides and events throughout the year, not just during bike month.

1) give time's up volunteers a big hug and tell them you love them

2) donate money, become a member, volunteer at events...

3) go to the Time's Up Benefit Art Show, running until Saturday (May 5th) and buy some art...at very affordable prices for a gallery in Chelsea.

You could actually do all three of these things.

But running until Saturday is a great art show featuring works by: Swoon and Seth Tobocman, plus many others.

Photos are by Justin T. Shockley



The show is at:

PROTEST SPACE
511 West 20th St, Ground Fl (at 10th Ave.)
New York, NY 10011
646-734-4771



The show runs till Saturday at 6pm
Hours: Thurs.-Sat., noon-6pm and by appt.


Come, by some art, support Time's Up.

Polo, Polo and more Polo...


I just can't get enough.

here is an article from Razor apple with pictures of last weekends Eastside Polo invitational.

Here is a report back from Angelo:

"The A-Team had a long drive home, long enough to lick our wounds clean. The ESPI's in NYC, hands down the best polo tournament ever. If you missed it, you missed 14 teams battle for supremacy with some of the best ballers ever. The tourney ended up being quite the spectator event with rivalries beginning right from the start, from two teams that were slated to be in the finals together. The A-Team (Ottawa) and The Ratkillers (NYC). Then two big upsets. Both A-Team and Ratkillers lost in the semi's which put The Broad St. Bullies and The Christ Punchers in the finals. Philly vs. Philly, ya know that's going to be good. That left The A-Team and the Ratkillers to go to war for bronze.



The Christ Punchers took the whole thing. Congrats, the one team to beat the A-Team (defending champs) deserves to go all the way. In my opinion Dave from the CP deserves the MVP of the tournament. He also got the GWG.
The Broad St.Bullies took silver with a valiant effort from Zach, Cory and Adam, but it just wasn't enough.
The A-Team and Ratkillers grudge match was just that...a bruiser of a game. It went to beer point (match point) but the Ratkillers fell short despite their bush league tactics. The A-Team edged them out with their skill.

The A-Team would like to thank, All of NYC...Trackstar crew and all other key organizers. Bill for his professional officiating. Josh for his floor. Alfred for his hospitality. Hodari for being in our corner the whole weekend and to all of our fans out there, we love you.

The now North Side polo Invite, formerly the Golden Ball Tournament, will be held this Sept. in Ottawa. This is going to be our 4th annual and probably the biggest so far. More info TBA.

ESPI 2008 will be held in Ottawa, maybe a pre-event to CMWC XVI Toronto, maybe an event unto it's self, maybe an event at the worlds.
One thing is for sure the Mallets of Mayhem are hosting it.

We like to keep stats on our tournament play....

The A-Team is 25 wins and 1 loss in 3 continental tournaments, that's including round robins and finals....you better refocus your telescope Cory , the centre of the polo universe is a little bit more north.

ang"

More photo links:
Jon
clearman