Video by @JohnFriedrich for Stumpjumber Trail Crew.

Garrett Reeves SundayXLotek Web Video from Mike Mastroni on Vimeo.

A few weeks ago I posted a trailer for a fixed gear movie called The Revival. Since then the creators/directors and a few of the riders have been touring the country doing major city premiers. The latest one happened in NYC. Here is some footage from the various weekend activities;

The Revival Premiere, New York City from Skitch Clothing on Vimeo.

Looks like FUN!

I know this is a bike blog and what not. However, I know almost all of you do some sort of snow-sliding activity so here is some footage from this past weekend. We went up into Bear Canyon and tested out the zip-line. The shots came out pretty neat though the landing for the log jam was flatter that flat. I landed this trick and was pretty much over it for the day. After that we hiked up a bit farther and got some sweet runs plus some goggle-free face shots!

Bear Canyon log jam from andrew loaiza on Vimeo.

Before the snow fell and temperatures plummeted into the double-digit negatives I was riding my new-ish fixed gear build as my maine mode of transportation. Amongst the new bits and pieces of the build were a new set of foot retention straps. I had decided that instead of basic clips and straps I would choose a new route; one without the need of a toe clip. Since I started riding fixed gear bikes I have bent and broken my fair share of metal toe clips. For a while I trusted my stopping ability to plastic clips witch seem to accommodate a wider variety of shoes and tend to be a bit more resilient. Though they never lasted longer than a month or so before signs of cracking, or blown out screw holes became a problem. The straps seemed to be the second problem, I never enjoyed more than a few solid skids and quick push/pull starts before I began to notice the immense amount of stretch in them. The teeth would slip in the leather/nylon and they would become virtually useless in any aid of stopping. I understand that not everyone in Bozeman that rides a fixed gear bike rides it breakless, or as a tool for bmx-inspired trickery. That being the case, it would be completely normal for someone to ride the same clips and straps for years with no problem. I, however, subscribe to the former category; I ride a breakless fixed gear, and I like to do tricks with it. Turns out that a lot of people all over the world like to do the same, and were having the exact problem with their foot retention as well. Enter Hold Fast FRS (Foot Retention System). They are a Brooklyn based company specializing "freestyle" foot straps for fixed gear bikes. I understand that there probably isn't a HUGE need for a "freestyle" oriented fixed gear toe strap here in Bozeman, though I could see there being a possible interest in a strap that would accommodate almost ANY shoe you would choose to ride in. Here are some pictures illustrating how these work and the different styles of shoe that the straps are compatible with.

With the lack of a toe clip the guys at Hold Fast needed to design a way to keep the foot from sliding forward on the pedal. The solution was off setting the forward buckle/strap towards the front of the pedal. This causes the strap to naturally sit forward a bit, when the shoe is slid into place the contour of the strap prohibits any forward slip.

The Hold Fast straps are designed around a BMX/MTB pedal. This is an element geared more towards freestyle riding as it was conceived originally for BMX and MTB. Bigger platform pedals are just more comfortable, and in some cases lighter. The straps will work with a slightly larger road pedal, though fit best with the Odysee Twisted PC pedal.

The straps have 2 adjustment points; the first are the 2 buckles at the base of the pedal which secure the straps to the pedal as well as allow adjustment to how high the strap sits. The second is a velcro strap which allows adjustment of tightness on the shoe.

Overall I have found these to be the best strap system I have used to date. Adjustment is very easy and fast, and once you lock it down its DOWN. No slipping, no foot lift. Also the platform pedals are very comfortable, and at $20 ya can't beat em'.

I maxed them out on a snowboard boot. I can't really imagine you would want to ride in a pair of these... but who knows?

I see a lot of people wearing these types of shoes around, (and frankly I wish that I owned a pair at the moment hehe) and I figure being able to fit them in a strap would be pretty convenient.

Of course, they accept a classic. **NOTE: The SLAYER edition of the Vans high-top actually makes you faster.

For the rainy day rides...

...and the summer classics, or all season classics in my case. :)

If you have any questions leave em' in the comments and I'll try my best to answer them. The straps retail for $57.00 and are available on their website : HOLDFASTordie

*57.00 bucks?! Yes. Consider the following; Toshi double straps which are the Japanese Kiren racing standard for straps retail no lower than $90.00. Many other companies have now started to answer the call for a quality, laminated, no-stretch leather strap other than Toshi's. However, the cheapest that I know of at the moment are $68.00.

This video is pretty funny. Even though we can't understand what they are saying, I think that the situation translates pretty well. Just wait for it...

フェイキー to・・・ from K-SK on Vimeo.

http://www.vimeo.com/7871995


I got a fever! And the only prescription... is an indoor skate park :(

Ray's indoor mountain/bmx bike park in Cleveland, Ohio is a cutting edge park because it’s not set up like a skate park. It’s all about flow and creativity there. Smooth lines and no grind ledges.
This video shows how sweet the park really is. And the two dudes riding in it have great trail style and pretty much kill the place.

Excuse the cussing of the Notorious BIG. I didn’t choose the soundtrack.

http://www.raysmtb.com/

Sweet video from an alleycat that happened recently in LA titled, "Stairways to Heaven." The race consisted of 3 sprints, 2 stair sets and 1 final 8 mile sprint to the meet-up at Bike Day LA. The full video will be coming out on Jan. 1. 2010. here is the teaser:

Stairways to Heaven-Preview from Ricardo Javier on Vimeo.

Seen here

I'm busy. This will be brief.

Thanksgiving morning, meet at Lil Sherpa Java on Mendenhall (just north of the new Bangtail) at 9am. Then ride bikes around town. I'm probably going to miss it since I am dog sitting and that's the only time I have tomorrow to take them for a good walk. Sorry.

-DNA

I thought that I could hide it, though now you all must know the truth. This actually IS what my friends and I talk about before going and racing 'cross.

Also, this is how my friends and I, BACK EAST BRO!.... uhh... get pumped for some epic epicing.

*note: I actually owned a long sleeve jersey from Rapha that I got on sale at the end of last winter. I toured in it during the summer and it was rarely off my back, (since I started in April it was bit chilly on the morning starts and the Adirondaks were cold as hell). I can honestly say that though their products cost a little more than an arm and a leg, that jersey was hands down the best piece of cycling apparel that I have ever owned. Im bummed that the paramedics had to cut it off my body. Rapha does love their epicness.

What can a bmxer do when it's sleeting out in Bozeman? The skatepark, the dirt track and any good street is outside getting covered in the wet and cold.

Well... you could drive an hour or more to another town in the hope that they aren't getting hit with the same weather system. You could break into one of the closed hotels or warehouses in the area and hope there's some stuff to ride.

Oh, snap... there was that full pipe you saw off the highway a few weeks back! Hope it's big enough to have some decent transitions.

Montana Full Pipe from jon wareham on Vimeo.

Sweet montage from VelOrue...

VéLOrue Montage from Bill Bottriell on Vimeo.

and some wicked sweet bmxing from Volume Bike's Tate Roskelley

Volume Bikes: Tate Roskelley from VOLUME/DEMOLITION on Vimeo.

Seen here and here.

Omar is the man...

HUF x NIKE SB from HUF on Vimeo.

Seen here

When not swamped with school work I usually try to occupy my time riding a bike. The weather has been sort of off and on these past few weeks, but when its on boy is it nice. Here are a few pictures I took while riding around.

Ya can't pass up a junk yard photo shoot.

Free from the leg warmers... for now.

Metal.

Got a new point and shoot. Its nice.

Sometimes the spontaneous fun is the best kind. Just a pretty day to go spend a little bit of time on two wheels before returning to work turned into a downright festival.

Beautiful fall day?

Check.

Redundancy?

Check.

Redundancy? Check.

Idiots on Bikes?

Well, duh. This isn't The Bozeman Walk.

October 31st, 2009. Halloween. Muleterro holds it's first annual Mulecross Cyclocross race in Bozeman, MT. Participation and turnout is excellent. The course is referred to as tactile. Hills, hurdles, muddy ruts, rocks, chicanes, and speedy runouts.

Muleterro Mulecross 2009 from samh on Vimeo.

Really cool video taken by Matt Lingo while traveling between SF and Seattle shooting for the latest issue of COG magazine. Little bit of tricks, little bit of speed.

enjoy. Seen here

San Francisco to Seattle from Matt Lingo on Vimeo.

Andrew on course at the Mulecross in Bozeman, October 31st, 2009.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Redundancy Alleycat 2009 from samh on Vimeo.