'Chasing Legends'

I just saw this on Prolly is Not Probably, a great site which I am sure you have all encountered some how before now. So big thanks and LINK to him.



This is the 'Chasing Legends' trailer. Another inside documentary of the Tour De France. But the photography and filming looks fantastic, including cameras on the motos of the photographers, team cars and it looks like on the bikes of the pros too. Looks too good to miss.

The website for Chasing Legends is here.

Last year's Tour De Fat

Ok, so I am a little short on blog news right now - so here is a pic from last year's Fat Tire Brewing Company's 'Tour De Fat' when it stopped in Chicago.
Definitely should be on your 2010 to do list.

"Haussler"

Gotta say I love this one.
Drawn on a 11"x 14" sheet of 'Yupo', which is a plastic, with waterproof ink.

Working with these materials is unpredictable and fun, building up layers of ink that push and repel each other around the sheet. Due to the fact that the ink sits on the plastic surface as it slowly dries there are many happy accidents and some acts of rescue.

All this led to a pretty dynamic image and one that perfectly suited the rainy conditions on Colmar that day

'Someday' by Alison McGhee

'Someday' is a beautiful children's book.
Written from the point of view of a Mother to her newborn daughter.
The ending really does have the reader in tears but also full of joy for the future after we have gone.

But here is the bike bit!

Alison McGhee

Ritte Van Vlaanderen

I saw this pic and blog post on Hipster Nascar and had to learn more!! Definitely looks like a stylin' bunch.

Even better on the Ritte Van Vlaanderen site itself is this video of the final day of the Giro in 1974.



At around 1:20 there is almost no sound, a quiet soundtrack and you can hear the breaths of the racers - wonderful.

Flatpack Helmet Head

Tatoo, Bicycle Helmet from Opton on Vimeo.

Not quite sure what I think of this.

Why?
Are you really going to take the time to take it apart, re build it, each time?
Would I have faith in it?

Better than nothing and if someone wears this other than nothing - it's a winner.

As seen on Core 77

TDU Stage 1 - Team Sky Arrive

Great looking caps by Walz.

Haven't seen one but found this site somehow - they look great.
Simple, classic - wool looks particularly suave.


And I just read that they make the caps for Twin Six which certainly vouches for them.

http://www.walzcaps.com/index.html

'San Diego Shred' - a new work

'San Diego Shred'
Acrylic on canvas - 18" x 36" - 2009

Here is a commission that I completed as a Christmas present for the co-partner in Chicago's 'On The Route Bicycles' and 'Windy City Trek' . Great fun to work on and pretty exciting to think that it was going to be a gift as opposed to someone choosing it for themselves.

Really pleased with the way it turns out. Commissions are a different beast as I don't necessarily get to choose the images used as reference so making something work for everyone involved is a great challenge. Particularly happy with the spokes in the front wheel really moving and the flowing paint strokes across the helmet.

Hopefully the painting will be up in one of their stores soon.
More artwork to follow next week.

From the 'New Yorker' by Steve Brodner

http://stevebrodner.com/

Shooting Match - 'Herne Hill'

It's the beginning of a new year and already my cycling nerve endings are twitching in anticipation of a few events. In no particular order they are Grant's Tomb Criterium in NYC, Paris Roubaix, the Track World Championships and the Good Friday Meet at Herne Hill. Oh and as I write this I cant help but see flashes of Wales holding the Six Nations trophy, but I digress.





This is a 20 minute documentary of the Good Friday Meet.
Made a few years ago when the future for Herne Hill was bleak by Maz Lewis.

If you are in London at Easter - go to this.
Ok so it's very low key, very British but what an atmosphere when things get going.
Very knowledgable crowd and everyone taking part from local weekend racers to the big guns. I have seen Huebner, Hoy, O'Grady, Newton, Bos and Marvulli all thundering around the track.
Not only do they want to piece of this wonderful history but they also come to entertain. Some of the sprint events they take seriously and just go to work, in other events they like to mix it up with riders like you and me and let us experience what they can do, show us what it can really be like.

Speaking of thundering around the track. You would not believe the noise those Triumphs make, what a wonderful roar and magnificent sight. As Colin Denman says it is such a shame they only get to race them once a year.

My own thanks to all those who volunteer and keep Herne Hill running and gave me such great memories of my own years on that wonderful track.

Nasu: Summer - watch it online - cycling anime

I posted about 'Nasu: Summer in Andalusia' some time ago.

It's a Japanese anime about Pepe, a Spanish domestique, racing in the Vuelta A Espana.
The race will pass through his hometown on the same day as his elder brother is to marry Pepe's ex-girlfriend. This reminds him of the past he tried to escape by turning pro and now his team plans to drop him - well, Pepe figures what the hell - 'Shake and Break'...

I was wondering how and when I would finally get to see it.

The how is at 'Anime Movie Site' and the when will be sometime in the next few weeks.
47 minutes long and subtitled in English.

"It's not just about bike racing though,..."

Pretty great quote from Rahsaan Bahati in PezCycling News' interview with him on the eve of the Bahati Foundation Team's first season.

We aim to reach out to inner city kids and have an impact on their life; Cannondale bikes and Louis Garneau clothing have been great too. It’s not just about bike racing, though – cycling’s not for everyone, but you might get kids who look at the bikes and think; ‘I’d like to get into design or graphics.’ The bike is the link, but it’s really about inspiring inner city kids.

Good to see that spending so much time with Michael Ball that he has his screwed on and his heart in the right place. Also good to see someone else realise that an interest in bike racing doesn't mean your dream job needs to be become a pro rider. You can be just as happy engineering the bikes, creating graphics, as a soigneur, team director, painter......

Good luck to the team and hopefully you'll inspire someone to do a better graphics job than this.

More Team Sky fun

Now I love the idea of Team Sky and will be definitely following their progress this year but it doesn't mean I can't have some fun with them on the blog eh! First thoughts when I saw that Jaguar are supplying the team cars was 'Wow - couldn't they just use Hummers - shouldn't they be showing some responsibility and using Priuses or something similar?' Second thought was ' Nice, classy, British' - now I realise that Rupert Murdoch probably wouldn't settle for anything less, goes with his ego - the roofs and door sills are gonna get scratched though.




Also the kit - really suprised that they aren't using the currently famous Team Sky+HD track strip,that's pretty nice, fun and dynamic.



Still if you are using classic Jags better stick with the team id and use classic strip - it's Adidas referencing Rapha. Worth noting that the back of the jersey is actually white but I cant find any decent pictures of it yet and the riders have their names on the side panels. Its a good design but maybe a year or so too late to be at the head of the 'design trends'.



Wiggo has also reverted to his Mod God haircut - though maybe it's an off season thing like my Cake God gut.

More info here on Cyclingnews or here at Team Sky.

Cycling Tips interviews Simon Gerrans

One of Team Sky's top signings is interviewed by Wade here: www.cyclingtipsblog.com
Its a great read.