Google Maps

Google Maps team seem keen on cycling:

Just recently, the Google Maps route-finding team moved to our new Fremont Engineering office. I'm happy to report we don't have to commute across Lake Washington at all anymore. In fact, nearly half the team cycles in every day! And we're always looking for great people, so if any of this sounds like the kind of challenge you'd be up for, we'd love to hear from you.

so, will they fine-tune their UK maps for cycling?

Bike Polo...

BFF07 Bike Polo Shoppers!
Originally uploaded by M.J.S.

What better way to spend a sunny Oct. morning. And then get sworn at by an SUV driver on TCR...

Bicycle Film Festival

The Brompton got turned away from a cinema today: the Rich Mix creative centre in Shoreditch. Bromdinium was feeling a little lacking in urban cool, dressed in work clothes and a rapha softshell. And a bike clip rather than rolled jeans.

Perhaps because of this, health and safety meant he got chucked out of the showing of Monkey Warfare, shown as part of the Bicycle Film Festival. Oh, the irony. However, turned out Cycleworks were laying on 'valet bike parking' in aid of an African recycling cycle charity, so the B. got locked up for once. An innovation all cinemas, galleries and theatres should introduce. I'd pay a quid to have someone tend a folded brommie.

Film was pretty good, too. Bikes, the MC5, Canada, the Baader Meinhof gang. And app. there's an afterparty at the Bloomsbury bowling lane. The next film, Safety in Numbers, a crossing of the Alps, looked promising as well.

Other news. Velorution have announced that Brompton have released a clip to stop the B. folding.

Bumped into George as well.

Rapha Softshell: king of jackets?

The new Rapha softshell was on show at the Rouleur exhibition at the Host Gallery. Looks pretty much the same as the old one, just with grey lining, rather than pink.

This morning's rain made me reflect on the jacket. Great breathability, good fit, looks pretty good, too. Stitching can be a bit dodgy (at least on mine). And it's pretty water resistant - except at the seams on the arms and the Rapha logo. My shirt was soaked at the inner elbow. Perhaps I need to attack it with some seam sealant?

Couriers by the Duke of York

Brompton leaving Tate Britain

Airnimal

Yellow Bike near St Pauls

Bike and Bus

Rouleur exhibition

Had a day off, so called in on a few galleries. The first was the Host Gallerty, off Old Street, for the Rouleur 2007 photography show. Had some new Rapha kit on display, and a small amount of large-format shots. Worth a visit.

Why

Are all Range Rovers black? And have tinted windows?

Mercedes folding bike

Some pictures here...

London Bikes

Paul Weller and Rapha

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/gallery_paulweller.shtml?select=04#photo

Is that a Rapha top?

Philly Brompton, Tikit, Moulton video

That corner from the Smithfield Nocturne

The Folding Bike Comes of Age

Suits on wheels
The Smithfield Nocturne winessed the coming of age of the folding bike

Flickr and Emily Thornberry

Flickr has to be one of the most fantastic social networking sites. A couple of Bromdinium's shots have ended up on other sites as a result, and now the cycling MP, and chair of the all party cycling group has asked to have a shot of her at the Smithfield Nocture. Happy to oblige.

Perhaps B. should upgrade from a Sony K800i cameraphone to something else?

Fakengers

The pseudo-couriers strike back!

As fakengers, we have become a rolling laughing-stock. If once we dared to go the The Duke on a Friday night - albeit feeling slightly awkward at the lack of dirt on our bikes or damage to our bags or to our bodies and consciously out of place amongst the guys and girls we so keenly emulate, we can no longer patronise this wonderful establishment for fear of mockery. 'Why don't they dress up as milkmen?' is now a familiar cry on Vine Hill. So bad have things become that fakengers have been seen taking a lengthy detour via High Holborn or even Camden Town in order to reach their beloved Hackney without fear of recrimination. To paraphrase Orwell, it would seem that whilst 'all cyclists are equal, messengers are more equal than others'. But no longer must we suffer in silence. The LBFA is here to represent all London fakengers, wannabees, look-a-likes, try-hards and floppy-haired media-types, whose only crime is their passion for 'pinion fixe'. I think it was Wilde who said 'immitation is the sincerest form of flattery' although I don't think he had the Bianchi pista in mind when he wrote that, but you get my point. So come one, come all. If you've never been a messenger but love riding your bike and wish that you only had the balls to jack in the office job and just do it but know you never will - the LBFA awaits you. Faking as one.

Rapha Girls

And what was with the bored Rapha 'girls' at the Nocturne? Is this 1975. Besides, given the Rapha marketing materials, at least 1 rugged looking fella would have gone down better.

See what Candace thinks.

And didn't Howies start of with a similar stance?

Smithfield Nocturne - After the Deluge

Glastonbury always seems to herald rain, even in London. B. headed over to Smithfield for the Smithfield Nocturne, Rapha and Condor's contribution to the warm up for the Tour de France. The 1 km course was given a top coat of 1 cm of rain, and the folders headed out after the confused courier race (liked their beer-can spoke additions, btw). B. managed to impale himself on his Brooks, and limped home in the latter half of the group, and almost became intimately acquainted with the crash barriers. Managed to beat the Strida up the hill, and haven't had so much fun in a long time. Although did get a bit annoyed with Robert Elms calling us all 'City Gents' all evening. Still, he looked good in his Rapha outfit.

Photo from Blech.

More on Flickr.

And more photos here.

The proper race stuff from London Cycle Sport.

And some videos from YouTube.

Smithfield Nocturne

- Sean the Butcher, Alex the Commuter, Scott the courier and Jimmy the pro, lined up for the official launch of the Smithfield Nocturne.

Rather worryingly, Bromdinium has a place on the folding bike race. B's rather concerned by the sado-masochistic prose of the Rapha/Nocturne website, with its talk of barging, cheating and fierce competition. Nonetheless, B. will try and get round in one piece. Should be a great evening out.

Bike Week

It's Bike Week, and Camden Cycling Campaign kindly laid on some muffins, juice and coffee next to the British Library. Bromdinium lost the battle with a couple of Speckled Hens last night, so was rather late on his way out the door this morning, so sadly most of the muffins had gone... But lots of interest from passers by.

The Hipster Issue

Official: cycling to work is still cool (TimeOut NY).

Andrew Marr in Fashion Icon shock

B. is watching Andrew Marr's entertaining history of Britain on BBC 2. And Marr, remarkably, unbelievably, steals the historian fashion crown with a skinny, pink, possibly merino, zip-down polo shirt. Has he been inspired by Anthony Eden's natty dressing? Eat that, Tristram Hunt.

Update: Marr's wardrobe continues to cause ripples -

I thought Mr Andy's symphony in pink was pure genius. Call me shallow - and, oddly, many of you have - but it is hard to make a programme about The History of Modern Britain interesting, however much he prances from foot to foot. (Ask Hadley, The Guardian)

Tate

Jake and Dinos Chapman
When Humans Walked the Earth 2006
View of this exhibition at Tate Britain
Photo © Tate 2006

Bromdinium popped into the Tate Britain at during the Long Wet Weekend to check out the 'How We Are: Photographing Britain' along with the rest of the city, going by the queues to get in (friendly cloakroom staff, btw, and always kind enough to park the Brompton, unlike the National Gallery, which is off limits to the Fold).

A good show, with good use of IT, for once (digitized photobooks with touch sensitive pages, plasma screen scans of photobooks/slides). An odd hanging of one or two shots (the giants pictures of marines were oddly placed, for example); great 1960s photobooks and colour illustrations, esp. the cookbooks. The usual reflections on the limited palette of photography: ironic juxtaposition, Martin Parr satire/reverse snobbery, earnest reportage, class slumming, the colonial gaze...

More weird was the Chapman bros. bronze installation, which was very amusing in a sixth-form way. However, the family using the art boxes with their three children in the room with brains being smashed up, penises being chopped, and vaginas impalled: what was up with that? Was the parents making a point? Did you not notice the chopped willies? Did the children not notice? Had I wandered into Private Eye's 'It's Grim Up North (London)' cartoon by mistake?

"When Humans Walked the Earth 2007 contests the distinctions we make
between man and machine and assumptions about historical progress. Cast in the
traditional medium of bronze, these objects evoke the heroic tradition of
monumental sculpture. However their scatological imagery, subversive intent and
complex associations suggest a sense of impending collapse..."

London needs this...

"NY seeks ban on iPod shuffle

A New York senator says pedestrian iPod use is a "public safety crisis"

Using your iPod while crossing the road may soon be illegal in New York.

NY State Senator Carl Kruger wants to slap a $100 (£51) fine on pedestrians using MP3 players, mobile phones or Blackberries while crossing the road.

Two of his Brooklyn constituents had been killed after walking into traffic while listening to MP3 players in the last few months, Mr Kruger said.

In one case bystanders screamed "watch out", Mr Kruger said, but the victim did not hear their warnings."

Okay - so perhaps a bit draconian, but how many people have stepped out in front of you like this?

"I'm Begining To Think That People Are Carrying Their Bikes Everywhere Just To Mock Me"

Thus speaks the Sartorialist.

Might Bromdinium Recommend...

The Lost World of James Smithson Science, Revolution, and the Birth of the Smithsonian by Heather Ewing.

How an Englishman led to the foundation of the Smithsonian. Brings to life the scientific world of the late-eighteenth century.

The Mayor joins the Village Green Appeciation Society

Turfs up...

Reflective Vest

Not sure that this is what I had in mind a while back. And don't think I could carry it off...

Back in stock at Velorution.

Bad Beardie

Saw a bearded middle-aged cyclist heading off across a set of red lights, with a police car sat behind him. Two minutes later, went past him arguing with the policeman. Suspect he got a ticket. Ironically, of all the places to go across a red light, this was v. safe.

Also, B. is back from walking around the Balearics. Suffered from bike envy a lot of the time. Fantastic scenery, lots of cyclists. Can see why Rapha shot its last ridiculous catalogue in Mallorca.

While I'm at it, if any one is interested, did the Torrent de Pareis walk from Lluc to Sa Colabra. Park warden looked a bit suspicious of my shoes before I set off, but the Inov8 F-lite 300 were up to the task. Perhaps not as sticky as some proper approach shoes, but no slips and less wrecked by the rocks than expected.

Brompton in The Sun

Not the kindest of article, but what do you expect. Sounds like Emma needed to give it a bit more time to get used to the steering.

Blair's Departure

B. was zipping along the back of Downing Street when he noticed a greater than usual gathering of photographers at the back of No. 10. They were all there waiting for Tony Blair to drive to the airport, or somewhere, to say adieu. Did this mean that the Cabinet meeting had finished? Caught a sight of the unmistakable TB grin, but you can't see it in the photo.

Lots of obituaries and spot-histories on the airwaves and in the newspapers. And of course, we'll go through it all again in 7 weeks.

A kindly copper asked me nicely to get off the road, btw. Or rather, the fluorescent special branch officer yelled at me to 'geroff the road'. Given the idiotic driving you get along there, perhaps it was for the best.

What's going on?

So, AA Gill admitted he was dabbling with bikes and Harry Eyres wrote an open letter to David C about getting serious about cycling in the FT, and somebody on Any Questions wanted to make cycling 'cool', and now the Evening Standard has a front page campaign about cycling. All very odd.

More about it on this blog at the Telegraph.

Fixies make it to the ny times...

Unstoppable

By JOCKO WEYLAND

Published: April 29, 2007

Riding a bike without brakes on the streets of New York may sound insane. But to the zealous adherents of fixed-gear bikes, they are a thing of beauty and a way of life.

Sartorialist's bike bias?

Check out this photo (and the comments) for a better cycling advert than David C...

Cyclo-Curious

"I don’t know how to break this to you. Perhaps it’s best just to say it out loud. Okay, here goes: I think I might be a cyclist. I’ve been experimenting with bicycles. I take them out and I ride them. I ride them — they don’t ride me, okay? I’m not a scene biker. I don’t get dressed up in figure-hugging Lycra. I don’t do shorts and I don’t have a purple helmet. But I don’t mind a bit of high-vis Day-Glo. Just a dash, an accent. I suppose, actually, I’m cyclo-curious bi. I’ve still got the car, and I love her very much. It’s just that I’m not in love with her any more."

Writes AA Gill at the Sunday Times . Incroyable. But welcome. He's right about the well-intentioned food and car-crash service at Oliver Peyton's Inn the Park as well.

Speaking of Restaurants, Bromdinium can't speak higher of St John's Bread and Wine, next to Spitalfields. They came to his rescue with a double espresso and a rhubarb meringue just when he needed his spirits lifted. They run a tight ship in there, and the buzzy atmosphere was just right for a warm April evening (if you fancied chomping your way through a pig's head - though I only spotted one being tucked into).

B. was meant to report on his trip to the sticks. Suffice to say, Leicester is not as bad as you'd imagine, especially in Spring, and Kent is pretty pleasant, too, particularly when it's stuffed with bluebells. There was even an earthquake. Tried out the new pair of Inov8s over nearly 15 miles - a couple of blisters from a small stone and, I think the damp and heat. And very sore feet and limbs. I'm putting this down to the Inov's design - working new muscles and so on. And perhaps the 3mm rather than 6mm footbed. But they do encourage you to zip along. A lot of cyclists about as well - inc. some Rahpa-equipped chaps.

Finally, adieu OC.

A Nice Cuppa

Bromdinium is back after a brief stint in the provinces (expect a report later). Meanwhile, Trafalgar Square has been taken over by a parade of teacups. For what purpose, Bromdinium is unsure, but suspects either Art or Channel 4.

Meanwhile, Monocle issue 3 has come out and is devoted to all things velo. Again, expect a report soon. The short report and photostory by Andrew Mueller on the flight from Tehran to Caracas is worth the issue price alone.

Prototype Bromptons

Some fun and historica pictures of early prototypes for Bromptons, from Oliver Pascaud. The first couple with the loopy handlebars (Bickerton-esque, non?) wouldn't be out of place as a Hoxton low-rider. There are also a couple of shots of the factory at work as well.

The version on the left has a rather cute 'button' chainwheel guard, I think.

The Trouble with HGVs

Velorution has something to say (and experience seems to bear it out):

Women are getting killed by lorry drivers. Just in the last couple of weeks, two young ladies have been crushed to death by big men in big vehicles with small brains.

Read more about it in Matt Seaton's column.

Why am I mentioning this? Because of yet another death. I go past this junction most evenings.

There's more about it here.

Tikit ticker...

BikeFriday's Tikit folder seems to have been launched on the world. An account of its trip around Washington, D.C. can be found on the BikePortland.org site. There's also some discussion of the Brompton vs. the Tikit. The feeling seems to be that its Dahon who should be worried.

Reflective Jackets

At some risk to my person, I've been running a bit of an experiment over the last week. How much notice do people take of you without a fluorescent jacket or belt? Not much difference seems to be the answer. Lights and some reflectors seem to be the main thing - light clothing or no, except perhaps in dusk or low light.

But, and this is the but - reversing cars and pedestrians seems to need a bit of day glo to stop them in their tracks. Otherwise, in my highly scientific test, they seem subconsciously to want to risk it. A Sam Browne seems a pretty good option, and so do some vests. So now I'm going to try the impossible and track down one that fits and almost looks good. I don't think a cycle jacket will do it - except the top of the range Respro model, the others all look like builders' clobber. However, the running market might have it tapped. I'll see what Nathan or Brooks can come up with. More to follow...

Meanwhile, good to see City Slicker is up for an award.

Monocle March

At a bit of a loss at the weekend (for a number of reasons, see other news below), so splashed out on a coffee and the latest of Tyler B's Monocle.

Still looks good, esp. the cover, with a good feature on home workouts, G-Wagons and the return of Andrew Mueller, surely Oz's best export since Clive James (or maybe Kylie). But the rest of it seemed to be a rewarming of old TB 'fast track' themes, e.g. Heathrow is evil, trains should be run by Wallpaper*, and so on. Esp. indulgent was the feature on the fabulistic Nordic News Network - as if Zoolander had taken over CNN. And lacking in humour or real interest, intrigue or revelation in the country 'briefings'. Most look like they could be culled from the internet, or are part of the CIA world factbook. Maybe I'm being harsh, but it needs to up the game. If it's going to be the Economist meets Arena, it needs to up the game.

Rapha Softshell Update

Still the best vast amount of money I've ever spent. Just wish it was, well... a bit brighter in parts.

Wore it during today's snow and rain storm on the way home. The fabric stayed perfectly waterproof, windproof and snug with my Icebreaker merino, but some seepage on the seams (esp. around the shoulder pads and the rapha arm detailing - the costs of vanity). But because it wicks so well, arms and shoulders of my inside top stayed dry. I suppose you could invest in some seam tape if you lived in Seattle... The jaunty rapha cap kept my head dry, too.

Other news. The cycle squad rallied around at work today and came up with a spare lock for someone.

Rather worse: Bromdinium will soon be homeless. Offers of flat-sitting, houseboat warming gratefully appreciated...

UPDATE: 1 year on. Jacket is still fantastic. Ok, so a couple of loose threads at the bottom have had to be tamed with a dab of superglue, but it's still almost as good as new. A wash now and then in Nikwax tech wash seems to keep the DWR going, and the water still beads. And Bromdinium has a new pad (sadly with a shorter commute). Would be tempted by the lighter softshell jackets (so can wear for longer in spring and even summer), or perhaps wait until Alpkit come up with their softshell. Only complaint: no zips/too tight on forearms to easily pull up - best way to cool down.

From Vimy Ridge to Jon Snow

[tunnels of Vimy Ridge, reminding me of the Subway section in Sassoon's MemWars]

Bromdinium paid a visit to the Imperial War Museum last night for a viewing of Vimy Ridge Heaven to Hell. Not a bad piece of History Channel TV, although the military archaelogists got a bit carried away. Some of the Canucks seemed a bit miffed at the sentimental nationalism, but were pleased to discover that they held the record for the highest VD rate in WWI. Possibly have Lord Owen an over-nasty stare, met a friendly chat from the French embassy, a brace of mad retired colonels, and got invited - B hopes - to Paddy Ashdown's book launch. Documentry wasn't too bad, and the nibbles were top drawer, so a successful evening.



Sparking sunny morning on way in today, and I espied Jon Snow at Pret opposit the NPG. Determined to say hello, as he's a cycling man, so I did. Had a good little chat. He must have thought I was some mad nutter, but was interested in B's day job, and was pleased to report that he had an exclusive interview with an artist for C4 news.

The excuse to stop was a response to a letter in the Guardian:

Jon Snow clearly has a death wish. There he is (Guardian Guide to Cycling,
March 3) in grey hat, grey jacket and grey trousers, on a grey bike with a grey
bag, cycling along in a grey-ish urban location. Jon! We can't see you! I'd
expect the leading light of the CTC to be brighter, and ditch the camouflage.
Being mistaken for Adam Hart-Davis is a small price to pay.

Mike Lewis, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire

B's favourite TV journalist was sat in a day-glo Altura. But according to the great man, this was due to his own fear for his life, rather than Mr. Lewis's advice. Fair enough, given that Bromdinium was almost reversed over by a Mercedes a year ago on St Martin's Lane, a few yards from where we were chatting. At least B. had his dayglo John Brown belt on today.

Gary Hart and all that oil

Bromdinium popped along to a lecture on American foreign policy (indeed, world foreign policy) by the former Democrat presidential candidate, and yacht-fancier Gary Hart at the Eccles Centre of the BL.

All rather cigars-and-brandy in tone, with a few good jokes about liking the sound of the word 'president'. Allegedly 'radical' as he suggested that Iraq was something to do with oil and that the term 'casualty' includes wounded as well as killed. He didn't mention the high level of survivability of today's battlefield wounds - although survivability with missing legs, arms, eyes, etc. is not the same as a sore hand from a sabre...

Although the tone was very Henry Adams (and indeed John Quincey Adams was referenced), no mention of China in the coming global strategic battle. Or indeed a suggestion that the best place for all that oil is underground, given what it does when it gets into the air. And the hints at world government were rather Utopian.

Digging up Mill writing pre-1848 and the Treaty of Westphalia seemed a bit of an intellectual cover, as well. Guess you can read more at the Gary Hart blog.

Ryan Adams to Play Stonehenge

Not a headline you'd expect to read. But all on 5 June the Adams will be playing the 'henge. Rock on.

I guess he's a little obsessed with the place, what with all those zany photos on his web site from his last visit to the UK when a side trip to Stonehenge was laid on.

Rapha Jacket Review

It's been over a week since I've had my rapha softshell jacket. Apart from Bromdinum's wedding suit, this is definitely the most expensive garment he owns. And that includes a Daks suit.

Is it worth it?

First of, the fit is great. A bit tighter than your usual gear (Bromdinium opted for the large rather than his usual svelte medium). It's long on the sleeves, but not too long (with neat, spandex thumb loops), tight around the back and sides and long at the back. The shoulder patches give it a somewhat menacing air, but the pink inside sets it off great (even if some of Bromdinium's acquaintances have teased him for it). All pretty GQ, and got into Shochu lounge with the B. no trouble (full of idiots as expected). There's tons of neat detailing, which you can read about elsewhere (google rapha jacket review), including a slot to slip in a light, ipod loops, a bite bit to zip up one handed, asymmetric zip, black reflective piping (not too convinced this is bright enought), a fold down tail flap, etc. etc.

Second of all, it's great. I love it. The windstopper type material (10% Hytrel, 5% Spandex, 85% polyester) is brilliant. Keeps out the rain, doesn't run too hot, and breathes better than anything else I've got. Also keeps you warm when you need it. Suspect in a month or two it will be a little warm, even with the pit zips, but perfect 2/4 season jacket (in London anyway). Gets especially warm on the back, mind, because of all the pocket gubbins.

Finally, it's black. You may look so mean and sleek you get noticed, or you may not. I've gone back to the John Brown belt to keep Royal Mail van man at bay. But I have to say, it's nice not to be dressed like a canary.

Bike Week in the Guardian

It's been bike week in the Guardian, with a guide to urban cycling in each day's G2 section.

Zoe Williams offers this piece of Johnson-aping advice, amongst others:

Speed up at amber. Be an amber-gambler! That's what Boris Johnson does: he has written that and I have actually seen him, and he has civic duty coming out of his posh ears.

Did I mention?

I picked up one of these? (The jackets, that is). Full report to follow...

Getting Things Done is a cult, part II

Weirdorama interview with David Allen, the man behind the personal productivity geek craze of GTD at New Day Herald, the organ of the oddball MSIA (Movement for Inner Spiritual Awareness) cult, itself run by the frightening John-Rogers. Next Action: The @backlash starts here...

Get cycling in London - but get off our roads

Interesting leader in The Times last week, pointing out the rise in bike accidents on Britain's roads, but the need to get people cycling (so we don't all drown under the rising Thames or turn into piles of blubber). The solution? Lot's of cycle lanes. Lots of comments helpfully point out the error of this view, although the two white vans and minicab who tried to cut me up today have begun to get me thinking along those lines...

Read more at Velorotion.

GTD & MSIA

Bromdinium is not the most organized of people, nor the tidiest. And he's increasingly got a pile of things to do. Rather pointless things, but a pile nonetheless.

So, January 1 saw a couple of resolutions. No. 1 was to try and get organized. The web was full of David Allen's 'Getting Things Done' - even the Guardian was on it. So I stumped for the book, and even a .pdf guide to sorting out MS Outlook and started to make lists of things; all seemed very sensible.

Still, there was something weird about Allen's prose. Lots of muttering about 'mind like water', lifechanging, even odd things like 'if someone doesn't write their next action down, I cut them out of my life', or 'try giving everything up, and descending into the darkest part of your soul till you have nothing. I've done that a few years ago', as well as other weird stuff, not to mention the flash web site and costly seminars.

Looking at a couple of mailing lists, the term 'cult' came up now and then - but only, I thought as a joke.

But reading this post about MSIA (short for the zanily titled The Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness).

This is rather old news, and not exactly gospel, but makes more sense of the weirdness in the book.

Wiggle vs. Altura

Did I mention that I had to send the Altura Reflex jacket back?

Can`t fault Wiggle, who even refunded my postage. Two thumbs up to the Portsmouth crew.

What went wrong?

1. drawstring broke after three weeks
2. top drawstring started to fray

Other points:

1. terrible cutting of the fabric
2. stitching started to go around the neck
3. dubious about reliability of zip
4. cut a bit baggy, esp. at the front
5. baffle at top of zip not effective - zip rubs.
6. picks up dirt - esp. oil - like a seabird near Exxon.
7. clammy seam tape.

Still, it was pretty cheap all things considered.

Rapha part deux

It seems that Bromdinium was wrong. On his way to Blockbusters (now there´s a store without a future if there ever was one in the age of Netfliks, Virgin media et al) to return the Wedding Crashers (don´t you love Wilson?), Triple Agent (go Rohmer) and Serenity (not Wheedon´s best) DVDs, he spotted a Brompton lashing along Lupus Street.



And someone had been to the Rapha sale at Velurolution it seemed. Black rapha club cap, green club jersey, sportswool arm warmers. All rather natty. Put my retina-searing flouro to shame. B and R do mix

Avenue Q

Rather than dodging the hoards coming out of the Noel Coward theatre on his way home, Bromdinium paid a visit to Avenue Q the other day. And he rather enjoyed it, despite being annoyed that he thought it was all being sung along to a tape, then discovering that the band were hiding behind the Brooklyn street-scene.

Ah, to be 23 again.

Velorution and Rapha

Just like bacon and eggs, some things go together. Brooks and Brompton being one of them. The craftsmanship, use of traditional materials and the classic lines (not to mention gentlemanly comfort of these superior saddles) seem to go together like horse and radish. However, I'm not so sure about Brompton and Rapha, despite both turning up in the cooler pages of the broadsheets. Some people would argue (wrongly) that the Bromptoneer is more suited to tweed and pin stripe than the courier/biker/GQ lines of the world's most metrosexual - and stunningly desirable - cycling gear.

Nonetheless, Velorution are having a massive Rapha sale (yes, those softshell jackets for £145 rather than and unbelievable £210). Bromdinium, being a bit short of cash, but still in the market for a jacket, went to have a look. I was expecting it to be full of the too cool for skool crowd, but friendly staff. Rather model-like customers, so turnip head here stood out, but a cool, roomy store, with bikes the like of which Monocle might approve. Bromdinium is now the proud owner of two-for-price of one (they couldn't find the price tag) Rapha hats. The softshell jacket looked like something out of Star Wars crossed with a rather dapper Action Man, but the real classic looked to be the Stowaway jacket. The fabric felt like butter. (Though I suspect that the GI Joe stlyle windproof is the best bet for round town wear.)

Wearing one rather than the more sensible helmet turned Bromdinium, hulk like, into a speeding bike courier, swinging dangerously left from Oxford Street onto TTR... Must be all that talk of brevets...

p.s., ask me nicely, and I'll give you directions to the secret sale area of the Rapha site.

By the Power of Greystoke! (Hot Fuzz)

Bromdinium didn't always live in London: he's a West Country lad really, so a trip to the cinema to see what Edgar Wright had done to Wells was in order.

Not quite up there with the Romcomzom of Shaun of the Dead (which was filmed in Bromdinium's old local), and very much for the 16-year-old in us all. The McGuffin was as obvious as Glastonbury Tour, but all a lot of fun. Kind of the Wickerman meets the Bill via the Archers.

Best bits: the two Bill Baileys playing two different coppers, one always reading Ian Banks, the other, wilder haired, reading Ian M. Banks.

References to crusty jugglers, the ring road, and the Swan (hotel and Elvis, the real swan). Somerfield. All good Wells fun. Hestonn service station hell. Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits. The scene when they watched videos reminded me of what little there is to do there, except sit in the pub (and all the under-age drinkers seemed pretty accurate). And Tottenham Court Road Odeon let me bash around with the Brompton.

The worst bits: everyone walking the wrong way to get to places, the fact that it can't escape being a parody - a fond parody, nonetheless.

Not many people know this, but Bromdinium's sister-in-law went to school with Mr Wright, and there are videos knocking around of his early work making Westerns in the West Country while still at Well's Blue School.

Plus, B. had the hots at college for someone who's dad was the copper in Wells...

Job On! as Nick might say

Join the Fold (FT article)

"Finally, I ask the opinion of a senior diner at the Chelsea Kitchen restaurant on the King's Road, who always hails my Brompton and me like comrades in arms. He tells me an old army joke.

A paratrooper jumps out of his plane and pulls the ripcord. Nothing. He pulls the back-up cord. Again, no chute appears. As he hurtles to the ground he says: "It'll be just my luck now if I can't get the bike open."

And with that the whole Brompton experience folded neatly into place."

Missed this article by Dominic Swords in the Financial Times before Christmas. Good piece on the folding way, and Bromptons in particular.

Notes & Queries GTD shock

This was posted recently on a GTD list. The venerable, scholarly, and slightly unhinged Notes & Queries has the following moto:


"When found, make a note of."--CAPTAIN CUTTLE

"WHEN FOUND, MAKE A NOTE OF," is a most admirable rule; and if the
excellent Captain had never uttered another word, he might have passed for a
profound philosopher. It is a rule which should shine in gilt letters on the
gingerbread of youth, and the spectacle-case of age. Every man who reads

with any view beyond mere pastime, knows the value of it. Every one, more or
less, acts upon it. Every one regrets and suffers who neglects it. There is
some trouble in it, to be sure; but in what good thing is there not? and
what trouble does it save! Nay, what mischief! Half the lies that are
current in the world owe their origin to a misplaced confidence in memory,
rather than to intentional falsehood. We have never known more than one man
who could deliberately and conscientiously say that his memory had _never_
deceived him; and he (when he saw that he had excited the surprise of his
hearers, especially those who knew how many years he had spent in the
management of important commercial affairs) used to add,--because he had
never trusted it; but had uniformly written down what he was anxious to
remember."

http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext05/7n100110.txt

Wallpaper* 2.0

Tyler Brûlé's international brand (actually just a magazine at the moment), the dandyish-sounding Monocle (grandly subtitled 'briefing on global affairs, business, culture & design') launched yesterday. I picked up a copy at the decidedly unglamorous WHSmith in Victoria Station and flicked through a copy during the 1 o'clock news, expecting more briefings on homme's underwear than geopolitics.

Nice and thick (which is what you expect for a fiver) and, unless it flops (as a segment on R4's Today show predicted), a neat decimalized 10 issues a year, it exudes design thought (nay, obsession). The cover shot of a Japanese military pilot brings back the old Face magazine's 1980s fascination with Japan, but also happily blends style (TB seems obsessed with Japanese design) and a contemporary topic that's a bit off the radar, but will soon be bleeping loudly. (Think North Korea). And it's not as obvious as China.

But back to the design: an almost square small folio size, matte paper, a good contents page, 'serious' serif font. And full of interesting stuff. The ability to make the reader feel smug (as though they're really a global jetsetter, with several Bauhaus pads dotted around the globe) is undeniable. Get spotted reading one, and you'll look a complete poseur, mind.

I loved the review of Barter Books ('The British Library of secondhand bookshops' - The New Statesman - I'm tempted to comment but won't) in the, ahem, 'Well Stacked' section. More book reviews needed though - and where is the 'virtual' world in all of this.

And the photo-essay on Les Chaux-de-Fonds reminded me of my time in Besançon. The fun section on Porter bags owed a bit to Flickr's 'what's in my bag' group and - yes - revealed the expected Zimmerli briefs.

Finally, Monocle is cycle-friendly, easily stashed in an S-Bag, and with lots of plugs for Skeppshult bikes.

Only complaint - needs some sort of built in ribbon as a bookmark.

Marathons...

It's tough being a tyre in London. All those potholes, all that smashed glass and, to top it all, shards of flint from gravel paths. What with the rain, it's perhaps no surprise that I've had two punctures in two weeks, both to the rear wheel.

So, en route to work, with a flattening tyre, popped into Evans. The choice wasn't the greatest: Brompton Yellow (my current tyres), Brompton Green (with kevlar) and Marathons. No old-skool Primos, the elusive (and discontinued) Marathon Slicks, no Stelvios. It's taken almost 1500 miles for my Brompton tyres to feel grippy, so I can't wait that long. Don't give much credence to kevlar fibre belts in stopping punctures (seeing as most of them are from shards of glass), but the Marathon seemed thicker. So, after a half and hour of wresting, changing brake blocks while I was at it, it's on the back wheel. (N.B., the trick to get them on is to make sure the wire rims are as far into the central groove as possible, and pull them over/on, rather than push).

Immediate reaction is that the rolling resistance is barely any worse, but the bikes seems much less skittish. Discovered that the new model (above) has a supposedly even better 'snakeskin' tread, but I ended up with the 06 variant (15 quid) More reports later...

Meanwhile, the Altura jacket is showing its flimsyness: the cord around the neck is fraying, some of the stitching is coming undone, and the material is very badly cut behind the zip. It's also got a bit sticky - but as I've been wearing long-sleeved cotton under it, can hardly be blamed.

No Applause at the Royal Opera House

A bit of high culture for Bromdinium: Rhapsody and La Sylphide ballets at the Royal Opera House (in the cheap seats of course). All well and good (esp. the second act of La Sylphide). But, on arriving found a notice on the front doors of the Opera House: "No Folding Bikes". Thought this would be the case, so came via the Tube.

Yet, on leaving saw some ballet-goers picking up a case from the cloakroom. Shame they won't take Bromptons, even in a case.

Vocalized Pauses

Had to appear on a local radio station today (a long story), and discovered that I could 'listen again' thanks to the Internet. Braced myself for the usual recoil at the sound of your own voice, only to be struck by the vast number of 'vocalized pauses', e.g. um, er, hmm... Now, I don't think I normally do this, so I'll put it down to nerves. But how to get rid of them, without getting OCD?

Although I did hear a piece on the Today show, I think, on how short silences or gaps are even worse on the radio.

Also managed to pop in to the 'world's largest free lecture series' in the evening - a square-jawed Dr Tristram Hunt at the Royal Society of Arts, now under the command of the Easter-Island-esque (or should that be William Defoe) Matthew Taylor, late of No. 10 strategy unity. Dr Hunt was discussing the history curriculum, citizenship and national identity. Came up with some pretty sound middle of the road responses, and staked out the Raphael Samuel/David Starkey political divide quite well (and alluded to J C D Clark's thoughts on time, history and religion - but not the Enlightenment's discovery of history). The best thing was the describing the difference between being trained to be a historian, and the civic benefits of knowing about history. The important point - that history is mostly boring to school kids (all subjects have a defining feature, e.g., geography=colouring in; English=reading out loud; maths=calculators; chemistry=bunsen burners) and that wider interest happens despite history lessons (at least before A Level) wasn't touched upon. At least there was general agreement that citizenship classes are a disaster, unless the subject matter is incorporated into other disciplines.

More prosaically, London braces itself for more snow ce soir.

Worst offenders: Mercedes

The first of an ongoing series...

Are these the cars owned by the worst drivers on the road? Erratic, too slow, too fast, blacked-up windows, ignorant of other road users, especially cyclists. Especially when reversing. Perhaps their occupants are so old and decrepit they can't turn round and look behind them - that's why they have all those fancy reversing sonar things. At least the boot breaks your fall when you crash into them.

Next time: Royal Mail trucks

Crank up the 'Wow" - MS Vista at the BL

A larger than usual gathering of geeks at the British Library to watch The Feeling get roped in to launch Windows Vista (and Turning the Pages 2.0). Choosing the New Wave of AOR to launch Microsoft (yawn) Vista seems very appropriate. Couldn't see it happening at MacExpo, even though Jobs' musical taste seem to run from the Eagles to the Eagles.

More here.