Intersection Germany

15 February 2009

I’m in Berlin this weekend, working on the upcoming launch of Intersection Germany, and got picked up at the airport in one of the stickered-up VW Touaregs they use as taxis during the film festival.

Outlier Pants

13 February 2009

Just received my Outlier OG pants, and after a quick stint at the tailor to fit my unreasonably short legs, I tried them out yesterday in the kind of weather they were made for: rain, wet snow, sleet. Played bike polo in a snowstorm, rode home in a downpour, and was amazed to be still dry at the end of the day! Well done Abe & Tyler. All I need now is an equally waterproof suit jacket to match…

Rapha office

11 February 2009

I passed by the Rapha office today to say hello to some friends, and had a look at their new collection. Everyone over there is just totally passionate about bikes – I bumped into co-founder Simon Mottram in full rain gear heading out when I arrived – no fancy chauffeur service for the MD in this company…

The Rouleur corner:

Rapha have a real-size version of that Citroen van for events:

Nice wrapping paper:

New “pro model” T-shirts:

Some patriotic Jerseys and shorts – choose your country:

Cover art by H5

6 February 2009

I just received the first copies of this book: This is the end – Cover art by H5.

H5 is a design collective from Paris, and I used to be loosely part of the team (mainly running a Greek sandwich stall in the back of the office). We’ve stayed friends since I moved to London, and last year they asked me to write the introduction to the book (nicely put together by De Valence), which shows exclusively their vinyl album covers.

There is a launch party at the Palais de Tokyo on the 18th of February if you happen to be in Paris.

Driven Pt.1: Audi Q5

6 February 2009

Drove briefly the new Audi Q5 we had in the office this morning, nice enough, surprisingly quick for a 2 liter engine, and as usual with Audis, extremely well put together and finished in the details. Personally not a big fan of this segment of vehicles (small SUVs? Crossovers? Whatevers?), and this one doesn’t add much to the mix, but the headlights and taillights are just works of art.

TWOnFRO

2 February 2009

Karta had a booth at a fashion trade show in Paris this weekend, and was showing new pieces of his collection, TWOnFRO. All of them bike-specific, with reflective materials, clever pockets and cuts, eco-friendly or recycled fabrics, etc…

Loving the hats:

Some saddle cover apparatus with pockets/ears:

Karta:

Karta with one of his mad masks, which may prove popular in China, where he is based:

Friends and their wheels / pt.11

31 January 2009

The good (or bad) thing about having a very unique vehicle – be it a car, bike or boat – is that anywhere you park it, your friends will see it and be aware of your presence.

Yesterday, Patrice Meignan, who publishes the French edition of Intersection Magazine, saw Lapo Elkann’s matt black Maserati Granturismo parked in Paris, so left a copy of the mag on the windshield with a note. I had seen – and loved – his car last year in Milan, and we had an impromptu cross-town race (I was on my bike – guess who won…).

Later on we all hooked up for a coffee, and I took a shot of Lapo in front of his stealthy beast:

Corto Moltedo Shop Opening

30 January 2009

I am in Paris this week, so passed by the shop opening of Corto Moltedo, bag designer and transatlantic Italo-American gentleman. He opened his store in the magnificent Jardins Du Palais Royal, and made the place look understated and unpretentious, so that his bright and playful creations stand out even more.
Look out for my limited edition leather messenger bag by Corto coming out soon… right Gabriele?

Every store needs a (giant if possible) Lucky Cat:

Great laptop bags with a cassette tape pattern:

I am a big fan of monograms and this one is amongst my favorites:

Gabriele Corto Moltedo on the left and my mother-in-law on the right:

The Tweed Run

25 January 2009

Since moving to London from Paris about 8 years ago, one thing I have never underestimated is the unrivalled ability of the British to jump on an occasion to dress up. Yesterday I took part in the first Tweed Run, a group ride gathering about 150 cyclists, all dressed in tweed, plus fours, flat caps, etc… A lot of them brought their classic bikes along, with some dating as far back as 1909. Our leisurely stroll took us around London, clearly puzzling foreign tourists and locals alike.

Teddy, the organizer:

More dapper chaps:

Tweed Vans! Nice one:

A tweed disc wheel with buttons:

Sadly my Gitane bike with moustache bars and front basket was not ready, so I had to resort to a less fitting bicycle:

Some better pictures here.

Tour De Ville bicycle store in London

21 January 2009

I finally found time this morning to pass by Tour De Ville.

Set up by two friends of mine, Jos “Da Boss” van Veldhoven – undisputed bike king of the London streets – and Keith James – expert frame builder and pivotal figure of the scene – the shop is going to make bike enthusiasts drool. Filled to the rafters with vintage bikes, track and road frames, pristine old cycling shoes, rare parts and old school wool jerseys, it also serves as a repair/workshop. You can get served coffee and drinks whilst you flick through books and magazines celebrating bike culture. The minute Japanese collectors find out about this place, chartered buses from Harajuku will start to park upfront!

Well done guys.

Jos: