Outlier: Soft Core Wool Vest

Vests, I love a good vest. Looks our friends at Outlier have the perfect vest for fall. The Soft Core Wool Vest, makes me want to be in the woods in the Northwest... Soon.

Details:
Wide range warmth without overheating. The Outlier Soft Core Wool Vest. Traditional winter insulation is often too hot for switching between indoor and outdoor activity. With this vest we pair three well considered layers of highly breathable insulation with a trim cut to create a drier, more comfortable way to stay warm.

A soft core of knit superfine New Zealand merino for an always comfortable body climate. An outer face of wool flannel for outdoor performance and sharp looks. Sandwiched in between is a 120 gram Primaloft Infinity continuous filament insulation. Unlike most insulations Infinity does not clump and it does not migrate, allowing us to use dramatically more breathable fabrics and create a more comfortable form of warmth. A standout piece from our Fall ’11 collection, the Soft Core Wool Vest. Made in the SF Bay

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Mission Workshop: The Fitzroy Rucksack

Our friends at MW just dropped a larger version of their Sanction Rucksack, The Fitzroy. A larger bag for those days, when you need a little more space in your bag. These are really good looking bags in person and I'm always impressed by the quaility of MW. My Vandal and my shed are my go to bags, and still look good. Love them. Here's a an edit of the Fitzroy in action.

Fitzroy Rucksack as used by Bicycle Coffee Co. from Mission Workshop on Vimeo.

Details from MW:
The Fitzroy is an impenetrable fortress of a pack that holds and protects all of your gear, cargo, and valuables from morning's start to the day's end. Built to last a lifetime with waterproof fabrics and military spec. construction.

The Fitzroy also features multiple weatherproof compartments, urethane coated zippers, waterproof materials, and an internal frame sheet. Large zippered pocket fits most 17'' laptops, with smaller zippered pockets for your gear.

Made in the USA with a lifetime warranty.

Nice modeling Rai!

Rider Profile: Robert Pacheco

The Lil' homie. The dude that kicks my ass on our track bike ride every Saturday morning. I watched this young man grow into a cyclist over the last two years and he has impressed the shit out of me. He's getting ready to throw his first race next Sunday, (1st LA halloween alleycat in quite some time), and he hosts his own ride - Tuesday night hustle ride. Robert is holding it down on the LA streets and you all should keep an eye on him. This kid is a pleasure to ride with and it's going to be real exciting to see over the next few years what this young man has hidden up his sleeve.


Robert Pacheco

What do you ride?
48cm Continuum/ Chris King Headset/ Wound Up Fork
Thomson stem/ Nitto b125 Drop Bar
Thomson seatpost/ Specialized Toupe Expert
Mavic Open Pro laced to Low Flange Phil Wood hubs. 17t EAI Goldmedal Cog
Campagnolo Record Cranks/ 47t Sugino Zen Chainring/ Campagnolo Veloce Btm Brckt


How long have you been riding/ what started you?
Started February 2009, my car was stolen right after I bought my first conversion. The car was later found stripped and burned. My conversion became my everyday ride. Havent looked back since.


Do you wear a helmet y or y not?
HELL YEAH. Was hit by a car in September NOT wearing one, all bad. Our drivers are too stupid for cyclists not to wear one.



Favorite shop?
Echo Park Cycles. even though its not around anymore when it was here it was the shit. First bike shop I ever went to, Ozzie, Doug, Melissa (Rest in Paradise Mouse), the first DTLA messengers who taught me how to ride these streets.


clips or clipless?
Both, but since I've discovered clipless, I prefer it. Time Atac pedals, inverse cleats (no float). Specialized Mtn Sport Shoes


Ride with headphones/ music?
Only 1, the right/ outside one. I like my tunes, but love to hear the traffic and insanity around me as I ride.


Sponsors or teams or clubs you are a part of?
The Juice. Nothing official yet, but im trying to get the Juice on its feet again.
Chicken Hawk Racing. My club. Still unofficial but you'll begin to see it more and more.


Favorite race/s?
Lord of Griffith 3. Griffith park, greatest place for a race. 15th out of about 70?
The Takeover 2. Part 1. 5th.
What can I say I like climbing, descending and sprinting.


Favorite place to ride or route in la?
Sunset blvd. at 6pm. Griffith at any time. The rest of the city and everywhere in between. Theres nothing better than just riding the city streets, explore and you will find anything you can ask for.


Fav. person(s) to ride with?
Jose “HuevsMartin” Henriquez, my lil nephew thats more like my lil bro. i bring out the best in him and he does the same for me.
Ace “Boogie” Carretero
Sean “TOLA” Martin
Sean and Ace, both have taught me so fucken much, street knowledge, race knowledge, everything you would need to know to survive on a brakeless track bike in LA. Ace taught me the streets after graduating from the University of Tracko, and Sean taught me a lot about rides, and races.




Dope chill spot?
Don’t really chill to often. As long as im with friends doesnt really matter really.


Why la?
Cuz I was born here! Ha! No better place to be, its big, but compact. You can go a mile in any direction you want and you will run into something completely different. There are no limits to this city.


What do you do for work?
Orange 20 Bikes. Cyclist at a bike shop, cant complain, love the look of new faces on new bikes.


What other hobbies/ projects do you do?
Just got into Mountain Biking.
Trying to do more but don't know where to start, any suggestion?

Dream bike?
Not too sure actually. Dont really have a “Dream” bike, like too many to just pick one. BUT the road bike I want and will be saving up to buy within the next few months is, Jamis Xenith Pro w/ Ultegra Di2


Best/worst thing about riding in LA
Best thing. Traffic, hills, and the fact that you can ride in any direction and run into crazy shit.
Worst. LA Drivers. Drivers dont care about the cyclist here, they dont know how to drive with cyclists near.


Any secret tips/ secrets you wanna give?
Be Aggressive, there's no other way to ride in LA. You must be aggressive or you will not survive. People wont give you the lane, you must take it. DO NOT HESITATE!

Shout out?
Mom and pops! wouldnt be here or anywhere near this athletic if it wasnt for you 2.
Nena! Sister that doubles as a 2nd mom
PACHECO’S!
HuevsMartin
Ace Boogie
Sean Martin
ShaqAttack
J-Man
Tracko
GSC
Kike!
Orange20 Bikes!
Ozzie- Echo Park Cycles. Taught me the right way!
Melissa! Mouse! Rest in Paradise! one of the greatest people I ever had a chance to meet. First female messenger I met.
TOLA!


Last word?
A fixed gear is a bicycle at its purest form. no gears and no brakes. Considered the ultimate marriage between man and machine, a sub 20 pound piece of machinery is the only thing separating your body from the hard concrete.
Be aggressive, dont hesitate, dont be scared.
Search for the hills and you will find you dont need to go to San Francisco to bomb some hills!

The Bicinity: Ghost of Greg

Great shot of Ghostly Greg from the DTLA Summer series by the Bicinity. I caught this one while looking for their photos from the NJS ride. Get those ones up!

Cadence: CX team kits

Damnnnnnn. Want. These kits look great, must aquire one. I really like the full sleeve version, perfect for the weather we got going on in LA right now. I love fall!!!



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Cycle EXIF Bicycle Calendar 2012

Saw this over at Prolly's Jam and wanted to give our friends props and get you guys to buy a calendar! The Cycle EXIF Bicycle Calendar 2012 is now live and available for purchase. It features 13 of the most beautiful and popular bikes from 2011. Prolly and Tracko had photos chosen for this calendar and it stokes me out to have the homies work featured in it. Good work fellas!


Check the Calendar out here and swoop one while you're there!

Affinity Cycles: Rider Build Contest

Our good friends over at Affinity are throwing a rider build contest. Post your build of a Affinity frame on their FB page and get your friends to like it, then win stuff. I love my Lo-pro, really looking forward to racing on it this coming weekend. I'll update with some of the sicker builds posted on their page as the contest progresses. Enjoy these photos of Jason Yims build from a few months ago or longer.


Details from Affinity:
Over the last week folks have been posting up pictures of their built up Affinity frames. I have to say I have been enjoying it quite a bit. Nothing quite like seeing your bikes decked out looking good. It got me motivated to throw a little contest, it has been a bit since we gave away some shwag.

Here are the rules:

1. Post a picture of your built up Affinity frame on our Facebook wall.

2. Get your friends to “like” or comment on the photo.

3. The picture with the most likes and comments brings home the bacon.

Contest ends Thursday at Noon.

First Place will get an Affinity Jersey and a 75 dollar Affinity gift certificate.

Second place gets a set of Custom Affinity/Hold Fast straps and a 25 dollar gift certificate.

3rd place gets nothing.

Looking forward to seeing a lot of tricked out frames all cleaned up and shinny. Show us what you got, and we will hook it up. Happy hunting.

Tarcking under the bridge.

This past Saturday, I got an invitation to come check out a BBQ/ trickcomp/ race under the Seventh St. bridge. Three deep, we rolled to the spot, not really knowing what we were getting onto. Came upon a full film crew and a lot our friends from various walks of urban cycling. From State champs to Professional FGFS to local bike media was there. The setting was awesome, industrial and under the Bridge. Great location. After meeting with the organizers, we came to find out that it was the start of a documentary on under ground cultures and sub-cultures in America (more on that in a upcoming post). Since the filmmakers were LA cyclists, they decided to start with LA bike culture (the best and biggest out there). Trackstand comp and games of footdown started the afternoon off, then Ace, Micheal Chacon and I were asked to judge the FGFS comp, and we got to see the next generation of Trick kids throwing down for us. About 10 entered and we eventually came to the conclusion that Jamil Grey was the overall winner. All though Rory's Fakie wheeelie stole the show for me. I couldn't stay for the whole time (had to rush off to go to roller derby), but it was a fun afternoon in the sun, and it felt like a classic fun day on bikes.

Ace Tarckstanding.

Footdown

Youth of today.

3rd Annual NJS Show and Ride: This Sunday

This Sunday is gonna be epic. Simon and Company, have really gone all out for this one. A great route planned to Encino, where we will be greeted by a Taco Truck, The Cadence Truck, Games, Photo booth, NJS bike show, a raffle, custom t-shirts, races and some of the most beautiful NJS bikes you have ever seen. Proceeds will be benefitting the Velodrome, so bring cash and cards and lets Save the Track bike!!!

Details on the ride:
Meet: North Hollywood Redline Station at 12:30
Ride: To Encino Velodrome at 1:30
Start: Festivities at Encino Velodrome at 3pm

I wanna say thanks to Simon for spearheading this event the last few years and to all the folks who have worked on it this year. You all deserve a huge round of applause on Sunday. You rock.

Big thanks to all of the sponsors, without you would we just have Tacos.


These are the t-shirts that will be for sale. Get them while they are hot! These will not last.

Here's the Link to the event page on our site.

FB Event page.

Here's the tumblr with pretty photos and more info.

Yeong-Deok Seo: Tightly Welded Chains

Yeong-Deok Seo has created some amazing pieces out of tightly welded chains. Bicycle chains made into mind-blowing sculptures. You can really see the anguish in the pieces, pain and despair shine through. Really creative and very introspective of us as humans. With names like Infection – Anguish, Infection – Ego, and Addict, as the artwork’s titles, it's no wonder our good friend Avo loves these. Thanks to Avo for the heads up. Nice find.



Check more out at Thisiscoloassal.com