Bike Hugger 

After posting the toilet I found once during a ride (and Pam refused to let me bring it home), I’m inventorying the other objects I’ve found. A Baby Croc and a Garden Gnome are included

I found this gem while tagging faces in the latest version of iPhoto. After we finished the MS 150, I insisted we go back and buy that roadside toilet for $10.00 and Pam refused.

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There’s a concerted effort in Austin, not just a slogan or bumper sticker, to keep Austin Weird. Zombie traffic signs, rattlesnake bikes, confusing bikes like this, creepy-ass mannequins, and more. It’s a whole weird lifestyle there and one of the reason we bring the Mobile Social to town during SXSW.

Our urban ride will watch for Zombies.

Hat tip to Nick F for the Zombie news story.

Here’s the latest addition to my home tool box. I work in a bike shop, so I usually take care of most needs at the shop, but I like to be largely self-sufficient. Yet tools are expensive and I have limited space at home, so I need to be careful with my acquisitions. I just picked up this 3/8” ratchet made by Cyclus. I like the shiny finish and the rubber grip fits my hand just right. I got this tool to drive the external BB cup tool. If you already own a ratchet set, this Cyclus tool is probably superfluous for you, but you can get this one for about $40-45. Distributed by United Bicycle Supply (not the soon to be defunct United Bicycle Products, thank you Crossmechanic for the correction).

Before the daylight hours lengthen in the new year, cyclists will talk about nighttime visibility and the merits of this light and that reflective bauble, but I always think back to a time when my colleagues and I emphasized stealth at night. In the 1990s I lived in Gainesville FL, off and on attending the University of Florida. During that time a number of factors, some temporary, made campus pizza delivery by bicycle a great business move by the university’s corporate dining system… and an addictive employment for me. Yes, pizza delivery probably ruined my college ambitions, because it’s hard to get out of bed and pay attention in class if you’ve knocked out sprint after pizza-laden sprint past midnight and then washed dishes until 2am.

The new Knog Skink is a four LED unit in either red or white configurations and weighs just 56gr. It should retail for about $30, distributed by Cyclone Bicycle Supply . The silicon body seals the electronics from water and is available in 6 colours. As with all Knog lights, the light fits to seatposts or stays by wrapping the flexible loop around to the body. The Skink is obviously larger and more expensive than the wildly popular Frog, but new light runs on 2 AAA batteries, which are more readily available, cheaper, and last longer than the Frog’s CR2032 batteries. Even better, you can buy rechargeable AAAs. Another nice feature is the battery life indicator light, a small auxiliary LED next to the on-button that stays illuminated when the battery life drops below 25%.

I built this wheel for Jake, one of the Seattle fixie stars. It’s a Chub Hub, a double-sided fixed gear hub of massive proportions. The immense hub is constructed of carbon and aluminium with provision for cogs and track lockrings on both sides. The rim is a H+ Son, custom powdercoated black. Finished off with black DT Swiss Champion spokes and black brass nipples, the whole wheel is stealth. I thought I’d just cut the spokes and lace ‘em, but I hate to leave things unfinished.

Mathowie is riding Kona.

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Bike Hugger is in a Road Bike Action article about urban cycling and commuting.

Bicycle Design blog held a contest and a bent won.