Shawn Wolf does Dallas

Shawn wanted me to drop a post to let people know that he'll be in Dallas for the next few weeks for work, he'll have his bike, and he'll be pretty bored. If you're a Dallas resident and might be up for some riding and/or tour guiding, hit Shawn up via his MySpace page...

myspace.com/pfcshawn

Roof Rides

I love Google Maps. Shawn Wolf and I had a good session in the parking garage under Pan Am Plaza in Indy yesterday, and afterwards we were talking about how we wanted to find a rooftop parking lot to ride when the weather got warmer. So, this morning I checked out Google maps and immediately found several potential spots to hit. Can't wait until spring...

Dog Collars

Got a new pair of dog collar bar ends in the mail from Profile Racing today. I'm not really sure why, but I've always loved bar ends. I remember the first time I saw a set on someone's bike years and years ago, and I remember thinking, "Damn, what a brilliant idea." The ones Profile makes are super clean and have just the right amount of burliness, which is of course the same as everything else they produce...

Freeman Transport!

The thing that I love the most by far about having done the Bootleg Sessions project is all of the killer people I've come into contact with as a result. Benjamin Ferencz is an example of one of those people. Ben and a few of his friends have up and started a small custom bike building company called "Freeman Transport" out of Missoula, Montana. The bikes will all have S and S couplings, which means you will be able to split the frame in half and stuff it in a bag for easier transport. Killer.

Check out the photos of their prototype and graphics below, and then go get more details on their website.







People doing stuff. Gotta love it.

Stolen Wheels in Philly

Just in case anyone from Philly reads this blog. My wheels were stolen near 31st and market today (Feb 20th). They are black fixed profile hubs with black spokes laced to some deep dish rims I am testing out for a bike shop. There was a 15t profile cog on the rear hub and profile racing stickers on the front rim. The chances of someone having a similar wheel set in this city are slim to none. If anyone has a drop on these get in touch with me at tony.fast@gmail.com.

Pics can be found on my bike check at http://www.bootlegsessions.net/tonybike.php.

Thanks for your help folks!

Whoever did this is fucking scum!

A Fashion Icon Retires

I just read here that the man who is solely responsible for popularizing the Castro Hat, Fidel Castro, has finally hung up his cap. Castro, for whom the hat is named, was one of the world's leading fashion icons for virtually the entire second half of the 20th century. Countless streetwear companies have flourished by ripping off styles that first appeared in his Cuban Military Apparel line. He is a man who turned the fashion industry on its collective ear, and I seriously doubt there will be a modern fashion designer who can step forward and fill his patent leather shit-kickers any time soon...

Almost Famous

I just learned that a band I played guitar in during the mid-90s is going to be part of a compilation put out by Joyful Noise Recordings called "Defunct Indiana." There are quite a few killer hardcore/indie bands on there, including the legendary Usurp Synapse, so I feel honored to be involved in some small way. My band was called "The Junekill Ward." I'm not sure what the release date is, sometime in late March or early April I believe. You can get more info (and pre-order) here.

Twins!

Check this out... on the left is a photo of our good friend Luke Stiles, who helped with some of the Bootleg Sessions filming, set up the NYC Premiere, etc., from way back when he was in high school. On the right is a photo of one Tom LaMarche, fixed gear poster boy, taken just recently. As you can see, they could almost be twins if they were the same age. Luke is just about old enough to be Tom's father... is there something we don't know here?

In like Flynn

The band Abner Trio, the guys who did the song "Godzilla" that is used during the credits of Bootleg Sessions, have a new record coming out in the spring. And, since I'm friends with them (they're the reason I was able to get hooked up with all of the music from Joyful Noise Recordings), they gave me a disc of the instrumental parts for six of their new songs. I've been listening to it non-stop. It sounds killer without the vocals, can't wait to hear what it sounds like when it's all put together.



I love getting stuff like this before it's released, it's awesome to experience things in the middle of the creative process. And no, it's not going to be called "Secrets." Clinton, the guitarist, wrote that on there just to be cheesy.

Crusher

I was looking on the HK Fixed blog today and came across this.



Milwaukee's CRUSHER bash guard. Evolution.

The Internet Has Won

So this weekend went from haphazard plans to totally.

After much debate over what the internet thought, Tom and I decided to cut this immature shit and pick up some BMX bikes and have fun in a proper manner. We hit up this awesome drainage ditch out in the Philly burbs called The Dustbowl. According to some skate heads this place used to be the sickest spot ever. After riding here we can imagine how it could have been any better. These pics are for the BMX kids who aren't too keen on what we are doing.


Tom wallride

Tom alley oop 360

Towards the end of this awesome session we realized we can shred on our track bikes and have fun.


Tom air to fakie



The session was cut short due to a broken fork. So we decided to head up to NYC to chill with John Prolly, Luke Stiles, and Wilis. We will update soon.

Ride / Relax on BMX or fixed gear.

All pics courtesy of Steve Hartley. More pics at the Cadence Flickr.

Us vs. Them...

There is currently a battle that is raging on Trackosaurusrex.com between a group of BMXers and fixed gear riders that was sparked by this video...



I have to say that I am completely baffled by the conflict that is generated by guys doing nothing more than messing around on bikes and having fun. I have three thoughts on this whole situation...

1) People take doing tricks on bikes MUCH more seriously than I realized, or could have ever imagined.

2) This is, perhaps, a direct result of the massive corporatization of BMX, skateboarding, and the like. The idea that what you're doing (or more importantly, what you're buying) "rulez" and everything else "sux" is exactly what the corporate stooges who are milking "X-treme sports" for all they're worth feed off of. Always remember kids, LOYALTIES = ROYALTIES, and not for you, trust me on that.

3) The internet, which many believed would bring the people of the world closer together because they could communicate with each other much more freely and easily, is probably doing more to tear this planet apart than anything else in the history of mankind. The amount of ridiculous posturing, absurd threats, and pure, unadulterated loathing that can be instantly generated via the internet between two groups of people based on something as utterly trivial as someone riding a bike honestly scares the living shit out of me.

I guess that's all I have to say about this subject. Now back to goofing around and having fun.

New Seat Love

Got a package in the mail yesterday... my new Odyssey 99er seat!



I am constantly grabbing my seat while doing the trackstand crapola, so I finally decided to get a stool that is specifically designed for your digits as well as your butt. Hand grips in the front and the back, and the one in the back is nice and thick so that it actually fits your mitts. Odyssey stopped making these things for some reason, despite the fact that they are perfect. There are still a few available here and there online, so if you want one, go get one immediately.

Also, I just realized that the gray cloth covering almost exactly matches the carpet in my basement! This was not intentional, of course...

Seattle Killin' It

Keo, PJ, and JSN from Vol 1 straight killin it in Seattle!



Big things are coming from every city. Get Stoked!

GET BENT

Tony, Josh, and I went riding in the bizarre 68 degree weather all day today. Had an awesome session and some good laughs. Last trick of the night I decided to hop on a bench with a space in the middle of it just big enough for my wheel to get stuck in. Well, my wheel got stuck and I fell to the right and had a nice bent beyond repair rim. After I tossed my bike like an idiot, I get home to see that my top tube has a nice big ding in it. I think today was the most fun riding we've had in a little bit. Be on the look out for lots of new things, everybody stepped their game up ALOT today. Here is the aftermath..

Mini Skate

Here's what I'm addicted to right now...





Skate for mobile phones. I bought the PS3 version of Skate for my nephews for Christmas, and it rules. I actually go over to visit them now just so I can play it. I saw that there was a phone version, and while it's not even remotely like the PS3 version (obviously), it's still damned addictive.

Now I need to get a new phone with a bigger display...