New Polo Grounds

My friend Andrew came into the shop today and told me that he and some of his friends have been playing polo at the lot next to Dollar General (next to CBU) on Central. A group of us went and checked it out tonight and played a couple of games. It's wide open which makes play longer and it's lit so we can play for a while. There were a couple of times when the ball went under the fence but was easily retrieved. Cones are already there and I distributed mallets to the people who showed up. There are 3 mallets left, 2 of which I think are probably claimed (Kermit and Rocky have dibs) so that leaves one mallet left which will be an extra.

We're going to play tomorrow at this new spot at 6:30PM, to allow everyone to get off work (Chase) and ride over. There is plenty of room to hang out and watch so if you've never played feel free to drop by.

$5 afternoon movie tomorrow and she's a good one!

BUT FIRST
Hey everyone, I (Cort) still need some volunteers to run time bonus checkpoints for the Downs. Hit me up at fixmemphis@yahoo.com if you are interested!

Herb and Dorothy
Sunday, August 30, 2 pm
Beginning in the early 60's Herb and Dorothy Vogel began collecting art of then unknown Minimalist and Conceptual artists such as Chuck Close, Sol LeWitt, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Jeff Koons and many more.
Oh, and did I mention that Herb was a postal worker and his wife, a librarian. They paid for all of their art with his paycheck, and lived off of hers entirely. Together, the Vogel amassed 2,000 pieces worth millions. But rather than sell, the couple donated the bulk of their collection to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
Come see their amazing true story and learn how they are still collecting to curate their one bedroom apartment in Manhattan.

Volunteers Needed!!!

Hey everyone, I still need some volunteers to run time bonus checkpoints for the Downs. Hit me up at fixmemphis@yahoo.com if you are interested!

Fixed Gear: Savannah, GA

Emily and I just got back from a fine beach vacation in Hilton Head, SC with plenty of sand castles, alligators, beach cruisers, sunsets and fruity drinks in a rainbow of colors (which we were more intent on drinking, rather than taking pictures of them):




One day while we were there we took a drive over to Savannah, GA (about 30 minutes away) and shopped and took pictures of bicycles. Savannah is home to SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) so you can imagine the number of "hip" art-school kids with fixed gear bikes. I'll preface these photos first with an apology to anyone whose bike I captured that isn't an art-school hipster and actually rides for the love of it, for the work of it (shout to Brett, a Savannah Pedi-cabbie who was super nice to talk to for a while), or for the transportation of it. Savannah is beautiful and I want to come back and race and play polo (everyday!?) and just ride in your bike lanes and park in your abundant bike parking, but it seemed that a lot of the bikes I saw were strictly trying to be cool. Here's what I mean:

I never thought about grabbing my bars from underneath but I imagine it would make you pretty aero:


Or, "I'm gonna chip to hell my sweet-ass Merckx with this un-sheathed chain." Two condoms are needed here: one for the chain and one for the owner so he doesn't reproduce:


However this is the worst:


Where did that derailleur go? It must not have been any good. What does Dura-Ace mean anyway?



However there were some good looking bikes around like this guy:



...and his rather smart basket:



Or this Fuji Track Pro that was (regrettably) spray painted white:



And overall Savannah looks like an enoyable place to ride:



I mostly took pictures of fixed gears and single speeds as there were WAY too many cruisers. Check the rest of them on my flickr.

Time to step up...

One gear No idea from chris akrigg on Vimeo.

This was, apparently, his first time on a fixed gear bike. 6-time UK trials champ shows how it's done.

Cool Movie!

Thursday, August 27th, 7:30pm



I think creativity can solve anything...ANYTHING

Art & Copy is about advertising not just as an oversaturated industry full of cheap ploys to make you consume, but as a life force of creativity that just works because it catches the feeling just right.
As a wanna-be creative person myself, I can become so amazed (and jealous) when I see something that I love-without even knowing it existed until I saw it through a perfect execution of art and creativity.
This film chronicles the movers and shakers of advertising who have made us fall in love with milk and tennis shoes, and explains what could be better, why it isn't better, and why some advertisers can sell almost anything.

"It's about understanding how a tag line like "Just Do It" was developed and why it worked"-Daniel Fienberg, The Fein Print

"If there is such a thing as soul in a slogan, you will find it here, in the words, images and ideas of the finest Mad Men in the business."-Graham Leggat, San Francisco International Film Festival

Polo Sunday

There's no Ice Cream Sunday ride tonight so we are playing a long awaited game of bicycle polo. This is a spectator friendly event so please come out and watch or play if you feel so inclined. We have plenty of mallets. Game time is 5:30ish at the Peddler Bike Shop on Highland. Feel free to get some ice cream from the gas station next door.

EPIC.

The stars aligned....and this occured.

Prepare for your DEATH!

The Memphis Downs is Memphis's longest running alleycat. It is a parking garage up-and-down style race spread throughout Memphis where riders are given a manifest of various parking garages that they race up, write down a number or letter, race down and on to the next garage. For the past three years the best riders have conquered 10 garages with approximately 25 miles of racing. This year we've turned the number of garages up to 11! Adding three beer/time bonus checkpoints Memphis Downs 4 will be over 30 miles!

Join us in Memphis on Friday, September 4th at 8pm at Cooper and Walker for a meet & greet featuring footdown, skid comp and other fun events. This event is free.

Saturday the 5th at 10pm there will be a party at Odessa where we will be showing films from Death Pedal, Council of Doom, Bootleg Sessions v.3, and Macaframa! DJ's will be playing and the movies end at 1AM, when the party REALLY starts. This event is $5. There will also be a $1 raffle for a Timbuk2 bag and other gear. Proceeds from the raffle benefit Revolutions Community Bike Shop.

On Sunday the 6th the main event happens. Meet at Revolutions (behind First Congo Church) at 7pm to register for Memphis Downs 4. Race starts at 8pm. This event is $10 and the profits will go to Revolutions.

Sunday, September 7th is Bicycle Polo behind the Peddler Bike Shop on Highland. There are plenty of mallets so bring your bike and some beer and food, as we'll be cooking out. Pick-up games are planned but if we have enough out-of-towners to represent we'll have a tournament. This event is free.

Escape from Memphis going away party

Hey everyone - Mary, Cam and I are finally leaving Memphis and wanted to have one last hurrah. It starts early for the kids and will go late for the hooligans. Bring a dish to pass around - we'll have some cold beer and burnt meat. Let me know if you think you can make it - by all means, bring a friend.

For your consideration...

While researching bike shops in my new neighborhood in DC (don't worry, I looked before I signed the rent - one doesn't want to be too far, you know) I discovered this gem.

Video 2000/Rollin Cycles


Apparently, some guys who once worked at a bike co-op (much like our beloved Revolutions) decided to partner with a porn video store to open a shop in a highly trafficked neighborhood. Tubes and porn, in one place. I'll probably be going elsewhere, but, hey, it's an idea (especially considering how much of a sausagefest Thursday nights have been lately - um - always).

[edit: I can't get the photo to show up, here's a linky.

We're on the Council Of Doom

...website here.

As a present, Wolfy has asked for a shot of someone doing a wheelie in front of Stax. I'm off at 5ish. Hit me up if you want to be in/take the picture.

Then afterwards we'll hit up Electrocity:

Missed (Fixie) Connection

The Missed Connections on Craigslist are rather dull, compared to other cities at least, but every now and then something awesome surfaces:

Fixie in Overton Park - w4m - 27 (Overton Park)

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Date: 2009-07-26, 6:55PM CDT

Reply To This Post

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You were riding a sweet fixie in Overton Park Sunday evening. It was white, with black bullhorns, white chain I think. It was hot and you were pretty hot too! I wanted to say nice bike, but you rode by too fast.

Hope to see you riding again!


•Location: Overton Park
•it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests



PostingID: 1290438207


I don't recognize the bike in question but one of you might. Good luck fella!

The NEW Thursday Night Ride

Since the departure of our dear friend Isaiah Flowers we're moving the weekly Thursday night ride to our new gracious host's humble abode: Lauren Crabtree has volunteered her house at 1920 Oliver for the pre-ride rendezvous point. It's almost the corner of Oliver and Barksdale.

She's also having a party Thursday night so the ride will start "early" as in 9pm. This week shouldn't be a long ride, maybe lasting an hour or so, depending on the start time.

In other news I've added a new blog to The Latest. Our female rider friends in Nashville have a blog now: The Menstrual Cycles. Check it out and show your support. And Devan, I'm sure you've gotten that leg over the bar skid down so put some pics up!

And in Memphis Downs news: Sponsors are coming in full force. The weekend (September 4th-7th/Labor Day Weekend) is taking shape:

Friday Sept. 4th: dunno?

Saturday Sept. 5th: Electrocity Party at Odessa (this weeks Electrocity has over 200 people from facebook alone planning to attend) showing films from Live From Memphis, 902, Death Pedal, Council of Doom, and motha-effin MACAFRAMA!!! (the movie that everyone is bitching about because they can't get their hands on it!)

Sunday Sept. 6th: Memphis Downs Garage Alleycat. 11 Garages, 3 beer/time bonus checkpoints, over 30 miles of intensity. I need some volunteers!!

Monday Sept. 7th: Bicycle Polo! Pick-up games and a mini-tournament depending on players.

Here's a list of generous sponsors so far:

Egrem Clothing Trend
Banjo Brothers Bags
Urban Velo
OneFixed Clothing
Underground Art
Spokepunchers
RELoad
Outlier Clothing

I'm in talks with several others so expect a flyer soon!

I'll see you all Thursday night!

Boutique Cycles

Seen at UrbanVelo:

Boutique Cycles is a site devoted to custom builds. Here is probably the most interesting fixed gear that I saw on there, not just for the build but the frame is something I've not seen before:



If you haven't figured out what you're looking at the seatpost is split like stays, allowing the tire to slide between. More photos and info here.

More Skateboard Bicycles

Sure, it's just a collabo but you might take it as a sign of things to come. Brooklyn Machine Works and Element Skateboards have joined forces for a new line of clothing:



And a special edition bicycle:



More photos from The Brooklyn Element can be seen here.

Thanks, Tracko

Next, I'm hoping for The Surly Foundation (or would it be The Steamroller Foundation?)

Have You Done What I Just Did?

Registered for the Midnight Classic!

For more info and route: here
To register: here

I'm so excited!

Ice Cream Sunday

Meet at Revolutions at 5:30 for a moderately paced ride to get some ice cream.

Chocolate Bicycles?

Whenever Emily and I have to go to Target I always peruse the toy aisle. Aside from seeing how multi-million dollar movies can really destroy the way you remember your childhood by putting new faces on G.I. Joes (I'm talking about you Baronness) you sometimes come across things that are actually pretty cool. Case in point:



That's right, Tech Decks with bicycles on them. Upon researching this I learned that it is a series from 2007. There are 2 or 3 more decks not pictured here.



I've tried to find an actual deck because I would love to have it on my wall, not just because I love bicycles but also because I grew up skateboarding. I was more of a Toy Machine lover but Chocolate was never a shit company. Ever. If anyone has one or comes across one please contact me.

This also makes me wonder if any other skate brands will go the route of Santa Cruz, great boards to great bikes, instead of the Tony Hawk route. So many kids come into the shop thinking that Tony Hawk is a BMXer...

And now here are some pictures from 2005 that just prove how much I hate the fact that Hasbro is giving new faces to G.I. Joe action figures:

You can carry alot.

I have been bitten by the custom bicycle bug. The past couple of months I have been investigating custom/recycled or re-purposed bikes.

I came across this builder and artist at Bologna bikes. He is a one man operation and on top of making incredible bicycles he turns old cars into guitars. (Yes, I said guitars) go see for yourself. As I grow as a cyclist I have seen many facets of the global cycling community. It is humbling to see how we progress and molt into a newer entity thanks to those creative souls in our fold. Props to Bologna bikes and one of our great local builders

and artists Mr. Mike Crum @

Magnolia Bicycles. Thank you for

what you do.