Friday, January 07, 2011

New year, big changes!!!

1 comments Posted by 1 less car at 11:03 AM

With the new year comes big changes here at 1lesscar.

With the growth of Bates Crates and the continued support for 1lesscar, it was all starting to be too much for me to handle alone. I was printing the shirts here in Chicago for two weeks a month, and then would have to catch a train to Michigan and build crates there for two weeks. Needless to say things were starting suffer.

I felt I was giving less attention to 1lesscar then it needed, and not enough to nurture the development of Bates Crates. That, and I was starting to pull out my hair. So, over the last month I have put a plan in action.

First was to start building Bates Crates here in Chicago. Bates Crates is selling enough crates for me to believe that it's working, and I can invest some money into buying new equipment and starting building crates here in Chicago.

The next step was that I can't build crates and print shirts in the same work area, and renting two separate spaces just seemed financially irresponsible.

You may already know that Brandon is my right hand man around 1lesscar, and he has done so much to get 1lesscar where it is- it only makes sense to put him in charge of the day to day stuff at 1lesscar.
So at this point, I have newly acquired woodworking equipment just waiting for the space to work. Brandon will be coming down next week and we will spend the week printing, filling orders, and making screens so he can see how I do this. I'm excited and scared for this to happen (me too! -B).

I've been working on 1lesscar for 5 years now. I've been up late most nights and riding my bike in freezing weather to ship orders, and as much as I was wondering “what am doing” at those times, I still loved every second of it. I'm confident Brandon will be great at this (possibly better then me), and I know he will take care of my baby.

Making this switch will give me more time to grow Bates Crates and do something I really love, which is woodworking. I will still be involved in 1lesscar, and to most people you won't notice a change around here. The only thing you might notice is when you email us you will see Brandon’s name at the end of the emails and not mine.

I'm hoping this will give me more time to post on the blog and maybe get on my bike more, because that’s what this whole thing was about in the first place!

So there you have it a new year a new direction... Thanks for all you support in 2010 and we hope to see you again in the years to come!

Cole

 

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Tuesday, January 04, 2011

a new year, tons of reviews, and more!!!! mad photos too!

0 comments Posted by 1 less car at 6:14 PM

Four days into the new year and here's our first post. My plans were to get everything done in the afternoon. Start early in the afternoon and be finished by late afternoon at the latest.

But every time I sit down to start, about five minutes later someone wants to play. Unfortunately this someone really isn't a person, but my puppy dog...whose not really a puppy anymore either. Her name is Rowan.

Being a dog, Rowan and I have problems communicating sometimes, and it is I, the superior human who folds first that has to set work aside and play.
So play we do... that's her. She's really rad, the first dog I've ever had, but damn- she's NEEDY. There's a lot of walks in our day, along with all the other doggy duties that my better half shares with me. In turn, I get work done in between.

I didn't talk about this much or at all on here to try and keep things positive, but in 2010 my dad died, my old lady's mom got breast cancer again (but is finished with chemo/radiation and doing good!), my baby sister moved across the country, and my bands of 10 & 5 years both seemed to go to shit, among other things.

While a lot of great things happened too, I don't think 2010 was my year to say the least. So here's to 2011.

So there's a few things in this list that are overdue, and I just wanted to let you know why.

So far in 2011, we got a rad box from Rebel Eight, and we just got a sweet box of goodies from Fyxation...

Above I'm wearing Rebel Eight's Backwoods Hooded Jacket, their plaid oilskin new era cap, and Chrome's Natoma pants... Turns out I clean up alright, or so I've been told. I'm feeling pretty fresh & clean today to say the least! Rebel Eight also sent along a couple of their bike themed t-shirts too.

above: the sweet box of goodies from Fyxation! The new, two-tone Session tires (700x23), matching track grips, and some rad, steel end caps to finish 'em off. Can't wait to get these on!!! Derek is STILL riding his. They're Indestructible!!!

above: Chrome's first issue of Wrenched, the Frisco issue. We've still got a few copies left to give away!!!

above: Laser's Nirvana MTB helmet. Killer...

above: Also killer, Feedback sent us their wheel truing station!

above: If you live in the city it's everywhere. Outside the city it's still there, you just have to know where to look. I can say that I've been a long time fan, but I also have to point out that it's illegal, and I'm not suggesting nor recommending that you do it.

That said, Dokument Press sent us a copy of the Street Art Cookbook, A Guide to Techniques and Materials. Everything from posters, stickers, painting, and even planting flowers...

Previous to that, I was talking with the rad people at Art Primo (artprimo.com) & they sent a can of Belton Molotow paint. All weather... Great for frame painting! They also sent a few caps to try out, a couple of the latest Smash markers, and a rad little gold OTR Blackbook marker.

above: I ran across this little Moleskine book with a bicycle theme & thought it was pretty rad. This was sent in by moonlightbindery.com.


above: VP Components sent in a pair of their racing pedals to check out...
above: Trying to get ready for touring early this year, and I found these from GSI Outdoors. I screwed up and got the drip and not the press, but I'll make it work. The grinder is incredible. Good coffee is VERY important!!! Speaking of, I think I should give Mel a shout at Peace Coffee & see what they've got brewing over there... rest assured, it's always something good!

above: last, but certainly not least, are a pair of straps from Hold Fast, made right in Brooklyn. They don't look as sweet these days, but they're the most reliable straps you'll find. There's been a lot of knock offs lately, but these are the original, and I wouldn't accept a substitute! It doesn't matter if you're riding fixed freestyle or not- these won't fail you- ever. I love leather, don't get me wrong, but those straps will eventually break... but not these.

So that's what's in cue for upcoming reviews!- a bunch of great stuff that I'll tell you more about very soon!!!

There's also more exciting news coming up that I can't wait to share, but you'll just have to hold on for that one...it's still under wraps for now! But it's big!!!

So that's a peak at things to come. What bikes/clothes/parts would you like to see reviewed? Send me an email & let me know!

I still want to trade stickers for your crash stories!!! Please attach a photo if possible!!! trust me, they'll be great... brutal, but great!

Again, here's to 2011. see ya soon!

Brandon

 

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