Cookout at jasons on harbert at 1:30 then party at charles' on carruthers tonight

Memphis adopts brakeless fixed gear law

After reading about Cara's debacle I remembered that I've been so busy that I haven't posted about the amendments to the City of Memphis bicycle laws. In particular I wanted to draw your attention to one section alone that makes Memphis have some of the most progressive bicycle laws in the country:

Section 21-200. Equipment - Brake
Every bicycle operated upon streets in the city shall be equipped with a brake or brakes which will enable its driver to stop the bicycle within twenty five feet (25') from a speed of ten miles per hour (10mph) on dry, level, clean pavement. Such brake(s) shall be maintained in good working order at all times. For the purposes of this section, the drivetrain of a fixed gear bike is considered a brake provided the rider can demonstrate compliance with the braking requirement stated herein.

The rest of the amendments an be found here, pg. 9-14: http://www.cityofmemphis.org/pdf_forms/documents_041310.pdf

Thanks to everyone at Walk Bike! Memphis who spent time rewriting the old laws.

Links to the previous laws can be found here: http://fixmemphis.blogspot.com/2008/09/cycling-laws-again.html

Stinky Stanky

I can't find any info available online but this Sunday, May 30th is The Stinky Stanky Bike Jam & Jumping Contest to be held all day at Bartlett Park. I'm sure a lot of our BMX friends will be there as they've invested a lot of time building the dirt jumps and rails that are out there. Not a whole lot of info on the flyer, just that cash prizes will be awarded. Here's a map of Bartlett Park:


View Larger Map

Handicat Photos!

This past Sunday Brett threw a well attended and exciting alleycat. Emily and I ran a checkpoint (probably the most relaxed one, since we just hung out in a park and climbed a tree). Here are some of the photos I got of our checkpoint, the riders and the after party:





Check the rest on my flickr.

Bike To Work Participants Should Be Prepared

As you get ready for Friday's Bike To Work Day you should think about your route to work. You can now view some of the unofficial-official routes for the Center City Commission's Bike To Work Day Event at their website: http://www.downtownmemphis.com/biketowork. The map on the right will take you to a tutorial page. There you'll learn how to use the map: figure out from where and what time rides are being led, the location of the energizer stations, or plan your own route.

Also check this video for some "cycle chic" downtowners:

This was kind of weird seeing this video because I used to live in the same building in the medical district as Dale, one of the people featured here. I haven't seen her in about 10 years. I remember I was giving her a ride somewhere and she was all, "Hey Cort, play me some of that freaky white-boy psychedelic shit!" She really dug the intro to Sweet Jane by The Velvet Underground.

While there will be refreshments at the energizer stations and at the Church Health Center (serving fruit, coffee and juice from 9am to 10am, and Ursula Madden will be broadcasting live, I'm gonna try to get on TV!) riders do need to take into consideration the road conditions. The recent storms have sent a lot of water rushing down our streets and the water carries sand and debris with it. Be careful on turns and don't ride too much in the gutter.

05-17-10 Main Street 002
Originally uploaded by Kermit43

As if trolley tracks weren't hazardous enough: for anyone who will be biking to work downtown please take a look at Kermit's flickr stream. He's posted some pictures of the Main Street Trolley tracks that are in disrepair.

Two Thursday's ago we had a wreck onaccounta the tracks on N. Main of which a few of these pictures show the hazardous conditions. The picture to the side shows obvious danger of pinch flats and OTB injuries. Thanks to Kermit for the Trolley Tracks photos.

It's not too late to register for Bike To Work Day. But you do want to make sure you go ahead and get your tickets for the Bicycle Film Festival before we sell out!

If you can't see Theophilus London

Theophilus London - ACCEPT THE NEW from Theophilus London on Vimeo.

While searching for some tracks from Theophilus London's mixtape I Want You I came across this video. I would ride that bike all over town! I would ride that bike all over Poplar! Cars would slow down just to get a better look.

The bike is just the first half of the video; freaky sea creatures fill the second half. Equally as awesome.

Another Craigslist Find

I already have a pedal car that I need to fix up but I think this would be AH-MAY-ZING to have:



I bet they would let you ride it at the paddle-boat pool on Mud Island, especially since this Sunday is Funday Sunday: All About Bikes! You could also bike the Wolf River!

http://memphis.craigslist.org/bik/1738905373.html

I learned InDesign Today and Look What Happened!!!

http://beyondtheframe.wordpress.com/2010/05/14/bicycle-film-festival-memphis/

BFF Handicat!

I'm running a checkpoint for this and throwing out some prizes. I was considering winning this race, but I will be worn out from Friday and Saturday.

My prediction for winner since I won't be racing: Chase Hardin

Thursday Night Industrialized

I was looking through my pictures from last Thursday and noticed a kind of industrial theme. This first picture was taken where the V&E Greenline dumps out onto Cleveland by the old Sears Crosstown Building.

This next one is a picture that I haven't been able to find on the internet. It's of a Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in downtown Memphis and it seems that only skateboarders and BMXers know what it really represents. It looks kind of like a lion or also a metal wave.

This last one was taken while we were on our way to the Indian Burial Mounds. This train was stopped on the tracks and had a cow skull with some feathers hanging from it affixed to the front.

After this my battery died so no pictures of jumping off roofs into pools. It wasn't until two days later that I realized that when I fell earlier that night, I cracked the screen on my camera. I think it will still take pictures. I guess we'll find out tonight.

Meet at Revolutions, ride leaves at 9PM.

Proteus on craigslist

Hey Memphis. I just wanted to drop a dime on something I saw on your craigslist.

This Proteus could be pretty awesome.


Proteus isn't far from my place here and is a pretty awesome shop. The current owner, Jill, is pretty rad and Ben rips my legs off every wednesday during the wolfpack. That being said, this frame might be pretty awesome on its own accord. You see, Yamaguchi worked for Proteus for a while making frames. Without some poking around, I can't say he made this one, but it might be something to look into.

Bicycle Film Festival

Click for largers. Spread it like wildfire!

He beat Lance Armstrong's record.

Thursday Night Ride

I've made a tentative route map here. Of course it doesn't show the roads through the park but you get the general idea. Bring a camera, there will be plenty of photo opportunities.

Toy Machine Fixed Gear Deck

I spotted this at Hipster Nascar: Toy Machine Bloodsucking Skateboard Company has released a new deck showing Turtleboy in a Cinelli cycling cap and holding a copy of a mag that appears to be titled "Fixed Gear Today."

This is not the first time skateboards have featured bicycles. Remember the Chocolate decks? I still want those. I google-found this site which shows that they made some pretty rad looking t-shirts as well.

That led me to search what other skateboard decks have featured bicycles, and more to the point, which have featured fixed gear bicycles. Of course we know that Element and Brooklyn Machine Works did a collaboration but I'm more interested in actual decks and artwork.

The Switzerland based 242 Shop released a deck that shows a shop area. My Swiss isn't exactly conversational but I believe the sign is pointing towards the velodrome. 242 Shop also has some rad t-shirts. I also like their Hubble shirts because I'm a space nerd! You can't order direct but you can email them and tell them what you'd like and they'll send you a PayPal invoice.

Enjoi also released this Cairo Foster pro deck. It looks like they don't know too much about gear ratios!

Last up is this Queen tribute from Expedition (Expedition One, whatever...). It's not a fixed gear but it's still a bicycle.

In addition to adding the cigarette it looks like they gave her a wedgie as well. Originally the girl was naked but stores refused to stock the single (Bicycle Race b/w Fat Bottomed Girls) so the label put some panties on the curvaceous cyclist.