Fuck Gas

Thankfully Urban Velo are on top of things up in Indy bringing the best coverage available on the internet from the NAHBS. Really can’t wait to get up there tonight.

In other Urban Velo news, Brad and Jeff managed to get issue 12 off to the printers before they left PA. So, what that means for you is that Urban Velo #12 is now available for download from their site or you can even subscribe thru iTunes as a podcast. Better yet, you can even subscribe to the print version and help support the most interesting thing regularly printed about bicycles.

Get on it.

This was the scene yesterday as exhibitors got their displays ready for this weekends North American Handmade Bike Show up in Indianapolis. Unfortunately I won’t be at the show until Sunday as the lady and I aren’t heading up there until tomorrow evening. I will however be sure to get some photos up Sunday night of anything we may run into while out and about in the city as well as whatever strikes my fancy at the show.

For more up to date NAHBS goings on check out Urban Velo’s daily coverage or all the latest directly from the NAHBS crew.

I’ve been running the Continental Top Contact for a bit now and I can say there is nothing less than impressive about this tire. While the picture over yander ain’t mine (my camera’s acting all squirrelly), it is indeed a good representation of what you would receive upon purchasing said Top Contact. At any rate, it’s good stuff

I’ve seen retail prices ranging from $55 and up online so it’s not the cheapest tire you’re going to find at your local bike shop. But keep in mind, you get what you pay for. First off, Continental offers a 1 year warranty against puncture while riding the Top Contact. I think that in itself warrants the price.

If you’re not quite convinced, try considering details like an extra thick tread, a smooth center with large shoulder grooves and finally a reflective side wall. You can count on the Top Contact standing up to months of skidding with plenty of life left over.

Being a treaded tire I actually expected it to be an easier skid than the slick I was running previously. However, I have come to find the Top Contact a very sticky and grippy tire on the road. It took a bit of getting used to honestly. However, I have to say that after this one has runs it’s course, I be back for more with another. By far my favorite tire these days and I highly recommend you check it out for yourself.

Find out more at Continental

So in more old school BMX style for your track bike news, Profile has released a 48 hole fixed gear hub.  48 spokes has an advantage when it comes to polo (no balls getting through your spokes) as well as for those radical freestylers (strength in numbers). More at ProfileFixed.com

Well, with all the NAHBS hoopla, I lost track of Monstertrack X, also happening this weekend, only in NYC. So many awesome bicycle happenings and so little time. If you’re at NAHBS be sure to say hi, I’ll be the drooling cyclops… if you’re at Monstertrack, stay safe and have fun.

With being so caught up in getting shit done downtown I’ve been a bit out of the loop on most things bike related. However, I did manage to catch that Blaq Design has gotten a prototype together for their backpack, the Heist. Looks pretty awesome and you can see more here.

While spending my morning hanging out at the shop getting acclimated with the computer system and going over some additional details I really got a chance to be reminded of how much I have missed being on that side of the counter so to speak. Afterwards, I got to spend the better part of my day cleaning out the space for a new shop location that I’m really looking forward to being a part of. I think the space and location offer a lot of potential to serve a part of the community seemingly overlooked and in need of a neighborhood shop. At the moment the space has a lot of work yet to be done, but I think we’ll have it ready soon enough.

With the Amgen Tour of California wrapping up in the final 98 mile stage today, it has been nice to not hear about all the doping scandals I’m used to when it comes to road racing. However, considering I don’t know shit about road racing or doping scandals I could simply be off the mark…

Other great ATOC happenings included the Rapha tour, Mash SF’s fixed tour and the above photo I actually twittered about a few days ago, but awesome none the less. Check the whole sequence here.

With the NAHBS right around the corner, Peacock Groove is one of the builders I’m really looking forward to checking out. You can see the full list of exhibitors here.

Thanks to Ellen up in NYC for this one…

You may remember every bicyclist’s friend, now “Former Officer” Patrick Pogan from the above video of Critical Mass up in NYC last July seen body checking Christopher Long onto the curb. Seems the NYPD did the right thing and fired the asshole.