Lifestyle

FIXED GEAR PORTLAND – THE 11th HOUR OF 2017

Dec 31, 2017

See ya never 2017. Yesterday the sun came out, the ice melted and the roads dried off. So Devin Tolman, Ramon Antonio & I grabbed our wheels and hit the streets hard. Apparently seeing the sun this time of year is a real rarity. I still don’t believe it yet. In my mind the sun is shining everyday. It’s just hidden beneath a thick layer of clouds is all.

I’ve harshed Portland for not being a real city since we got here. But everyday, little by little, I’m starting to see it. Especially in these photos of us riding around it’s downtown. I’m so used to shooting in direct sunlight, that it’s nice to be somewhere where it both looks and feels brick out.

Check out 20-something more photos below, and keep your eyes peeled for more fixie content coming straight outta Portland. 2018 is less than a day away and it can’t be here soon enough.

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THIS IS WHAT HALLOWEEN LOOKS LIKE IN PORTLAND

Dec 4, 2017

Halloween at Burnside pops off. I heard it was going to be a riot, but I wasn’t sure what to expect. Then I went, and now I know. People were punching each other in the face, losing teeth, shredding the park, getting trashed, having laughs and having a good old fashioned rager beneath the bridge. I’m pretty sure everybody went home with a scab that night. It was heaven. Looks like I have a new holiday ritual.

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DUSTIN KLEIN MADE ME DO IT

Oct 30, 2017

Yesterday I linked up with Dustin Klein and went on what I’ll describe as the wildest ride I’ve ever been on. We rode further. Climbed higher. I even wore a bib. Let’s just say it was a day packed full of firsts. Dustin was kind enough to set me up with THIS Ritchy mountain bike for the ride as well as water. Which I didn’t bring. Again, first timer over here.

We crossed over the St. Johns bridge and into the fog. DK lead the charge and pointed out the sights, narrating me through all the important details along the way. It’s always great having somebody local show you the hidden gems around town. I expected the scenery to be pretty amazing moving up to Portland but I never imagined it would look like this. The falling leaves and visual changing of the seasons is something we don’t have back home, and that Portland fully delivers on.

All in all, my “Strava” said we rode 62.7 Miles with 5,581 ft of climbing. Granted that factors in the Sandwich and fries I grabbed afterwards, but still. I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t a lot for me, but I’m glad I had someone like Dustin around to hand down some pro tips. We’ll have to do more rides like this.

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FGFS PORTLAND – DO YOU THINK YOU’RE BETTER OFF ALONE?

Oct 17, 2017

Do you think you’re better off alone? If so, come ‘talk to me’. Alice Deejay’s hit single Better Off Alone was the anthem to our weekend. But isn’t it always. Riding is always better with a squad. I guess it’s the strength in numbers mentality that comes along with it. On Saturday we gathered together some of the best FGFS riders the West Coast has to offer, and met up to ride around our new found home in Portland.

We packed our bags, loaded bikes into the Re-Rack Van and headed to University of Portland to kick start our day. After dodging campus security for a few hours, we got what we needed, pushed our luck a little too far, and decided to head downtown for a change of scenery. Jimmy Watcha sealed the deal, and drove the final nail into the coffin with one of the heaviest lines I’ve ever seen. The sun was setting and the day was pretty much over after that. Always finish on a strong note

Click “MORE” to check out other shots from when the Bay Area homies were in town. (more…)

FGFS PORTLAND – FRIDAY THE 13TH

Oct 15, 2017

Friday the 13th may be a day of superstition for some, but to us it’s something to look forward to. Whether it’s cheap tattoos of black cats, or in our case afternoon sessions spent dodging rain drops and wishing for breaks in the rain. Either way it always feels like a good day to roll the dice and take some chances.

This weekend was a special occasion. The homies Andy Sparks, Gus Molina, and Jimmy Watcha drove up from the Bay Area to ride for the week. Friday was the first chance we had where the rain wasn’t completely shutting down the day. Jimmy caught some big airs on the River City Cycles banks while it was coming down. I’m surprised he never slipped out because of how wet it was. Gus Molina summoned some spirits underground as we attempted to seek shelter and ride uninterrupted. When the day was up, we all cracked cans by the river and looked forward to what tomorrow would bring.

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FGFS PORTLAND – DAY 2

Oct 14, 2017

Blow the whistle. After taking a short mid-day break, we loaded up the van and headed back to down town to see what else we could stack before the sun set.

I didn’t shoot as many photos as the day before but was able to get a handful of shots of Miguel Zendejas’ neon yellow Master Bike Co Prototype. I’m not sure when these frames will be available to the public, but I’ve heard whispers of them rolling out sometime in the few couple months. What I can tell you is that these frames are incredibly compact, have steep head tube angles and offer up one of the most progressive geometries FGFS has ever seen.

If you’ve ever ridden with us, than I’m sure you already know, but I’m always the idiot running around trying to round up the crew for a family photo. It’s become somewhat of a tradition at this point, and is always worth the effort. This one in particular was potentially the most challenging one we’ve taken yet. We used the typical 10 second timer, but added in a 2 second exposure as a curve ball. Shout out to these dudes for remaining completely still during that time and to anyone else who has ever put up with my consistent craziness. One day I’ll publish a book of all these group shot. You’ll see.

That just about covers it. Again, keep em peeled for photos from Day 3 of our time together in Portland. Click “MORE” to check out other photos from day 2. (more…)

SAN FRANCISCO – JAKE RICKER & JAMES GRADY

Oct 4, 2017

Last day in town. I guess it’s true what they say, time flies when you’re having fun. With only hours left I made sure to make the most of it. One of the few things I wanted to do while I was in San Francisco was to stand at the bottom and stare up at the massive Sales Force building they’re working on. It’s a fucking monster. You can see it from every point in the city. It’s been wild to watch the skyline change over the years, but it only adds to the character of the city.

After breaking my neck looking up for a while I met up with San Francisco’s very own James Grady & Jake Ricker. We rolled around the financial district for a while then headed over to Chinatown to check out the usual hustle and bustle. Walking through the alleys at night you can always hear how packed full of voices each building is. I always love riding around with someone who loves to shoot as much as you do. Jake Ricker is great for that. Shout out to James Grady for organizing / hosting the Red Bull Bay Climb that happened the day before.

Last stop before leaving town was swinging by MASH SF to change out my gearing which had stopped being comical 10+ miles ago. I said my goodbyes, packed my bike, had dinner at one of my favorite spots in town, then hopped on a plane back to Portland. Until next time.
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FGFS PORTLAND – DAY 1

Oct 2, 2017

Day one and done. It didn’t take much to roast us to the bone. After the first full day of riding in Portland with the boys we were already salty, sore, and thirsty for more. With legs like noodles and arms like peanut brittle we pushed ourselves and each other to keep the stoke alive.

Setting the stage. Ramon Antonio flew Johnathan Ball, Miguel Zendejas & Josh Silva to PDX to film for a video project he’s been wanting to shoot. Although we don’t have a name for it yet, filming is well underway and is already shaping up to be the hot ticket video of the Summer.

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SAN FRANCISCO – THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN

Sep 28, 2017

Home is where the heart is, and I left mine in San Francisco. Last week I traveled south and spent some time hanging out with friends / family in The Bay. It felt good to be back in a place where it’s hard to go more than 20 mintutes without running into someone you know. There’s something to be said about knowing people by name in every neighborhood you’re in.

One of the first familiar faces I ran into was my cousin Evian Reyes. We’re not really related, but we like to pretend we are. I don’t think I ever realized what a tall city San Francisco is. Maybe living in Portland has given me that perspective, but damn. There are some serious cloud scrapers starting to pop up in SF. I’ll have more photos to share over the next couple of days, until then enjoy these shots from day one. In the words of EARTHGANG – my partner always said that I’d go far if I stayed from around here.

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ED WONKA – NYC APRIL 2017

Sep 4, 2017

You can’t show up to NYC without paying respects to the fixie godfather Ed “Wonka” Laforte. First thing I did when I got to town was give him a call, and to no surprise he already knew I was in town. Ear to the pavement I guess. We cruised over to Chari & Co, met up with Jason Sellers and Terry Barentsen, grabbed a loaner bike and hit the streets rollin.

It’s good to see that Ed still has his explosive barspins in the bag. There are few dudes that ride as aggressive as he does. Press play on the video above and see for yourself. Terry always delivers the goods when it comes to quality, and this one day video is no exception.

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