B17

Saddle is a crusial component in the bliss of bicycle roads. Brooks England has made this B17 leather saddle since 1896, yes 1896. It just might hold the record of the oldest bicycle component still in production.

New B17's are hard and irritating to usein start but they soften in time to become molded by your own booty. Like leather shoe, B17 saddle gets better and better in time. Sometimes vintage and old fashioned is still good as new and modern.

B17 Titanium

Follow Your Bliss

Randonneur bike is the new black. Lately I've  been trying lighten up my "hidden" knowledge about them. I've always thought that they are just nice and expensive old merde from France but recently so many things have pointed me that they got something. I used to think that if I need to pick up just one bike it choose cyclocross but I'm not sure anymore, maybe it must be randonneur or even cyclotourist.

They capability to carry stuff and still be relatively performative in speed and range. They are faster than utility bikes which are build to be short distance workhorses. These are made for serious traveling.

With up to 42mm tires in size 650B, serious fenders and light weight racks, they promise the ride to be bliss.

Many pieces of art in cycling world has been done in Europe. But japanese has bee amazing great too.
This is really nice example of Japanese randonneur, Gran Bois.

Great randonneur builds has been done by legendary Alex Singer and Rene Herse.

Bicycle Chain Art

Figurative Sculptures Made From Tightly Welded Chains. Korean artist Young-Deok Seo 서영덕 creates imposing figurative sculptures using tightly knit configurations of welded bicycle chains and industrial steel chains. 

While impressive in their intricacy and the apparent skill required to create them, the artwork’s titles such as Infection – Anguish,Infection – Ego, and Addict, suggest the rippled surface created by the materials is not an arbitrary decision. These are figures of individuals in dispair, pockmarked with disease, the chains acting as a metaphor for the human condition. (rip from Trust Me, I'm a "Designer")

http://youngdeok.com/ 

Cycle parking, contemporary style

Visited Kiasma, our awesome comtemporary art museum in Helsinki and found this: bicycle parking space that no one is taking care of. Bike racks have been moved in last winter's snow maintenance maneuvers and they are still in position where they have been left since then. This is not very effective way to make bike parking spot and racks are soo bad too.

Guess the objective to double cycling in Helsinki have problems in all detailed levels. It did not succeed in years 1995-2005, hope to make it in 2020, where new deadline has released.

Look Mum No Hands!

My job makes me sometimes travel, for good or bad. Bad times are waiting in airports or try to get your sleep in aeroplane, good times are in the city with bicycle. Cycling is energizing and rich way to get yourself into the city, it is fun and fast way to move. Instead of dull underground riding or spend your time in a bus, you travel outside, stop everywhere you want, find the characteristics of every block and  learn the city plan quickly.

Just made few day trip to London to see professional exhibition, at the same time I was rising the quality of the visit by renting a bicycle.

Look Mum No Hands is a hybrid consept of café and bike shop, a place worth visiting. The hipster(ish) staff could be bit educated how take care of customers, few things here and there, no biggies. Hungry grown up man needs food, not cookies. They have workshop, good coffee, few bicycles in window, a penny farthing bicycle, magazines and some bike parts or "bits" as they say in England.

I guess the critical amount of bikers with addiction to good coffee with deep interest to cycling culture is needed to make this kind of business successful. Expecting to have it in Helsinki soon too.

Ripped

Ripped from here and there, just spreading these great shots...