Candy Cranks

click this to view the video  ;) Glasgow bike shed

Hey its been ages since i’ve posted here , been soo busy ! sorry ;o

My friend Greg , Richard , Movie and I started the Glasgow Bike shed in july. Its a non profit organization where people donate old or unwanted bikes and we recycle them and their components. We run bike maintenance classes so people can learn how to fix and look after their own bikes and also take on volunteers who will eventually be put through their bike mechanics qualification after a week long course. Anyone can come in and use ours tools and stands to fix their own bike, we also have 2nd hand parts for very cheap that could replace the worn out parts of your bike  and if  anyone gets stuck we are there to help although we encourage people to do it themselves so they learn.  Its great for finding retro/vintage frames and parts and for somewhere to hang out . Its an amazing project ! everyone is very happy there… if your in glasgow fire down !

I went to compete in the Keirin Race at the Uchinada Velodrome in Kanazawa City for the annual Bang King Track Race on August 28 – 29. The event is organized by Daisy Messenger Nagoya and sponsored by Circles.

Girls Keirin Qualification

Bike fishing…

Delivery Race

This event tends to be casual and light-hearted even though many race to win. Me and my friends dressed up as cheer leaders to cheer everybody and got in the Keirin Race.  It was my third time this year and there were more girls than last year.

Many of the Nagoya cyclists were in attendance as well as cyclists from around Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Kanazawa local…etc) The race is rather laid back and friendly, this is a weekend of racing, riding and BBQ event, but most of all a great excuse for cyclist to get together and have fun. It is easy to make lots of new cool bike friends from all over Japan especially at the BBQ party.:D

Nagoya cyclists drink and get crazy the most and can beat up other cities at the BBQ party but on the Velodrome, Tokyo messengers are always cool and take the top 3 at the most race evey year…

Everybody sleeps together like a school trip.:D

It was amaging seeing  that some of the girls were the first time to ride a fixed gear bike until the day. Even the first time to wear a helmet & tight fit, the drop handle bars are required and the breaks are not allowed but they had no fear, all girls enjoyed riding and being in the Keirin Race.

Girls Scratch Race

Girls Keirin Race – Final

I got my special weapon GIANT. This is super light and fast! I even felt like I could finally be on my dream podium for the first time this year but all race I was in, I got the 4 th place, weeeeeeeeee… I hate daily practice and never do it.:-(

It is said that participation is more significant than winning at the Bang-King track race. Right?

I can’t to wait to go back and try to get on the podium again next year!

Thanks for sharing this.

More photos HERE.

I had a Burnout Syndrome… I finally got up myself to write about my bike journey to Europe. Sorry,this is kind of old stuff and already passed a few months but I still want to post & share this now otherwise I never will. Europe just melted my heart too bad XD I got a burnout…

I love traveling with my bicycle. I took my coffee bike and went to Leeds and Budapest in May. This was my 1st time being to Europe and there were some big reasons I went there.

♥Reason 1: Meeting my best friend Monika in Leeds. It’s been years to see her; I first met her in Kyoto, Japan and became best friend through the bicycle.

Here are some photos I developed of my trip to Leeds. I was there for only 3 days but had a good time to ride around the city with some friends. Thanks to Monika + Marek and fixed gear leeds crew!

♥Reason 2: Meeting Linda – Candy Cranks author from Budapest. Wowww! Candy Cranks is the great tool to make cool bike friends all over the globe!! I’d never met Linda but we are now really good friends!! Viva Candy Cranks!!

Thanks a lot to Linda to make my trip so much fun, helped me out, put me up and showe me an awesome time!! Hungarian people are so nice and kind. I love Budapest!! (and Gosser Lemon beer!)

♥Reason 3: ECMC (European Cycle Messenger Championships) in Budapest. I am not a messenger but I like to hangout with them and watching the messenger race. They are pretty tough and hardcore cyclist. I love their life style and crazy parties.

Hi cheeeeez! (Japanese photo peace sign, yaaay! )

I spread Love Wheels Nagoya Calendars. ♥Thank you♥

Bicycle Fashion Show.

Bike Polo Final.

♥Reason 4: CharRie’s Café (my bike café).
I brought my original coffee beans and all my coffee bike stuff in huge freight baggage backpack from Japan. (It was super heavy to bring them all! ) I was a bit nervous to doing my coffee bike at ECMC for 3 days by myself because I had no friend, only a few Japanese around this event. I knew only Linda and Sinya (organizer of ECMC) and I wasn’t sure if European would love my Japanese coffee… but I had a confidence to make people to love my coffee so Linda was in love♥ yay!

… was sexy ; ) ♥Thanks everyone!

Many people stopped by my bike café, having my coffee and happy talks…♥ It inspired me a lot!! I didn’t charge for my coffee but everyone tipped me good. Thank you!

♥Reason 5: Cheering my messenger friend Izuru from Naogya. He came with his wife and 2 years old son. It was their late honeymoon as they said. Sweet♥

♥Reason 6: Sightseeing in Budapest. We had a group riding all day long. Riding and hanging out the city by bicycle is the best way to see, feel and smell the local. Too many beautiful castles in Budapest!! I felt like I was in Disneyland!

LANGOS tastes sooo good! (especially when you get drunk at midnight like mexican burrito)

Needless to say, traveling with a bike and meeting some bike friends across the ocean are always great. Even if we don’t see each other, we can still have a good friendship through the bicycle. Bicycle unites people all over the world.

It took a lot of courage for me to do my coffee bike in my 1st time being in Europe and 1st time doing my coffee bike out of Japan. The bigger try is, the more worth it has.

Thanks for sharing this.
More pics HERE.

Full Metal Millport’s Happening this weekend thanks to our sponsors for providing us with gallus prizes !!

For more info use this link:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=312630279130

A really stupid thing happened to me!

My chain jumped off the cog when i tried to stop, there was a huge lorry passing on the road . i was going to stop at the junction but because  the chain jumped i ended up heading straight into this Articulated Lorry! There was nowhere to go because the truck was so long, I remember hoping it would speed up so that i could dive under after the last set of wheels  ..it didnt .. I flew into it at the rear wheel’s,,  managed to push my head and torso away but the last wheel went over my foot and ankle!

I thought  No way ! that truck is soo big  i’ll probably have to have my foot amputated or something . I was taken to hospital and x-rayed but nothing was broken ..  a bit squashed and tissue damage  so they gave me crutches and a cast which i had on for a week,  it was painful for another 2 weeks but i could use it an by the 3rd week i could ride my bike again which was amazing because i thought i was gonna be crippled all summer. I was very lucky!

I later realised that my shoe had saved my foot ,  there is a huge crack across the solid nylon/ plastic  sole which took the force instead of my bones , and the strong suede  material held my foot together so that it didnt get all twisted and mashed. I think that if i had been wearing regular trainers that day i wouldnt have much of a foot left.

Thanks to Specialized for making this  tough  shoe it was the Womens Riata Mtnbike shoe they are seriously good!

The Yellow line is where the crack is .

By the way ! the reason my chain jumped off my cog was because my wheel had been kicked in and was warped ,  I wouldnt advise riding a fixie with a bent rear wheel and no brakes , deadly combo!

I had some gorey pictures of my foot but lost the memory card : (

Wheelman & Co have released their new bag the Minuteman Messenger bag. Some of it’s features include being waterproof (yay!), able to withstand wear and tear, environmentally friendly (yay!) and it has some lovely cork panels on the front. Dimensions are 13″ x 8″ x 11″. For more info check out Wheelman & Co.

So the messenger competition to shut down… It was a great time in Budapest, many messenger arrived not only from Europe. You know as well that Rie too from Nagoya with her coffee bike!!! (I have to tell You guys I never drink coffee, I don’t like it, but this is something different, so delicious… love it)

This 3 days past so fast, we had many program in the daytime: bike polo, foot down, sprint in Velodrome after we had a nice group ride in the city to the next place, what is an interesting old socialist factory. First night we had a fashion show and concert and we tried hungarian drinks!

The next two days was pretty hard, everybody ride hard and the rout was not easy. The main race, the skid, and everything was very exciting, we had girls as well too. One of the best race was the Gold Sprint, where Sarah from Britain was the fastest!
The factory was a good choose, because only we was there and it was so free feeling, like in a festival and we don’t had to worried about the bikes, it was such a nice landscape… everywhere bicycles!!!
So the Finals on Monday was really exciting, in the foot down finals Sabrina from Poland was the only girl Here You can check the results
We had there the youngest messenger too, Izuru&Izumi from Nagoya took the 2 years old baby, He is already riding… and You can see his messenger bag… ) so cute

Miss me so much this days… we had so much funs, everybody was so cool and nice, we had nice parties and now all around the world knows a bit about Hungary and Palinka (shot) …
Tuesday we had a sightseeing group ride with the Guide Kole from Canada who was a guide/messenger here in Budapest, I think it’s a beautiful city!
And thanks Rie, we had so great time together !!!

more pictures here

Westcoast messengers annual event

Pre Event Friday 30th july – Park circus street keirin and silly sprints.

Millport is an old viking island with beutiful scenery not far from Glasgow , its famous for cycling round . Every year we have a Time Trial, lots of beer and partying. This year we are having a mini festival , time trial, skids tricks etc. It shouldnt take more than 30 mins to get round the island . If anyone wants to come, get in touch and we’ll sort you out some accomadation.

here are some photos of previous years

QA with Jenny, Glagow’s only female bike messenger

Where did you grow up, where do you currently live?
I grew up in Glasgow, Scotland and I still live there.

How long have you been riding for?
ive been riding bikes for most of my life, been riding fixed for just over 4 yrs.

What’s your favourite bike to ride?
Fixed wheel

Where is your favourite place to ride?
Around town, Kelvingrove skatepark.

You’re currently working as a cycle messenger, what city are you working in, how does it compare to other jobs you’ve had.
I work in Glasgow, its a good job because you dont have someone breathing over your shoulder all day and you get to be outside and do what you want when your not on call. Me and my friend James have our own courier company called FFWD>> Bicycle Messengers so we dont have anyone telling us what to do.

Are there any disadvantages being a woman in such a male dominated industry?
Not that i can think of ? but sometimes its hard to get women size bike stuff at local shops like shoes and smaller stems etc.

Are there any advantages being a woman in such a male dominated industry?
I dont know :s  ?

On average how many miles/km would you ride per day whilst working?
If  its quiet    10 + If busy 50 + miles

How do you keep cool in the summer and warm in the winter? In summer you need to drink more water, wear less clothing, the summers here arent ridiculously hot so it’s ok. The winters are either really windy, cold and wet or snowy and frozen.  Layers are what it’s all about. I wear  thermals undermeath, hoodie, fleece/bodywarmer, gore tex outer shell, gloves, hat, scarf and waterproof socks.

What bike do you ride whilst working as a messenger?
I usually ride my fixed gear but sometimes a single speed kona or geared racer.

Have you have any close calls, accidents or injures as a result of working as a messenger? I’ve had a few, one time I was hit by a bus whilst walking on the pavement cause I had a puncture and had ran out of patches, the bus must have overlapped the pavement coming round the corner! Another time a BMW pulled out on me and I ended up crashing into a wall with my arm fully extended, afterwards I couldnt straighten my arm and for most of a year it felt pretty sore, it’s ok now tho!

When was the last time you flipped the bird in anger?
Today when a taxi tried to crush me, I had to boot his door to warn him of my impending doom!

What do you eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner when working as a messenger?
For breakfast usually banana on toast, or poached eggs on toast at a cafe called Where the Monkey Sleeps, for lunch prob a good sandwich and dinner something home cooked, pasta, stew, fish etc.

What’s the best thing about Glasgow?
The people  and parties.

Where would you take an-out-of-town mate visiting Glasgow?
I’d take them a tour about the city, maybe visit Loch Lomond, then for a good night out, Mungos HiFi at the art school or pubs and  partys.

What do you get up to when you’re not working?
I like to go to festivals and parties, make stuff, build up bikes, at the moment I’m building up a good jump bike so I can do trails at the weekend.