Brooklyn by Bike

This week marked the first time many bike NYC folks hit the streets since winter. Our bit of good weather combined with Google Maps launch of bicycling directions has made for an exciting bicycle filled week. Add to it this little find of activists taking to the streets to mark potholes with onomatopoeia.

Toronto’s street artist and bike activist collective Urban Repair Squad, known for making radical interventions in on-street signage to promote cyclists’ safety, recently unveiled a project. Their Pothole Onomatopoeia series appeared on Toronto’s Harbord Street recently, pointing out irregularities in the pavement with arrows and old school-Batman-style words like “THUNK!,” “OUCH!” and “OOF!” stenciled onto the street with bright spray paint. [h/t @sheepdontswim via @L Magazine]

I personally hit a pothole pretty hard this morning, but luckily didn’t get a flat. Friends have not been so lucky. Apparently if you are motorist you can file a claim with the city should you hit a pothole, but what about the cyclists? Anyone know if there is something in place for us?

You might remember last year of a major dispute between the Hasidic community and bicycle community in Williamsburg regarding the Kent Ave bike lane. While that lane though redesigned stayed, last week the DOT stripped 14 blocks of bike lane off the street neighboring Bedford Ave with no warning or community voice. Bedford Ave bike lane provides a direct connection for cyclists to the the Williamsburg bridge – possibly the most highly trafficked bike commuter bridge in the city. The community is understandably upset considering how much work and community support must go into installing a bike lane. Apparently removing one requires no thought at all.

Yesterday Gothamist reported that a few people were arrested by the Shomrim or local watchdogs for trying to repaint the lane on Bedford though other sources report no one was actually arrested. Regardless, a group called  “OccupyEverything” succeeded in repainting the lane anyway!

Eric Corriel, a Brooklyn based artist has created an interactive video installation that explores the history of bicycle culture in Brooklyn from 1880 to today. The piece is viewable at sundown on Clinton and Pierrepont Street in Brooklyn Heights from now until January 3rd, 2010 but check the calendar to be sure.

He’s looking for photo and video submissions from the cycling community. Help him out and become a part of the installation! [via Brooklyn Cycling]

Stussy has collaborated with Japanese bike shop W-Base once again to make t-shirt and matching chain lock. [ More at Highsnobiety]

Jared Leto’s band 30 Seconds to Mars has released a music video with an ode to Los Angeles bike culture. [via Treehugger]

São Paulo has been drowning in a sea of automobiles (6 million and counting). This car-centric urban transport model is showing signs of exhaustion. The average São Paulo inhabitant spends almost three hours a day stuck in traffic jams. That’s about 15 hours a week – or almost 2 working days.

Enter,  São Paulo Intermodal Challenge. “The challenge: to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible – during rush hour – using the mode of transportation of your choice.” [via PSFK]

And guess who wins?

What a fantastic way to bring bicycles into the mix as a potential solution for São Paulo’s transportation issues!

I love cycling and I love reading so to me there is nothing better than enjoying a book written by folks who love these things too. The following are on my “to read” list.

David Byrne, an avid New York City cyclist and former Talking Heads member released Bicycle Diaries last week. The book is “an account of what he sees and whom he meets as he pedals through metropoles from Berlin to Buenos Aires, Istanbul to San Francisco, Manila to New York.” He’ll be making an in store appearance in NYC today, 7pm at the Union Square Barnes and Noble.

Pedaling Revolution: How Cyclists Are Changing American Cities (Paperback)

“In Pedaling Revolution, Jeff Mapes explores the growing urban bike culture that is changing the look and feel of cities across the U.S. He rides with bike advocates who are taming the streets of New York City, joins the street circus that is Critical Mass in San Francisco, and gets inspired by the everyday folk pedaling in Amsterdam, the nirvana of American bike activists.”

The Cyclist’s Manifesto: The Case for Riding on Two Wheels Instead of Four

“The Cyclist’s Manifesto makes the most powerful case to date for a simple fact: America can no longer afford to ignore the bicycle as a tool for serious transportation.”

What’s your favorite cycling culture book?

Brush and Spoke is a simple art portal which features cycling art. There are “no critiques, no reviews, no opinions, just one post after the other of bicycle related art.” Ed, the creator of the site goes by, the less obtrusive the better. On the site you’ll find large examples of art, with a link to the source, along with those involved, and some tags to help better sort the content.

I was immediately drawn to the visual aesthetic of Brush and Spoke much like Hufnagel Cycles and found quite a few items I’d like to purchase. Check it out for yourself and find the rest of my interview with Ed below.

Why cycling art?

My reasoning behind Brush & Spoke was pretty simple. I love art, bicycles and the internet. I own many genres of bicycles, and have been riding since I was a little kid. I was recently looking to decorate my office with some wall art, so I looked online and ran across a bicycle print by Anthony Cozzi titled Drop Sequence. I immediately purchased it, and continued searching online to see if there was a resource that feature that type of art elsewhere. Since I was unable to find one, I decided to build my own.

How do you find the art work you feature on your site and do you get a commission?

The process involved in finding the art that is featured on Brush & Spoke, is pretty hit or miss at the moment. I have a growing list of sites that I scour, looking for the latest bicycle related updates. From art blogs, to personal portfolios, to flickr groups, to twitter updates, I find myself looking anywhere and everywhere. There is also a submission form on the site, which I encourage my viewers to use as much as possible. It’s with their help that I have found out about some amazing art, and without them, I wouldn’t have had nearly as much content on the site, as I do now. There is currently no commission, or advertising system on the site.

Anything else to add?

If I could thank some of the sites/people that have made Brush & Spoke possible that would be great! UPSO @ http://upso.org ,Chris @ http://chrisforrette.com, Mikey K, and everyone @ http://yayhooray.com.

You can also find Brush and Spoke on Twitter @brushspoke.

Hambone bags “give you a place to stash the most important of your cargo. Keep your wallet, cell phone, and tools close at hand with a bag that easily goes from your ride to the party.” [via Hambone]

I stumbled upon this site yesterday trying to decide whether or not to sign up for Escape NYC when I noticed they were giving these bags out as prizes. I’m guessing if you are crafty enough, you can create something similar yourself, but we like to support craftsfolk here at Brooklyn by Bike. They definitely beat my Velcro strap camerabag rig and they look so much better than those things that attach to your saddle.

Click the photo to check out their Etsy store