Park(ing) Day 2015 this Friday

Park(ing) Day | Friday Sept. 18th 2015

10am - 3pm BicycleSPACE 2424 18th St. NW

One of our favorite days of the year, Park(ing) Day! This is an international movement to reclaim parking spaces in the name of public space, art, and community. Temporary parklets will be set up all over the city this Friday. You'd be surprised what fits in a parking space. Join us at our parklet at BicycleSPACE Adams Morgan. Check out the gallery of our favorite parklets from years past above. 

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Plum Crazy

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Friend of the SPACE, Adam, got his girlfriend, Lauren, an old Peugot Mixte to commute on. Three years later both of them had fallen in love with the look of this classic bike, but were ready for something a little lighter and with the benefits of modern components (smoother shifting and wider range of gears). “The Mixte has beautiful classic lines that have this iconic look to them. There is something about the complex nature of the frame that really intrigues me, but it always looks really clean and elegant,” remarks Adam.  

With the Peugot as inspiration, Adam set out to build a custom bike for Lauren from the frame up. He picked a Soma Buena Vista Mixte as the foundation, a versatile frame made of Tange Prestige steel. Lauren was less then thrilled with the factory color, so they enlisted some help from a friend at work. 

“At work” as Adam says, “we have a full prototype shop that has everything (CNC machines, Paint booth, Glass bead etching and blasting for aluminum finishes, a super high end 3D printer that is accurate down to 4 microns, etc.) and Josh runs everything. He makes full prototypes of every product we build before production. The dude can make literally anything you could imagine. So we got him to try and paint the bike a very specific color, and he tried many times to custom mix the exact shade of purple, but we just ended up buying a color called Mopar Plum Crazy, which was used on Challengers in the 70’s.” 

From there it was matter of handpicking just the right amount of chromed out components to complete the build. Adam selected “VO drillium cranks matched the MKS Lambda pedals… tiagra 10spd as they still use chrome components and we didn't want to drop the dollars for campy. We paired Paul Thumbies with Dura Ace down tube shifters. Then we rounded out the build with VO grand cru brake levers, Headset, and BB.” 

Ever the pragmatic DIY cyclist, Adam selected easy serviceable parts, as well as solid set of Jerry built wheels: “H+sun TB14 rims that are super light and strong, they're double wall through eyelet rims that have a really clean badge where the valve stem goes through. And then some standard tiagra hubs and 32 spoke 3 cross unbutted spokes. They're bomb proof for DC streets and the C&O.”

Lauren, picked out the perfect crane bell, complete with purple brushstrokes and a floral pattern to match the Brooks B18 Saddle. The two of them couldn’t be happier with the build, “a solid commuter/light tourer with style!” 

Let the bike do the lifting.

A video posted by BicycleSPACE (@bicyclespace) on

It may be September but the humidity's showing no signs of slowing down. Combat sweaty back by putting your bike to work. New waterproof handlebar bags from Chrome and classic panniers from Ortlieb and Brooks let you and your bike share the load. You'll be amazed how much more pleasant your ride is with that weight off your back. 

Full Moon Luau Ride This Friday

Join us for a full moon outing this Friday August 28th at 7pm beginning at our Downtown shop 440 K Street NW. Plan to roll out around 7:30pm. Break out your favorite Hawaiian shirts and beach attire as we celebrate the full moon in style. Our ride will wind up and down the river as we make our way to the party at Bardo, where we'll enjoy a special performance by Aloha Island Revue. Ride is free and donations will support Earth Conservation Corps.

Chrome Footwear

New to the floors of BicycleSPACE, Chrome Footwear! Perfect for those seeking clipless-friendly kicks that don't scream bike shoe. Enjoy the efficiency and control of your favorite clipless pedal system in a street ready platform. Chrome shoes feature their signature cordurua uppers, with a stiff footbed and grippy soles. The cleats are recessed, so running up stairs or traversing tile floors is no problem. Come try on a pair. 

Chrome Kursk Pro

Chrome Kursk Pro

Chrome Truk Pro 

Chrome Truk Pro 

The Creme Molly

We are pleased to announce that Creme Cycles, once only available in Europe, are now available in the DC area exclusively through BicycleSPACE!

The folks at Creme Cycles have stayed true to the bicycle tradition and captured the spirit of a grand adventure, even if it’s just going out for a coffee in style.  The bikes are configured in a way that is at once comfortable and intuitive, and forgiving of all the little, or big imperfections in the road.

We recently road-tested the Molly 3 Speed model, and here’s what we found:

  • It’s got a cruising feel to it as opposed to a racing feel. Instead of being aggressive, it’s more like a calm oasis in the city streets. It takes you back to a time when things were simpler and less stressful.  To this end, there is a drum brake on the front wheel, which means the brake workings are internal to the hub. This accomplishes two things, it cleans up the look by having fewer exposed cables, and it all but eliminates the risk of accidentally locking the front wheel by braking too hard.

 

  • The rear brake is a coaster brake, and this cleans up the look significantly too. The cables have a braided steel housing, which is an extra step Creme took to make their bikes look sharp. 

 

  • When you put your foot down on the pedals, you’ll see that they’re just like they used to make pedals – no pointy, technical edges for gripping onto your shoes, you could ride barefoot with these pedals and still they seem to grip just fine.

 

  • Another fine detail is the chainguard, which covers both the top and bottom side of the chain, and the fenders. The fenders fit nicely over the tires and give the bike an elegant sweeping appearance, like fenders on a late1920s Bugatti, with the functional purpose of keeping your personal appearance above the fray while negotiating the city streets.

 

  • There is a basket with the bike that easily attaches and detaches to make stops along the way more inviting, and who wouldn’t want to be seen carrying a smart looking basket though the market? Yes, a real shopping basket, not one of those modern day plastic contraptions.

 

  • The final thing that Creme gets right is that when your foot is in the far forward position on the pedal, and you make a sharp turn, the fender is spaced far enough away so that it clears your foot easily. So many modern bikes have a toe/fender overlap problem, and it’s refreshing to see a bike maker get it right.

If you’re looking for a bike which looks as good as you do, and you appreciate a streamlined sense of elegance, a Creme Cycle just might be "The One."  We encourage you to drop in and take one for a test ride.

"We are 99,9% sure that riding a bike makes you more creative! It's worth a try, and that is a FACT!" - Creme Cycles

Orp Smart Horn

Ivy City 1512 Okie St., N.E. Washington, DC 20002 202-853-9390

Please come visit us at our expansive Ivy City location- there’s a bike lane connected to downtown just around the block (and lots of on-street & longer term garage parking next door if you really must drive…)- our great people, bikes, and service are waiting for you!

contact@bicyclespacedc.com