It seems appropriate to celebrate Velospeak’s 500th post with a celebration. Please join us at Shelter Half for Bicycles and Beer, an event showcasing product from Chris King, Mission Workshop, Paul Components, Shinola, Swrve, and Sycip. Beer will be served and films will be screened.
Packing for a trip overseas is always a bit of a struggle for me. I have a small collection of suitcases, all good, but none are very easy to understand. Yes, the idea is to cram everything in, but how to do that so it makes sense, and more importantly, so the clothes stay wrinkle free is the trick. On my recent trip to Frankfurt, I was able to test the Osprey Contrail 28″ suitcase. It is a large wheeled bag with a very clean and simple exterior design. The handle is solid, the wheels stable, and the access to the interior spaces is great. But it’s what’s on the inside that has me loving this bag. Osprey includes the Flightlocker organizer, a system to keep your clothes and accessories contained in a removable pack. At first glance, I was thinking I wouldn’t really be able to figure out what goes where, but on further inspection, I discovered that each compartment is labeled with simple diagrams. One for shirts, one for shoes, one for socks, and so on. I followed the plan, and before I knew it, I had a fully self contained package with all my clothes, including two pairs of shoes, that is easily placed in the suitcase. It was a revelation that packing could be so simple. Upon arriving in Frankfurt, I took the Flightlocker out of the bag, and hung it in the closet using the built in hanging system. This is an exceptional system for packing and organizing a bag. On the back side of the bag, there is another insert that houses your dirty laundry, and keeps it separate from the clean clothes in the main compartment. There is also room for magazines and incidentals on the back. On the sides are pockets deep enough to accommodate a variety of large items. It seems the storage in this bag is endless. The Osprey Contrail 28″ proved its worth on this trip, and will most certainly be with me on my future travels. It is a well designed bag that can easily tackle any adventure that may come your way.
Nau together with People for Bikes present the opportunity to win a Tern foldable Cruiser and Nau apparel. To enter, all that is needed is a picture of where your bike has taken you. The complete rules are here. What a great way to promote National Bike Month, and hopefully a chance to get one more person riding on a daily basis.
Just announced this morning, the Urban Cycling Hall of Fame comes to light. I like the idea of honoring those involved in urban cycling, and the promotion of cycling all around. All cycling is good, and getting the word out is even better. I happily ride to work everyday, and once in a while, I convince others to follow suit. Here in LA, there are more cyclists on the road each day, so maybe LA should get an honorable mention in the UCHOF. I look forward to the award ceremony September 18th at Interbike.
Al Fritz, the creator of the Schwinn Stingray, died at age 88. The obituary in the LA Times says it all. An industry visionary for creating the Sting-Ray, ‘the Corvette of bicycles.’
This doesn’t seem like a good place to leave your bicycle.
Tokyo Fixed, a favorite shop in London, is closing the longtime Peter Street location, and re-opening as Kinoko Cycles in Soho’s Golden Square.
The 96th edition of the Giro d’Italia started Saturday, and for those obsessed with cycling, it should be quite the event. I don’t have TV, so Steephill is the place for me to watch. Even here in Germany, I need to use Steephill, as they do not seem to cover the Giro on any of the channels I have in my hotel. To commemorate the Giro, Chungkong has produced a print available directly through Society 6.
