CCC's open house

Yesterday after work I stopped into Community Cycling Center for their open house to show off their newly remodeled place. CCC is a non profit and is where I usually send people who come into 21st, but don't have money for new parts. Now, I'm not saying 21st is high end and expensive by any stretch of the imagination. Sometimes people want to ride their, but don't have the cash to get it going and CCC offers used parts on the cheap.







People loved the free tamales.

Right Up My Alley Jam

Are you feeling this jam? I am... I often wonder if people listen to the songs I post. This song touches me right in my hip region and makes me want to get up to get down. When we meet, we should go out dancing. I hope you have sweet moves, because I light the dancefloor on fire. Get ready.

Boner time

Tony B stopped by the shop today... yes, THE Tony B of Tonic Fab. He came in to drop off the 1987 Playboy issue with Jane Seymour in it. I know I've said best day ever, but this time I mean it.... until next time.
Tony B checking out my Tonic.


Tony B's Tonic


When you move the card she fans herself.



I know my head looks much bigger than hers, but other than that... does this look real? Like, that's just a sexy look she's making before she succomes to my advances. I mean, I am pretty charming and easy on the eyes. Why wouldn't she give me smooches?

The new 21st video

Here is our new video.... starring me. Feel free to pause it and get a good look at my facial expressions. They are adorable.

21st Avenue Bicycles BTA Video! from James Wilson on Vimeo.

Wipe the sleep out of my eye jam

Now, it's Sunday

I watched Ghostbusters 2 today and that got me thinking about Rick Moranis, and that got me thinking about Bob and Doug

Easter time

Easter for me used to be one of my favorite holidays and it had nothing to do with the holiday itself. When I lived in Colorado instead of having an Easter egg hunt we would put ribbon on little shooter bottles of booze. Everyone who showed up would have to bring a mixer of some sort, so what ever you found you got to drink. It was always a wild party.... I miss that. This year, I find myself in the company of my dogs and at home with my trusty bubbler. This isn't a sad thing, I just forgot about Easter. Next year.... we'll party. You in?

Sunday Jam

This video makes no sense if you listen to the lyrics.... I mean, absolutely none. This song is the straight up jam. Sooooo soooo good.

Last night I DJed at Chris King...

... and it was a hoot. The NW Trail Alliance had their Trail Fest Kickoff party. There was beer, sweet house jams, speeches, more house, a bunch of friends, boys licking each other's tounges, I mean, what more could you ask for?



CD talking about three things.....



A lot of people don't know this, but before he made components Chris King made precision tampons.


I know this looks like Jen, but I guess it was some dude named Cage. Hmmm.... I coulda swore....


Eric and Jocey almost came to fisticuffs over who had the softest skin.


Murph and Cheever doing what it is that they do.


Peacing out.

Trusty Switchblade 2011 Kits!!!!

Recently, I have been getting a sense of how much Team Trusty Switchblade is blowing up because so many people ask me if they can ride for TS. Hey.... I am just the team mechanic and unofficial cheerleader. Personally, (and I think Erika and Lorelei would agree) I would like to see more female team members. Hint Hint, ladies. Shred much? Hang out with the ladies of Trusty Swtichblade, we kill it.


Yes, we are sponsored by Voodoo Donuts. Yes, that's a box of donuts for our jersey pocket.

Jen Powell: Not about to buy new stuff

Jen Powell came into the shop after work because we had a hang out sesh planned where we were going to pay attention to her bike that she and Dan have been neglecting for quite some time. She raced an insanely muddy race and the someone "stole" their hose (Dan) so she couldn't wash her bike off. Dan got dropped off at the shop coming back from a baseball game in Seattle so it was a group effort. I feel like we spent an hour and a half just cleaning the bike. Anyhow, she is ready to shred.




Cooperation, working together. Cooperation, makes it happen.
This was my favorite Sesame Street song when I was younger. Now that I listened to it again, I hear some sweet disco influences. Could this be a song I heard at a young age and it had such an impact on me or is it some thing I was born with?
Elsa.... She is shy, but she will be your friend for high end duck treats.


Jen will take no prisoners. She will slay all who dare to cross her path. No words exchanged, just instant death. That's how metal she is. Words to the wise: step back.

holy crap

Now that the sun is out (for now) people want to fix up their bikes that they have been riding all winter, so we are seeing a lot of bikes that are pretty hashed. You can only get so many miles out of your chain until it starts to eat up your the rest of your drive train. This might be one of the worst cases I've seen.... if not the worst, one of the worst. Wow.

Today is mine

This morning the sun was out, which is kind of a big deal in these parts. I could hear the birds chirping on my entire ride in to work. When I got to the shop I found the guys in a good mood. I love being on the same page with people. My repairs have been interesting and the customers have been smiling. Just when I though it couldn't get any better, a package arrived from SRAM for me with a Red group for my new Tonic Vanishing Point. They also threw in some Zipp handelbars, babydoll tshirt, and a sweet hat. Wait... it gets better. Seconds after I open that I get a text from Tony B at Tonic informing me he has a 1987 Playboy with Jane Seymour in it that I can borrow. I love today.


Wicked tough

Teddy Jam

Yesterday....

... the sun was out.

Jam for Amanda...

Drunk History vol.5 AND 6

Drunk History Vol. 5 w/ Will Ferrell, Don Cheadle & Zooey Deschanel from Will Ferrell

Drunk History vol. 6 w/ John C. Reilly & Crispin Glover from John C Reilly

Some people don't care.

Wow.... this was an impressive display of neglect. That didn't just... happen. Nope, dude rode on that shit until he could not physically ride on it anymore.


This is what a bearing retainer is supposed to look like.

New 21st video in the works!

James Wilson, KV, Ethan, and I got up early today to put together a new video for the BTA's Alice Awards. It was raining, but we had fun regardless. This one is different than the other 21st videos because this time we are outside and riding.




James Wilson, the man behind the camera....




Here's me excited about bikes. Nothing new. Bikes get me fired up.




I am in the background telling KV and Ethan that they are number one with my hands. There are two of them so I had to use both hands.... one for each.... and I hurt both of my pointer fingers in a pointing accident so I had to use the next one over.





The video will be up soon.

Plaisirs d'amour ne durent qu'un moment.

Chagrin d'amour dure toute la vie.



So true....

What's wrong with this picture?

Take a close look. What's wrong? No, this isn't new old stock and I am installing this dated bottom bracket for the first time. Nope, this was used and the customer brought it in complaining of a loud clicking noise when he pedaled. With that said you might be asking, "hey Amanda, if that is a used part that you pulled out of the bike..... where's the grease?" Good question. King Tut's remains probably has more lubrication than this bottom bracket (you know, from the oils they rub in for the mummification process). A lot of times, when people think it's the bottom bracket is making the clicking noise in their pedal stroke, it's usually something else, like their seat post or their chain ring bolts. Sound resonates through a bike and even though we think it may be coming from one place... it's usually another. One time, I took a bike completely apart to find that the noise everyone thought was coming from the bottom bracket was actually coming from the derailleur hanger. Not this time. I opened it up and found the Sahara Desert in this dude's BB shell. Word to the wise, if it is a moving part or is threaded... it's gonna need some lube or grease. With maintenance, your "vintage" parts will last longer. If you can hear a noise, the damage has already been done and then that's when you bring it into the shop for me to fix. On second thought, you should run your parts into the ground so you can bring it into me. I want to meet you. Then we can be friends and go to the movies.... here's the movie we should go to. Tell me when you are free and we'll make a night of it.

will you hold my hand during the scary parts?

Hello again

I flipped my shit when I saw this Live and Let Die poster last night. I used to be so in love with Jane Seymour when I was younger. I used to fantasize about her and me running away together while I watched Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman. I read her book Jane Seymour's Guide to Romantic Living. I went to a gallery to see her instillation of her water color paintings.... like, I said I was in love.

Good Morning Jam

Pedal Nation

So... this weekend I agreed to model for a bike fashion show at Pedal Nation. I did a lot of the flexing of the muscles and yelled really loud hype phrases, like "give it up!" or "that's what I'm talkin bout!" Steve came with me the first day.


Here is Steve eating his shitty SOYJOY food bar. Why the hell would you make a soy protein bar and put butter and eggs in it?



Shawn and Graham from Ruckus Components kept me awake with their super strong coffee.

D Pow was a sickybear and Jen and I had a solid hang out session.
After the show we went to the PDW Mothership so I could work on Jen's bike before her race.


For the ride home we stuffed Dan in the back.



Day 2:


James came with me the second day. Here he is being stoked out of his mind on PDW.



This creepy guy kept trying to get kids to color at his booth. I kid. T Dawg is a solid dude and is fighting the good fight with the BTAI drew a BLAM picture for him.


Murph with his kill face.


Michael, of Showers Pass, with his age of innocence face.
Jumps



This was the show I was in. As you can tell I take modeling super seriously.