Better than new

This is my new old camera. It was a birthday gift and I am so stoked to see the results. I have been snapping pictures of the bike shop all day. I am sure they are going to be displayed in some gallery somewhere seeing as how everything i touch turns to gold. I will keep you posted. Stoked.

Speaking of older things.....

B-Boy off

Last night I went out to the West Coast B-Boy Championship with J Pow (D Pow's wifey). When she first asked me to go I thought she was challenging me to a dance off, which I would've gladly accepted but I guess I need to work on my listening skills a little more because that is not what she was asking me. When we got there I got to yell a bunch and for me that's always a good time.



Mid West girls out west.

Hot Tina Jam

If I could get a boner, this video would be the cause of it. Holy shit, her legs DO NOT quit. I got so fired up when I saw this video today. It's all downhill from here.

super secret Blam stuff

After the last Blam we set up a secret headquarters to hang out and talk about shredding and whatnot. We hired an intern named Rolf-Dieter Heuers and then, to be honest we just sorta forgot about it for a while. Well... I stopped by the Blamquarters the other day to check on old Rolfers (that's what I call him, we like to keep it casual on the weekends) and it looks like he's just as excited as we are about the next event.
Here he is lookin' at some stuff or whatever. You're doing a good job buddy!

Apparently he's been working on some sort of side event and it looks like its coming along pretty well.

I can't wait to see how your little project turns out!

Happy Birthday Tina

Tina Turner knows the pain of sharing your birthday with Thanksgiving too. This video is great. Starts off slow, but when she get's goin... man she cooks.

Just so I can tie in James Brown, here is a video from the year I was born of him performing one of my favorite songs, Body Heat. So good. His teeth are huge.

Up yours, Thanksgiving

Why am I not stoked on Thanksgiving? This year I share my 31st birthday with it, meaning everything I want to do for my birthday celebration (gun range and go karts) won't be open. Eat a fat one Thanksgiving. You suck.

31 and never been kissed.

KV the OG

My boss is so gangsta, sometimes it scares me. He wears his teal gang colors to work and I am afraid a rival gang (probably the ones that wear periwinkle) will come into the shop and they'll "throw down". Help me.

Giro Di Portlandia

In Portland. Sorry everywhere else.

Finger Blaster

I guess there is other kinds of fun you can have with your fingers.

Lost Jams

Through out the work day when I hear a song that I really like I write the name and artist on a piece of paper and put it in my shop apron where I promptly forget about it. At the end of the day when I take the tools out of my apron and put them away I find the paper with the jam written on it and move it to my jeans pocket where I forget about it again. When I get home and empty my pockets I am like "Oh yeah, this song was great." From there it makes it's way to a pile of songs on my dresser and it usually sits there for awhile until it catches my eye again and I have another "oh yeah" moment. Last night I was doing laundry and found some jams that never made it to my dresser.

The Cyclocross Meeting

Presented by 21st Avenue Bicycles

Screening at the Clinton Street Theater on the night of Thursday December 9th for two showings, 7pm and 8:30pm, each followed with a Q&A featuring filmmaker Brian Vernor and professional athletes Barry Wicks and Adam Mcgrath.

Free Beer sponsored by New Belgium Brewing

Door prizes brought to you by Chris King

Support for the BTA: Free entry to the first 40 people to sign up for a NEW BTA membership.
"Support safe, healthy streets for commuting and training.
Join the BTA today and see the Cyclocross Meeting for Free!" -Brian Vernor

Conact: Kristin@bta4bikes.org, 503-226-0676 x24 and mention this ad.

Ticket cost is an easy Hamilton, $10

Tickets available in person at 21st Ave Bicycles or online through OR Bike HERE
The Cyclocross Meeting is a documentary meditation on the sport of
cyclocross and the human connections it inspires around the world. The film
follows pro Barry Wicks and rising star Adam McGrath to Japan where they
compete with seven time Japanese National Champion Keiichi Tsujiura and
the up and coming talent Yu Takenouchi.

A lushly textured paean to the hardships and joys of the excruciating sport, the
film explores the challenges and personal narrative behind the pursuit of the
"perfect ride." Also featured is a rare interview and visit to the shop of 35
year veteran frame builder, Shigeru Nakagawa.
Richly photographed and married with an evocative soundtrack featuring
Talkdemonic, Roots of Orchis and Blktop Project, The Cyclocross Meeting is a
celebratory exploration of the sport and its beauty as seen by its most
dedicated riders from two sides of the ocean.

Urban Velo #22

Come into the shop and pick up a signed copy of Urban Velo featuring Backyard Blam's last event, Hole Shot.


Ryan Thiele winning. Atlin Sestrich crashing. Park Chambers in the background cheering.
Ryan with his very own signed copy.

Willy Nelson made me do it

Originally, I wasn't going to post this video because I have seen it on every other blog and I thought I would be the last horse to cross the finish line, so to say. My friend at SRAM, Willy Nelson (yes, that's his name) said "No, you would be just supporting one of the best trials riders the world has seen in many years." You're right, Willy. This one is for you.

Emro Customer Solutions

My newest article went up on Embrocation today and I gotta say....I'm funny. Check it out.

Customer Solutions

By: Amanda Sundvor

Before I started working on bikes if you asked me to fix a problem with one, be it simple as a flat fix or a stem adjustment, I wouldn’t know my ass from a hole in the ground. I knew squat and what I thought I did know, was usually wrong. Well, most of it anyway. Example: you can not use the tongs of a fork instead of a tire lever on an Armadillo tire. You just can’t. It doesn’t work. Every time I learned something new about bicycles I would think back to what I initially thought was the the answer to the problem and laugh because I was so, so wrong. Oh, what a fool I was. I love that about bike repair. It can be a humbling experience and when you’re awesome like me it’s good to have something in your life to take you down a peg or two. It’s because of my learning experiences that when I take in a bike for repair and see customer’s problem solving hard at work, well, it just tickles me pink. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes a bike comes in and a customer has Jerry rigged something to compensate for a broken part and I say to myself, “self, that is some clever stuff right there.” Sometimes. The rest of the time I am busting out the camera and calling the guys over to “come check this shit out!” Like this number:

READ THE REST HERE

JAMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Try to not shake your ass when you hear this song. I dare you.

Really, really good

America Stuff vol.5

Amanda: Sean and I are so in tune with each other it is down right scary. We both came to work dressed in the not only the same Blind Date at the Dairy shirt, but we both wore our USA hats (I sleep in mine), and our wrap around shades, you know, because it's so sunny here in Portland.
We both have our left arm heavily tattooed, we did that way before we met each other, but today with the matching outfits it seemed surreal. What do you think?

Sean: Whatever Amanda. You knew I was saving this outfit for a special day. You knew that, and you just had to wear the same thing, didn't you? Whatever, as you can tell, this still did not overcome the the confidence that this outfit bestowed upon me.
Amanda: I think the hand on the hip is a sure fire way to tell everyone "hey, I am a confident MFer. Don't try to bring me down" without ever saying a word.

Sean: It's funny that you say that, because that's what I'm doing right there in that picture.

Amanda: Maybe, now is the time to direct the readers eyes to our sweet cans. I mean, I work out a lot, OBVIOUSLY, and am pretty fit, but I was surprised to see that you too possessed a powerful buttocks. Woman find that desirable.

Sean: Why do you think successful people wear khakis? Do you think they just work their way to the top? No.


Amanda: Well, things took a turn for the uncanny. Clazy came into the shop, topless of course, with HIS USA hat on.

Sean: Amanda gave me permission to do the outro.

Blue Grooving

Holy shit, if you want to get excited you need to watch this video. If you are about to go to sleep, you shouldn't watch this. You be too fired up to sleep. Sean used to race motorcycles growing up so I had to show him.

AMA Pro Flat Track 2010 Highlights from TheFastandDirty.com on Vimeo.

...and then he got excited and showed me this one:

Boneshaker

Keep a look out for the next issue of Boneshaker Magazine. Why? Always with the questions. I'll tell you why, because I am in it. We will be getting a shipment of them here at the shop. Stop by and pick one up and I'll sign your copy then you can take it home and frame it where it's very likely that it will become a family heirloom.


"We are very pleased to report that issue 3 of Boneshaker is now at the printers… A big consorted effort last week from all involved mean that we were able to get the mag on the press and in production. Articles in the upcoming issue includes ‘My Beautiful Bike’ by Minotaur Shock, an 8-page profile on the artisans of Portland, Oregon and more Slowcoast antics from Nick Hand. From bike workshops in Columbia, to tandem cycling for the visually impared, we have really gone to town on bringing you the most interesting and inspiring articles that will get you out on your bicycle, or even making something unique with its parts"
See more HERE

hot damn!

i have the house remix of this song and both of them kill it.

Making it Awesome

We started the morning off with Redbull shots and things just got wicked fired up the rest of the day. BEST day of work ever! Seriously, I can't believe I get paid to work on bikes, tell jokes, and laugh my ass off with my friends all day. Best life ever.





I just want to point out the level of "buffness" here at 21st

Robot + Ladies + Bikes + Fog Machine = Awesome

That was the subject of an email from my friend Rich Whitekettle. He was right, it does equal awesome.

Faceless 21st

My man, Jake Tong, drew this for the shop and I gotta say, he nailed it. Pictured top to bottom left to right: me, Kyle, Sean, Nick, and Atlin.

Happy Vet's Day

I just wanted to throw this picture in there. It really doesn't have anything to do with Vet's day. Other than the Vet in the background doesn't looked impressed with the fake boner/blowjob.

Really, we should be bringing him baked goods since our man, Steve, served two tours in Vietnam.

Trusty Switchblade: sweetest ever

Trusty Switchblade is by far my favorite team. Is that because I am on it, you ask? Yes. There are other reasons why we rule all over the place. Don't believe me? Whatever, jerk. Who the hell are you? Anyway, for some fecking proof that we turn it all the way up, check out the TS Astoria Cross Crusade photos HERE and HERE

Huh, imagine that

Here's a picture of a bike shop in Montreal, who not only sells bikes, but will give Lesbian haircuts to the general public.
It's your lucky day, heteros! Now, you too can sport these sweet hairdos:

The Kentucky Waterfall: This is usually the perferred cut of the older bo. One who already has her truck and is on a fast pitch softball league.

The RainBOhawk: I've gotta tell you, I was a little surprised to see this style on a bo of this age. Usually, it is worn by the younger bo and is a choice style for Pride... you know, just in case someone, somewhere wondered about your sexual orientation. If you want to come out to your family and/or friends you could do your hair like this and then there will be no need for that pesky little "talk".

Employee solutions

Sometimes it's not "business as usual"

Like when bikes try to hump. These two bike were doing the deed in the back of a SUV and when the owners tried to pull them apart, they were stuck. I hear that happens to dogs sometimes.

Who's crying now

When the vocals of this track kick in, I melt.

Rad

After work beers lead me to believe that this might be the second best bmx related video ever (only following the scene from Rad that is being referenced).

America Stuff vol.4

Courtesy of D Pow

Officially now a doctor, certified to operate on humans

I finally brought my camera to a cross race...

....and here are the results.

Erika givin me tounge

Godzilla and Knox


Jason Miranda




Abe Freeman

Papa Tong

This is my favorite picture. Joe in Rubin's ear giving him advise on how to attack the course.


Phomma

Matt Martel


Ethan Furniss of Eddy Merkin

Brandon Hadley of the Fat Tire Farm

Julien Jaborska of Rebicyclist

Jose Sandoval, Dave Roth, and Dan Powell kickin it with the Switchblades.