As always, we like gossiping and name dropping - but we only do it with nice words for awesome action that are worth mentioning.
So IT’S OFFICIAL!!! our friend Erik Zo , 4 times freight bike world champion, is now officially part of Team Bullitt. He will be taking part in CMWC Tokyo next month.
Last Friday when I heard the news I was really excited, and without hesitation I hopped on my bike and rode to Erik’s house for a more quality chit chat time. Funny thing was, when I entered his workshop the first thing I saw was a brand new Belinky freight bike in the middle of workshop. Erik won the Bilenky freight bike from CMWC 2008 Toronto and it finally made it way to him yesterday.
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!
I’m a sucker for a nice vintage box or two and the following are no exceptions. Here are a couple of things that showed up in the mail the last few weeks. Just thought I would share, because sharing is caring.
I love the lettering and pictographs of this vintage Gaslo box. It’s more in line with the graphic design of that era. Whereas most cycling design was a couple decades behind the fold with a lot of their graphics.
My “donations” request is two fold. Your first reaction was probably “this dude just wants money to buy a bike”, and you wouldn’t be wrong. But it doesn’t stop there. In order to ride said bike, I would have to go through a painful leg lengthening surgery ala South Park. It would be costly and painful, but I have decided to do it.
First off, the cost portion would not be an issue as our dear readers would pay for it. As for the pain- worth every bit to own this amazing bike.
I got a little surprise in the mail today which totally made my friday. Several “special tour” issues of Miroir de Cyclisme and L’Equipe from 1969-1980. Some great stuff inside for sure. It will definitly be fodder for a few posts to come. Here’s a bit of a teaser.
Miroir’s 1975 (great year, BTW) favorites for the TDF. Some top names.
1980 French Olympic Track team that appears to be wearing kits out of the same material they made Benotto tape from.
Article on Track Cycling from the 70′s.
By far one of my favorite pics. Super inspiring. Bernard Hinalut in his Team Rinault kit during the 1978 tour, gives a hand to what the miroir calls a “tiny” Lucien Van Impe. Lucien took home the Maillot Jaune in ’76. Hinlaut had a slightly better record snatching the yellow jersey four five (thanks crossett) times in his career as well as countless other wins.
Cycling ephemera of the most obscure variety. Fausto Coppi branded straight razors, made in Germany of all places. We all know the importance of a proper shave. Enjoy.
Czech Matchbook Labels- 1969 BRNO World Cycling Championships
I must admit, I have a few obsessions. One of which is cycling, another, Czech matchbook labels. So what happens when two obsessions meet? Well you get something like these matchbook labels from the 1969 World Cycling Championships in Brno, The Czech Republic.
These are great. They exude all the charm of a cheaply made Czechoslovakian match labels. Poor printing, folk like illustrations, overprints, yellowed paper. All the things that make design nerds go crazy.
