With the advent of March, the first of the 3 books that have consumed my every waking moment for the past several years has finally appeared on store shelves. The title in question is my inaugural foray into illustrating children's books, a handsome little read called The Trouble With Chickens. I wasn't sure whether to discuss it here, since it is a children's book and I definitely don't want children following a google search back to this completely inappropriate site. But then again, a google search will probably turn up several steamy images of my bronzed doppleganger, so perhaps this is the lesser of two evils.
Illustrator and cartoonist (you might know his work on Birthday Street, and the Superest) has illustrated a children's book. Lovely art, do take a look.
OTHER PEOPLE'S PROJECTS I'm really enjoying Kim Harding's account of his bike build. The build is based on a 2009 Genesis Croix de Fer frame (one of the "do it all" cross bikes that are becoming more and more popular), which was an unusual bike at the time it was introduced because of its disc brakes.
It should build up into a really nice commuter/light tourer/off roader.
CREDIT WHERE IT'S DUE DEPT. I've been irritated by Copenhagenize's occasional jabs at the "sport" cyclist, so it was nice to see him speak favourably of Robert Penn's "It's All About the Bike" here.
SHOULD IT BE CALLED THE ROULEUR'S JERSEY? A great article on why Petacchi's disqualification from the Tour would not mean Mark Cavendish taking green, here on the Pave blog.
The Utility Cycling blog had this nice Streetfilms film about Copenhagen's people friendly spaces. It's good because it shoots holes in many of the reasons people give for not taming the car a little in our cities. As has been said before, if we can make the spaces between our buildings into more than the parts where motor traffic goes as fast as it can, good things happen.
ARTHUR DE PINS AT THE BEACH Drawn.ca features the work of French artist Arthur De Pins, here. Appropriately for the time of year, if not the weather *I'm* experiencing, it's beach themed.
THEY DRAW AND COOK Artists and illustrators write and illustrate their favourite recipes. Featured on the Lines and Colors blog.
SALSA UPDATES Salsa have an update on the clever Wanderlust, and downright nifty minimalist racks they showed earlier in the year.
They're also making a Snowbike, the Mukluk, which looks very cool - check out the design features they've put on the frame.
In September, Belgian TV channel Vitaya is launching a reality TV show about a group of women who are preparing for a cycling race in Italy.
The participants will be getting training help from the Quick-Step team, and ride Eddy Merckx cycles. Sounds better than "X Factor", don't you think? More details here.
CARGO CONVERSION From Urban Velo - the "Zaftig" cargo fork allows you to swap out the fork on your old beater to a new one that takes a 20" wheel, with a sturdy porteur rack as part of the fork. Lots of pictures on the manufacturer's site of this thing carrying CRAZY load. Cargo bikes are cool.
BICYCLE HISTORY My love/hate relationship with Copenhagenize enters a "love" phase once more, as they begin another interesting series of posts (a la Dave Horton's excellent "Fear of Cycling" series).
This is another 5 parter, Iain Boal's "Green Machine" history of the bicycle.
STAGE RACE SEASON IS HERE Pez Cycling news have an interesting preview of this year's Giro D'Italia. Top quote;
"Oh, and if this one doesn't end in a sprint, I'll eat a tubular."
I love the classics, but the Grand Tours will see the strong teams, and different riders come to the fore. I can't wait...
STAGE RACE SEASON IS HERE II - THE BADGER Cyclocosm has another good piece today, this time looking at an interview M. Hinault has given prior to the Grand Tours. Are Astana a better team than they get credit for?
Also, a top quote from cosmo in the comments;
"Hinault is certainly an acquired taste. But I like that he still swings a frame pump in a sport awash in politics, tact and nuance."
ART Lines and Colors blog has a lovely piece on the illustration of Virginia Frances Sterrett - beautiful, art nouveau inspired work.
PUNS Doug at Savagechickens draws wonderful, limited format (each cartoon done on a single post-it note) comics. And he has a great way with a pun. Today's cartoon is one of my favourites so far.
BESTIES I love steel framed bicycles. It also follows that I love Mercian, who've been making beautiful steel frames in Derby, UK since 1946. I see Mercians occasionally on the train I get, and they draw admiring glances and occasional chat about the bikes and frames from cyclists and non cyclists alike. The frame above (a stock 953 lugged frame) featured on the Mercian Blog recently, and is particularly lovely, a primus inter pares. Something like this will probably form the basis for my dream bike/lotto winners bike. Until I see the next piece of gorgeous metal they come up with, of course.
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