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DailyBicycle.com by Oliver Carbonell Quick Q&A with Ryan McFarland of Strider Sports I had orginally written about the benefits of a balance bike versus a traditional pedal bike on this blog 4 months ago (scroll down to view that article). Since then, Ryan McFarland, the “Founder and Chief Enthusiast” of Strider Sports, manufacturer’s of the Strider PREbike, has chimed in with his take on the two types of 2 wheeled vehicles. I did a Quick Q&A with Ryan and here is what he had to say. DailyBicycle: So let’s get right to it. What’s a Strider PREbike? Ryan McFarland: The Strider PREbike is a no-pedal bike designed specifically for really small riders. Our goal is to educate parents about the Strider while the child is 12-18 months old so the bike can be purchased and introduced while the child is 18-24 months old. Children develop rapidly between 2 and 3 years old and their riding stills will develop just as rapidly. From 3-4 years old, the kids really start exploring the limits of riding; riding obstacles and challenging terrain, starting to use the footrests to ride while standing up, learning to shift weight while riding standing, hop both front and rear wheels while gliding, etc. By 4 years old, kids are usually starting to ride a pedal bike but will likely ride both the Strider and the pedal bike for about a year. The pedal bike is fun for the child when going a distance on a relatively smooth, level surface but little kids don’t have the strength to ride a pedal bike off-road at that young age due to the gearing and weight of the pedal bike. The Strider, however, is under their total command at this point since it is so light and simple. This allows the children a much higher ‘fun factor’ on the Strider. Let’s face it, if we had to ride our mountain bikes around in a flat parking lot, we’d get pretty bored in a short time. The passion for riding comes from the never ending fun and challenge found by riding new and varying terrain. The beautiful thing is that every moment spent on a Strider is building a skill that will eventually be used on a pedal bike or eventually a mountain bike or dirtbike. DailyBicycle: What are the advantages of a Strider PREbike versus a pedal bike? Can’t people just remove the pedals, training wheels and adjust the saddle height on a regular bike to make it ‘act’ like a PREbike? Ryan McFarland: An older child that hasn’t learned to ride at age 5+ can use a pedal bike that has been converted. It is by far the best way to quickly, easily, and safely learn to ride. However, for a really small rider that has an inseam of maybe 12”-13” can’t learn by doing this. The lowest saddle height on a 12” pedal bike is typically about 15”-16” off the ground. Put a toddler on that bike and their feet will be dangling in the air. This is the big misconception. The theory is correct but the actual fit makes it an impossibility. The other MAJOR consideration is the weight. The converted 12” bike is about double the weight of a Strider. Striders weigh less than 7 pounds. A 2 year old is only about 25 pounds, some even lighter. A 15 pound converted bike that is too tall will not work and could possibly backfire by intimidating or scaring the child. If you want to get a child a big headstart and really fall in love with riding, you have to give them the bike that truly fits them the best. Super lightweight, really low saddle, super simple design. This is what allows the child to feel in control. Control builds confidence. Confidence encourages exploration of the new found mobility. DailyBicycle: What compelled you to design and build the first PREbike? Ryan McFarland: I’ve always loved riding dirtbikes, mountain bikes and street bikes. When I had my son, I was excited to share my passion with him. When he as 2 years old, I had various ride-on toy; a tricycle, a pedal bike with training wheels, even had a Yamaha 50cc with training wheels. What I learned from witnessing his interaction with all of these items is that they were WAY too big for him and WAY too heavy for him to control. I started stripping down his pedal bike and removing every non-essential item. This led me to really consider what is most important. I came to realize that pedaling is not riding a bike. Pedaling is simply a means of propulsion. Balancing, steering, and leaning is the essence of riding. If pedaling was the definition of riding then a bicycle going down a hill would not be riding. We know this is not true. Riding is balancing, steering and leaning a two wheeled vehicle in motion. The propulsion can be gravity, pedals, throttle, striding motion, whatever is most efficient. For a 12”-14” leg of a toddler, the striding motion is actually the most natural and most efficient. Once I came to terms with this, then the ‘stripping’ of the original pedal bike really took off. Stripping the drivetrain and the upper frame tubes allowed the seat to drop and shaved major weight. When I gave this bike to my son, he took to it immediately. He finally had a properly fitting bike and it showed in the way he could ‘man-handle’ it around and ride it off-road. His abilities far surpassed my expectations. A real an eye-opener. Kids are capable of MUCH more than we give them credit for.We’ve just not given them the right tool for the job until now. DailyBicycle: Thanks Ryan! Here’s an interesting link that Ryan shared with us. It’s coverage of the first ever National Strider Cup… too cute! http://www.stridercup.com/ Copyright 2011 DailyBicycle

DailyBicycle.com

by Oliver Carbonell

Quick Q&A with Ryan McFarland of Strider Sports

I had orginally written about the benefits of a balance bike versus a traditional pedal bike on this blog 4 months ago (scroll down to view that article). Since then, Ryan McFarland, the “Founder and Chief Enthusiast” of Strider Sports, manufacturer’s of the Strider PREbike, has chimed in with his take on the two types of 2 wheeled vehicles. I did a Quick Q&A with Ryan and here is what he had to say.

DailyBicycle: So let’s get right to it. What’s a Strider PREbike?

Ryan McFarland: The Strider PREbike is a no-pedal bike designed specifically for really small riders. Our goal is to educate parents about the Strider while the child is 12-18 months old so the bike can be purchased and introduced while the child is 18-24 months old. Children develop rapidly between 2 and 3 years old and their riding stills will develop just as rapidly. From 3-4 years old, the kids really start exploring the limits of riding; riding obstacles and challenging terrain, starting to use the footrests to ride while standing up, learning to shift weight while riding standing, hop both front and rear wheels while gliding, etc. By 4 years old, kids are usually starting to ride a pedal bike but will likely ride both the Strider and the pedal bike for about a year. The pedal bike is fun for the child when going a distance on a relatively smooth, level surface but little kids don’t have the strength to ride a pedal bike off-road at that young age due to the gearing and weight of the pedal bike. The Strider, however, is under their total command at this point since it is so light and simple. This allows the children a much higher ‘fun factor’ on the Strider. Let’s face it, if we had to ride our mountain bikes around in a flat parking lot, we’d get pretty bored in a short time. The passion for riding comes from the never ending fun and challenge found by riding new and varying terrain. The beautiful thing is that every moment spent on a Strider is building a skill that will eventually be used on a pedal bike or eventually a mountain bike or dirtbike.

DailyBicycle: What are the advantages of a Strider PREbike versus a pedal bike? Can’t people just remove the pedals, training wheels and adjust the saddle height on a regular bike to make it ‘act’ like a PREbike?

Ryan McFarland: An older child that hasn’t learned to ride at age 5+ can use a pedal bike that has been converted. It is by far the best way to quickly, easily, and safely learn to ride. However, for a really small rider that has an inseam of maybe 12”-13” can’t learn by doing this. The lowest saddle height on a 12” pedal bike is typically about 15”-16” off the ground. Put a toddler on that bike and their feet will be dangling in the air. This is the big misconception. The theory is correct but the actual fit makes it an impossibility. The other MAJOR consideration is the weight. The converted 12” bike is about double the weight of a Strider. Striders weigh less than 7 pounds. A 2 year old is only about 25 pounds, some even lighter. A 15 pound converted bike that is too tall will not work and could possibly backfire by intimidating or scaring the child. If you want to get a child a big headstart and really fall in love with riding, you have to give them the bike that truly fits them the best. Super lightweight, really low saddle, super simple design. This is what allows the child to feel in control. Control builds confidence. Confidence encourages exploration of the new found mobility.

DailyBicycle: What compelled you to design and build the first PREbike?

Ryan McFarland: I’ve always loved riding dirtbikes, mountain bikes and street bikes. When I had my son, I was excited to share my passion with him. When he as 2 years old, I had various ride-on toy; a tricycle, a pedal bike with training wheels, even had a Yamaha 50cc with training wheels. What I learned from witnessing his interaction with all of these items is that they were WAY too big for him and WAY too heavy for him to control. I started stripping down his pedal bike and removing every non-essential item. This led me to really consider what is most important. I came to realize that pedaling is not riding a bike. Pedaling is simply a means of propulsion. Balancing, steering, and leaning is the essence of riding. If pedaling was the definition of riding then a bicycle going down a hill would not be riding. We know this is not true. Riding is balancing, steering and leaning a two wheeled vehicle in motion. The propulsion can be gravity, pedals, throttle, striding motion, whatever is most efficient. For a 12”-14” leg of a toddler, the striding motion is actually the most natural and most efficient. Once I came to terms with this, then the ‘stripping’ of the original pedal bike really took off. Stripping the drivetrain and the upper frame tubes allowed the seat to drop and shaved major weight. When I gave this bike to my son, he took to it immediately. He finally had a properly fitting bike and it showed in the way he could ‘man-handle’ it around and ride it off-road. His abilities far surpassed my expectations. A real an eye-opener. Kids are capable of MUCH more than we give them credit for.We’ve just not given them the right tool for the job until now.

DailyBicycle: Thanks Ryan!

Here’s an interesting link that Ryan shared with us. It’s coverage of the first ever National Strider Cup… too cute! http://www.stridercup.com/

Copyright 2011 DailyBicycle

Posted 11 months ago
1 note
Tagged: balance bike, strider bike, kids bike, bicycle, teaching kids to ride a bike, prebike, running bike, .
DailyBicycle.com by Oliver Carbonell Should you start those kids off on a balance bike or a regular bike? As more consumers find out about balance bikes through news articles or at bike shops, I’ve been getting more questions from parents about whether or not they should be starting their kids riding on this style of bike. The other option, typically the obvious choice,  is to get a child started on a traditional pedal bike. Let’s talk about the advantages of both and in the process hopefully clear-up any confusion about the choice itself. Before we go further, let’s define the two types of bikes we’ll be discussing here. Pedal bike – Refers to the traditional bicycle that most people today learned to ride as kids. It generally consists of a frame, 2 wheels, handlebar, seat, brakes, cranks, pedals, chain and gears. They are propelled by a pedaling motion. Balance bike – These bikes look like a pedal bike, however, the key differences are they don’t have cranks, pedals, chain and gears. Some have a foot rest that provides the rider a place to rest their feet as they coast. They are propelled by a walking or running motion as the rider is seated on the saddle. As the young rider becomes more comfortable on the balance bike, they often begin to ‘run’ or even coast down hills on them. The are typically for children between the ages of 2 and 5. Based on my own research and observations, a balance bike is an excellent precursor to a pedal bike. In fact, it’s the way many people are taught to ride a bicycle these days. The popular New York City cycling organization, Bike New York, uses the ‘balance first’ method to teach people of all ages to ride a bike. This method instructs the student to learn to balance a bike first before learning to pedal it. To do so, instructors remove the bike’s pedals and training wheels (if a student’s bike has them) and adjusts the saddle height just enough so the rider can place their feet flat on the ground while seated. What the rider ends up with is something that resembles a balance bike. It’s not exactly a balance bike (as defined above) because the bike will still have its cranks, chain and gears installed. But a student will be able to sit on the bike and just walk with it underneath them, like on a balance bike. Back to the balance bike. After a child has learned to balance him or herself on a balance bike, learning to ride a pedal bike becomes much easier. Actually, much of the learning can be done on a balance bike because as the rider learns to balance, he or she will also learn to brake and steer the bike too. All the while, the rider  will develop the balance, coordination, stamina and confidence necessary to learn to pedal a bike. There’s another way to think about balance bikes. While they are an excellent start to eventually pedaling a bike, they can also be seen as another type of self-propelled vehicle that can live side by side with any other type of ride-on vehicle. Think of them in terms of bicycles versus tricycles versus pogo sticks versus skateboards versus balance bikes. Each vehicle is different than the others and are appreciated for their own unique traits. Without the cranks, pedals and gears of a pedal bike, there is no pressure on the child to learn to pedal it. The student propels forward by walking and running while seated on the bike. These differences make the experience different than if they were on a pedal bike. Children enjoy the balance bike for what it is. I’ve seen kids on city streets, playgrounds and campsites who looked completely happy and content just getting around on their balance bikes. Some even seek out small hills just for the thrill of the speed they gain while coasting down them. More advanced riders do tricks on them… and these are kids typically under the age of 5! Kids can easily stop or slow the balance bike by placing their feet on the ground or applying brakes (some models include hand brakes). Now let’s shift our focus to the traditional pedal bike. It’s a beautiful and higly efficient vehicle and most people desire to know how to ride one. While learning to pedal a bike can be a challenging endeavor, once learned, a child can self-propel themselves very efficiently and have a great time while doing it. Riding a bike gives them a sense of freedom and exhiliration that is unmatched by any other type of self-propelled vehicle. Yet they are versatile too. As mentioned earlier, a pedal bike can also be made to function like a balance bike by removing the pedals, training wheels and adjusting the saddle height. While doing this doesn’t turn a pedal bike into an ideal balance bike, it can transform the bike just enough to make it a viable ‘learning tool’ for balance, coordination, stamina and confidence. This article would be incomplete without considering costs. A balance bike is typically much more expensive than a pedal bike, therefore, the economical route is to go with a pedal bike. If cost is an issue, then the decision is easier as the pedal bike is the likely candidate. However, if cost isn’t an issue, there are a couple of factors to consider. The first is what experience do you want to provide to the child? Remember, a balance bike isn’t necessarily a precursor to a pedal bike, but a vehicle that can stand on its own merits. A child can have as much fun on a balance bike as on a pedal bike. If the intent is to provide the child with the experiences inherent in balance bikes, then this type of bike makes sense. An added benefit is it’s a natural segue to eventually pedaling a bike. Another consideration is how you want your child to learn to ride a bike. If you want them to learn in a no-pressure, gradual yet fun way that builds their balance, coordination, endurance and confidence, then a balance bike again makes sense. But if you want them to learn to ride a pedal bike quickly without the balance bike as a precursor, then a pedal bike might be your choice. Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

DailyBicycle.com

by Oliver Carbonell

Should you start those kids off on a balance bike or a regular bike? As more consumers find out about balance bikes through news articles or at bike shops, I’ve been getting more questions from parents about whether or not they should be starting their kids riding on this style of bike. The other option, typically the obvious choice,  is to get a child started on a traditional pedal bike. Let’s talk about the advantages of both and in the process hopefully clear-up any confusion about the choice itself.

Before we go further, let’s define the two types of bikes we’ll be discussing here.

Pedal bike – Refers to the traditional bicycle that most people today learned to ride as kids. It generally consists of a frame, 2 wheels, handlebar, seat, brakes, cranks, pedals, chain and gears. They are propelled by a pedaling motion.

Balance bike – These bikes look like a pedal bike, however, the key differences are they don’t have cranks, pedals, chain and gears. Some have a foot rest that provides the rider a place to rest their feet as they coast. They are propelled by a walking or running motion as the rider is seated on the saddle. As the young rider becomes more comfortable on the balance bike, they often begin to ‘run’ or even coast down hills on them. The are typically for children between the ages of 2 and 5.

Based on my own research and observations, a balance bike is an excellent precursor to a pedal bike. In fact, it’s the way many people are taught to ride a bicycle these days. The popular New York City cycling organization, Bike New York, uses the ‘balance first’ method to teach people of all ages to ride a bike. This method instructs the student to learn to balance a bike first before learning to pedal it. To do so, instructors remove the bike’s pedals and training wheels (if a student’s bike has them) and adjusts the saddle height just enough so the rider can place their feet flat on the ground while seated. What the rider ends up with is something that resembles a balance bike. It’s not exactly a balance bike (as defined above) because the bike will still have its cranks, chain and gears installed. But a student will be able to sit on the bike and just walk with it underneath them, like on a balance bike.

Back to the balance bike. After a child has learned to balance him or herself on a balance bike, learning to ride a pedal bike becomes much easier. Actually, much of the learning can be done on a balance bike because as the rider learns to balance, he or she will also learn to brake and steer the bike too. All the while, the rider  will develop the balance, coordination, stamina and confidence necessary to learn to pedal a bike.

There’s another way to think about balance bikes. While they are an excellent start to eventually pedaling a bike, they can also be seen as another type of self-propelled vehicle that can live side by side with any other type of ride-on vehicle. Think of them in terms of bicycles versus tricycles versus pogo sticks versus skateboards versus balance bikes. Each vehicle is different than the others and are appreciated for their own unique traits. Without the cranks, pedals and gears of a pedal bike, there is no pressure on the child to learn to pedal it. The student propels forward by walking and running while seated on the bike. These differences make the experience different than if they were on a pedal bike. Children enjoy the balance bike for what it is. I’ve seen kids on city streets, playgrounds and campsites who looked completely happy and content just getting around on their balance bikes. Some even seek out small hills just for the thrill of the speed they gain while coasting down them. More advanced riders do tricks on them… and these are kids typically under the age of 5! Kids can easily stop or slow the balance bike by placing their feet on the ground or applying brakes (some models include hand brakes).

Now let’s shift our focus to the traditional pedal bike. It’s a beautiful and higly efficient vehicle and most people desire to know how to ride one. While learning to pedal a bike can be a challenging endeavor, once learned, a child can self-propel themselves very efficiently and have a great time while doing it. Riding a bike gives them a sense of freedom and exhiliration that is unmatched by any other type of self-propelled vehicle. Yet they are versatile too. As mentioned earlier, a pedal bike can also be made to function like a balance bike by removing the pedals, training wheels and adjusting the saddle height. While doing this doesn’t turn a pedal bike into an ideal balance bike, it can transform the bike just enough to make it a viable ‘learning tool’ for balance, coordination, stamina and confidence.

This article would be incomplete without considering costs. A balance bike is typically much more expensive than a pedal bike, therefore, the economical route is to go with a pedal bike. If cost is an issue, then the decision is easier as the pedal bike is the likely candidate. However, if cost isn’t an issue, there are a couple of factors to consider. The first is what experience do you want to provide to the child? Remember, a balance bike isn’t necessarily a precursor to a pedal bike, but a vehicle that can stand on its own merits. A child can have as much fun on a balance bike as on a pedal bike. If the intent is to provide the child with the experiences inherent in balance bikes, then this type of bike makes sense. An added benefit is it’s a natural segue to eventually pedaling a bike. Another consideration is how you want your child to learn to ride a bike. If you want them to learn in a no-pressure, gradual yet fun way that builds their balance, coordination, endurance and confidence, then a balance bike again makes sense. But if you want them to learn to ride a pedal bike quickly without the balance bike as a precursor, then a pedal bike might be your choice.

Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

Posted 1 year ago
Tagged: balance bike, strider bike, kids bike, bicycle, teaching kids to ride a bike, prebike, running bike, .
DailyBicycle.com by Oliver Carbonell Quick Q&A with Mike Ferentino of Santa Cruz Bicycles / Swobo Have you ever heard of Swobo? The urban bike/clothing brand has actually been around since the early 1990’s and has been brought back to life in recent years with a strong line of clothing and city bikes. It’s an interesting company and I wanted to learn more about it. Mike Ferentino of Swobo was gracious enough to do a Quick Q&A with the DailyBicycle, getting at the heart of what Swobo means, from his insider’s perspective.   DailyBicycle: First of all, for readers who aren’t familiar with the rather hip and growing Swobo brand, give us your elevator pitch on Swobo. What defines the brand? Mike Ferentino: Probably the easiest way to define Swobo would be “bikes, wool, ethically sound and environmentally conscious thinking, and a sense of humor.” Basically, we make clothes out of merino wool or wool blends from New Zealand, as well as clothes out of organic cotton, have much of it stitched up right here in the SF bay area, and we have a line of bikes aimed squarely at the “sensible urban transportation” target.DailyBicycle: Living in New York City, I see more and more people commuting to work by bike. The city’s cycling infrastructure continually improves and that’s part of the reason for the boom. On a national scale, are you seeing growth in the city/commuter bike segment?Mike Ferentino: Yes, but it’s probably premature to say that the velorution is just around the corner. There are hot spot communities, for sure, where bikes have taken hold, and the idea of bike transportation has been embraced and incorporated into a broader cultural context. But much of the country is still auto-dominated and auto-dependent, and it’s gonna be a while before we start seeing big change across the whole country. If we ever do. Of course, spike gas prices up a few bucks a gallon while wages stay where they are and job markets don’t grow, and who knows? We might even see bikes taking over the rust belt cities and the entire population of Atlanta in that case…DailyBicycle: What did Swobo announce at the recently held Interbike show?Mike Ferentino: Announce? We plied people with liquor, gave away belt buckles, and had a few really good derbies in the booth. Oh, and we showed off some new clothes, and quietly introduced a couple new bikes which should be starting to show up for sale right about now on our website. But we didn’t really announce anything in a formal sense. That seems kind of a “power tie” thing to do. We don’t have power ties.DailyBicycle: Wool has made a come back over the past few years… it seems what was old school has come back to become the new cool thing. Talk to us about Swobo’s effort to promote wool.Mike Ferentino: Wool kicks ass. It always has, with regard to how it performs as a fabric - how it insulates, how it breathes, how it wicks, how it regulates temperature. Even back in the bad old days when wool was itchy and coarse and prone to shrinking the moment you even threatened to wash it, wool could stand toe to toe with the very best synthetic “technical” fabrics and in most criteria outperform them.Meanwhile, over the past decade or so, there has been a lot of energy quietlyinvested in making it better at the textile end of things. So we have access now towool fabric that is incredibly fine in its weave, very lightweight, almost silky interms of comfort, and it can handle far more abuse in terms of care than wool wasgenerally acknowledged to be able to handle in the old days. It is a far moresophisticated fabric now than it was twenty, even ten years ago. AND, it’s arenewable resource. Sheep keep on growing new crops right on their very backs. There was a company down in New Zealand that made wool bike clothes a few years ago, and their motto was - “Made from sunshine and grass.”That’s an ethic that comes across almost as a tossaway one liner, but it bears some really deep consideration. Wool is a renewable resource. It isn’t a plastic, itwon’t last forever in a landfill, it didn’t start out as crude oil. More and more,as we face some pretty heavy changes that will come our way on this planet and with regard to our civilization, these are going to be choices that take on more and more weight. Being stylish is all well and good, and if wool tugs at some retroheartstrings, fine. But on a deeper level, if and when you pause to consider thechoices you make as a consumer, wool is a sane choice.We run Swobo with a pretty nonchalant sense of humor, because getting heavy about this - beating people with the environmental doom stick - probably turns people off more than it inspires them, but not far beneath our glib jokester skins, we really care about this shit. How we choose to act during our time on this planet, even if each of us are just one in six and a half billion or so, each of our choices, each of our actions, carries some weight. Pay attention, folks. DailyBicycle: Thanks Mike! Check out the goods at www.swobo.com Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

DailyBicycle.com

by Oliver Carbonell

Quick Q&A with Mike Ferentino of Santa Cruz Bicycles / Swobo

Have you ever heard of Swobo? The urban bike/clothing brand has actually been around since the early 1990’s and has been brought back to life in recent years with a strong line of clothing and city bikes. It’s an interesting company and I wanted to learn more about it. Mike Ferentino of Swobo was gracious enough to do a Quick Q&A with the DailyBicycle, getting at the heart of what Swobo means, from his insider’s perspective.  

DailyBicycle: First of all, for readers who aren’t familiar with the rather hip and growing Swobo brand, give us your elevator pitch on Swobo. What defines the brand?

Mike Ferentino: Probably the easiest way to define Swobo would be “bikes, wool, ethically sound and environmentally conscious thinking, and a sense of humor.” Basically, we make clothes out of merino wool or wool blends from New Zealand, as well as clothes out of organic cotton, have much of it stitched up right here in the SF bay area, and we have a line of bikes aimed squarely at the “sensible urban transportation” target.

DailyBicycle: Living in New York City, I see more and more people commuting to work by bike. The city’s cycling infrastructure continually improves and that’s part of the reason for the boom. On a national scale, are you seeing growth in the city/commuter bike segment?

Mike Ferentino: Yes, but it’s probably premature to say that the velorution is just around the corner. There are hot spot communities, for sure, where bikes have taken hold, and the idea of bike transportation has been embraced and incorporated into a broader cultural context. But much of the country is still auto-dominated and auto-dependent, and it’s gonna be a while before we start seeing big change across the whole country. If we ever do. Of course, spike gas prices up a few bucks a gallon while wages stay where they are and job markets don’t grow, and who knows? We might even see bikes taking over the rust belt cities and the entire population of Atlanta in that case…

DailyBicycle: What did Swobo announce at the recently held Interbike show?

Mike Ferentino: Announce? We plied people with liquor, gave away belt buckles, and had a few really good derbies in the booth. Oh, and we showed off some new clothes, and quietly introduced a couple new bikes which should be starting to show up for sale right about now on our website. But we didn’t really announce anything in a formal sense. That seems kind of a “power tie” thing to do. We don’t have power ties.

DailyBicycle: Wool has made a come back over the past few years… it seems what was old school has come back to become the new cool thing. Talk to us about Swobo’s effort to promote wool.

Mike Ferentino: Wool kicks ass. It always has, with regard to how it performs as a fabric - how it insulates, how it breathes, how it wicks, how it regulates temperature. Even back in the bad old days when wool was itchy and coarse and prone to shrinking the moment you even threatened to wash it, wool could stand toe to toe with the very best synthetic “technical” fabrics and in most criteria outperform them.

Meanwhile, over the past decade or so, there has been a lot of energy quietly
invested in making it better at the textile end of things. So we have access now to
wool fabric that is incredibly fine in its weave, very lightweight, almost silky in
terms of comfort, and it can handle far more abuse in terms of care than wool was
generally acknowledged to be able to handle in the old days. It is a far more
sophisticated fabric now than it was twenty, even ten years ago. AND, it’s a
renewable resource. Sheep keep on growing new crops right on their very backs. There was a company down in New Zealand that made wool bike clothes a few years ago, and their motto was - “Made from sunshine and grass.”

That’s an ethic that comes across almost as a tossaway one liner, but it bears some really deep consideration. Wool is a renewable resource. It isn’t a plastic, it
won’t last forever in a landfill, it didn’t start out as crude oil. More and more,
as we face some pretty heavy changes that will come our way on this planet and with regard to our civilization, these are going to be choices that take on more and more weight. Being stylish is all well and good, and if wool tugs at some retro
heartstrings, fine. But on a deeper level, if and when you pause to consider the
choices you make as a consumer, wool is a sane choice.

We run Swobo with a pretty nonchalant sense of humor, because getting heavy about this - beating people with the environmental doom stick - probably turns people off more than it inspires them, but not far beneath our glib jokester skins, we really care about this shit. How we choose to act during our time on this planet, even if each of us are just one in six and a half billion or so, each of our choices, each of our actions, carries some weight. Pay attention, folks.

DailyBicycle: Thanks Mike!

Check out the goods at www.swobo.com

Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

Posted 1 year ago
1 note
Tagged: swobo, bike, bicycle, cycling, bicycling, cycling clothing, .
DailyBicycle.com by Oliver Carbonell Quick Q&A with Jenny Kallista of the Appalachian Bicycle Institute Ever hear of bicycle mechanics training schools like United Bicycle Institute and Barnett Bicycle Institute? Bike shop mechanics and cycling enthusiasts can enroll in these schools, located in Oregon and Colorado, respectively, to learn just about all things relating to bicycles and the business of bikes. While the above mentioned institutions have been around a while and have a good reputation among those in the cycling industry, those of you looking to get trained on bike mechanics now have another option. An enterprising bike shop mechanic by the name of Jenny Kallista has founded the Appalachian Bicycle Institute (ABI), located in the scenic and ride-rich Asheville, NC. DailyBicycle caught up with Jenny for a Quick Q&A. Here’s what she has to say about her new venture… DailyBicycle: Tell us a little about your history with bicycles. Jenny Kallista: I had a dream one morning when I was four, that I was ripping around on my sister’s new Schwinn, and I woke up with a most incredible feeling! I jumped out of bed, ran to my parents and exclaimed that because of this dream, I knew I could ride a bike! Despite the fact that I had not yet ridden a two-wheeler (I loved my tricycle!), I was sure that I could, because my dream was so vivid and felt so real. After breakfast, I went out to my sister’s bike, and began my attempts (contrary to the certainty I had, I could not ride!). By the end of that week (or maybe the next, I don’t remember that well), however, I was indeed riding around. That began my life-long love of bicycles. I always liked tinkering as a kid, and learned to fix a flat from my dad very early (8 years old). I got my first really nice bike-shop bike when I was 13. I rode that bike into college! After that came one after another of new steeds, each one leaps and bounds beyond the last. I started to learn mechanics at 19, and took on some bike-shop jobs in college. After a rather long hiatus (during which I learned and practiced the art of furnace-glass blowing, as well as steel welding/sculpture), I returned to bicycle mechanics in 2003 and have stayed with it ever since.   DailyBicycle: What compelled you to start ABI?   Jenny Kallista: At the bike shop I worked at for 6 1/2 years here in Asheville (Liberty Bicycles), I taught maintenance classes. Every class I taught was a lot of fun, and I started to realize I had a real talent for teaching (from what people told me!). I also enjoyed the experience of demystifying bikes for people… seeing people have those AHA! moments was so satisfying! So then the little synapses in my brain started to rub together, and I had an idea… It probably helped that my best friend was the head instructor at Barnett Bicycle Institute for 14 years, to spark some of those synapses….   DailyBicycle: What classes do you currently offer?   Jenny Kallista: Right now there is a wheel building class coming up, which I expect to be a popular class. Otherwise, there will be basic maintenance classes this fall, with more classes to come in the spring. One of the main classes will be the essential overhaul class, a two-day tear-down and rebuild. Other classes will include hydraulic brake systems, suspension, drivetrain systems, and many, many others. The school will be enjoying a “soft start”, as I work out bugs and firm up curricula. This is a very unique venture!   DailyBicycle: For those of us who aren’t familiar with the Asheville, NC area, tell us a little something about the riding there.   Jenny Kallista: Well, where do I begin? Our area is so fortunate in the wealth of riding venues. If one is a mountain biker, this is heaven. Pisgah National Forest has more trails than you can shake a fist at… you could go out every day for weeks and not hit the same trail twice! From the smooth, buffed singletrack to the gnarliest technical climbs and descents, we have it all out there. Then there’s DuPont State Forest, where the waterfalls, stream crossings, slickrock, and soft forest trails are some of my absolute favorite places to ride. Head a little eastward and we have Black Mountain, home to legendary Heartbreak trail and Kitsuma. Super fun. Go west and you get to Panthertown, a little-travelled but incredible trail system that’s got a little bit of everything in between huge gneiss formations. And right in town, our well-worn trails at Bent Creek Experimental Forest are just minutes away, and have so many fun routes to choose from, you’ll think you’re in bigger woods. Road riders? Think beautiful, scenic roads through pastoral areas with mountain climbs wherever you want them. Blue Ridge Parkway lovers will find scenic overlooks and satisfying ascents to either Mount Mitchell, highest point east of the rockies, or Mt. Pisgah, a lovely mountain top with overlooks and an Inn to refuel at. We have tons of options, with very challenging riding as well as riverside flats. A mecca for anyone with a bike!   DailyBicycle: The riding there, for roadies and mtb’ers sounds varied and epic! How does anyone interested in your classes get more information?Jenny Kallista: Visit my website, appalachianbicycleinstitute.com ! I have contact info listed there, I am easy to reach. DailyBicycle: Thanks Jenny! Here are links to the bike mechanic schools mentioned in this Quick Q&A: Jenny Kallista’s Appalachian Bicycle Institute - http://appalachianbicycleinstitute.com/ Barnett Bicycle Institute - http://www.bbinstitute.com/United Bicycle Institute - http://www.bikeschool.com/ United Bicycle Institute - http://www.bikeschool.com/ Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

DailyBicycle.com

by Oliver Carbonell

Quick Q&A with Jenny Kallista of the Appalachian Bicycle Institute

Ever hear of bicycle mechanics training schools like United Bicycle Institute and Barnett Bicycle Institute? Bike shop mechanics and cycling enthusiasts can enroll in these schools, located in Oregon and Colorado, respectively, to learn just about all things relating to bicycles and the business of bikes.

While the above mentioned institutions have been around a while and have a good reputation among those in the cycling industry, those of you looking to get trained on bike mechanics now have another option. An enterprising bike shop mechanic by the name of Jenny Kallista has founded the Appalachian Bicycle Institute (ABI), located in the scenic and ride-rich Asheville, NC.

DailyBicycle caught up with Jenny for a Quick Q&A. Here’s what she has to say about her new venture…

DailyBicycle: Tell us a little about your history with bicycles.

Jenny Kallista: I had a dream one morning when I was four, that I was ripping around on my sister’s new Schwinn, and I woke up with a most incredible feeling! I jumped out of bed, ran to my parents and exclaimed that because of this dream, I knew I could ride a bike! Despite the fact that I had not yet ridden a two-wheeler (I loved my tricycle!), I was sure that I could, because my dream was so vivid and felt so real. After breakfast, I went out to my sister’s bike, and began my attempts (contrary to the certainty I had, I could not ride!). By the end of that week (or maybe the next, I don’t remember that well), however, I was indeed riding around. That began my life-long love of bicycles. I always liked tinkering as a kid, and learned to fix a flat from my dad very early (8 years old). I got my first really nice bike-shop bike when I was 13. I rode that bike into college! After that came one after another of new steeds, each one leaps and bounds beyond the last. I started to learn mechanics at 19, and took on some bike-shop jobs in college. After a rather long hiatus (during which I learned and practiced the art of furnace-glass blowing, as well as steel welding/sculpture), I returned to bicycle mechanics in 2003 and have stayed with it ever since.  

DailyBicycle: What compelled you to start ABI?  

Jenny Kallista: At the bike shop I worked at for 6 1/2 years here in Asheville (Liberty Bicycles), I taught maintenance classes. Every class I taught was a lot of fun, and I started to realize I had a real talent for teaching (from what people told me!). I also enjoyed the experience of demystifying bikes for people… seeing people have those AHA! moments was so satisfying! So then the little synapses in my brain started to rub together, and I had an idea… It probably helped that my best friend was the head instructor at Barnett Bicycle Institute for 14 years, to spark some of those synapses….  

DailyBicycle: What classes do you currently offer?  

Jenny Kallista: Right now there is a wheel building class coming up, which I expect to be a popular class. Otherwise, there will be basic maintenance classes this fall, with more classes to come in the spring. One of the main classes will be the essential overhaul class, a two-day tear-down and rebuild. Other classes will include hydraulic brake systems, suspension, drivetrain systems, and many, many others. The school will be enjoying a “soft start”, as I work out bugs and firm up curricula. This is a very unique venture!  

DailyBicycle: For those of us who aren’t familiar with the Asheville, NC area, tell us a little something about the riding there.  

Jenny Kallista: Well, where do I begin? Our area is so fortunate in the wealth of riding venues. If one is a mountain biker, this is heaven. Pisgah National Forest has more trails than you can shake a fist at… you could go out every day for weeks and not hit the same trail twice! From the smooth, buffed singletrack to the gnarliest technical climbs and descents, we have it all out there. Then there’s DuPont State Forest, where the waterfalls, stream crossings, slickrock, and soft forest trails are some of my absolute favorite places to ride. Head a little eastward and we have Black Mountain, home to legendary Heartbreak trail and Kitsuma. Super fun. Go west and you get to Panthertown, a little-travelled but incredible trail system that’s got a little bit of everything in between huge gneiss formations. And right in town, our well-worn trails at Bent Creek Experimental Forest are just minutes away, and have so many fun routes to choose from, you’ll think you’re in bigger woods.
Road riders? Think beautiful, scenic roads through pastoral areas with mountain climbs wherever you want them. Blue Ridge Parkway lovers will find scenic overlooks and satisfying ascents to either Mount Mitchell, highest point east of the rockies, or Mt. Pisgah, a lovely mountain top with overlooks and an Inn to refuel at. We have tons of options, with very challenging riding as well as riverside flats. A mecca for anyone with a bike!  

DailyBicycle: The riding there, for roadies and mtb’ers sounds varied and epic! How does anyone interested in your classes get more information?

Jenny Kallista: Visit my website, appalachianbicycleinstitute.com ! I have contact info listed there, I am easy to reach.

DailyBicycle: Thanks Jenny!

Here are links to the bike mechanic schools mentioned in this Quick Q&A:

Jenny Kallista’s Appalachian Bicycle Institute - http://appalachianbicycleinstitute.com/


Barnett Bicycle Institute - http://www.bbinstitute.com/United Bicycle Institute - http://www.bikeschool.com/

United Bicycle Institute - http://www.bikeschool.com/

Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

Posted 1 year ago
1 note
Tagged: bike, bicycle, bike mechanic, bicycle mechanic, appalachian bicycle institute, jenny kallista, bike mechanics, .
DailyBicycle.com by Oliver Carbonell Has anyone out there ever had to teach a kid (or anyone of any age for that matter) to learn to ride a bike? I find it’s alot of fun teaching others, especially older adults who think it’s too late for them to learn to ride. When they realize they’re actually riding, the excitement you see in their faces makes it all worth while! Just in case you’re wondering how to teach someone to ride or have been handed that task, here’s a link to step-by-step instructions. Yeah, my eBook is being sold there, but you don’t have to buy it to learn the techniques. I give you the steps right on that page! ;)  http://myfirstbicycle.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=6&chapter=3 Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

DailyBicycle.com

by Oliver Carbonell

Has anyone out there ever had to teach a kid (or anyone of any age for that matter) to learn to ride a bike? I find it’s alot of fun teaching others, especially older adults who think it’s too late for them to learn to ride. When they realize they’re actually riding, the excitement you see in their faces makes it all worth while! Just in case you’re wondering how to teach someone to ride or have been handed that task, here’s a link to step-by-step instructions. Yeah, my eBook is being sold there, but you don’t have to buy it to learn the techniques. I give you the steps right on that page! ;)

 http://myfirstbicycle.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=6&chapter=3

Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

Posted 1 year ago
Tagged: learn to ride a bicycle, how to ride a bicycle, how to teach a child to ride a bicycle, how to ride a bike, learn to ride a bike, bike, bicycle, learn to ride, .
DailyBicycle.com by Oliver Carbonell Look for more fresh content coming from the dailybicycle soon! I broke my ankle and shoulder on a mountain bike ride in Vermont during labor day weekend so as I recover, I’ll have plenty of time to interview folks for my “Quick Q&A’s”, actively start marketing my book “Peter Learns to Ride His Bicycle” and even build a new bike. All this while catching up on some college and Pro football! ;) It’s amazing how much time you free-up when not training and travelling for bike races… not complainin’. just sayin’. Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

DailyBicycle.com

by Oliver Carbonell

Look for more fresh content coming from the dailybicycle soon! I broke my ankle and shoulder on a mountain bike ride in Vermont during labor day weekend so as I recover, I’ll have plenty of time to interview folks for my “Quick Q&A’s”, actively start marketing my book “Peter Learns to Ride His Bicycle” and even build a new bike. All this while catching up on some college and Pro football! ;) It’s amazing how much time you free-up when not training and travelling for bike races… not complainin’. just sayin’.

Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

Posted 1 year ago
Tagged: bicycle, bike, .
DailyBicycle.com by Oliver Carbonell Quick Q&A with Dan Chabanov, NYC bike messenger, on what it takes to be a big city bike messenger. DailyBicycle: How did you end up being a bike messenger? And why in NYC? Dan Chabanov: I was going to school here and I was riding a bike for transportation. I made friends with several couriers who were going to school part time and during my free time I would ride around with them while they made deliveries. Eventually I made it out to some of the courier races (also known as Allycats). I started doing it part time while going to school and went full time after I dropped out for totally unrelated reasons. Why NYC? It’s just where I happened to be.    DailyBicycle: What does it take to be become a bike messenger? Can anyone do it? Dan Chabanov: It doesn’t take much. The average messenger in NYC is probably in their late thirties, rides a beat to shit mountain bike, and has lots of bills to pay. It’s a job that anyone can do. That’s really the appeal I guess. Many people just pick it up for a few months while they are waiting on something else to work out. For Some that’s long enough and others end up doing it for years. DailyBicycle: How do you stay safe riding in and around traffic all day? Seems like you need eyes on the back of your head or some sort of sixth sense to survive this work day in and day out! Dan Chabanov: Experience, experience, experience. Knowing how the traffic patterns work in the city, being able to predict what drivers are trying to do. Calculating risk. It all plays in to staying safe. I wouldn’t call it a sixth sense, it’s really just a matter of knowing your limits and being able to judge the speed of things around you and predict what they are going to do. Things move in very predictable patterns in this city and once you know these patterns you can predict the flow of traffic and pedestrians very accurately 90% of the time. For the other 10% percent quick reflexes and grippy tires help. It also helps if you avoid dumb situations. Never riding between a car and the curb is a good idea since the chances of getting doored there are very high. Things like that. Constantly avoiding high risk situations. Of course it takes experience to know what those are. Like any dangerous job common sense and being able to keep your ego in check will keep your safer then anything else. DailyBicycle: Thanks Dan! Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

DailyBicycle.com

by Oliver Carbonell

Quick Q&A with Dan Chabanov, NYC bike messenger, on what it takes to be a big city bike messenger.

DailyBicycle: How did you end up being a bike messenger? And why in NYC?

Dan Chabanov: I was going to school here and I was riding a bike for transportation. I made friends with several couriers who were going to school part time and during my free time I would ride around with them while they made deliveries. Eventually I made it out to some of the courier races (also known as Allycats). I started doing it part time while going to school and went full time after I dropped out for totally unrelated reasons. Why NYC? It’s just where I happened to be.   

DailyBicycle: What does it take to be become a bike messenger? Can anyone do it?

Dan Chabanov: It doesn’t take much. The average messenger in NYC is probably in their late thirties, rides a beat to shit mountain bike, and has lots of bills to pay. It’s a job that anyone can do. That’s really the appeal I guess. Many people just pick it up for a few months while they are waiting on something else to work out. For Some that’s long enough and others end up doing it for years.

DailyBicycle: How do you stay safe riding in and around traffic all day? Seems like you need eyes on the back of your head or some sort of sixth sense to survive this work day in and day out!

Dan Chabanov: Experience, experience, experience. Knowing how the traffic patterns work in the city, being able to predict what drivers are trying to do. Calculating risk. It all plays in to staying safe. I wouldn’t call it a sixth sense, it’s really just a matter of knowing your limits and being able to judge the speed of things around you and predict what they are going to do. Things move in very predictable patterns in this city and once you know these patterns you can predict the flow of traffic and pedestrians very accurately 90% of the time. For the other 10% percent quick reflexes and grippy tires help. It also helps if you avoid dumb situations. Never riding between a car and the curb is a good idea since the chances of getting doored there are very high. Things like that. Constantly avoiding high risk situations. Of course it takes experience to know what those are. Like any dangerous job common sense and being able to keep your ego in check will keep your safer then anything else.

DailyBicycle: Thanks Dan!

Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

Posted 1 year ago
1 note
Tagged: bicycle, bike, bike messenger, cycling, bicycling, .
DailyBicycle.com by Oliver Carbonell Quick Q&A with Will Alicea (aka Billy), former NYC bike messenger turned Urban Wear Artiste Extraordinaire! DailyBicycle: Billy, tell us a little about yourself.  Billy: Well, first off my name is Will Alicea, a lot of people locally know me as WiLL TeeZ from the t-shirt company I run. I was born in the Bronx and raised in Inwood NYC. I’ve lived here on and off for most of my life and love it out here. I currently run an apparel company by the same name which I started two years ago. So far its going pretty well and I get a lot of support from the people in my area.  It’s a great neighborhood that has gotten a lot of attention these days as a good place to move to in NYC. My first job when I moved out of my parents house at sixteen was as a bike messenger and I’ve had a love for cycling ever since. Its a great job and I love the work but there’s not enough respect for messengers nor compensation for their efforts to keep me there. I also enjoy photography and spent about 3 yrs going to Critical Mass every month and documenting the rides.  My last stint as a messenger ended in 2008 after which I started my apparel business. It’s kept me pretty busy and unfortunately off the bike more often than not. I love riding solo or in groups so last year I started a local cycling group to try and give something back to the community and bring local cyclists together.  The group is called the InWooD CyclinG CluB and we meet every Sunday afternoon to ride. Basically I kept seeing cyclists come by a local spot where I hang out at called the Indian Road Cafe and noticed they weren’t really interacting with each other. People would come by the cafe on bikes either alone or in small groups yet  not really talk to other cyclists who were there as well.  I have a passion for community organizing and saw a hole that needed to be filled so I started the group last September and its been going steady since then. We’ve had a lot of great rides and I’ve met some really cool people as a result. Even through the winter months we kept getting new people of all ages and backgrounds come out to ride with us. I’m all about bringing people together and am really glad people appreciate the bike club. So between my t-shirt business, organizing the bike club, and a couple of art/photography projects I’m working on I keep pretty busy. I also have a great interest in astrology and am working towards becoming certified and starting a practice over the years to come. My interests are pretty wide so I guess you could say I’m sort of a renaissance guy. That pretty much sums it up on who I am and what I’m up to these days. DailyBicycle: How long were you a bike messenger for and how did you survive out in the concrete jungle of NYC doing that job? Billy:  I’ve done a couple of stints as a bike messenger over the years. As I mentioned it was the first real job I ever had.  At 16 nobody wanted to hire me and pretty much the only job I could get was as a foot messenger. I remember going to get a physical so I could get my working papers. After a week or so working the job I realized it wasn’t for me and that there wasn’t much money to be made as a foot messenger. A friend asked me why I didn’t work on a bike instead. I told him I didn’t have one and couldn’t really ride a bike. We copped two used bikes in the street on St.Marks Place and rode from there to my house in Inwood. It was a Sunday and that was how I really learned to ride a bike. The next day I told my bosses that  I wanted to start riding instead and I was on the rode the day after that. That was back in 1988 and lasted a year or so. Being a messenger left me with a lifelong love of cycling and I did some indy courier work for a few years after college. My last official courier stint was back in 2007. What’s funny is that it was with the same company I had worked with when I was 16. I guess that took the whole courier thing full circle for me. As far as survival skills go, for me it makes no difference if your working on the bike or riding for fitness/fun. The first thing is to recognize you can get hurt or killed on a bike in New York City. I’ve been hit by cars dozens of times, crashed a few times for being stupid, and even had a freak accident or two. The second thing is to let that go and just get out there and ride. It’s all about awareness and good judgment, neither of which you get in a day. You get them from experience, period. For me I pretty much just let go, keep my eyes open for signs of what’s coming next, and have fun with it. One day I’ll write a book about my cycling and courier experiences and call it “Zen and the Art of Playing in Traffic”.  To this day whenever my personal life gets hectic, I go and play in traffic. Think of it what you will, it keeps me going. CycleTherapy… DailyBicycle: I’ve seen people wearing your t-shirts and hoodies around NYC. Pretty cool, graffiti style graphics! What compelled you to start making branded teez and hoodies and where can people buy them? Billy:  Thanks a lot for the complement, I really appreciate it. The tags I used for the shirt designs were done by my man Ket, a really prolific graf artist and publisher I ‘m tight with. All of them were originally done by hand so I get a kick out of it when people ask me what “font” I used. As far as my motivation is concerned, I’ve been a long term resident of Inwood and have seen the neighborhood change a lot over the years.  Some call it gentrification, some call it progress.  Either way change is inevitable, it’s how residents of a neighborhood direct the changes that counts. I can tell you from personal experience that the percentage of people who aren’t that cool hasn’t changed much over the years. There are a lot of people out here who really care about the neighborhood and fostering a sense of community amongst its residents. Call it “neighborhood pride” if you will, for me it’s good to see people who care. So I put together the first few designs with the idea of allowing people to show their pride in their hood. Graffitti has always been a part of growing up in NYC and still doesn’t get recognized as an art form. To me you can’t get much more “urban” than real hip hop, which graf is a big part of. So I put together the “Rep Your Hood” line to let people do just that. I also wanted to be able to promote urban artists and put their work on shirts so people can be exposed to their work. So far its gone pretty well and I look forward to good things in the future and collaborating with several artists in my personal network. Currently the shirts are available on my website, www.WiLLTeeZ.com. For those in the Uptown Manhattan area my line is also available at the Indian Road Cafe and Tread Bike Shop, both in Inwood. I’m currently working on getting other vendors to carry my product, so check the website for updates. Finally, if you happen to be in Inwood on a Saturday afternoon you can come by the local farmer’s market on Isham between Cooper and Seaman where I set up a table and sell my shirts direct to the public. It always a good time and we usually get some pretty lively discussions going around my table so come on through! DailyBicycle: Where can people join your InWooD CyclinG CluB ride? Billy: We meet every Sunday a little before noon out front of the Indian Road Cafe which is located at the entrance to Inwood Park at 218th street and Broadway. There’s a group of us who ride every week so when you arrive there’s usually a few of us outside playing on bikes. If you don’t see anyone just ask about the cycling club in the cafe and you’ll get pointed in the right direction.We always look forward to seeing new faces and so far it’s been growing consistently even though the winter season. It’s an open ride for all ages and skill levels so come one come all. Lastly I just wanted to say thanks to you Oliver for the opportunity to promote the InWooD CyclinG CluB and for helping to spread the word. Thanks Bro! DailyBicycle: Thanks Billy! Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

DailyBicycle.com

by Oliver Carbonell

Quick Q&A with Will Alicea (aka Billy), former NYC bike messenger turned Urban Wear Artiste Extraordinaire!

DailyBicycle: Billy, tell us a little about yourself. 

Billy: Well, first off my name is Will Alicea, a lot of people locally know me as WiLL TeeZ from the t-shirt company I run. I was born in the Bronx and raised in Inwood NYC. I’ve lived here on and off for most of my life and love it out here. I currently run an apparel company by the same name which I started two years ago. So far its going pretty well and I get a lot of support from the people in my area.  It’s a great neighborhood that has gotten a lot of attention these days as a good place to move to in NYC. My first job when I moved out of my parents house at sixteen was as a bike messenger and I’ve had a love for cycling ever since. Its a great job and I love the work but there’s not enough respect for messengers nor compensation for their efforts to keep me there. I also enjoy photography and spent about 3 yrs going to Critical Mass every month and documenting the rides.  My last stint as a messenger ended in 2008 after which I started my apparel business. It’s kept me pretty busy and unfortunately off the bike more often than not. I love riding solo or in groups so last year I started a local cycling group to try and give something back to the community and bring local cyclists together.  The group is called the InWooD CyclinG CluB and we meet every Sunday afternoon to ride. Basically I kept seeing cyclists come by a local spot where I hang out at called the Indian Road Cafe and noticed they weren’t really interacting with each other. People would come by the cafe on bikes either alone or in small groups yet  not really talk to other cyclists who were there as well.  I have a passion for community organizing and saw a hole that needed to be filled so I started the group last September and its been going steady since then. We’ve had a lot of great rides and I’ve met some really cool people as a result. Even through the winter months we kept getting new people of all ages and backgrounds come out to ride with us. I’m all about bringing people together and am really glad people appreciate the bike club. So between my t-shirt business, organizing the bike club, and a couple of art/photography projects I’m working on I keep pretty busy. I also have a great interest in astrology and am working towards becoming certified and starting a practice over the years to come. My interests are pretty wide so I guess you could say I’m sort of a renaissance guy. That pretty much sums it up on who I am and what I’m up to these days.

DailyBicycle: How long were you a bike messenger for and how did you survive out in the concrete jungle of NYC doing that job?

Billy:  I’ve done a couple of stints as a bike messenger over the years. As I mentioned it was the first real job I ever had.  At 16 nobody wanted to hire me and pretty much the only job I could get was as a foot messenger. I remember going to get a physical so I could get my working papers. After a week or so working the job I realized it wasn’t for me and that there wasn’t much money to be made as a foot messenger. A friend asked me why I didn’t work on a bike instead. I told him I didn’t have one and couldn’t really ride a bike. We copped two used bikes in the street on St.Marks Place and rode from there to my house in Inwood. It was a Sunday and that was how I really learned to ride a bike. The next day I told my bosses that  I wanted to start riding instead and I was on the rode the day after that. That was back in 1988 and lasted a year or so. Being a messenger left me with a lifelong love of cycling and I did some indy courier work for a few years after college. My last official courier stint was back in 2007. What’s funny is that it was with the same company I had worked with when I was 16. I guess that took the whole courier thing full circle for me.

As far as survival skills go, for me it makes no difference if your working on the bike or riding for fitness/fun. The first thing is to recognize you can get hurt or killed on a bike in New York City. I’ve been hit by cars dozens of times, crashed a few times for being stupid, and even had a freak accident or two. The second thing is to let that go and just get out there and ride. It’s all about awareness and good judgment, neither of which you get in a day. You get them from experience, period. For me I pretty much just let go, keep my eyes open for signs of what’s coming next, and have fun with it. One day I’ll write a book about my cycling and courier experiences and call it “Zen and the Art of Playing in Traffic”.  To this day whenever my personal life gets hectic, I go and play in traffic. Think of it what you will, it keeps me going. CycleTherapy…

DailyBicycle: I’ve seen people wearing your t-shirts and hoodies around NYC. Pretty cool, graffiti style graphics! What compelled you to start making branded teez and hoodies and where can people buy them?

Billy:  Thanks a lot for the complement, I really appreciate it. The tags I used for the shirt designs were done by my man Ket, a really prolific graf artist and publisher I ‘m tight with. All of them were originally done by hand so I get a kick out of it when people ask me what “font” I used. As far as my motivation is concerned, I’ve been a long term resident of Inwood and have seen the neighborhood change a lot over the years.  Some call it gentrification, some call it progress.  Either way change is inevitable, it’s how residents of a neighborhood direct the changes that counts. I can tell you from personal experience that the percentage of people who aren’t that cool hasn’t changed much over the years. There are a lot of people out here who really care about the neighborhood and fostering a sense of community amongst its residents. Call it “neighborhood pride” if you will, for me it’s good to see people who care. So I put together the first few designs with the idea of allowing people to show their pride in their hood. Graffitti has always been a part of growing up in NYC and still doesn’t get recognized as an art form. To me you can’t get much more “urban” than real hip hop, which graf is a big part of. So I put together the “Rep Your Hood” line to let people do just that. I also wanted to be able to promote urban artists and put their work on shirts so people can be exposed to their work. So far its gone pretty well and I look forward to good things in the future and collaborating with several artists in my personal network. Currently the shirts are available on my website, www.WiLLTeeZ.com. For those in the Uptown Manhattan area my line is also available at the Indian Road Cafe and Tread Bike Shop, both in Inwood. I’m currently working on getting other vendors to carry my product, so check the website for updates. Finally, if you happen to be in Inwood on a Saturday afternoon you can come by the local farmer’s market on Isham between Cooper and Seaman where I set up a table and sell my shirts direct to the public. It always a good time and we usually get some pretty lively discussions going around my table so come on through!

DailyBicycle: Where can people join your InWooD CyclinG CluB ride?

Billy: We meet every Sunday a little before noon out front of the Indian Road Cafe which is located at the entrance to Inwood Park at 218th street and Broadway. There’s a group of us who ride every week so when you arrive there’s usually a few of us outside playing on bikes. If you don’t see anyone just ask about the cycling club in the cafe and you’ll get pointed in the right direction.We always look forward to seeing new faces and so far it’s been growing consistently even though the winter season. It’s an open ride for all ages and skill levels so come one come all. Lastly I just wanted to say thanks to you Oliver for the opportunity to promote the InWooD CyclinG CluB and for helping to spread the word. Thanks Bro!

DailyBicycle: Thanks Billy!

Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

Posted 1 year ago
Tagged: cycling, bike, bicycle, bicycling, bike messenger, .
DailyBicycle.com by Oliver Carbonell Quick Q & A with Don Duphanais. of Danielson Adventure Sports on Building a Bike Shop Business DailyBicycle: As of Feb 2010 you’re working on launching a second bike shop.  But before we get into the nuts and bolts of it, tell us a little about your first bike shop, Danielson Adventure Sports, and how you grew it into the successful shop it is today.  I remember when you first had the idea of setting up that shop, you only had a few hundred bucks to do it with!  Tell us something about that too. Don Duphanais:  For 10 years or so I managed bike shops all over the country, everything from chains, to mom and pops.  I always knew I wanted to open my own shop and in 2005 I got that chance. I started with $350, no small business loan or finacial backer and found a building and the owner was willing to give me a rental deal on. When I opened the walls were bare, I was banking on my years of retail, bike shop experience and personality to get me started.  It worked.  DailyBicycle: What’s motivated you to open another shop?  Anything unique about this next one? Don Duphanais: I’ve always been up for a challenge and looking for ways to increase customer base. Opening a new store with a completely diferent vibe is one of those examples.  The new store has an outdoor service area, cafe style seating, coffee and will sell home beer making kits. DailyBicycle: Coffee shop?  Cool!  Home brew kits?  Nice!  An outdoor service area?  Come on!  Why outdoors and how do you plan to pull this off for a shop in northern Connecticut? Don Duphanais: Ok, I’ll be the first to admit it’s not mainstream but it just might be unique enough to work. The service area will be open April 1st to Sept.31st. Our main goal is to use this opportunity to get more people to the main store while catering to there basic needs on site.  I tell my staff all the time; we don’t need the whole pie, just a piece.  Eventually the piece gets bigger and all is good.  DailyBicycle: Thanks Don! Stay tuned daily for fresh dialogue!  This Q&A between DB & Don will run through March 2010, to the opening date of Don’s new bike shop. Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

DailyBicycle.com

by Oliver Carbonell

Quick Q & A with Don Duphanais. of Danielson Adventure Sports on Building a Bike Shop Business

DailyBicycle: As of Feb 2010 you’re working on launching a second bike shop.  But before we get into the nuts and bolts of it, tell us a little about your first bike shop, Danielson Adventure Sports, and how you grew it into the successful shop it is today.  I remember when you first had the idea of setting up that shop, you only had a few hundred bucks to do it with!  Tell us something about that too.

Don Duphanais:  For 10 years or so I managed bike shops all over the country, everything from chains, to mom and pops.  I always knew I wanted to open my own shop and in 2005 I got that chance. I started with $350, no small business loan or finacial backer and found a building and the owner was willing to give me a rental deal on. When I opened the walls were bare, I was banking on my years of retail, bike shop experience and personality to get me started.  It worked. 

DailyBicycle: What’s motivated you to open another shop?  Anything unique about this next one?

Don Duphanais: I’ve always been up for a challenge and looking for ways to increase customer base. Opening a new store with a completely diferent vibe is one of those examples.  The new store has an outdoor service area, cafe style seating, coffee and will sell home beer making kits.

DailyBicycle: Coffee shop?  Cool!  Home brew kits?  Nice!  An outdoor service area?  Come on!  Why outdoors and how do you plan to pull this off for a shop in northern Connecticut?

Don Duphanais: Ok, I’ll be the first to admit it’s not mainstream but it just might be unique enough to work. The service area will be open April 1st to Sept.31st. Our main goal is to use this opportunity to get more people to the main store while catering to there basic needs on site.  I tell my staff all the time; we don’t need the whole pie, just a piece.  Eventually the piece gets bigger and all is good. 

DailyBicycle: Thanks Don!

Stay tuned daily for fresh dialogue!  This Q&A between DB & Don will run through March 2010, to the opening date of Don’s new bike shop.

Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

Posted 2 years ago
Tagged: cycling, bike, bicycling, bicycle, bike shop, danielson adventure sports, .
DailyBicycle.com by Oliver Carbonell Vigilant Velo’s Great Sticker Idea! Stickers can be entertaining, I’ve seen many that made me chuckle.  But the Vigilant Velo sticker is useful, especially for drivers and ultimately cyclists.  It’s a sticker you place on your sideview and rearview mirrors to remind you, as a driver, to check for cyclists before swinging out onto a lane or opening a door.  The organization’s mission is to build awareness of cycling safety issues and to do something about it.  This sticker is a start. www.vigilantvelo.com  Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

DailyBicycle.com

by Oliver Carbonell

Vigilant Velo’s Great Sticker Idea!

Stickers can be entertaining, I’ve seen many that made me chuckle.  But the Vigilant Velo sticker is useful, especially for drivers and ultimately cyclists.  It’s a sticker you place on your sideview and rearview mirrors to remind you, as a driver, to check for cyclists before swinging out onto a lane or opening a door.  The organization’s mission is to build awareness of cycling safety issues and to do something about it.  This sticker is a start.

www.vigilantvelo.com 

Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

Posted 2 years ago
Tagged: cycling, bike, bicycle, bicycling, vigilant velo, bike safey, biking, .
DailyBicycle.com by Oliver Carbonell “Peter Learns To Ride His Bicycle” I’ve just finished writing a children’s book titled, “Peter Learns to Ride a Bicycle”, an entertaining book about a child who learns to ride a bicycle using a highly successful real world technique that’s used to teach thousands of children to ride each year.  At the same time, the book is a guide for teaching kids and adults how to ride.  It will soon get published online as an ebook (downloadable on Sony’s ebookstore, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords and other online retailers) then in physical book format by early summer 2010.  More information to come. Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

DailyBicycle.com

by Oliver Carbonell

“Peter Learns To Ride His Bicycle”

I’ve just finished writing a children’s book titled, “Peter Learns to Ride a Bicycle”, an entertaining book about a child who learns to ride a bicycle using a highly successful real world technique that’s used to teach thousands of children to ride each year.  At the same time, the book is a guide for teaching kids and adults how to ride.  It will soon get published online as an ebook (downloadable on Sony’s ebookstore, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords and other online retailers) then in physical book format by early summer 2010.  More information to come.

Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

Posted 2 years ago
Tagged: learn to ride a bike, cycling, kids bike, bike, bicycle, bicycling, bike book, bicycling book, how to ride a bike, book, .
DailyBicycle.com by Oliver Carbonell Strictly Bicycles (Fort Lee, NJ) Simply the best New York City bike shop in New Jersey!  If location is key to a bike retailer’s success, then Nelson at Strictly Bicycles has probably placed a check mark next to ‘Find a high traffic, targeted location’ on his to-do list.  Located on Hudson Terrace, a road that funnels hundreds of New York City riders on any given weekend day from Manhattan onto New Jersey’s cycling mecca of a road, 9W, Stricly Bicycles stands proud and waiting to serve its customers with open arms.  There are a dozen qualities that make this an excellent bike shop and that’s even before you get into their varied selection of high end road bike lines.  The shop truly caters to its customer’s needs.  Here are a few examples: 1) During Summer and Fall hours, Nelson opens the shop early enough on the weekends so that early morning riders in need of cycling nutrition, a spare tube, a pump or a restroom have a place they can rely on for that early day support.  I’ve started rides at 8am and been able to walk into the shop for a quick restroom break before hitting 9W.  Given that most shops in the area open around 11am, this is gift to all riders of which I’m truly grateful to Nelson and his early morning staff!  2) The staging area in the parking lot is useful for riders waiting for their ride partners, a quick change of a leaky tube or just chatting with other riders.  During shop hours, there’s always an air pump conveniently placed there for anyone to use.  3) Good coffee at their full service coffee bar.  You’ll usually see Eddie behind the counter ready to serve up a hot cup of coffee before or after your ride.  I usually stop in post-ride to reward myself with a cup of coffee.  It’s one of the simple joys in life I experience being a cyclist in this area.  4) Nelson and Eddie work harmoniously as the front men of the shop to provide knowledge and support to customers.  Given the numerous high-end bicycle lines they carry, their knowledge must be able to address all the questions they get from someone willing to ante up $3k+ for the latest road machine.  And all that necessary knowledge, they do have and willing to ‘serve up’! The shop has grown on me.  Each time I pop in for a cup of coffee (and it’s never without some thoughtful cycling related conversation with Eddie) or talk to Nelson about a bike or a part, buy ride nutrition or just to browse the shop’s never-ending eye candy, I get to know the shop a little more.  It’s quickly becoming one of my favorites in the area. Bottom line:  Visit this beautiful bike shop for some excellent service, wide selection of high end road bikes, cycling wear and nutrition or a good cup of coffee at their full service coffee bar. Strictly Bicycles 2347 Hudson Terrace Fort Lee, NJ 07024 201-944-7074 Website:  www.strictlybicycles.com/ Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

DailyBicycle.com

by Oliver Carbonell

Strictly Bicycles (Fort Lee, NJ)

Simply the best New York City bike shop in New Jersey!  If location is key to a bike retailer’s success, then Nelson at Strictly Bicycles has probably placed a check mark next to ‘Find a high traffic, targeted location’ on his to-do list.  Located on Hudson Terrace, a road that funnels hundreds of New York City riders on any given weekend day from Manhattan onto New Jersey’s cycling mecca of a road, 9W, Stricly Bicycles stands proud and waiting to serve its customers with open arms.  There are a dozen qualities that make this an excellent bike shop and that’s even before you get into their varied selection of high end road bike lines.  The shop truly caters to its customer’s needs.  Here are a few examples: 1) During Summer and Fall hours, Nelson opens the shop early enough on the weekends so that early morning riders in need of cycling nutrition, a spare tube, a pump or a restroom have a place they can rely on for that early day support.  I’ve started rides at 8am and been able to walk into the shop for a quick restroom break before hitting 9W.  Given that most shops in the area open around 11am, this is gift to all riders of which I’m truly grateful to Nelson and his early morning staff!  2) The staging area in the parking lot is useful for riders waiting for their ride partners, a quick change of a leaky tube or just chatting with other riders.  During shop hours, there’s always an air pump conveniently placed there for anyone to use.  3) Good coffee at their full service coffee bar.  You’ll usually see Eddie behind the counter ready to serve up a hot cup of coffee before or after your ride.  I usually stop in post-ride to reward myself with a cup of coffee.  It’s one of the simple joys in life I experience being a cyclist in this area.  4) Nelson and Eddie work harmoniously as the front men of the shop to provide knowledge and support to customers.  Given the numerous high-end bicycle lines they carry, their knowledge must be able to address all the questions they get from someone willing to ante up $3k+ for the latest road machine.  And all that necessary knowledge, they do have and willing to ‘serve up’!

The shop has grown on me.  Each time I pop in for a cup of coffee (and it’s never without some thoughtful cycling related conversation with Eddie) or talk to Nelson about a bike or a part, buy ride nutrition or just to browse the shop’s never-ending eye candy, I get to know the shop a little more.  It’s quickly becoming one of my favorites in the area.

Bottom line:  Visit this beautiful bike shop for some excellent service, wide selection of high end road bikes, cycling wear and nutrition or a good cup of coffee at their full service coffee bar.

Strictly Bicycles

2347 Hudson Terrace

Fort Lee, NJ 07024

201-944-7074

Website:  www.strictlybicycles.com/

Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

Posted 2 years ago
Tagged: cycling, bike, bicycle, bicycling, bike shop, strictly bicycles, .
DailyBicycle.com by Oliver Carbonell NYC Velo Bike Shop What I first noticed about NYC Velo is it blended quite nicely with the earthy stores and restaurants flanking its 2nd avenue home in Mahnattan’s east village neighborhood.  I’m impressed by its confident presence among the established small businesses that surround it.  For a mid to high-end bike shop, it seems to belong just where it is.  Being a lover of bikes and bike shops, I walked in for a self-tour.  What I had liked from the outside I began to love from the inside!  After a quick run-through of the bikes that lined the brick walls I noticed that none of the brands were from the two industry heavyweights; Specialized and Trek.  I didn’t see a single bike from the two titans.  What I did see were brands like Turner, Independent Fabrication, Salsa, Felt, Swobo, Surly, Civia and even an old Fat Chance mountain bike.  But the bike selection wasn’t the only thing that caught my attention.  There’s also an interesting selection of clothing on the center island.  The NYC Velo wool jerseys are pretty cool, I’m thinking of picking one up for warmth during my cold winter rides throughout the city.  The NYC Velo logo’d t-shirts using quality American Apparel garb are something I’d wear too because they look cool and feel comfy!  The staff, while friendly enough, has a bit of an edge to their attitudes but I can expect that from a bike shop in the lower East Village.  It’s understandable.  But they’re helpful if you express interest and they’re also knowledgeable about the brands they carry.  As of this writing, I haven’t had to take my bike in for servicing so I can’t comment on the wrenching at this shop.  Have you taken your bike in for repair at this shop?  How would you rate the level of skill and service? Bottom line: Visit this shop if you want to see unique bikes and cycling clothes. NYC Velo 64 2nd Avenue NY, NY 10003 212-253-7771 Website: www.nycvelo.com Copyright 2009 DailyBicycle

DailyBicycle.com

by Oliver Carbonell

NYC Velo Bike Shop

What I first noticed about NYC Velo is it blended quite nicely with the earthy stores and restaurants flanking its 2nd avenue home in Mahnattan’s east village neighborhood.  I’m impressed by its confident presence among the established small businesses that surround it.  For a mid to high-end bike shop, it seems to belong just where it is.  Being a lover of bikes and bike shops, I walked in for a self-tour.  What I had liked from the outside I began to love from the inside!  After a quick run-through of the bikes that lined the brick walls I noticed that none of the brands were from the two industry heavyweights; Specialized and Trek.  I didn’t see a single bike from the two titans.  What I did see were brands like Turner, Independent Fabrication, Salsa, Felt, Swobo, Surly, Civia and even an old Fat Chance mountain bike.  But the bike selection wasn’t the only thing that caught my attention.  There’s also an interesting selection of clothing on the center island.  The NYC Velo wool jerseys are pretty cool, I’m thinking of picking one up for warmth during my cold winter rides throughout the city.  The NYC Velo logo’d t-shirts using quality American Apparel garb are something I’d wear too because they look cool and feel comfy!  The staff, while friendly enough, has a bit of an edge to their attitudes but I can expect that from a bike shop in the lower East Village.  It’s understandable.  But they’re helpful if you express interest and they’re also knowledgeable about the brands they carry.  As of this writing, I haven’t had to take my bike in for servicing so I can’t comment on the wrenching at this shop.  Have you taken your bike in for repair at this shop?  How would you rate the level of skill and service?

Bottom line: Visit this shop if you want to see unique bikes and cycling clothes.

NYC Velo

64 2nd Avenue

NY, NY 10003

212-253-7771

Website: www.nycvelo.com

Copyright 2009 DailyBicycle

Posted 2 years ago
Tagged: cycling, bike, bicycle, bicycling, bike shop, bicycle shop, nyc velo bike shop, .