Come on out you fun loving bicycle enthusiasts for the the last alleycat of this glorious winter season.
The race is on 3.14.10. Registration is at 1:59pm at the Cambridge Common, a stones throw away from Harvard Square, bring $5. Tell your parents that you are wearing a helmet so you can save 2 dollars, cause its $7 without. You could by a 40 with that money you will save.
Ride Safe, Ride Hard, Have Fun.
Thanks to Clark Filio – Artist in Residence Open/Chorus Collective – for designing the Poster.
Coming this spring season is a bunch of fun:
New Shop, New Gallery, New Products, and Delicous Beverages to Consume
Clark here. Bike zombie apocalypse here at ground zero, Union Square. Send supplies. The UN denied our request for aid. I have seen the heart of darkness, it is cold. Tell my family I love them.
The mastermind behind Quarter Productions was out filming himself on his BMX bike during the snowfall today. A few short hours later, a brand new video appears.
Open Bicycle (in its current Hawkins St. incarnation) will be open by appointment only starting Monday the 15th of February. We will be devoting our energies full-time to completing the build-out at our new space at 21A Union Square, next to Sherman Cafe. In the interest of taking as little as possible with us, we’ll be having a ONE DAY ONLY SALE tomorrow, Saturday the 13th. 20% off ALL NEW PRODUCT. Come get it.
Please contact us at: info AT openbicycle.com with any questions or to make an appointment.
Walking toward the shop from our ritualistic AM stop at Sherman Cafe with coffees in hand and laughing in the late morning light, we spotted a distinguished-looking gentleman wheeling what was obviously a classy track bike down the train bridge. Waving the fellow down, we were introduced to Tim Dixon, bike-lover, furniture-builder, and Imron-sprayer extraordinaire. Hailing from California and the heyday of West Coast craft builders, Tim was dropping in to show us this extremely elegant Sam Cotten track bike and chat a bit about his new wet-paint operation in Boston.
Sam Cotten, he explained, was a friend of his who had a part time framebuilding operation in Hollywood, as well as being an actor and amateur philosopher. Tim cut some Cinelli lugs into delicate shapes and had Sam build him this frame, which Tim then painted. The result, with the perfectly-matched C-Record kit and Cinelli bar/stem combo, is about as classy as they come. Yes, that is an extremely rare semi-sloping Cinelli track fork crown. Yes, those are Record Crono tubular rims. No, we’re sorry, but you can’t ride it.
Tim is starting up his spray operation again here on the East Coast, and we’ll be offering his services through the shop. Please do drop in to gawk at his ‘90 Cotten and start dreaming up your new paint scheme.
Luminaries passing, riots and disaster in far-flung countries, and biting cold- another week passes in our quiet “post-industrial” metropolis. Here at OPEN, busily bustling away in the basement, we sometimes miss all of the chaos occurring at or above ground level.
In a dizzying turn of events, OPEN will be moving locations next month to become Sherman Cafe’s newest neighbor. We’re excitedly planning a fresh new build-out and cozy little storefront and looking forward to even-easier access to Union Square’s finest coffee and sandwiches. Chorus Gallery is going to be homeless for a bit, but a new benevolent conglomerate has been birthed and we’re looking forward to seeing the staggering variety of projects that will come from it.
Along with all of the exciting new initiatives, we continue to hunt for the finest products for your non-conspicuous cycling-related consumption.
Dana over at Recluse whipped by on his enviable Zunow last week and dropped off some of his newest creations. Seen here are his new updated tool roll with a hand-waxed construction ($25) and a nice assortment of his custom top tube pads ($30). And yes, that is the hotly anticipated re-released Campagnolo “peanut butter” 15mm wrench, all a-bling. $44 and it feels like love.
That blank spot on your wall where your compartmentalized record of 2009 used to hang is the perfect place to put the 2010 Thought You Knew calendar. Benefiting the Chicago Women’s Health Center, these calendars (featuring your choice of gender posed along with their bikes) feature some pro photography and pretty people. They also help you figure out what day it is and prevent the forgetting of loved ones’ birthdays.
We also keep some actual bike parts and accessories around. Popular this winter: Izumi chains, (bushingless techno-wizardry from the Isle of Japan, $26-$90) Chain-L no.5, (winter-proof chain lube in the coolest bottle ever, $12) Seedssewn winter caps, (up-cycled materials and cutting edge style, made in Medford, $30) Vittoria Randonneur tires, (utterly indestructible urban tires with subtle tread and double flat protection, $30) Ironclad Cold Condition Waterproof gloves, (without equal and short money at $40) and the performance-boosting and elegantly “bobo” Phil Wood bearing upgrade for your winter Formula wheels ($8 per cartridge, a decent six-pack for the install).
We’re saving much of the really cool stuff for the new store. Fresh lugged steel from some coastal connects, handmade courier bags, and a slew of bike-lust inducing vintage parts are in the pipeline for our grand (re-)opening. Details to follow, or just pop by and catch up on the gossip.
It seems my earlier prognosis about rod brakes has come true. Yielding to the demands of the times, Open is clearing its stock of fixed gear bikes to make room for some shiny new (or rather, crusty, old) roadsters.
Well, maybe I exaggerate again; the fixed gears are staying. But the roadsters are coming too. If you attended Spoke Count, you are probably acquainted with the 1936 Raleigh Lady’s Tourist that hung suspended from the ceiling. And if that wasn’t enough, Open is collaborating with the newly formed Boston Retro Wheelmen to develop a programme of workshops aimed at vintage IGH bikes.
Why? Because vintage three speeds are good. Built like tanks, they withstand pretty much anything the city throws at you. They are easy to ride and easy to maintain. They love you and they want you to love them back. So if you live in the neighborhood and have an old, forlorn 3-speed that needs resuscitating, bring it to Open and it shall be cared for in the manner it deserves. Restored vintage 3-speeds are also occasionally available for sale.
[pictured above: Somervillain and Biking In Heels tend to their steeds during a Boston Retro Wheelmen meeting.]
