A Birthday Collage for Spencer

To my best friend, may the angelic voice of Morrissey guide your heart into happiness on this birthday of yours.  May you never drop a bolt from your Campangolo Super Record rear deraileur.   I gotta say, for one of the first “bike-friends” I made, it sure is nice not to have to ride around so much anymore – more time to focus on fun.  Happy birthday to the best dressed dude I know.

Super Market Street Sweep #4

Better late than never, right? 

I apologize for taking an extra 2 weeks to post the results from the SMSW4 race, back in early December.  The holiday noose started to tighten much earlier than usual, and before I knew it I was procrastinating left and right.

Spencer and I headed over to the start about an hour early, as is now the tradition.  We sat and watched as cyclists started showing up at the Bow and Arrow, and as we waited the clouds lifted (as is also now the tradition – we’ve had good weather in early December for four years in a row now!)  By the time Kacey and the other organizers showed up to set up registrations, we had a full on crowd bustling at the seams.  We broke up into 4 lines and started registering all of the racers and before I knew it, we ran out of spokecards and soon ran out of stickers.  My line was not dying down, and neither were the others, and we had already checked in about 50 people — assuming each line took in as many people, we had easily broken all of our Attendance Records!  We registered a total of 198 people!  Just 2 shy of 200.

Everyone was eager to start, so we separated the racers from their bicycles, a la Le Mans style.  We then handed out manifests, explained rules, and yelled “GO!”  If you have not yet had the pleasure of being part in such a mass of people when they all take off down the road, you are missing out — seeing about 200 people hopping to their bikes, then zooming out onto the EMB is certainly one of the best sensual experiences in the world: bright colors blending into a blur, the squeals and peels of laughter and tires as the racers take off, the smell of newly formed perspiration the instant it wettens a merino base layer, even the taste of the air as it vibrates with the energy of all these people… it is a true slice of joy.

Steve gives Spence a lift.

After the Big Moment, things quieted down a bit.  We decided we needed some coffee, so Steve gave a demonstration on the weight-capacity of his front rack.  First he gave Spencer a speedy lift, then, remembering that my broken hip has left me with a bit of a limp Steve came back for me like a true gentleman.  He pedalled me 2 blocks, with Spencer jogging behind: A brief bit of fun before the real work for the day starts.  This race is a bit different as far as organizing goes – while none of us have to actually sit and be bored at “checkpoints” all day long, we do have a serious rush at the finish line as all 198 people come in with bags (and cargo bikes) full of groceries that need to be weighed, organized, and properly notated by the helpers.  It is about 2 hours of non-stop intensity, so the half hour of quiet with two buds was a nice way to start the day.

Spencer and I then made our way over to the SF Food Bank, where the rest of the organizers were already getting ready.  I paused for a bit to take some medicine, and as I was doing so I noticed two cyclists down the road on what appeared to be cargo bikes.  Thinking they couldn’t be racers, the race had just started, there was no question who they were: Erik Zo and Sara!  I yelled a hearty “Yo, Zo!” and gave a wave, and motioned with my hand to see if he’d like to come share a puff with me.  It was no surprise when he raised his hand to expose his own spliff, which he was enjoying while riding.  He smiled, I smiled, and like that he was gone.

On account of our late arrival to the food bank, Spencer and I were forced to wear the DFL-Volunteers costumes, provided by the foodbank.

"Tuna and Mac" by Yuko C.

From that point, all we had to do was wait until the first racer arrived.  And, like last year, he showed up a lot quicker than any of us had expected.  And, like last year, Grey was just a hair behind him.  And, like last year, the first finisher was on a fixed gear bicycle (a thought that still warms my heart – as almost all races these days are won on road bikes).  To Adam and Grey – congratulations.

With the Speed category hemmed up, we waited for the Cargo finishers who generally take a bit longer, due to their huge loads.  The first few to show up were smiling friends: Dave and Joshua.

Dirty Dave, 3 time cargo Champ & Joshua Thayer, a real inspiration.

Heavy duty.

While Dave was the reigning cargo champion for three years running, he was a bit modest with his haul this year.  Instead, he had a lot of fun building what looks to be one of the most amazing cargo-truck-track-bikes around.  We are really hoping he will provide CZ with a full write up and build report down the line, it is a sweet machine.  Dave was aware of a shortage of protein at the foodbank so he took it upon himself to load up on as many tubs of Baked Beans as he could, and thanks to his Track-Truck he was able to cart in enough to fill a few bathtubs.

With Dave checked in and on his way to the afterparty, there was only one last contestant to arrive and we all knew he would be a big one.  Jeremiah, who has been a huge supporter of our race for all four years, astonished us with his “Oregon Trails” wagon-type bike trailer, which was built by Reuben Margolin, with the help and sponsorship of the Bike Kitchen.  He pulled up and weighed his haul… let’s just say that this one man dragged in almost a full 1,000 pounds of food.  This is all in the name of good fun, but we should never forget the end result of this race: Providing food for the needy.  Jeremiah has proved, again, what the spirit of giving actually looks like: a bit of pain, and a huge huge huge grin.

Portrait by Koshi.

That is not all, but that is all I have time to write.  These numbers should speak for themselves:

SMSW stats:
2006: 80 racers brought in 1,172 lbs of food!
2007: 110 racers brought in 1,595 lbs of food!
2008: 150 racers brought in 5,266 lbs of food!
2009: 198 racers brought in 7,507 lbs of food!

If you want to see all of the photos of the race, please check out this link here.
If you want to read more about the race, the sponsors, and anything else, check the blog out:

Super Market Street Sweep.

See you next year!

The Organizers!

A note from your humble Editor:

GET READY TO RACE!  GET READY TO GIVE!

I am proud to announce the Fourth Annual SuperMarket Street Sweep Race!

Start: Bow and Arrow, 12noon, December 5th.

Format: Race to supermarkets listed on manifest and purchase food items listed on manifest.

Categories: Speed (for those that want to go fast) and Cargo (for those that want to haul)

Before / After: Dirty Dave wins again

A short history on this race, since it is one that is close to my own heart both as an organizer and as a hippy.

Four or more years ago, while discussing potential ideas for holiday themed races, Jenny Oh related to me the idea of some races she had heard/seen that were charity-based.  This perked my interest, having not seen one in San Francisco before.  Jenny, a true and dedicated “go-getter” got the ball rolling and the momentum built up.  I am an admittedly lazy person, so when I envisioned a race all I could see were problems: finding checkpoint workers, organizing the workers, sponsors, getting permission from the stores we planned to use, and many more potential headaches that were all looming on the horizon.  Then, like a shock of pure excitement, I remembered a terrible old television game show that I used to watch with my sister when we were bored 10 and 11 year olds one summer: Supermarket Sweep.  Mainly what I recall of the show was how fun it must have been to run through a grocery store and grab whatever you could and try to make it out with the most money in your basket.  I would try this exact situation a few times, and even ran clear through the cashiers line without paying – it was exciting.  But how to share that excitement with others, and also combine it with some good old fashioned “giving back”?  Our format quickly became apparent to us!

By having the “checkpoints” as grocery stores, we would not need to employ friends/workers at those checkpoints since the racers would be purchasing food and getting a receipt, which would verify that they completed that checkpoint.  Wonderful how that worked out.  Also, by *not* asking the permission of the grocery stores we were creating a bit of planned, and quite fun, chaos for the racers to enjoy.

2008 Race Organizers, photo by Ben and Sue

Then we came down to the problem of hauling: the race’s true meaning.  We’ve all been used to races where speed is the main importance, so designing the race around a route that goes to grocery stores allowed us to tailor the route in two ways: Hard to reach stores for the Speed Category and Easier to reach stores for the Cargo Category.  From the very start, we always wished this race to be on the easier side so that we would attract a  huge group of participants, and since the race is for charity and not about testing bravado we were happy to make it even more accomodating.  How happy we all were at the first year’s Starting Event when we saw not one, but two families on bicycle where even the 6 or 7 year old children were ready to race, with their helmets and their bags.  The explicit goal has always been to gather the largest group, and send that group out to collect as much food as they can handle safely – and looking at the statistics of the past races one can see such a huge, huge spike in the donations.

2006: 80 racers brought in 1,172 lbs of food!
2007: 110 racers brought in 1,595 lbs of food!
2008: 150 racers brought in 5,266 lbs of food!

Just to point out the obvious: we only had 40 more people in 2008, however the total weight of the donated food is almost FIVE TIMES as much as the prior year.  This is due, in part, to the big upsurge in cargo bikes on the street these days.  In fact, an entire team (Team Project-Rawanda) showed up in fully spandexed kits, each with their own cargo bike and gigantic burlap sack to carry. 

Planned Chaos – and Gary Fisher, always looking dapper.

So, what are the predictions for this year’s race?  I’ve got my money on some favorites, and word is getting out that a few heavy-handers are joining in.  My guess, if I may be bold enough to proclaim it: 10,000 pounds of food.  I doubt we will break 200 racers, but I think breaking 10,000 pounds is do-able this year.  Thanks in part to the heavy population of cargo bikes on the roads today (between last year and this year, we are seeing at least 300% more!) as well as the momentum of three prior races propelling this one forward – I can see it all now.

For more information on the race, for information on the sponsors, for information on the past races, and for all other details:

The SuperMarket Street Sweep Blog.

October 1 - Art Opening, Cafe Royale @ Post St.

HELLO!
If you are free tonight we’d love to see you at this art opening.  Cafe Royale is a nice little wine and beer bar with a great pool table and neat old tiled floors, and they’ve offered their walls to our good friends at The Loin. 

OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE:
Nathan Lee, CycleZine’s own master-blaster of the web, will be showing a series of designs.  We can’t wait to see them, and if it is anything like  the now famous “I (crash) SF” shirt that he worked on with Tori, they will be selling like hot cakes in no time.  Mostly, though, we really love a chance to applaud for one of our friends when they get a nice show like this.  Let’s all celebrate the achievements of a good and righteous dude.

ONE LAST NOTE OF URGENCY:
We’re very excited about this, and hope to see you all there.  Cheers!

The Details...

Tyler Lepore, owner of Super Champion

Vancouver is a rainy city, and the corner of Main and Hastings attracts a pile of people waiting to buy more of, or come down off of, some dirty heroin. The sliver of downtown is given over to the junkies, and the alleyways contain them in various states of disrepair: lying down and nodding off, sitting up but nodding off, in the very act of injecting it into the fingertip but just about to nod off, and even a few standing/wobbling and nodding off. Crossing Hastings and continuing towards the water, the litter lessens and the sky emerges.

Tyler still has to chase them out of the shop once a day or so, and they still come back attempting to steal a saddle or sell a handful of used batteries, coffee grounds, or some other discarded bit of junk. He has taken to keeping three or four bummer bike-pumps out front, unlocked. This deters the junkies from coming into the shop and stealing the working pump that customers use, instead they take the bait and run off with a useless pump which stands guard next to the front door. It’s a good trick, they hardly ever lose new pumps these days.

The shop itself opened about 2 or 3 years ago, though I remember being shown photos of Tyler’s growing bike collection while the shop was still an idea in his mind. Of note were an astonishing Paramount, a very old Brittish racer, and even a nice red CCM. I’m into vintage bikes, but seeing the things Tyler was pulling up from the dead made me marvel and drop my jaw in wonder. He’s got some insane ability to find the old, the most hidden, the forgotten. Just look at the walls of his shop, which are meticulously maintained (“curated” would be a nice word, but it implies too heavy of a hand. This shop is not a museum that does no good work, instead think of it like a mechanic’s stand that happens to have a small gallery of bikes and bike parts attached to its front – the real heart of the shop starts behind the display cases, where the staff is.

Main Wall - for sale: IROs, Guerciotti, Cinelli, Siegly, etc.

Their main customer is a person who has $500 to spend and wants a complete bike that is functional and will stand up to the winter, which brings both snow and a super-abundance of rain.  They try to get the most bike for their money.  When Tyler explained this small detail to me, I was knocked off my feet for a moment — I come from San Francisco, where the weather is comparably mild if not “nice”, and the consumer mentality behind our American bike-buying impulses is a bit different, and a bit sad.  It seems that we go into shops with unspecified budgets and unspecified needs, and end up walking out with a costly bike that does not really fit the purpose we intended to fill.  It seems that we’re doing it backwards and trying to get the least bike for the most amount of money, one that shows nicely but fits poorly.  Hense all the color-coded, mismatched parts that are constantly coming up for sale on our local internet forums, Craigslist, and the like – people resell because they did not make the right purchase the first time, and a quick look around at what people are getting rid of should illustrate this point precisely.  In Vancouver, at least, people seem to be deciding on what they need then going out and purchasing it after saving for awhile – there is hardly no reselling, except among the smaller amateur road and track racing groups who commonly trade around parts trying to find the best set up for themselves.  Tyler is there, though, for all customers; and so is Super Champion.  They keep a full supply of all rims, hubs, bars, stems, saddles, and accessories that are on the market – from the mighty Nitto and Sugino down to the smaller and more boutique brands like Chub Hub.  And, if looking keen is your wish, they’ve got a selection of locally made apparel from around the continent and abroad, as well as a fine choice of messenger bags.

Main Wall - for sale: IROs, Guerciotti, Cinelli, Siegly, etc.

Tyler and the staff participate in and support all of the local alleycats, as well as some abroad.  He’s even been generous enough to donate parts and prizes to races I’ve organized here in San Francisco.  The Super Champion track racing team is heavy at the Burnaby Drome, and each season they are all progressing up the ranks and becoming fine wheelmen.  I believe Sam’s flying-200KM is clocking in at 12-13 seconds.  So, not only do they support the average customer who wants to purchase a new bike, or piece together one of their own, but the shop also gives back to the racing community as well.  The shop is also located close enough to the financial district, and the broader Downtown area, to be a hub for the couriers.  They congregate there, change tires there, and have quickly made Super Champion their first and only shop.  Also, with the new and thriving “Fixed Gear Freestyling” scene, the shop’s been on the forefront in stocking some of the more specific parts and frames needed for the new sport.  They’ve got a bar-spinnable frame, and can make any size wheel you require.  But, it’s not all just tricks and track there – while I was visiting, they were putting together a small fleet of comfort bikes, complete with twisty-grip-shifts, huge diaper-like saddles, and easy to step-through frames.  The range really is wide — they can take care of my own mother as well as they can take care of the messenger, racer, or plain old person.

Super Champion racers at Burnaby Velodrome

The strange thing that I noticed about Vancouver, at least on my first trip there, was that there are literally 100s of bicycle stores, all crammed into a somewhat small city.  On Main Street alone, just out of downtown, I counted something like 10 shops in a span of just a mile or two.  Now, some were junk-shops that happened to cater to bikes (meaning they only had rusted out, decade old “hybrids” and the stray children’s bike) or they were nice enough shops with new enough bikes that catered to such a broad range of people that they remained totally empty and lifeless.  Tyler’s shop, on the other hand, was nothing like any of these places.  His shop had a welcoming feel, an openness that was inviting (to both look at the pretty stuff with admiration, but also to chat with the staff who are only a step or two away at all times) and the time we spent there hanging out, laughing, sharing stories and talking shop, was quite fun.  I’m lucky enough to call Tyler a friend first and foremost, so I may have received some special treatment — though I doubt it, he was just as happy to help a random customer who wanted a bike lock but did not want to spend more than $20.  Tyler handled him with grace and care, and explained to the man the finer points of theft and how locks help, but more importantly he did this without sounding condescending.  This is a question that must get asked a lot in bikeshops, and naive customers are quite hard to handle at times, but I got the distinct impression that Tyler is accomodating to all customers.  The man ended up agreeing with Ty’s sage advice, thanked him for it, and purchased for himself a nice and secure lock for not much more than he intended to spend.  He didn’t walk out of the shop with the most expensive, most fashionable lock that he’d never really need - and he didn’t walk out with the useless $15 cable lock he intended to buy.  What the customer got, and what all customers get from Super Champion, is the exact thing they needed (without spending too much extra money) as well as a bit of advice that will go a long way.

If you are ever in the Pacific Northwest, or the greater Cascadia area, do stop into Brittish Columbia for a special visit to Super Champion.  Don’t forget to grab a cup of coffee next door.  And, if Ty is behind the counter, tell him I said hello.

Super Champion public art installation, 2007

Super Champion custom bike

Our own technical wizard, positivity coach, pastry baker, and general man of wonderment, Nathan, has taken a spill at this weeks Port of Oakland ride.  This is a hard and fast road ride, and our boy took a spill which totalled his bike but left him almost totally injury-free.  Thanks to his helmet, Nathan will live to eat another banh mi.

Nathan, in a heavenly sea of vietnamese sammiches

Nathan is a true inspiration when it comes to riding a bike.  He’s as comfortable on a track bike as he is on a dirty cross ride, or a 100 mile camping tour.  We’re lucky to have him as part of our small little community here, his positive energy is infectious.  I know when I was down nursing a broken hip, Nathan was one of the first guests to come over with wonderful goodies, hilarious/bad movies, and a lot of “good vibes”.  From all of us at CZ, and the rest of your friends around town, we wish you a hearty recovery and will be glad to help you decide on a new and even better bike to replace your fallen friend.

To see the aforementioned “fallen friend” click “read more”…

Read the rest of this entry…

Prisoners riding bikes with guards and judges?! 

 Leave it to the French to take a scenario from the film world and bring it into real life, but with a totally amazing twist.  Yes, in the 1970s there was a little known comedy called “The Longest Yard”(later remade starring Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Nelly, and some other notable dudes) about a rag-tag group of prisoners who end up forming a football team and take on the warden and guards right there in the prison yard!  Hilarity ensues, of course, with Burt Reynolds playing the role of quarterback and general loose cannon.

Yes, a fictional account made real – an absurdist dream, and with a very French twist: instead of playing football, the inmates are allowed to ride bicycles!  Indeed, they have their own team! As 2009 marks the first year of the Tour de France Penitentiare.

Photo Courtesy Reuters

Philosophically speaking, the French have always been well ahead of the rest of the world.  We have them to thank for surrealism and situationalism, not to mention Sartre's wonky eyeball, DeBord's odd cartography, and Magritte's old pipe. It is no stretch of the imagination to hear that in a French jail, there are inmates training to be cyclists.  While prison may be the most un-free place in the world, these killers, thieves, and other criminals are given the chance to participate in the most free of all sports (as already established last week with our very own Bicycle Hobo-ism article).  What was once a life of heavy stillness and imminent suicide, filled with nothing but cramped quarters, all-too-public bowel movements, and heaps bad food is now made a bit happier thanks to the bicycle.

To further prove the point that France leads the way when it comes to social change, and cultural evolution, I happily present the following fact: “Wardens, guards, judges and prisoners ride shoulder-to-shoulder, indistinguishable from one another in their match

ing white jerseys, helmets and cycling shorts.”  This show of humanity is quite rare even among respectable people, but to extend such compassion and indifference to criminals is exceedingly amazing.  Having all men wear white is mighty symbolic, no?  Oui.

A touching bit of symbolism - all participants in White

Some particulars about the race: “Officials chose the nearly 200 participating inmates from across France, prisoners with terms as short as two years and as long as 25. They are men and women, young and old, petty crooks and hardened criminals — including rapists and killers.”   They will take the the road and accomplish a total of 15 stages, ranging in length from about 90 miles to as much as 135, with no rest days, and they must ride as a group.  They will, of course, skip the fanfare and champagne though they will be finishing in Paris, in keeping with cycling lore and tradition.

The plain fact is that the French Ministry of Justice is allowing the use of a positive activity in order to help rehabilitate those in need, and that is worth all the applause in the world.  As hard as it is to ignore a person's past, let alone the former transgressions of a career criminal, that is an aspect of humanity that we can all embrace and learn from.  If I may tap into my own inner Frenchman momentarily and wax poetic: The past is nothing we can correct or even apologize for – but the future, the future is always something we can control.  By giving these prisoners entrance into the world of cycling, they will become better humans and will return into society as helpful individuals.

Read more about the race here: USA Today article. Or, if you are up on your French, you can watch this youtube video:

And, I would just like to take this moment to pat myself on the back for not making a bad pun on ”breaking away”.

There are two past times that capture the free spirit of easy living better than any other human activity, and both share many similarities as far as history and transportation go.  The bicycle and the train were both monumental inventions that propelled our world into an entirely new state that allowed us tiny people the ability to move!

Two types of Rambling

Yes, right around the time that the first Steam Engines were being considered, and tracks were being plunked down criss-crossing all across this country, we also had the birth of the Bicycle.  Like all good things, both of these inventions were born out of necessity and Read the rest of this entry…

1977 WCH Sprint Champions: Nakano, Nicholson, Sugata

Whenever I hit a flea market, junk sale, or antique faire, I often pretend I am 9 years old again and head straight for the collectors cards and comics tables.  It is a nice attempt at going back in time. Last weekend at the wonderful Alameda Antiques Faire, I happened across these Cycling Sports Cards. I know, they were already featured all across the web on many different bicycle blogs. There is even an online resource where all of them are collected!

6 Day Bike Racing - The Great Treadmill!

This one is nice. Why not have 7 day races and party all week long? Well, the Church says that we all need our rest on the 7th day, just like Christ. Although, I am sure if he knew the kind of parties that they threw in Gent (with all the techno, dancing, and spandex) he would be obliged to lift that little rule and allow the world some fun on the Sabbath for once!

Knut Knudsen - the Emigrant Worker

“…bulldog faced Scandinavian.” Who writes this stuff, and how do I get the job? I suppose I need to construct the old Time Machine, first.  Once built, I can fulfil the dream of successfully going back in time – just like Huey Lewis and the News sang about.

Track Racing - Merckx and Sercu

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p>A real favorite of mine, here is the fabulous Eddy Merckx giving a teammate' a propelling push in what I assume is a form of Madison Racing! What I find splendid: Sercu is atop the Pista version of the Team Brooklyn Gios Torino – a rare sight on the track while Eddy is on his famous “Merckx/Molteni Orange” Colnago, complete with his glorious portrait on the headbadge if you look incredibly close. Also, upon magnified inspection, both Belgians are using tied and soldered spokes. PS: Sercu is one of the most widely unrecognized Cyclists around, as far as I'm concerned — dude won something like 88 6-day races, countless world champion stripes, and was quite a looker.

Bicycle Touring - the freemasonry of the road

Last up – a subject a bit closer to our own hearts here at CZ – bicycle touring. See that strange double-obilisk rising out of the swelling sea? See the tiny city dotted along the hills in the distance? Yes! A real taste of home, as it was in the 1970s — that there is our fair city of San Francisco, and across the bridge in Marin County. Even better – a weirdly placed Dark Side of the Moon reference to make the entire picture come full circle: psychadelic drugs, clickity drive trains, and fun long rides – That was what life was all about back then, I s'pose. What is refreshing, though, is the spirit conveyed in the copy on the verso of this card reminding us that things have changed a lot in 30 years: “Many riders derive most satisfaction from club or family rides — excursions to places of interest, mystery trips, blackberry outings, etc.” Are we all taking things a bit too seriously now? I haven't been on a mystery trip ever, let alone a blackberry outing. I think it is time to make that Time Machine.

Also, this card became part of my collection 5 or so years ago but I forget when/where/how I actually received it.

Merckx and the Pope

Cog Magazine, issue #6

So I finally got my happy hands on a copy of COG Magazine, issue number 6.  Most of you have become familiar with this magazine lately, it is one of the few magazines that are actually printed on paper dedicated to this Fixed Gear Culture.  Pushbike Shop had blogged that COG magazine just arrived at their shop, so without hesitation I rushed out from work trying to get to the shop before their gates slam closed at 7pm sharp. I went in the shop and saw Ian and Sarah getting ready to leave for their weekely ride and promised I would be quick.  They were kind enough to let me grab a couple; one for me and another one for me.

My expectation of the COG magazine is very high, as the past issues have all been getting better and better. I have every issue and would recommend that you find a copy of the back issues. The paper quality is great – glossy and a nice weight, and even better is the content inside, which is packed with stories about bicycles.  Not to mention, the photographs are superb.  Their editors must work pretty hard, it sure shows.  The selection of pictures is top notch and their stories are in depth enough to provide details while remaining short enough to read and digest in one sitting.

It’s like a well crafted photo book, because I believe that  photographs will tell a thousand words. Peter does a very good job laying out the story that he wants to tell, which is always accompanied by the fabulous pictures.

Issue 6 is packed with tons of material: the Story of  anold Keirin Champion, along with a write up on the Six-Day race, a report of NAHBS bike show and party, introduction and review of bicycle books, product reviews, interview with Bilenky frame builder, interview of John Prolly and loads more.  What I found to be so important about the magazine is that some people who pick up the magazine might just want to look at some fashionable bikes, and they end up receiving a bit of a history lesson if they choose to read the stories.  It is nice, almost like a school lesson at a punk rock show – the kids that show up think they are just getting a good time and some fun but then end up walking away with some knowledge. 

 I really like reading the story about Six Day race in Berlin, because I had kind of heard a little about six-day race tradition that happened in Madison Square Garden back in the 1920s, but never really understood the exact happening of the event.  Or, maybe I just didn’t know that cycling was really big in USA back in the day.  Madison Square Gardens is still a very famous destination for the sporting world, yet the one sport that made the place famous isn’t even happening in the building any longer!  As usual, all good things eventually end up back in Europe.  COG did a good job telling this story to me. I am fascinated to learn about Stayer racing, where riders have to coordinate with the motorcycle riders to reach the maximum speed. Well written, and it leads to me doing more research on my own.  I always welcome a chance to learn something new.

 Overall impression: COG mag is a very well organized magazine, more content stories and photo, advertisement is very minimal, and most are from small and cool companies that I had heard of and would support.  Can I  just say it?  No cheesy products ads here. I thank Peter for keeping it classy, and I really like the magazine he’s making. 

(Text and thoughts by PUCK.  Edit by Brian)