Bike Hugger

Telling me something, Cappy? [Flickr]

2008-08-07T17:15:13-05:00

Cappy -- the Office Pug at Hugga HQ -- stared down the pantry door today for quite a while. Hoping it'd open and she'd get a treat.

Captions include:

* Open Door, I command it
* Human! Open! Door!
* Can I haz treat?
* Pahleeeeze feed me now, maybe staring will help?

Rim Art

2008-08-07T16:52:36Z

Spotted on Flickr, a collection of Rim Art.

Uploaded by STARFUCKERS ｊOE | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

In the Sycip Designs shop, Santa Rosa

2008-08-07T15:00:00Z

After infiltrating Bianchi USA headquarters, I drove up to Santa Rosa to hang with Jeremy of Sycips Designs. He built my travel bike. Here he is in Huggacast 47.

Notes

More videos
Photos from our photostream
Download now for iTunes, your iPod, iPhone, and subscribe to the Huggacast Feed for more episodes.
Huggacasts are also available in the iTunes podcast directory.

LOOK 2009 Launch: Part 5, Zed crankset

2008-08-07T14:44:25Z

Huggacast 46 highlights the Zed one-piece crankset from LOOK Cycles. The crank fits the new LOOK 596 time trial frame.

Notes

More videos
Photos from our photostream
Download now for iTunes, your iPod, iPhone, and subscribe to the Huggacast Feed for more episodes.
Huggacasts are also available in the iTunes podcast directory.

Makes me want to go to Burning Man...

2008-08-07T05:09:30Z

I lied. No it doesn't.

A $3K Commuter

2008-08-06T17:42:13Z

That’s a Civia built with Afline and Rohloff hub. Hugga spotted the bike at a shop last weekend — retails at about 3K. What’s remarkable about the bike is that there’s a market for a 3K commuter and the shop has sold a few. Those dollars could’ve gone to a high-end road, mountain, or custom bike. There was a lot of discussion about Civia when they first launched: was the US market finally ready (again) for Euro-style commuters, would anyone even buy a 1K commuter? Well, the answer is yes!

Talking with Civia a couple weeks ago, I learned that they’ve got another unique model coming in 09. We’ll post the details as soon as we get them. With Interbike coming up — the bike industry trade show — we’re also on the look out for more bikes like this.

Note: Alfine with Rohloff is one sweet set up.

Uploaded by Hugger Industries | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

A Century that means something

2008-08-06T14:57:31Z

One of my favorite areas to ride is out in Southwest King County down by Black Diamond. The rolling hills, quiet roads, and all the different livestock (I once saw an emu) make for some interesting routes. This Labor Day weekend the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is hosting a ride of various lengths - up to a century. It’s a chance to do a supported ride that actually means something. Get out and ride!

Links for 2008-08-05 [del.icio.us]

2008-08-06T00:00:00-05:00

Belltown becoming a lawless town
Riding through the neighborhood, I've seen drug deals going down.
Applications Spur Carriers to Relax Grip on Cellphones - NYTimes.com
25M iPhone app download!

Bread Peddler

2008-08-05T18:12:47Z

Who needs a cargo bike when you can do this?

Uploaded by joeyhuddleston | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

USA Cycling Face Masks

2008-08-05T15:55:55Z

USA Cycling Athletes arrived in Beijing wearing facemasks and causing controversy. Yes, they could’ve took those off for the greeting line and then back on, but there’s irony that a country obsessed with “face” (I wrote about that yesterday), has athletes covering theirs. I expect long commentary about the masks. One upside of the Beijing Olympics and air quality is the anticipation of new, breakthrough asthma medications for people like myself.

Photo Credit: Yves Herman/Reuters

Straight up, the IOC will cover its ass with announcements like:

The IOC has said there was no reason for alarm. Its medical commission chief, Arne Ljungqvist, said the air quality did not pose problems to athletes or visitors unless they had a specific condition such as asthma.

Returning from China, it normally takes about a week to clear your lungs and nose and the air is absolutely going to affect performances. Athletes are going to discover that they do have asthma, trigged by the air. The NYTimes just published an essay on running in the air. While in Beijing, we joked about the 37 flavors of fuel — at 00:46.

Update

In the news coverage, the woman with the mask on is local Seattle track star, Jennie Reed.
NYTimes reports on the mask incident.

The new Campagnolo Ergopower shape: Good or Bad?

2008-08-05T15:20:32Z

While I was down in Hayward CA visiting Bianchi, I got a chance to fondle the new Campagnolo Ergopower for Veloce. I didn’t actually get to ride it, but I can tell straight off if I’m gonna like a handlebar or hood. I’m not a Campagnolo fan at heart, but I gotta tell ya…I kinda like the new lever. It felt good in my hands. However, I keep hearing a lot of unkind words about the aesthetics. What’s your judgement: enlightened functionality or just plain hideous?

The new Campag Veloce is seen on this all-new 2009 Bianchi 928 Mono-Q, a more affordable, full-carbon race bike. I’m also not a big fan of black finish on aluminium components (calipers and other bits), but the all-black Veloce looks right on the Mono-Q.

Incidentally, Veloce is still 10sp while Chorus, Record, and Super Record are 11sp.

Tour of Denmark 2008

2008-08-05T06:13:09Z

Flickr contributor and resident of Denmark, Zakkaliciousness, posted this road view of tour riders as the peloton convoy passed through town. There is no fancy editing or camera work here. The focus is actually on the spectators as 700c wheels and support vehicles whip past the camera resting on cobble stone streets. I love the perspective in this little video, and catching a glimpse of European cycling culture is fun too.

Links for 2008-08-04 [del.icio.us]

2008-08-05T00:00:00-05:00

Reader submitted designs
Bicycle Design reviews all the reader submissions
Great Allegheny Passage Bike Path Bringing Economic Growth
Bike paths are good for the economy
You Are Too Weak To Shift! Go Electric!
Another take on E-shifting from Guitar Ted
Freewheelin
Fee bikes at conventions (geez, bring them to like Interbike maybe?)
Bikes: Shimano's All-Electric Gear System is Like F1 Paddle Shifters For Your Bike
Gizmodo's review of e-shifting, comparing it to cars.
Crosscut Seattle - All the rage
Online mag I never heard of, writes about other bike violence.
Brompton World Champs-update
Boston's Bike Share Potential
officials considering bike share for Boston
Architecture Review - Design of This Olympic Stadium Is Worth Remembering - Review - NYTimes.com
Birds Nest reviewed.

Links for 2008-08-01 [del.icio.us]

2008-08-02T00:00:00-05:00

Brompton World Championships
Folding bike races
Dwarf Amy Winehouse | Music | Entertainment | Bizarre Magazine UK
hooah, friday morning link action!

Links for 2008-07-31 [del.icio.us]

2008-08-01T00:00:00-05:00

Beer and Bike Bloodbath Aug 9th - 10th
a pubcrawl, bike ride -- scroll down to see the details
Off-road unicycling
Parking a bike gets tougher in Seattle
that's why I commute with a folding bike, no parking
Critical Mass in the Economist
Hat tip to @wbboyd

Links for 2008-07-30 [del.icio.us]

2008-07-31T00:00:00-05:00

Sustainable Rock 'N' Roll
Kipchoge on the road with his bikes and guitars
Amsterdamize Bicycle TV : Riding With Marie | Amsterdamize
'Car-free Sundays' coming to streets around Seattle
'Zero Per Gallon' stickers poke fun at high gas prices |
Portland TV picks up our Zero Per Gallon post.
What Would Tyler Durden Do on bike races
Those drive women wild. The sidelines are packed with hot chicks . . .

Links for 2008-07-27 [del.icio.us]

2008-07-28T00:00:00-05:00

Local News | Why did violence erupt at Critical Mass ride in Seattle? | Seattle Times Newspaper
more reports on the Seattle Critical Mass clash
Nation & World | Tensions flare between drivers, cyclists in Colorado | Seattle Times Newspaper
Spandex dimishes humor?
For the Hard Core, Two Wheels Beat Four - NYTimes.com
NYTimes on Communting
Carlos Sastre Wins Tour de France - Readers' Comments - The New York Times
NYT on Le Tour with comments.

Links for 2008-07-26 [del.icio.us]

2008-07-27T00:00:00-05:00

The Appeal of the Heel
While we don't see his bike, the narrator of this slideshow shot it all while riding around NYC.
Blogging’s Glass Ceiling - NYTimes.com
good to see BlogHer in the news