Bromdinium

Nutella

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:50:00 +0000

Nutella
Originally uploaded by movingtargetzine

I feel their pain

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:50:00 +0000

My Brompton is skulking under my desk, thinking jealously about the new Condor Fratello that is chained and d-locked (I hope) outside my flat as I type, thanks to the Cycle to Work scheme. Okay, so the B. won't cope as well with Highgate West Hill, but it shouldn't be too upset. So far my average commute speed is almost the same, and the B. is far more comfortable, at least in terms of riding position (giant wheels and carbon bits smooth out a hell of a lot). And they both share a steel heritage, as well as London design (even if the Condor is cast and welded, or however it's done, in Italy)

It's also a shock to have gears (Compag Veloce compact, with black chain ring), but the Polar heart rate monitor is more of a shock. The B. has lulled me into a fitness plateau! Time to pound the streets, I feel. Braking is also a whole different ball game.

Temptation

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 23:09:00 +0000

A new scheme at work means that a tax-free new bike could be in the offing. A fixed-gear or road bike could be a good alternative for cinema trips... but where to keep it?

Piano Wire

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:17:00 +0000

Parris has since published a backhanded apology, which, while ostensibly saying
sorry, succeeds in blaming cyclists for being too humourless and dim to get the
joke. The heaving inbox of his editor, combined with several hundred reports to
the Press Complaints Commission, may have hastened this act of contrition. Which
just goes to show the efficiency of the cycling lobby when roused: web forums
and email groups were humming with exhortations to write in. It could be said
that such an "organised" response gives the widespread sense of revulsion felt
among cyclists a slightly synthetic quality - that is how lobbies operate and
although there is nothing wrong with concerted voluntary action, I can't help
wondering whether we took a sledgehammer to this particular nut.

Matt Seaton weighs in on the Parris issue.

Google Maps

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 10:53:00 +0000

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...

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 22:51:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 20:42:00 +0000

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?

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 11:03:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 12:52:00 +0000

Brompton leaving Tate Britain

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 12:51:00 +0000

Airnimal

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 12:50:00 +0000

Yellow Bike near St Pauls

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 12:49:00 +0000

Bike and Bus

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 12:49:00 +0000

Rouleur exhibition

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 12:47:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 09:14:00 +0000

Are all Range Rovers black? And have tinted windows?

Mercedes folding bike

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 09:13:00 +0000

Some pictures here...

London Bikes

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 19:30:00 +0000

Paul Weller and Rapha

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 21:32:00 +0000

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

Is that a Rapha top?

Philly Brompton, Tikit, Moulton video

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 21:53:00 +0000

That corner from the Smithfield Nocturne

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 22:28:00 +0000

The Folding Bike Comes of Age

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 21:36:00 +0000

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

Flickr and Emily Thornberry

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 21:35:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 21:42:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 20:42:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Vites) — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 20:27:00 +0000

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.