Scary thunder and lightening!

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We are being dumped on by Katia currently with flood warnings all over the place. When the rain is insane, I ride the bus for a few reasons: 1) it is drier, 2) riding through puddles here is dangerous as they could be an insanely large pothole. Flats or wrecks in the rain are no fun.

potholes will attack in New Orleans!

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Today started nice enough, but I knew it was coming so I took the bus to the office after lunch. The wind was getting crazy and the thunder was rumbling. Rain boots, a dress and an umbrella was all I needed to get home dry(ish) and stylishly!

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After my stop, I took a rest at my favorite pizza joint for $5 pizza and pint while watching folks go in and out of the neighborhood bike shop, Mike the Bike Guy (who is awesomely cool).

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Beer in hand (no open container laws here!), I stopped by and said hello to Mike and company, then walked home in the rain. A few puddle jumps later and I was home and drying off.

What do you do to make the best of a stormy day? Do you ride even through flood warnings? Do share!

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I finally got the commuter bike I have been dreaming about: Schwinn Cream. Saturday, which happened to be my 32nd Birthday, I picked her up from Bicycle Michaels. After 2 days of riding I am in love. Fenders, rear rack, upright position, chainguard, single speed…yes, yes, yes.

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Bicycle Michaels was really helpful and fun. The salesguy there told me “today you got a new bike and a bike shop”, how cute is that? Oh, and all the guys in there were kind of dreamy in a bike shop kinda way. I digress…

My only complaint so far is that my panniers have a hard time attaching to the rack, which is curvy and has nothing to grab onto at the bottom. I am working on figuring out a solution, or perhaps will paint my old rack and put it on there.

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Aren’t she and I cute together? I don’t have a name, but am working on it. Ingrid is a top runner. Any suggestions are welcome!

I returned to Portland for another work trip, and this time I was able to spend time with friends here and enjoy the town a little more.  I stayed in the Ace Hotel, which has bikes available free for guests!  Needless to say, I took full advantage of that perk.

I acquired a pretty wild steed with a coaster brake.  It took me a while to figure that one out.  I rode around for a minute the day after I arrived, and then the next day it was an all afternoon/evening affair.  There are many different styles of accessible bike routes around town, and here’s a few that I experienced.

First would be the full bike lane.  This was right by the hotel, and it was awesome.  I’m sure drivers aren’t too happy about it, but who cares about them?  I love love loved it.

This would be more of a bike route.  Cars can drive on the lanes, but I take the bike symbol to mean, “hey bikes, do whatever the hell you want to!”.  There were also speed bumps every few meters to reduce car speed.  A transplant friend from Birmingham who rode around with me one night said that this prevents many cars from driving on these roads at all.  That made me happy.

Here would be the Springwater Corridor, a bike/pedestrian path.  I rode on this around the end of the work day on Friday, so there were a ton of people out riding.  It was great seeing all the different types of riders that make use of this path.  I enjoyed this path while going to check out a bike shop that carries a frame I’m considering purchasing for Cyclocross, by Traitor Cycles.  The shop was right off the path – a small business with the owner and one other guy wrenching and hanging out.  Lovely!  The bikes were brilliant. I was also told to go check out another shop on the other side of the path because they carried Vanilla and Sweetpea bikes, so I headed over there next.  Unfortunately I didn’t find either of those at the shop, but it was a much bigger operation that was packed full of folks buying gear, checking out the awesome bikes, and getting work done.  I was interested to see the many (and I mean many, there’s tons of shops in town) different styles of bike shops around.

I also rode a bit on the Waterfront bike loop, another bike/pedestrian path.  People everywhere were enjoying their bikes in the picturesque weather.

These types of bike routes were mostly what I rode on.  I wound up on a few larger roads that were a little intimidating, comparatively, but you know I’m not spoiled enough to have really been frightened.  I actually enjoyed knowing that everywhere in Portland isn’t perfect.  Who likes perfection anyway?

More photos here

I have been back from my trip to the midwest for just over a week and have been slow in posting my final few posts from the trip.  Possibly this is to draw out the feeling that I am there, that posting these would mean that I am, indeed, back home?  Who knows the reason, but I do apologize.

When I realized I would be in Milwaukee my first thought was “Ben’s Cycles!” (ok, my first thought was actually “Miller High Life, Baby!”).  I made sure it was high on my list of places to see while carousing downtown each day.  To my surprise, I got an email from a fellow cyclist in Milwaukee, asking if I needed any help finding things to do.  I mentioned Ben’s, he said Earl was his boy…next thing I know I have a tour of the shop(s) scheduled with Earl!  I could barely wait.

As a matter of fact, I didn’t wait…Saturday as soon as I got off the bus from chicago, I headed straight there.  I was only going to say hello, look around and come back…really, that was the plan.  Earl was kind enough, however to take myself and my mom on a tour on his day off!

friends, this place is amazing.  It has been around for 80 years, as a bike shop. They have grown so large that they now take up the old storefront, another across the street as well as an old theater full of stock.  Many of you have tweeted or emailed to tell me that you have ordered stuff from Ben’s online and couldn’t believe it was such an old, neighborhood shop.

That is exactly what it felt like…a neighborhood shop.  Until I walked upstairs and saw the 2 (!) floors of stock.  It was incredible.  An entire wall of Brooks Saddles, rows of tires, more rubber grips than I have ever seen.  A well kept theater full of more stock, hard to find bikes, about 100 old Chicago Schwinns, handlebars as far as the eye can see. And the bikes…

Brooks Saddle Heaven

Oh the bikes. you see, Ben’s is also home to Milwaukee Bicycle Company.  These are some effing pretty, well made bikes.  I got to see frames and bikes in every step along the way.  It was mesmerizing.  Everything is designed and made in house.  I got to see the newest polo guard, as well as the Polo guards that Prolly speaks so highly of.  The Milwaukee Bruiser is what I was there to see, but I was most taken with the Cream City.  I got to see it in various colors and builds and any way you slice it, these bikes are sexy.  Yes, sexy.  The headbadge is a beer mug.  enough said.

The perfect headbadge for a MKE bike company!

Let’s not forget the great folks who work at Ben’s.  I did not meet a stranger in my few hours there. I was hanging around both Saturday and Monday and met some unpretentious, bike loving people.  Everyone was willing to answer my questions and all seemed more than happy to geek out about bikes with me. Monday morning it was a hub of activity, with 3 dogs greeting me upstairs and every desk full and busy.  The walls were covered in inspiration, design work, photos…very homey and humble.  I dug it!

Well, I have rambled plenty.  If you are in the Milwaukee area, or need a hard to find or awesome part or bike, give Ben’s a visit.  You won’t be sorry.

Polo Guard

Cream city with awesome paint job!

better view of the headbadge

super secret Ben's cycles upstairs lair...er, office

Copenhagen Cyclery

While in Chicago, Dottie was kind enough to take me to Dutch Bike Chicago and Copenhagen Cyclery.

I’ll take one of each, please.

We have no Dutch bike shops in Alabama, and I am not sure we even have anywhere that sells Dutch bikes here.  So I was really excited to get to see and ride these wonders on two wheels.  I was not disappointed…at all. Despite the rainy, cold day I had a wonderful time.

Tiffany's makes bike racks?!

First stop was Copenhagen Cyclery where we met up with Braxton and Ashley (also from Al), who were in town simply to test ride a Velorbis.  Phil at Copenhagen was friendly and knowledgeable.   We all took turns test riding the Scrap Deluxe and it was so comfortable and surprisingly fast and nimble.  I will be honest…I was never sure that a Dutch bike was my style, as I like speed and agility.  I was proven wrong on this bike.  The balloon tires were cushy but fast and wow was it pretty!  While not riding or admiring, I was listening to Phil rave about Chicago and the great people and neighborhoods.  I picked up a great handmade wool cycling cap, Dottie got a seat rain cover and we all fell in love with the bikes.  They did not have a Leikier in stock, but I am intrigued by the design and concept. After spending about 2 hours in the shop, we moved along to our next Dutch bike stop…

Copenhagen Cyclery

Ashley and Braxton test riding

Dutch Bike Chicago. As soon as we walked in the greeted Dottie with a “Hey there, what will you be test riding today?” It was awesome.  We pretty much rode every bike in the shop.  My personal favorite was the Workcycles FR8.  Rode smoothly, quickly (do you sense a theme with me?) and could carry anything.  They had one with 3 kids seats on it!  It was hard to leave this one behind.  I also test rode a Bakfiet, Gazelle Toer Populair, and a Gazelle Chamonix Pure.

Dutch Bike Chicago

The Chamonix Pure was really interesting, as it is a more “modern”, light and quick take on the Dutch bike.  Aluminum, with adjustable handlebars that can go from low, mustache like state to a more upright classic Dutch bike placement.  It was a pleasant ride, a bit bumpier than the others, but much quicker.  I think that if I were to try to “go Dutch” in Birmingham, this may be the choice for me.

Workcycles FR8

alternative to the mini van?

For a more thorough review of the Gazelles, check out Dottie’s write up on Let’s Go Ride a Bike.

adjustable handlebars

I had a great time and everyone was kind and willing to answer questions, raise the seats and let me take them all out for a test ride.  Braxton ended up ordering himself a Scrap Deluxe and I have been dreaming about that bike and the FR8 since I returned home. I was taken with how utilitarian yet beautiful they all were.  Here you see pretty bikes…that don’t carry much.  To see bikes used as child carriers, grocery getters, beer holders and the like was refreshing.

Who needs a car?!

Who knows; maybe a Dutch bike is in my future.

Thanks to everyone at Dutch Bike Chicago and Phil at Copenhagen Cyclery.  You guys made my trip enjoyable and memorable.  If you are in the area (hell, even if you aren’t) go by and check out these shops and bikes.  You won’t regret it and will come back looking at bikes in a whole new light.

From their website: The Milwaukee Bicycle Collective is an all volunteer, non–profit organization that provides a publicly accessible bicycle resource center for the city of Milwaukee. The Milwaukee Bicycle Collective is a place where bike repair and bike construction can happen in a creative and supportive atmosphere at an affordable cost. We fix bikes and help others learn how to fix their bikes.
…We feel strongly about working to create a world where human–powered transportation is the norm and available to everyone. The Milwaukee Bicycle Collective has been working towards this goal since June 17, 2002.

That is 7 years, a long time for a bike collective.  I shot them an email and they were more than willing to meet me during open hours for a tour and chat.

Upon entering the shop I could see it was something special.  I was greeted by Pops, a friendly, caring, tough as nails gentleman who has been with the shop for 5 years.  As soon as the shop opened, youth scrambled in and were given tasks by Pops and Jim, my tour guide.  Within 2 minutes, a youth was asking for a new bike, saying his had been stolen.  Pops was kind but firm, telling him that they are taught to lock their bikes and this particular boy could not get a new one that day.  Anyone who runs a shop with a youth program knows what a challenge this situation is, so seeing it handled so well was refreshing and helpful to me.

Pops

The shop was full of bikes and youth, but surprisingly well organized.  Bici aspires to be as organized!  They have adult and youth programs and have planted themselves in the community well. It was encouraging to talk to Jim and hear about what they are doing, the challenges they face and how they have come to exist, successfully for 7 years.  I left feeling hopeful and excited.

If you are in Milwaukee, check them out.  Make a donation (these shops aren’t free!) and support the good work they are doing.

for more Milwaukee Bike Love, check out MKE Bike Spotting, done by a Milwaukee Bike Collective Volunteer, Matt, that I had the pleasure of meeting at a random bike shop in town!