Friday, February 25, 2011

Chicago Bike Swap Meet & more...

0 comments Posted by 1 less car at 9:55 PM

If you're in Chicago, come see us at Pulaski Park tomorrow from 10-5 for The bike swap meet! Cole and I will be splitting a booth, so we'll have plenty of OLC shirts in all kinds of different colors that haven't been on the site before, and Cole will have a half dozen Bates Crates along with a new rear model he made!


So the 'and more'... You might have noticed that all of the buttons to purchase our fine products are missing. We're having technical difficulties at the moment with our payment processing system. We hope to be up and running ASAP, but in the meantime, if you would like to place an order, please email me: brandon at 1lesscar dot com.

Thanks!!!

 

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Monday, February 21, 2011

Who & Why: Top 5 Influential Cyclists...RESEARCH!

1 comments Posted by 1 less car at 6:38 PM

Who & Why: Top 5 Influential Cyclists. Go!!! Leave your answers in the comments!


I'd also like to give a shout out to FlammeCast for picking up my question from twitter. Check out their answers and more: http://flammecast.com/5-most-influential-cyclists-ever.html.

Also, this Saturday we'll have a booth at the Chicago Bike Swap!!! Come by & say hi- I'm also going to try something new & bring some reclaimed shirts along with some new ones.

I'm going above Management's head here (let's hope I keep mine!) and I want to know what you think. So here's the deal:

Management disagrees with reclaimed clothing wants to dismiss it altogether, but I managed to break the suits down and talked them into letting me do a test run!

I feel it's a unique option for one of a kind shirts that also happen to be friendly to ALL of our communities.

Even if the test run goes good, we would always offer both, so no worries- but as fans / consumers, how do you feel about reclaimed clothing (that looks better after I'm done with it than it did the first time around!)? Just curious...

I'm doing research on both of these and would really appreciate your comments on this one. Thanks!

If you don't want to leave a public comment, feel free to email me anytime-
brandon at 1lesscar dot com.

Rock, Roll, & Watch that Pothole!!!

 

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Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Drunk Cycling in MI, Lance calls it quits, & new chrome!

0 comments Posted by 1 less car at 12:56 PM

See- Beer & Bikes DO Mix!!!
Drunk cycling in Michigan- Courtesy of one of our local papers...GR PRESS i think. mlive.com for sure.

MYTH: Just like you can’t drive a vehicle or moped drunk, you can’t ride a bike while intoxicated.

FACT: In Michigan there is no law against drunk bike riding, but other states have them.

THE DETAILS: Drunken driving requires that you operate a vehicle and under the definition in the Vehicle Code a bike is not a vehicle, Church and Bennett said. You could, however, be charged with drunk and disorderly conduct. “I’ve actually issued two people citations for being drunk and disorderly on a bike because they were riding down the middle of a four-lane highway in the middle of the day,” Church said. “But if you’re riding appropriately and intoxicated there’s no law against it.”

And I know every other cycling blog and everyone else is talking about it, but Lance calls it quits...

Pic from google images and OLD...sorry Radio Shack!
From CNN: Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong announced his retirement from the world of professional cycling Wednesday, saying that he wants to devote more time to his family and the fight against cancer. Read more...

And we know everyone love chrome- not just our friends over at Chrome Bags, but chromoly... yeah... Well, what do you do when you need something refinished because someone left it outside for the last few years, or whatever the case may be? You call CW Racing, that's what! Check out the pics below, then go here:
http://cw-racing.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5143591bf71d285bd13f503df&id=cbfb475a7a&e=bb73020721




Word- so that's a wrap on the news today- come back tomorrow for some more reviews!!!

I dig the "Ride it like you stole it" outro (also form another site, so I prefer not to use it because i don't like to bite...but i do dig it!), so Ride it like you stole it anyway, just don't steal it! ...Or its parts!!! Both suck horribly and have happened to both Cole and myself.

It's nice out today...go ride!!! I'll stick with that.

Brandon

 

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Monday, February 14, 2011

Win a tandem from Chrome!!!

0 comments Posted by 1 less car at 3:32 PM

Happy VD!!! Chrome wants to help celebrate it by giving some lucky person a Tango Tandem from Schwinn! Click the picture above to enter!!!

Contest ends 2/18 at 5pm EST. GOOD LUCK!

 

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Monday, February 07, 2011

quick bicycle touring primer

1 comments Posted by 1 less car at 2:13 PM

a friend wrote me an email this a.m. because we've been talking about touring, and he's getting ready for his first year. i thought my response would make a good post, so here it is!

Well, I've got a 3 & a 5 day tour under my belt. Here's some tips from our experiences...

1. Touring is always better when you have someone with you, preferably a good friend, but it's also a chance to spend A LOT of time with someone, so it's good if you already get along with your riding partner... :) -Cole tried his first time alone & it sucked. It also helps push you when you're tired/hungry too, and vice versa.

2 & 3. Food & Camping.
Generally, these are separate, but both need to be tied together, unless you're going backwoods style. But when touring the highways and bi-ways of this great country, we also have its conveniences..

We generally don't bring much food if any with us on the first day. Maybe some pita bread & pb&j, & a few small snacks. You're going to burn more calories than you ever have in your life, so you need to stay well hydrated & have something to keep you going.

We do have a tiny, camping fuel stove for cooking. We usually try to stop somewhere close to where we're going to camp for food, because it's not light to carry- especially after pedaling for hours.

As far as camping, so far we've pretty much exclusively camped at state campgrounds, and here's why. Last year we went in the off-season, and we only had to pay for camping one night. If the campground is full, they will ALWAYS find cyclists a spot! There are bathrooms, not to mention showers, and you can usually score quite a bit of wood from other campsites that people have left behind in the pits. One we went to had a pool too!

If I was going to be gone more than 5 days, it would be nice to have a little extra money to stay at a hotel for a night & REALLY freshen up! Sleep in a REAL bed, etc.

But back to eating...
On my second tour I was hoping it would be a "first tour" experience, but no. This happens every single time. I find it a little hard to eat A LOT the first night, but this is EXTREMELY important!

Why you ask?

Well, you're going to wake up that second day feeling a little like crap no matter what. Food might sound good, but it's hard to get it down even though you know you HAVE to or you're not going to make the day. Period. Try to eat what you can in the AM & snack a lot along the way. That night will be a little better, but still not the best.

Waking up day 3 though, you should be back on track. I felt like we were just getting started when we got back! 5 days is nice, but 3 is good to let yourself know what you're getting into!

I should also point out before I forget that we always tried to camp close to a McDonald's. Best spot for breakfast there is!!! To us it was worth it.

3. What to bring...
This is interesting... the 1st time you'll bring more than you need. Guarantee it! It's just something you figure out. Half the stuff you think you might need you will never use. Less clothes for sure! You will not want to do this (in my opinion) without proper shorts/bibs. They make these for a reason (though I always wear something over them because I can't stand looking at them!).

That, and some type of riding cream, like Deez Nuts or the like! VERY IMPORTANT!

But yeah- I brought completely different stuff the 2nd time than I did the 1st, & I'll bring less next time.

4. This is something (I think) I taught Cole: Stop & rest for 5 minutes once an hour or something like that, just to give your body a break and a chance to refuel. Cemeteries are great- usually nobody there, full of shade, & quiet. It's important NOT to over do it. Especially on the 1st day. If you think you can't go much more, start thinking about camping. Tell who your with. Grab a energy gel (best ever) or bar (2nd best) & you'll feel like a new person. Unless you really monitor your health & diet (I don't), you really don't know what you're doing to your body, other than what it tells you, so listen to it! It won't lie to you... you can try to lie to it, but it'll smack you upside the head for doing so!

5. You can't always trust internet maps. so photocopies of maps of where you're headed (unless you want to bring a big bulky map or are doing an Adventure Cycling tour and are using one of theirs) are a plus. An even bigger plus is a GPS, but it still cannot be completely relied on. They've screwed us a few times. "It looks like the trail should go right through here..." and then you come to eight HIGH graded rail lines that you've gotta pick your steel bike & 30-50 lbs.of gear over. UGH. But a GPS does rule. Wish I could afford the new Garmin cycling model...

6. TOOLS! Everything that you'd need to fix a flat & a few other things... you never know what will happen on the road, and like a boy scout, be prepared! Not a Craftsman 48pc. set prepared, but you know what I mean... You partner will have some goods too, so depending who you ride with you might wanna compare gear...

7. I forgot what I was going to write because I started thinking about camping again for a minute...a sleeping pad under your bag can be your best friend!

8. Have a rad time, because that's what it's all about!

9. If you can't put your bags in your tent & they have food, bring some rope to hang it from raccoons & small bears.

So that's my little touring primer... I'm sure I have stuff to add & will as I think of it!

-Brandon

 

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Thursday, February 03, 2011

OLC Review: Rebel Eight Backwoods Jacket

0 comments Posted by 1 less car at 11:10 PM

So I'm starting to play catch up now after the move, and I'm back with a review today of a killer jacket from Rebel Eight- the Backwoods model in fact.


Living in the backwoods myself, I was stoked when I got a fat box from Rebel Eight that had their Backwoods Jacket in it. This thing has mad style & detail from the get go.

The hooded outer shell comes in everyone's favorite color: two tones of solid black. Instant classic. It's also water repellant, treated oilskin twill (100% cotton canvas), with a lively flannel inside. It has a nice, slim fit to it. I totally dig it. Even the hood is nice & snug, and also offers drawstrings for those extra cold & windy days. Read More...

I'll be back soon with more!

Brandon

 

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Wednesday, February 02, 2011

worth it...

0 comments Posted by 1 less car at 7:50 PM

i've spent my entire day working on banners for all the rad people that sent us stuff to review & didn't get to any actual reviews today as previously stated yesterday. so my bad.


but...

thanks to twitter (i'm @greezus -follow me!) and our friends at mash sf, i came across THE RULES. some people live by them religiously. some are spot on. most are, or entertaining to say the least!

i really hate recycling content from our peers, and haven't until now. sometimes certain rules need to be broken, and i'm breaking a rule to bring you THE RULES.

as mash sf said, we're all guilty of at least one.

i know i am.

and without further a do, i present you with: THE RULES. enjoy.

reviews & banners & some other goodness tomorrow.

starting february right & keeping it rolling.

if you thought we were gone, you quit coming around, 'cause we aren't going anywhere but up.
recognize... ya better tell somebody!!!

brandon

 

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Tuesday, February 01, 2011

what's goin' on...and team GEOX-TMC's jersey unveiled!

0 comments Posted by 1 less car at 11:53 AM

so january seemed to fly by. cole and i packed all of OLC's stuff up and moved it from chicago back to michigan, but a couple hours north of muskegon where it was born, in a little town called frankfort. there was a summer camp down the road from our house for years...maybe you went there... maybe not. if so, you know a little bit about where i'm at. at the moment (if i were outside), i'd be more than knee deep in snow!

we made it safe and sound though, and january was filled with lots of cleaning, moving, rearranging, and setting up. i'm still not completely done... but i can see why cole was having a headache trying to run two businesses! so things should be running smoother for OLC and for Bates Crates!

I'll have a few couple reviews up tomorrow to kick off the month right...i know you saw the pictures last month!

those of you that own a pugsley or a mukaluk- i envy you... :) ...but a trainer from Kinetic showed up last week, so I'm pretty stoked about that & can't wait to show & tell you more about it!

that's it from me for today (unless you catch me on twitter- @greezus), but before i go, for all of you racing fans out there, i wanted to share the following press release with you:

GEOX-TMC Team Jersey Unveiled



Philadelphia, PA (January 31, 2011) - With the 2011 UCI racing season in full swing following the Australian season opener, Team GEOX-TMC unveiled its much-anticipated, official team jersey Monday.


Designed by GEOX in collaboration with the team's other co-sponsors and produced by Italian sportswear leader Diadora , the team jersey is black and white with distinctive Diadora neon accents. The jersey complements GEOX-TMC's 2011 Fuji Altamira LTD Team Bike, designed using the same color palette.

Title-sponsor GEOX incorporated their Respira shoe ventilation product into their logo displayed on the official team jersey, which also features second-name sponsor TMC, as well as co-sponsors Cantabria Infinita, Diadora, ZipVit, Rotor, Footon, Servetto, and Fuji.


With design completed, the team is outfitted and ready to kick off the season. GEOX-TMC's first race will be on February 5 at the GP Costa Etuschi in Italy, and the team will meet the media at its official team presentation on February 12 in Padova, Italy.

 

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