19.10.08

Delayed Blogging pt 2 - IFMA

Alright, pt 2; my last day of work before "vacation" (19 september) was spent on a day out with 5 co-workers in Köln for the IFMA (Internationale Fahrradmarkt [International Bicycle Trade Show]). So more bikes again, although not as big a show as the EuroBike that 4 other co-workers attended a few weeks earlier, which is the biggest one in Europe.

(Just a note, my highlights do tend to lean towards a focus on the fixies/singlespeeds, and newly - the custom cruisers.)



-track bike - despite the pink, I still think it's a sweet ride, nice wheels, nice bike (and of course since track bikes are fixies, I like them for that reason too)



-Bulls Titanium frame bike - sweet and no doubt expensive



-Schwinn Cutter - Nice, plain, simple, budget price singlespeed.



-Schwinn Madison - Another nice single speed, not so budget priced, reasons for the price discrepancy, I'm not sure yet.



-Hitchcocks Laid Back Bikes - very different custom design.



-Fixie Inc Peacemaker -note the handlebars are "car scratchers" from Fixie Inc.



-Katz Bike - interesting bike idea, for offroad occasions where you don't want to worry about your chain getting covered in mud.



-Katz bike - covered in mud like here.



-Another custom cruiser



-Sweet bikes at the Shimano stand (I think) - note: white is the trendy colour for bikes (and cars) right now, like it's the new black.



-Another fancy white bike - Looks singlespeed-ish, but I believe it's got a hub gear.



-Custom Fixie - A whole stand devoted to a company, or group of people, who've converted older bikes to fixies and singlespeeds, all done up real nice.



-Shiny red with winter camo taped handlebars - for some reason, I think this looks sweet, maybe I'm just drawn to it because its so damn shiny.



-Simple black fixie - damn those are low handlebars.



-Piece de resistance? - I think I've seen this black one with the red swath in a magazine or brochure or something before, or the web.



-Blue fixie - (1 fixie, 2 fixie, red fixie, blue fixie?)



-White fixie - white just looks real nice.



-And with the Brooks saddle



-Cannondale Badboy White Edition Solo Ultra- the Urban trend realized, and done so well (although I prefer the singlespeed version, it is cheaper).



-Custom Beach Cruisers - by Beastie Bikes



-Each bike, a work of art.



-Life guard bike? - I think they have fun with what they do.



-Beastie Bikes stand - I think actually one of the best stands, if not the best stand there, for really portraying the image/atmosphere of the culture of the bikes, and how they fit. Complete with 2 veedub minibusses, one surfer style, the other, more black/white-rock&roll.



-Surf culture, beach cruisers - actually reminds me of what I've seen at the O'Neil store in Amsterdam, where they have a matte black custom crusier bike complete with surfboard on it's side and a surf board. (note, must take picture of this).



-All black - love the details, notice the dice on the gear shifter.



-White custom cruiser



-Wheel detail - playin on the trends with the kinda graphic floral stuff.



-Another custom cruiser



-An unfinished work - I like the frame profile they chose, nice.



-Mad details - someone went to town on this job.



-Giant Escape R8 - nice urban bike with a nexus 8 hub.



-Giant City Speed Concept bike - this one won some award at Eurobike.



-City Speed - sweet details on this, a very 'designed' bike.



-Giant City Storm N8 - at first I thought this was also a concept bike, but noticed it is in the collection on the dutch website.



-Citystorm Details - another very 'designed' bike.



-More details - more design.



-Brooks Saddles of England - an interesting poster, for an interesting company. In their newspaper/flyer, they advertised the "Shoreditch Invitational" bike polo event. Looking into it, bike polo looks pretty cool, I think it should be brought (back?) into the Olympics.



-Classic Raleigh Fixie



-Elmoto HR-2 - 2 wheel drive, electric bike that goes 45km/h with a range of 70km. Pretty sweet idea, I think the design looks nice, but is a mix of hit and miss. some elements are harsh and painful, others, nicely detailed.

18.10.08

Delayed Blogging pt 1 - Fiets

Right, so its been a good long while since I last posted. (not sure if anyone noticed, or if there are even more then 2 people that read this)
Main reason/excuse; the prolonged absence of my laptop for the final round of under extended warranty repair, leaving me without and in withdrawal from early/mid August until my return to Canada on the 22nd of September.

Went to check out the "Fiets" (bike) show at the Design Huis in Eindhoven in on the 14th of september (I've decided I love the time stamping you get with digital cameras). Had to take the event in before I left, as it would be over on my return to the Netherlands in October.

Some of you may have seen some pics from some other person up at Core77, but my pics aren't as polished I don't think, remember, notoriously shaky hands.

Enjoy!



-bike - di cycle
-maker - gbo
(concept bike on the basis of sport meets form [giving])



-"Droomfiets" - some crazy bikes in a hall for the 'dream bikes'



-bike - lego was my first love
-designer - roel van heur



-wall-o-bells



-wall-o-seat saddles



-wall-o-bike bags



-bike - sqrl pro (left), tranza (right)
-company - nakoi nederland, gazelle
-designers - the people I work with



-stads fiets (city bike) - gazelle mpb (designed at van der Veer Designers) in a patriotic orange



-koeriers fiets (messenger bike[s]) - gazelle single speed against a backdrop of jerseys (I think from Alleycat races).



1 year as a cycle courier -
12500km of freedom and progress
3840 x taking off/putting on the bag
1440 packages delivered
1000 hours biked
768 L of beverage transpired
384 raisin buns as fuel
96 fried apple dumplings as (can't find translation)
12 flat tires
3 pairs of pants worn out
2 chains that have lost their proper tension
uncountable # of goodlooking women seen
1 life of freedom enjoyed
0 worn out brake pads

(the life of a bike messenger on fixie no doubt)



-cool displaying of cycle components



-transportfiets - transport bike section
-bike - babboe bakfiets
-company - de verhuisfabriek



-bike - feetz



-bike - cabby
-company - gazelle
(the new grocery getter of the cycle world? designed again by my co-workers)



-bike - brandweerfiets (fire dept. bike)
-designer - roel van heur
(the 2 fire extenguishers pivot up and attach to the frame above the rear wheel)



-bike - roadrunner
-company - springtime industrial design



-prof fiets - section on pro cycling



-more pro jerseys behind glass



-pro bikes - there was a 3rd bike in front of the row, but apparently the dutch olympian to whom it belongs needed it that day for something



-Koga track bike - oooooh, reminds me of my Koga singlespeed



-bike - 346
-company - suus bike shop
(I've never been a big fan of the beach crusier style bikes till as of late, they've definitely got style, and become individual street art, with loads of character)



-346 bike - ah the details