bike stuff at the mn fringe festival!

All I had to hear was bicycles powered musical instrument and I knew I wanted to see this play. Feminist history and circumnavigation of the globe sealed the deal.

Minnesota Fringe Festival
At The Ritz Theatre Proscenium 345 13^th Ave NE

Thursday Aug 5, 10 pm
Saturday Aug 7, 1 pm
Sunday Aug 8, 7 pm
Thursday Aug 12, 8:30 pm
Sunday Aug 15, 2:30 pm

About SPIN

Part concert, part theatrical performance, SPIN is an innovative musical show that investigates The Bicycle as muse, musical instrument, and agent of social change.

Through a series of songs played live on a vintage bicycle, award-winning Canadian songwriter and actor Evalyn Parry welds social history, social commentary, song, monologue and projections. From the amazing true story of Annie Londonderry, the first woman to ride around the world in 1895, to Igor Kenk, Canada’s most notorious bicycle thief; from 19th century feminism to corporate sponsorship to the end of oil, Parry pursues her theme of two-wheeled freedom in a four-wheeled world. Engaging, funny, personal, political and thought-provoking: SPIN will make you love your bike more than you already do, and if you don’t already ride a bike, you’ll want to run out and get one.

Directed by Ruth Madoc-Jones
Featuring Evalyn Parry, Brad Hart and Anna Friz

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“part theatre, part musical gig, part spoken-word poetry and part documentary…whatever it is, it is brilliant.” The Toronto Star

“…spectacular. A great story with smart writing, innovative music and visual presentation made for one of those performances that will be remembered as a Sound Symposium classic.” Sound Symposium 2010, Newfoundland

“This extraordinary production not only connected me with a deeper understanding of why I do this cycling advocacy work, but also reminded me again why I’m so passionate about it. The bicycle as musical instrument was also thoroughly enchanting and beautifully played. Thank you for this inspirational and much needed work – long live bicycles!“ Yvonne Bambrick, Executive Director, Toronto Cyclists Union.

“Music, image and story blend seamlessly in this funny, smart work and Parry’s extraordinary skill as both musician and storyteller are the foundation of the show’s magic. The music is catchy and memorable, the lyrics and stories are clever, rich and personal, and that bike-musical-instrument invention is fantastic… Spin was undoubtedly the hit of the 2009 Hysteria Festival” Moynan King, Hysteria Festival Director
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SPIN can be performed in a variety of settings, from theatre, to music club, to festival stage. It can be performed in its full (80 minute) length or abbreviated versions.

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For bookings and more information contact:

info@evalynparry.com

We gratefully acknowledge the generous support of The Ontario Arts Council, The Toronto Arts Council, The Banff Centre and Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in the development of this project!

Around Town

Bike Night at the MIA

Join 5,000 bike lovers for this second annual Bike Night. On Thursday, July 15, The Minneapolis Institute of Arts will be host to an evening of biking-related artsy stuff, including Bike Film Festival screenings, bike safety checks* from The Hub, bicycle poster-making stations and local custom frame builders discussing their craft. You can also enter a drawing for a Traitor Luggernaut track frame and a Giant Women's Via 2 being provided by The Hub, Traitor Cycles, and Giant Bicycles! Optional bike ride starts at Gold Medal Park in Downtown Minneapolis at 5 PM, Event starts at 6PM at The MIA.

pics of bikes for the drawing donated from The Hub, Traitor Cycles, and Giant Bicycles
Giant Women's Via 2 (left) and Traitor Luggernaut (right)

* mechanics from the Hub will be on-hand to give bikers quick repair diagnoses and do some minor on-the-spot work. If your ride needs some tweaking, stop by our tent for a free quick safety check.

Extra room for rent

Just got to test out a new Mission Workshop backpack. I have to say it arrived at an opportune moment, just in time for my equivalent to moving day.

The Vandal, their larger bag has a serious number of pockets and expansion sections (6 separate sections total). At first sight you might wonder why. Before filling it, it stays a relatively sleek backpack that doesn't feel like a parachute. Once you've hit your 5th supply stop for the day it quickly becomes a happy addition to the family. Unzip the middle expansion section and find a smile inside. Keep adding stuff, keep riding, no worries about how to carry the next add-on.

It, and it's slightly smaller version (The Rambler) are designed by the founders of Chrome. It's also made in the US by a contractor that also specializes in military equipment. If we could get all the defense contractors to start making bike stuff instead of war stuff we would really have a win win situation.

I carried everything in the pic above minus the table and chairs*. It was heavy, but stayed well balanced without the feeling of being pulled over backwards. The weight stayed in line with my center of gravity and the reinforced back eliminated all jabs from sharp cargo.

As for things I would have added? A quick loop or easy to reach pocket for stashing a U-lock (mine fits where the belt loop would go, but it is a bad spot when loaded). There is a lot going on with the bag though, so maybe I missed it. Also the compression straps have a locking mechanism that work great, but are a little difficult to release.

All in all a great bag to have when you are ready to carry a bag that adapts from medium to XXL, when you need the extra room, or unexpectedly encounter lots of extra stuff you really want to take home. I also plan to take it on future train and d. diving missions. It's tough, waterproof, and adaptable.

*that is my old backpack (Ortlieb Packman Pro) I dropped right inside the new backpack, all the clothes and rain gear for a camping trip, old skool trainer, 7lbs misc food, 12 pack misc beer, book, and u-lock. There was still room for more.

Mission Workshop has some messenger bags in the works as well. Look for them soon.

Bike events this weekend!

Not enough bikes in your life? Try some of these events this weekend.

The Hub's Spring Bike Expo and Midwest Outdoor Expo
You'll find hundreds of free seminars on all things outdoor, have an opportunity to meet and greet with vendors, and find huge discounts on gear! Midwest Mountaineering has been doing this big top event for 25 years and it draws thousands of people from across the state. The Hub joins in the celebration with a seminar on international bicycle non-profits and a sale on bikes and gear. Goes from Friday April 23rd through Sunday April 25th.
Find details at: thehubbikecoop.org and www.outdooradventureexpo.com

Minnesota Bicycle Expo
Brought to you by the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota (BikeMN) the expo is Friday April 23 (3-9 pm) & Saturday April 24 (9am-6pm), at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. We'll have a booth there too, so stop by and say 'hi'! According to their site "the Bike Expo will showcase some of the newest information for bicyclists. Throughout this two-day event find tips on bike rides and destinations to explore, new equipment to ride, road and trail safety guidelines, contests & prizes and more." Info at: www.bikemn.org/

Ironman
The Minnesota Ironman Bicycle Ride (MIBR), established in 1967, is the longest running century bike ride in Minnesota. They have other distance options with 30-65 mile loops too. This ride is Sunday April 25th and you'll need to register before 9:30.

Will The Government Bike?

A few interesting updates from the governmental side of things:

From the City of Minneapolis, "As of this Monday, March 22, Nicollet Mall has reopened for bicycling 24/7. Since 1997 the Mall has been restricted to bicyclists Monday through Friday, 6am to 6pm. As part of the City’s effort to express buses are moving off Nicollet Mall to the new bus lanes on Marquette and Avenues. This paves the way for elimination of the Nicollet Mall bicycle restriction."

Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood announced his new Policy Statement on Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodation Regulations and Recommendations. The LAB thinks "It is simply the strongest statement of support for prioritizing bicycling and walking ever to come from a sitting secretary of transportation." While it doesn't have concrete proposals in it, this is good language to start with. Reactions have spanned from people cheering in the streets to predictions that this new policy will cause “economic catastrophe"(quote from The National Association of Manufacturers).

Winter Carnival Pugsley Demo Rides FREE!!!!

This Saturday January 30th in conjunction with the St Paul Winter Carnival the Hub will be hosting the Surly Pugsley Demo Fleet for your test riding pleasure. Come to the Lake Phalen boat house, and experience a joy of humongous tire snow flotation. Demo will run from 10am to 4pm. Rides are free, but we will need to hold on to a State issued ID and a credit card during the demo.

Really we're piggy backing on the main event which is the Lake Phalen Ice Boat races. The Winter Carnival says these boats on skates will do up to 60mph. So come out for a Pugsley ride and watch the fast boats too.

A description of things Pugsley straight from the Surly web site follows. "Who should ride Pugsley? Hunters of all types (animal, mineral, or vegetable), beach/desert riders, snow/ice riders, wilderness explorers, and anybody else in need of a bike that will provide extra stability, traction, and floatation when the terrain gets loose and unpredictable. If you fall into any one of those categories, you should ride a Pugsley. The premise behind Pugsley’s design is the allowance of tires with a larger-than-average footprint. It was created to go where other bikes may flounder. Our frame and fork will accept 4" tires on 26" rims. The flotation and traction gained by using large volume, low-pressure tires (we highly recommend the Surly Endomorph 3.7 tires) can get you over and through otherwise unrideable terrain: ice, snow, sand, mud, wet rocks and roots. In many conditions, bigger is better."

no half steppin' on the big block

All I have to say about the All-City Big Block complete is that it may be the best complete to come down the pipe in a long time. I mean that, I’ve been a long time fan of the venerable Surly Steamroller but the Big Block is a whole lot of bike and is my new favorite complete, hands down. As I type this, a legion of beer-sodden demon monkeys have been loosed from the bowels of Surly HQ to hunt me down but it’s a risk I had to take.

Let’s start at the bottom, the frame, double-butted chromoly tubing, a straight-blade lugged fork and stainless steel investment-cast dropouts with integrated chain tensioners. Did I mention the dropout has the silhouette of the Hennepin Ave bridge? Or that the frame clears a 700x32c tire easily? Or that the bottom bracket height is track-legal? The folks over at AC topped it off with a simple, classy paint job too, a subtle red metal-flake with white fork tips, nice. Oh yeah, it’ll barspin with a 25 in it too if that’s your thing.

The heart of a track bike is the drive train and there’s no half-steeping here either. A TH Industries cartridge bottom bracket with real steel cups, no Shimano plastic crap here, nice bearings and 100g lighter than other square taper bottom brackets in its class. From there we step out to the cranks, All-City 612’s with a 46 tooth, 1/8” chainring. You want stiff, here you go, the stiffest 3 piece I’ve found under $200. An All-City 17 tooth cog and a KMC chain round out the package nicely.

Next up we have wheels, a bike can’t roll without something to roll on, right? All-City standard track hubs laced 3x to Alex R540 rims, a fixed/free rear, cartridge bearings, a shouldered axle, triple section rims, these are ready for some beating on. They even threw in a pair 700x25c Vittoria Zaffiros to ice the cake.

You’ve got to have something to hold on to right? Right, how’s about a pair of 30mm rise bars a nice 9 degrees of sweep (my personal sweep of choice) on a 4 bolt stem for you? Not enough you say, well that’s cool, the kids over at AC tossed in a Cane Creek S-3 headset to sweeten the deal. Why throw such a nice headset into a factory complete? Because it makes the bike ride better, it’s a subtle thing. Bars, grips and stem length are all very personal but if you’ve already got a nice headset to roll on you’re more than halfway there. The last little touch is that they give you a pair of cyclocross levers and mid-reach brakes, want to run it as a freewheeling singlespeed? No worries, just strap a nice bmx freewheel on that rear wheel and you’re ready to rock.

All in all it’s a sweet ride, sharp handling, smooth ride, stiff in a sprint and it goes where you point it. A lot of track bikes feel really squirrelly on the street, lots of toe-overlap, oversteer at low speeds but the brain trust over at AC have managed to get around all of that and make a killer bike for everything from gunning for your local alleycat crown to running to the grocery store. Nice work guys.
All images stolen from All City site and blog.