A couple weeks ago two young, fit looking, American guys visited WorkCycles Veemarkt shop to look at bikes. Their wishes were clear: the bikes must be simple, very durable and able to carry a decent load. That pretty much describes most of our bikes so the conversation continued and they test rode a number of bikes. After a while it became apparent that these two bikes were not just going to be ridden around the city. No, they’ll be ridden around the world, in no particular hurry, and they don’t seem especially concerned about the challenges that await them. A tough city bike does actually makes a good touring bike and we do periodically sell bikes to be toured on. There have even been some good stories such as the couple who rode a classic Dutch trike (bakfiets) all the way back to Copenhagen, but riding WorkCycles bikes around the world is a first as far as we know.

After some discussion of the bike options they decide to go for almost identical Secret Service NND’s. This is a variant with Shimano’s largest roller brakes front and rear but with a single speed freewheel. I convince them to gear the bikes at least a little on the low side: 38/18 or 19 if I recall correctly. The bikes get our usual frame-mounted front carriers and very heavy duty extended rear carriers. They look suspiciously like modern versions of my old Swiss Condor Military bike.

With the important choices out of the way we get to talking about their plans. I’m curious about how two quite young Americans end up in Amsterdam to buy bikes and can then take several years to ride around the world. At least to my untrained eye these are not rich trust-fund kids. Actually they seem more like military types and that turns out to be the case.

The rough summary is this (please fill me in here so I can correct myself in your next update): These guys are former US Marines. Either one or both performed missions so noxious and dangerous that they’ve been honorably discharged and retired from service. The military apparently doesn’t expect them to live long though they brushed those claims off nonchalantly. Whether it was out of self knowledge, youthful optimism or bravado I’ve no idea.

In the photo above they’ve hit the first hills in England and they intend to remain in the UK for a couple months. I’ll post more updates of their travels as they come in. Of course I’m looking forward to seeing them in exotic locales, such as slogging it across the Urals. I’m also very curious to see how the bikes do and how they get modified along the way; Will the fenders and chain cases get jettisoned? Will the gearing be changed or will they be content to just push the loaded bikes up the mountains? With some luck we’ll see.

Happy travels guys and keep the updates coming!

I don’t normally expect to find intellectually stimulating material in the pages of Wallpaper magazine, not surprising for a glossy with the byline “International Design, Interiors, Fashion & Travel”. Mostly it just reminds me of my vapid days in industrial design, as do most “designer bikes” such as the Bamboomega and the Triobike.

This image has a little food for thought though. The sculpture by Ai Weiwei, very appropriately made of bicycles, is titled “Forever”. The bikes go ’round and ’round, climbing into a sort of geodesic dome.

A Bike is basically “forever”, just a few kilos of metal, plastic, rubber and leather that, like an ant, carries many times its weight. Beyond its initial manufacture few resources are needed to keep the bicycle running for an absurdly long time in modern terms. Every part, including the frame, is replaceable meaning that a quality, well designed bike really does have a practically endless lifespan.

Is this what Weiwei meant? Probably not but it fits my needs nicely.

Thanks to Frank Kloos for the tip. And while you’re behind that screen check out Frank’s cool new site featuring inspiring photography from around the globe: The Black Snapper.

IMG_1916, originally uploaded by henry in a’dam.

OK, so perhaps somebody disagrees with the sticker: “Tijd voor een goeie fiets” (time for a good bike)… but at least they had the decency to leave the workcycles logo intact.

The ash-tray bike!, originally uploaded by Iam sterdam.

WorkCycles didn’t make this one and I haven’t seen it yet myself. The Amsterdam city District “de Baarsjes” is using this brilliant “Asbakfiets” to promote smoke free and butt free surroundings. They’re giving out little cigarette and gum wallet/baggies to hold the nasties until a suitable trash container can be found.

A little background:
Ashtray = asbak
Cargo trike = bakfiets

The “bak” part of the words is the same: means “tray”, “box”, or “bin”. I suppose “bucket” probably also comes from the same origin.

Here’s more (humorous) bakfiets etymology

Thanks Iam sterdam for the great photo!

My buddy Chomi and I have been taking photos of the WorkCycles stickers that keep appearing on abandoned bikes around Amsterdam. We’ve spotted them on bikes all over the city, but particularly in several neighborhoods such as the Jordaan and the Oostelijke Eilanden. It’s fun to browse through the slideshow to see the sights or identify the broken bicycles left to rot. Or if you know Amsterdam well you can try to figure out where the bikes are located. Perhaps we should have a contest. Suggestions?

The stickers are available at WorkCycles: €0.50 each. They’re mostly sold out so we’re going to invent some new ones and print more soon.

No bicycles have been harmed in this project.

A couple months ago I found an envelope on my desk with US postage, only our address without business name and a return address with no name. I figured it was probably for a neighbor and it was a while before I realized I couldn’t do much more with it than just open it. So I did, and I found the following inside:

A request from Jesse

Since we regard catalogs as some archaic leftover of the paper era we didn’t have any to send to Jesse. After an extensive brainstorm session and heated discussion it was decided to send Jesse not just one, or even two but several WorkCycles foam keychains, as pictured below. No, we didn’t send it COD with an invoice for the postage. Please note that the example keychain below is somewhat deformed as a result of Pascal using it for several months as a teething toy:

For several weeks we waited with baited breath for Jesse’s reply and it finally arrived a few days ago. We weren’t disappointed as it’s just as sweet and polite as the first letter:

Jesse, you’re completely welcome and we’d be happy to discuss your being our U.S.A represitive… in a few years. In the meanwhile we wish you success convincing your parents to get a WorkCycle.

70cm WorkCycles Transport on smart car, originally uploaded by henry in a’dam.

I’m surprised this little Smart car doesn’t tip over backwards when driving with this huge (70cm frame) WorkCycles Transport Double-Tube. But apparently a man of 200cm (6′ 6″) fits in a Smart.

Photo by Doede van der Linden.

bakfiets-pascal-henry-panda (2), originally uploaded by henry in a’dam.

We were back at the panda portrait thing on the way to dinner this evening on the bakfiets cargobike. Still haven’t gotten around to mounting the camera to get Kyoko in the shot too. I guess we don’t really plan these things.

One could actually debate whether these are truly “pandas” considering that the one taking the picture (Kyoko) is not the one piloting the bike (me). But, in our defense all three of us are riding on the bike and considering that poles, remotes, tripods are acceptable for pandas I cannot see why a passenger photographer would not be accepted.

Actually I’d like to take some shots of how we usually ride as a family: Pascal in the box, me piloting and Kyoko side-saddle on the rear carrier. But to do that we’d have to mount the camera and operate it remotely, something that would actually require planning.

The WorkCycles Fr8’s “Massive Rack” front carrier easily has room for a second child with their own “loopfiets”.

Trivia: This is one of two galvanized Fr8’s. What seemed a cool idea turned out to be a nightmare to manufacture. The “twin” of this bike is on display at WorkCycles Lijnbaansgracht shop, and not for sale… unless somebody really wants to lay down some serious cash for it.

Thanks for the photo Eddy!