The Guardian's bike blog

I have a piece on the Bike Blog today about a bamboo bike from Calfee. Full Ultegra, and much lighter than my fixed. Hell of a nice ride, too.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jun/22/bamboo-bike

Hey, I was just going to come on and post that! :) Great article. I'd love to buy / build a bamboo bike.

As an aside, do you have any idea why Guardian commentators are such utter, utter fuckwits? I'm sure most of them actually read the Mail. Or the Beano.

I think building your own bamboo bike could work, and I would be VERY interested to hear from you if you try. Could be another blog post in that :)

we did this bike discussion
http://www.londonfgss.com/thread16062-10.html

As an aside, do you have any idea why Guardian commentators are such utter, utter fuckwits? I'm sure most of them actually read the Mail. Or the Beano.

Because just like anyone who posts shit on the internet they're mentally retarded....

Oh wait, except me of course, I'm the only sane one y'know.

Just listening to their podcast:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/audio/2009/jun/23/the-bike-podcast-chris-hoy

Just listening to their podcast:

"odge" does nothing for fixed riding in the podcast IMHO.

First: I don't think it's a trend and *...beyond the aesthetics there's a fan base.

*Then: You can get a chain in blue, gold, red....Hubs don't come in just silver...
Way to change groygen reader's perception that we're just graphic/media orientated cunts*

*I'm aware we are.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/ethicallivingblog/2009/jul/06/alcohol-cycling

Chortle.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/ethicallivingblog/2009/jul/16/cycling-tribes-race

Shit hot content from the graniaud as per usual*

eh? no chance.
fixed rider should have kicked arse,still stopped at lights, trackstanded to give the other nodders a head start before munching them on the straights...

meh. at least getting bikes and cycling into the main stream papers is easier now..

meh. at least getting bikes and cycling into the main stream papers is easier now..

yeah - when a forumenger writes them!

I quite liked that piece.

Next one should be about using 'restricted permeability' routes or whatever Herr Schick calls them. Back routes are 'way' better!

Some interesting comments on that piece. Still, to be expected - it's a touchy subject. It's true, though, I'm riding a sit-up bike to work now. Saving the fixed for evenings/weekends. At least, this week I am...

I'm a fixed gear rider with a vintage sit-up and beg, commuting to work on a road bike. Plus I have a motorbike.
Boy, am I having an identity crisis right now. I'm going to need to buy more bicycles to complete the set. It's the only way.

I'm gonna file this in my "No Shit, Sherlock" folder.

Their blog is a bit conventional, it has rehashed loads of done to death topics about commuting and cycle safety over and over again.

... maybe they could actually make some effort and write a piece about ethical living aspect of cycling as it is an ethical living blog. For example,

• They could examine the false economy and environment impact of shit bikes/bike components (i.e. the environmental impact of cheapy shit parts getting flown from overseas to here and only lasting a few months).
  
• The environmental impact of factories which make our frames and components, does that damage offset "the good" we are doing (whether intentional or not) by not using a car to commute to work.
  
  

So far they have only had one piece examining anything close to these topics and it hasn't seemed to be revisited.

Good points Lucas.I think they could do worse than re-employing Matt Seaton purely for the fact that he used to annoy the hell out of Buffalo Bill!He was also a good writer who covered all aspects of being a cyclist.(Seaton not B*ll)

London Fields Cycles is so busy with repairs that their waiting list has been very long for a couple of years, which is why there are now dedicated repair-only businesses in Hackney, i.e. Bike Yard East or Bike Mech. Lock-7 also do repairs, and no doubt others will spring up in due course.

Kiwi cycles are literally around the corner from LFC on Darnley rd. From what I hear Paul is a good mechanic.

Their blog is a bit conventional, it has rehashed loads of done to death topics about commuting and cycle safety over and over again.

... maybe they could actually make some effort and write a piece about ethical living aspect of cycling as it is an ethical living blog. For example,

[] They could examine the false economy and environment impact of shit bikes/bike components (i.e. the environmental impact of cheapy shit parts getting flown from overseas to here and only lasting a few months).
[] The environmental impact of factories which make our frames and components, does that damage offset "the good" we are doing (whether intentional or not) by not using a car to commute to work.

So far they have only had one piece examining anything close to these topics and it hasn't seemed to be revisited.

What you mean actually doing some journalism and not relying in press releases and citizen journalism? I wish.

Good suggestions, email them to one of the reporters (not bloggers).

Why do people keep calling fixed gear bikes a flash in the pan?

My nextdoor neighbor (who kind took delivery of my fixed wheel bike) told me a story about how he used to race them when he was a boy! He looked at my bike and told me about cycle moterXcross and how the bikes where the same except his bike had one peddle...

He said "they used to think it would not last long back then so i'm happy to see your still riding them"

Their blog is a bit conventional, it has rehashed loads of done to death topics about commuting and cycle safety over and over again.

Well, after a while in cycle campaigning you do realise that much of the work involves broadcasting the same advice over and over again--which is fine, as lots of people are getting started, etc. Barring major revolutions, cycling is not going to change so incredibly rapidly, and the important things will remain the important things, and that's what people will want information on. Boring, perhaps, but cycling's increasing tremendously in this country, in all sorts of ways and all sorts of areas, so a bit of patience is worth it.

Good points Lucas.I think they could do worse than re-employing Matt Seaton purely for the fact that he used to annoy the hell out of Buffalo Bill!He was also a good writer who covered all aspects of being a cyclist.(Seaton not B*ll)

Why did he annoy Bill? Did they disagree on things? (Bill?)

I think Seaton may just have run out of topics, or become bored. The problem was that they just couldn't seem to find a successor to him--most of the subsequent writers they used weren't very good.

Kiwi cycles are literally around the corner from LFC on Darnley rd. From what I hear Paul is a good mechanic.

There are a lot of new bike shops in Hackney, and some dedicated to repairs only. Our list at the Hackney Cyclists web-site is usually reasonably up-to-date:

http://www.hackney-cyclists.org.uk/info.htm#bikeshops

The latest new addition is Perlie Rides in Well Street:

http://www.perlierides.com/

Why did he annoy Bill? Did they disagree on things? (Bill?)

I think Seaton may just have run out of topics, or become bored. The problem was that they just couldn't seem to find a successor to him--most of the subsequent writers they used weren't very good.

I think B*ll didn't think much of Seaton's tennis socks.

Ironically, B*ll wrote an article for them after Seaton left!