Surly really are good fellows... but do take a look at their front page this monday morning . It made me laugh. Click on the screen shot below, and enjoy their straight talking approach.

 

New Carbon Niner Forks here... check out this video from Chris @ Niner, they are crazy tough. We popped them on the shop scales and they scored 600g, the box they come in is the same weight!

 

Clunker racing looks a bit dangerous...

Clunker Classic 8 (2009) from James Pearce on Vimeo.

 

Football eh.... my daughter's school is closing early so they can watch The England kickball team draw/lose another game. I don't disapprove of this, it's great, schools and employers should be flexible.  So I have sent an email to the headmaster supporting him on this one:

"Dear Headmaster, I am really pleased to see the school close early so the kids can watch the England  football team do not very well in the Eurovision Kickball Contest. It's a worthwhile thing to do, and I am sure all the parents will be just fine changing their childcare plans for football. Obviously football is not the only sport, so I am very much looking forward to the school closing when a Brit is not doing too well in the Tour de France. We are pretty much guarranteed that a Brit will be not doing too well from around 10am everyday in July.   Best wishes... Charlie"

some wisdom from John Styles...

            The column inches devoted by both the mainstream and cycling media to the Motorists vs Cyclists debate never ceases to amaze me. I don't doubt that the frequency and severity of conflict in both directions is real, so it comes as no surprise that it's widely reported.

            What troubles me is the root cause of this conflict. I can understand the rivalry between Portsmouth and City fans, after all, you are either one or the other, for life. But given that we have on average 1.8 cars per household and and 2.2 bikes, then pretty much every Motorist is also a Cyclist. We're all just part time members of each tribe, so I wonder why so often we can't we see things from the other persons point of view?

            In football there is at least a goal, a prize, a trophy. The conflict is supposed to be there, winners and losers are required. Not so on the road. Whether we are in the saddle or behind the wheel maybe we are too focused on the road ahead and what it means to us. To our own exclusive personal goal. Whether it's getting home on time or picking up the kids before bedtime. Or beating our personal best or average speed.

            So here's a thought. Next time you feel the blood begin to boil, just imagine the other person is having the worst day of their life. Maybe the cyclist is slow and wobbly as he's had two punctures and a bout of cramp already. Maybe the car on your rear wheel really is in a hurry, perhaps we can waive him through and keep hard left on the next straight.

            Or as Charlie The Bikemonger put it to me recently, you can boil down pretty much every law down to the same thing. Be Mindful. That's all.

 

Trail food just got fancy... the deli in Swanage is just great, with not only the best baggettes in town ( they will throw anything you want from the deli into a fresh baggette for you... pastrami, sun dried tomatoes and cambozola...mmmm), But they also sell these "Fancy whole smoked oysters". They are indeed fancy, and possibly the future of trail snacks. The left over oil can be used on your chain.

 

New bags... Just come in this morning and already leaving the shop (not just on my own bike) we have these smashing trad saddle bags from Carradice. I am totally blown away by the quality, each one is signed by the maker (in Lancashire), and I now have a "Pricilla" on my bike. Instock now http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/userimages/procart35.htm

 

SAVE HERSTON VILLAGE GREEN...  Purbeck Council want to build 100 homes on Herston Meadow in Swanage. Not only will it change the shape and character of Swanage, it will also simply destroy part of the countryside.

Let's not forget this was a protected conversation area only a couple of years ago. But I guess that did not suit the council's plans? But don't worry their plans include "improved access to the countryside" by simply building on the countryside. FFS

In a good winter you can ice-skate on the flooded meadow.  Hardly suitable for building on!

What's more the questionnaire is "unsafe", meaning it is not statistically significant.  It includes the vague suggestion of a promise for community facilities, confusing the location decision and it's very heavily biased towards the Herston meadow with bigger promises.

There is also talk of the map they distributed not being to scale, again a deliberate misleading act.

The council are playing out some fake democracy here, but the awkward truth is they are manipulating the decision. At best its just dishonest. I know we don't have a democracy in this country (2.5 million marched against the gulf war - this massive display of the peoples feelings made zero difference. 

But at least some funny rogue is having a go back - no idea who is behind this, but I endorse this kind of civil disobedience.

 

Next weeks project... involves wood and tools. A finless traditional hawaiin surfboard called Alaia (pronounced Al-lay-eye). No leash means lots of swimming back to shore to find it amongst Kimmeridge rocks. I will let you know if it works out. Stay tuned.

 

 

I only bloody won... at bristol bike fest, team of four one gearers in the old gits catergory (average age of 40.5 years), beat the leg shavers... Turned up friday to race saturday, but soon found out we were racing on sunday... so spent saturday checking out the race on a breakfast lap, bristol's beer gardens, deli, pies, fresh bread, meat, and then found some outdoor shakespear in a park near clifton bridge. Great race prep. Cheers Cab, Sausage and Flash.

 

 

 

This weakend... I am racing at bristol bike fest, with Cab and Paul, and Crashy... on fixies, in a mountainbike race. Is this wise? The shop will be open lightly on saturday, with michelle and the dogs looking after things. So if you are visiting the shop, please dont get too techie.

 

Gotta dash now... smell that, can you smell that? That's podiums son. Nothing else smells like that. I love the smell of podiums in the morning. Smells like ....    Victory....       Some day this racing is going to end.

 

Name this bike... scroll down for the answer.

 

 

 

Its a Surly Big Dummy... are there no limits to what a Surly Big Dummy can carry? Here it is with a 11.5 foot paddle board. Long bike, long board and a long lunch break.

 

 

Captain the shop dog... one speed bike folk, this is Captain our second shop hound... Captain this is the world wide web's one speed bike folk. That's the intros over with.

 

Captain is named after "Captain Sensible" of the punk band The Damned, and has a very "steady as she goes", "I'm in charge" attitude. He's the captain of something, but no one knows what.

 

Quite possibly the world's worst singletrack hound: very slow, rubbish ground clearance, poor turning circle, and will just sit down and refuse to move after 1/2 a mile. A big fella, I have seen smaller cattle.

 

 

Ginger beer... a recipe from magnus. Gonna give it a try once I find some Arrak? Apparently this ginger beer comes in a 15%!

 

 

Went for a ride down the beach... and all this tagliatelle has washed up, I guess an italian ship has sunk.

 

Charlie and his amazing technicolour dream-chain... yeah that is a grand claim, but who really can be bothered to construct a multicoloured chain? KMC can... in stock now.

So your shifter spring is broken.... which can happen in the odd and crazy world of geared bikes. This bike was brought into the shop for repair, and had this wonderful bodge... and it actually works very well. Every bit as good as the techie return spring that broke.

How far away is that bike...? No Dougal, these bikes are small plastic toys, those bikes (pointing out of window of caravan to the hills) are far away... So how big is this frame.... its a whopper that a customer has bought in for repair, but wooohey is it a biggie. So go on guess, what size is it?

The answer is about a screen down from here...

 

Recipe of the week... Caribbean shandy: Take a half of good lager, and a bottle of this really nice ginger beer (found in many bars and supermarkets)... dont cut corners on either ingredient. Mix 50/50, add ice and lemon, and maybe siome freh mint, and its really rather lovely. Great for when you are driving. Sounds poncy but is damned nice (a bit like me)

 

 

Look, you can use a tuggnut on forward facing dropouts...

 

 

Yeah, he can ride.... but I could that if I was not so crap... see video below.

Chris Akrigg THE MAURICE.0 from chris akrigg on Vimeo.

 

ITS A 24" SPECIALIZED HARDROCK.... YES 24 INCHES. Its looking for a new home, call me if you are about six foot five or more and want a bike.

Talking of the blues fest... our national XC racing hero's Dad plays at the Black Swan... here is Will Killeen (Liams dad)...

 

Darkest Side OF The Moon.... I saw the Flaming Lips at the Lulworth Castle fest a few summers back (I recall I had to pretend to be with a troupe of Clog Dancers to blag my way in! yes really) and enjoyed the loud ambient journey of the evening. Now they have convered one of the finest albums of all time.... Pink Floyd's "Darkside Of The Moon"... just grabbed the whole LP off itunes. Enjoy this clip...

 

 

Swansea Bookworm Alleycat 03.10.09 HD 720p from progressive media on Vimeo.

What a summer? There is so much I should blog on about, but we have been flat out busy. There was a Cornish big dummy cycle tour, a canoe tour (like cycling but its all downhill and you cant get lost), some injuries, a few ciders, and loads of new stock here too.

 

Just booked tickets for...  Motorhead in Bournemouth (27/11 BIC) support by Girl School, but The Damned have also been mentioned... Damned followed by Motorhead.... death by deaf... def! Wont be able to hear for a week.

Michelle (aka Mrs Bikemonger) is containing her excitment, apparently this is not here idea of the company christmas party.

Full volume on the PC please...

 

£25 Messenger bags are here... I like messenger bags that are not only over £100 cheaper than some that I sell, but are made from recycled tyres.... damned cool. Selling like rubbery hot cakes. All the must have features (stabiliser strap, water proof material, quirky design) at around the price of half a Schwalbe tyre, which makes sense as its partly made from half a schwalbe tyre.

 

 

Not so green now eh?  I really feel that I have to let you know what's going on here.

History: I read "let my people go surfing" an environmental business bible (and damned fine book) a few years ago, and made the bikemongery as green as can be, with recycled packaging etc. We have been using recycled Jiffy bags for about a year, which we were pleased to do, but there is a problem…

They cost a lot to buy (circa double the cost of a regular Jiffy, and 4 times the cost of some others).

They also cost a lot more to post with the largest we use weighing 395g, that's £1.14 in additional postage in the UK, and as much as £4.65 on overseas postage… just to send the envelope. As we do free postage, this is costing me around £3,000 a year.

So you can see that being green is not cheap. But I really don't want to phase out considerate packaging. So can now select a green option (top option on menu bar) and we will use a lovely Jiffy recycled padded envelope for your order.

So now the ball is in your court, if you want to help us be green you can. I still cycle the parcels to the post office on a Surly Big Dummy, we still give away around 10,000 "One Less Car" stickers a year, I still heckle litterers and frown at 4WDs… we still ride bikes and we do still care.

Seriously, if you think we are making a wrong move here…  Email me 

There's a new craze in town... enjoy this, and dont take it personally.

Rare Clunker Classic Evidence... Apparently there is a little race once a year where chaps race old and inappropriate bikes down a mountain. Beach cruisers, kids bikes, postie bikes… through drop offs and river crossing.

I always thought this was a damned stupid idea… and now have the evidence to prove it… Apparently Vince from Primera Sport cycle shop in Poole Dorset survived this horrific blurring crash… however you may not be so lucky. Ride straight, Ride safe, Ride Sober, Ride home.

 

Quicksand/mud... its serious, dont laugh. From 4.40 in its gets dangerous.

My new Surly Big Dummy... Arrived on Wednesday, built within hours, took the kids down the beach in evening, then took it to the Bankes Arms at Studland. Next day I loaded it up with a tipi and rode it on and off road for three days to the Clunker Classic... check out the youtube movie below.

Fancy one? Frame and forks are £850, racking £225, with complete builds around £1,700. Ours works as the company van - haulin your bike parts to the post office, family car when going down the beach (you can even load it with surfboards), and well appointed opulent tourer - for when you don't want to sleep in a tiny tent.

 

From Timbuk2 there are loads of colour options in the classic messenger bags, and we also have the limited edition "Toe Clip" bags… lovely traditional canvas, hidden waterproof lining, and the straps are made from leather toe clip straps. Even the rivets are cog shaped. Also check out the "Pro Series" bags with a massive reflective panel. Click here for our bags…

29er Tyres…. 29ers are just like regular mountainbikes, but have a larger (700c) wheel with a fat MTB tyre. This means they will roll over anything less significant than "The Who". We now have the awesome Schwalbe Racing Ralph tyres in a whopping 2.4 width. This will turn any 29er into an invincible avalanche of laughs, and they only weigh 640g each.

 

We are doing a bundle deal where you save a tenner (plus the usual free postage) when you buy a pair with the super lightweight inner tubes (only 135g each). Click here for our tyre page.

Other news…. After a poor performance by myself at the National Single Speed Champs in Dably forest a few weeks ago, I decided to turn my hand to another endurance sport… this time a world championships with food.

 

Yes indeed, the World Stinging Nettle Eating Champs (American translation: nettles are a bit like a leafy cactus). Basically you need to consume as many nettles as possible in one hour, aided only by beer and/or cider. I approached this challenge as an all-you-can-eat buffet with only one type of food and put away about 12 foot of nettles, with the winner downing 48 foot. Not bad for a first attempt, so I will be going for a win next year.

My efforts were spotted by BBC TV's James Wong ("Grow Your Own Drugs" TV Show) and I was briefly on Countryfile… this is the iplayer link, It starts at 43 minutes in… I am the chap in the linen shirt and sometimes a straw hat and sunnies.

 

Say "yoo hooo" to one of our customers bikes... David tells me the local kids have given it a saucy nickname.

 

 

 

Its nice to be nice... and I found this on www.singletrackworld.com forum, a discussion about Thatcher that touched on freedom of speech, the G20 protest killing, and some clash lyrics.... Dr Dolittle: "I decided not to buy a frame off mike at dialled bikes because of something he said in the discussions regarding the G20 protesters, and now I reckon I'll find something to buy off charlie the bikemonger. Do any other retailers have a position on this subject to help in future purchasing decisions?".

You have the right not to be killed
Murder is a crime!
Unless it was done by a
Policeman or aristocrat
Know your rights

You have the right to free
Speech as long as youre not
Dumb enough to actually try it.

Joe Strummer / The Clash. 1982

So last month our celebrity spot was Mungo Jerry... this week... its former Neighbours star and all round nice and funny chap from the colonies Mark Little, aka Joe Mangle. Mrs Bikemonger used a different post office for yesterdays post as I had to take Olive The Dog to the vet with a damaged eye... and Mark bloody little was in the post office queue... apparently taking some seaside time after a show at the Wimborne theatre. Its like Stella Street round here: Joe Mangle, Dot cotton, Johnny Ross, Martin Clunes, Billy Bragg, that Dr Who bloke, the double barreled bloke who ran the wine bar in Eastenders in the late 80's... eer what do you mean "What's Stella Street? " see clip below Joe.

 

I will let you all know what went down at SSUK09 soon... safe to assume I did not win, but hey when a race is this good we are all winners. Come back later this week for the incriminating details. Beyond the nicely managed race anarchy will prevail when beer and bikes are combined.

 

Here's a new build Niner for one of customers in Finland... It's an AIR9 and just looks damned fast. The cranks look very cool too.

Bike Polo comes to Bournemouth... have a go, there is even a BBQ

 

Not a lot of bike content... but a lovely youtube movie from one of our customers who now has a SE Lager...  but more impressively he was on Steve Lemaqc last night (go forward to 30 mins, and you have 6 days left to here it, expires on 6/5/9) playing a cover of a Ramones classic...  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00k17n7 

Just a pic... this one is from David, one of our customers, awesome shadow self portrait with saddle bag and cap.

Lets go racing... we are sponsoring the single speed race, with a damned fine medal for the winner...

 

 

Blimey... you will never guess who was in the barbers chair before me this week.... go on... guess...... nah you are wrong... it was Mungo Jerry's Ray Dorset, and he still has his massive hair.

 

Unlucky Exmoor... a 2 day trip to ride dunkery beacon area of exmoor went off in the usual style...everything died. First casualty was a shimano spd shoe, the sole snapped while I was spinning up a hill, not even wonking on the bars. Crashy's camera died and not a single shot was salvaged.. so after some awesome trails, really really great real world hike up and plummit down stuff, we went to the pub, where we came second in a full on pub quiz, we were pretty damned pleased with ourselves and won a round of drinks. The next day we rode again, packed the tent away, drove across the campsite in Crashy's imprezza, dropped off our rubbish, used the loos, went to start the car and it had immobilised itself, calls to suburu owning friends, greenflag, loads of black magic and it would not shift. £200 tow home and an extra night on exmoor. On the plus side we found a cd autochanger under the passenger seat (never knew it was there), my mobile andalmost won a quiz.

Leeds alleycat racing... went off last weekend. I missed it and took Mrs Bikemonger for a romantic night out at a John Shuttleworth concerto (see youtube below). The alleycat looks like a great sucess and the winner (Warren Anderton) won the Bikmonger greasy medal of joy (an old half link chain with rasta spacers and a bikemonger bottle opener). Warren looks like an awesome champion, bearded and knitwear, you dont get that in the Tour de France. More race details http://fixedgearleeds.blogspot.com/ (I also stole mthe picture from them)

and a movie of the race...

leeds valentine alleycat from donnacha carroll on Vimeo.

 

Romantic night out....

 

THIS WEEKEND GO TO LEEDS DAMN IT... I have just finished constructing a fine winner medal for the race below, and there will also be an offensive bikemonger shirt in the prize stash.

 

 I so missed this tweed meeting in London, I was at a trade show drinking £4.20 pints of guiness. Tom is highlighted sporting one of our fine tweed cycling caps for gentlemen.

 

 

I made a short movie about my ride in to big town with some friends to pick up some fizzy drinks... enjoy.

 MY NEW BIKE.... 

I decided to "liberate" some stock from my shop, and came away with this Surly Creamroller Steamroller. It's an incredibly good handling bike, and joy to ride.

The wheels are limited edition Dia Compe track wheels. The toe clips are "Power Grips" which give you the clipped in feel without the need to wear bikey shoes, I can now ride down the pub in my old Vans. The bar tape is fun, its Cinelli rasta tape. And there is also a Wisecracker headset spacer bottle opener, kinda handy when you can't be bothered to reach for the tuggnut. A single Salsa crosstop does the braking when my legs need help. It's spinning along on a 47:19 ratio.

Its a stout bike, I lent it up against the wall of the bikemongery and the wall collapsed. As you can see the bikemongery needs a good tidy, but the rats like it.

 

 

 

 

 

H0T

 

NEW STUFF

I have just got back from a trade show, and boy have we got some cool stuff coming.

I will make more of a fuss on this page as it all arrives, but there is one particular thing that I cant keep quiet about, I really am very excited about Xtracycle: a long tail kit that you add to your bike so you can haul stuff around, kinda like bike truckin... 

Have a look at the movie below, and our Haulin page, and then Email me if you want a cool long bike. We are doing the conversion kits and Surlys longtail frame the Big Dummy.

 

Saw a chap coming off the ferry in touring in spd sandals, in January... tough old road goat indeed... sorry no picture

Oh its soon Blues season... last year I found a bloke better than Seasick Steve but a bit more Hereford than Missisipi. basically every pub in town has almost non stop free blues all weekend.

What ya drinking?

A new random feature to the blog, mail in pics of your niner top cap, and tell us what the beer was like. First up we have Alan who has been drinking Dutch Brown Ale... and its probably bloody marvelous... dont be shy... so whats ya poison?

 

Giving a monkeys...

As part of our commitment to the world, the environment and monkeys (not just karate monkeys), we* are lobbing a swift £100 to http://www.g4g.co.uk/wp/ who send supplies to rangers who not only look after gorrilas in a war zone, but they do it on bikes. 

 

 

At Charlie The Bikemonger.com, we are a small cottage business, but we insist that our business is run fairly, we want to do the right thing. We also want to show other businesses that you can make money, be very successful, whilst doing the right thing and putting something back… and that's why we joined 1% For The Planet, where we give away 1% of our turnover to environmental charities.

And its through 1% For The Planet that we found G4G . What instantly grabbed our attention is that in the midst of war, with bombs going off, and people fleeing across borders there are some seriously dedicated rangers looking after the gorillas… and G4G looking after the ranger's needs. Despite all the evil political warring nonsense, there is still compassion and indeed people doing the right thing.  And that's what its all about.

Below: The rangers and their families fleeing to the border 

 

We also loved the fact that bikes are an important part of their equipment as fellow cyclists how could we not help?

* when I say "we are donating", that's not just the Bikemonger, its really all you guys who buy your bike stuff from us. Its only 1% but it soon adds up. Buy a half link and the monkeys get 2p, buy a complete Fixie Inc, and they get a tenner. It all counts.

What next...  we have more money to give away, if you are aware of any environmental charities who we could help, please let us know.

 

NINER SIR9 gets another great review...

This is my favourite mountainbike of all time: big wheels, all tubes are 853 and the ride is unreal. The nice guys at What MountainBike mag agree with me. The 2009 frames come in root beer or gold and are £799 for the frame (largely due to the tailspin ball of flames that is the crashing pound)

Happy chap from Germany with a blue lockring... sweet filmore...

 

Police attack cyclist...

.. and its was caught on camera and made public on youtube... It looks as if the officer also falsified records and tried to have the cyclist charged with assult against an officer.

Who is really looking after your interests? Is it the police - no way, Is it the public? Is it youtube? Is it Rosemary the telephone opperator? Is it Penry the mild mannered janitor - who knows! (For those of you not around in the 70's this odd rant can be explained here http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vfeAqlYv2wQ )

The outcome and more details of this attack can be read here.. http://www.thevillager.com/villager_294/wheelsofjustice.html

 

Just found a really nice web community...

www.cyclesocial.co.uk is a really great place on the web for all things bike. Its not a commercial venture and so is refreshingly fresh. Its a social network, and I really rather like it... grab a beer, have a visit, and chat bikes for a while.

1% For The Panet..... the money starts to flow.

Back at the start of the summer we signed up to give away 1% of our turnover to environmental charities. Its been a good summer for our little bike business, and it suddenly dawned on us the we already owe the planet hundreds of pounds. So we have just sent off our first cheque to Sustrans who build safe and interesting cycle routes.

When I cycled from Dorset to Scotland in 2007 to get to the single speed world champs we found most roads bloody dreadful, and in particular Hereford which is full of ugly blind drivers (watch out for the yellow car with "tweety Pie" across the windscreen). We soon hooked into the Sustrans National Cycle Network routes and found ourselves in traffic free/traffc light lanes, and the trip became a delight. Cycle touring without Sustrans is no fun. Click the logo below to see the sustrans world.

 

 

And not forgetting you lot: the hardened one speed bikers of the world. This donation would not be possible without your very much appreciated custom. We made a short youtube movie about our thoughts on the enviroment... see below. our next donation may well be "Sufers Against Sewage", I know its not that bike related, but no one likes swmming in crap. However an other suggestions are welcome... email me.

 

 

Clunker.... I have just loaded up the clip below and lost about two and half years of blog (sod it). So thats cycling to scotland gone, the angry 100, winning at cheddar, the fixed skids, world champs, national champs, killer cows, killed trails, and other clunkers all lost.... Anyway enjoy this awesome footage of some gents bimbling along  a trail after a hearty lunch one summers day (yes it was shot in July). Apparently I have heard that someone has heard that this is elleged but in no proven to be ralated to nothing to do with the Clunker Classic.

 

Clunker Classic Seven (2008) from James Pearce on Vimeo.

News From Niner: More bouncy frames, and a new style of EBB..

 

More cool new stuff from Surly: