Happy Thanksgiving from Brooklyn!

(pics and instructions on your own biketissery here)

Blast Off!!!!!!

"The Launchpad" is our new "trick specific/700cmx/fixed freestyle" frame. The first frames are nearing completion and should be trickling out to paint in the next week. All of the first batch is spoken for but some will be available in shops that have preordered them.
Our friends in LA, Orange 20 are first on the list to have some in stock. The bros at WBASE ,Chari & Co., Brooklyn Bicycles, and Tokyo Fixed Gear are all on the list to have frames soon too. If you can't get your hands on one from this first run, we will be taking orders for the next, hopefully to be completed in the very near future.

"The Launchpad" is going to be offered in long and short top-tube versions with the option of either a Mid or Euro bottom bracket shell with a 45x45 integrated headtube. Color options are black, red, and clear. The long version has a taller standover and slightly steeper HT angle than the short. Overall, the geometry of this frame isn't a much of a departure from the "Gangsta". This thing is more stout than it's older brother and has ample tire clearance. We're pretty stoked on it and the addition of our "Clusterfork" is going to make for a kickass frameset that sells for $850MSRP and is handmade here in Brooklyn.

Geometry is as follows:

HT angle - 72.5(short), 73.5(long)
ST angle - 72
CS length - 15.75" to 16.75"
BB drop - -2.40"
TT length (actual) - 21"(short), 22.5"(long)
ST length (c-to-t) - 16.25"(short), 18.5"(long)


Here are a few pics of Jeremiah's from Hold Fast FRS production prototype. We'll have some shots of the frame alone when one comes back from paint this week.

Gobble.

CRANKSGIVING!

From the site:
"Since 1998, New York City bike messengers have raised food for their city's homeless the week before Thanksgiving. Like any other race, Cranksgiving tests your skills and speed navigating chaotic city traffic. However, unlike any other race, it tests the sharpness of your wits as you navigate the aisles of grocery stores searching for specific food items. Once you've found them, made your way through the checkout lines and finished the race, all of your food will be donated to a local homeless shelter."

We get it all the time...

Only 2 more weekends left to ride at Platekill , so pack some long sleeves and a windbreaker and meet us up on the mountain, take a few runs, and talk about how fast you'll be next season over a few beers.

Keep an eye out for our friend Nito's latest Konkrete bike tee, available at the Plattekill shop, or it they're sold out already, they'll surely be available for sale elsewhere on the mountain.




Have a good weekend riding, everyone!

Lil' Pic...

Oh hells yes:

We'll have what they're having.

As much as we like to think we have a good time here in Brooklyn, the real party on Powers Street are these two guys we found after lunch.
The guy on the right was busy polishing his top tube. The guy on the left, well, watch the video...


In other news, the London to Paris film will premiere tomorrow in the Lower East Side.

Words:
"On Thursday night, WNW will play host to the premiere of “London to Paris,” a film by Grace Ladoja. Documenting the journey of 10 riders traveling from London to Paris to the finale of the Tour de France this summer, and to meet Lance Armstrong at the opening of STAGES at Perrotin Gallery.
It’s a gorgeous short film and an uncanny portrait of the intersection of cycling and pop culture in 2009. The fact that many of the riders made the trip on fixed gear bikes makes their journey (and the film) that much more impressive.
Join us for the first NYC screening of “London to Paris” on Thursday October 30th at 7pm."

Looped.

We just learned that LOOP magazine dropped in Japan. It's packed with pages of photos shot by our friend and NY bike culture photagrapher extrorinarre, Tak, and the front cover is graced by Jeramiah Jones (of Holdfast fame) on his Brooklyn Element frame, which we'll be releasing in limited numbers in time for Christmas.


It's the second time a Brooklyn rider has been featured on a cover this month (we're trying to get our hands on copies of both). Thanks to everyone here in Brooklyn and Japan for reppin' hard!

Toff Flow

Dan Toff has been killin' it all year all over the globe, from right here in Brooklyn to Whistler, British Columbia.
We put him on a Big Ben 26" on his last spin through the shop. Here's how he's acclimating to big wheels:

At the park:

At the Trails:

(Thanks to Josh Elford for the media. Awesome shots!)

Dan is back in the UK gearing up for his first year of University -
* CONGRATS, TOFF! *

Hopefully he'll learn more (and earn more) than he did couch-surfing across America, where he learned that Americans find catapult accidents hilarious, and that little people with catapults get their own compelling reality TV shows:

Weekend Update

Here's a bunch of pictures we stole of stuff that happened this weekend:

Austin drank a Bunch of Redbull and rode too fast to get photographed, but check back for some photo action of Mr. Horse and the boys at Outlier...(heal up, Abe!)





NYC was was teeming with Luchadore-maked polo players for the Los Marcos Polo Tournament.
Check out Brooklyn rider and local Polo hero Doug D's blog for updates and a photo recap of this year's mayhem:







The afterparty ended up at 470 space, HasibiGBs, where the disparate corners of the NYC bike universe converged to get half-naked and dance:

Fiona, of Fifoycle fame, expresses her love of tie-dye after a full day of polo on her Gangsta Track.






Luke gets wastey faced and educates revelers as to the beverage pricing structure:

Internet celebrities can't believe the wore the same thing:

Adriana seen in Brooklyn for the first time since we tried to help set up her bike minutes before she took off to pedal it across the country fueled by sheer will and delicious delicious Vodka:

Fall is dizzy season for bikes in New York, we'll try to keep on top of some of it.

(Pics shamelessly stolen from Doug and Hannah, thanks for partying!-Luke)

that was quick...

Clusterforks are back in what might be the fastest paint turnaround time we've ever had. Doing business locally sometimes has some advantages to balance out the headaches of manufacturing in Brooklyn.




Here's a couple of detail shots. The black is semi-gloss.






Look for Brooklyn's resident polo maven to be cruising around on one while doing the injured reserve thing and shooting photos this weekend, for his site, www.hardcourtbikepolo.com.





From the world of Brooklyn's with smaller wheels, trials dude Dan Bowhers(Mr. NY) came up with a new web edit. Late pass on this one, we've been busy.

Untitled from Dan Bowhers on Vimeo.

Clusterfork!

The first batch of the Brooklyn Machine Works "Clusterfork" is finally heading off to paint and will be ready to ship next week. Specs are as follows:

Axle-to-crown height - 410mm
Axle offset - 31.75mm
Axle slot - 9mm
Weight - 1360 grams
Handmade right here in our shop in Brooklyn, NY.
$175

The legs have a slight two degree taper so that the average fixed tire isn't swimming in space, but still has clearance for just about any tire currently available.

One caveat of this first batch, the steertubes are a little on the short side, due to them originally being meant for bmx forks. New, longer steertubes are currently being made that should have plenty of length and will be used on the next batch that is due to go into production in the near future. So for now, the steertube length is 170mm with a few available at 195mm. Be sure to check your stack height before ordering one from the first batch. From what we can tell, the short ones will work with any of the Gangsta' frames currently out, provided that one isn't using a tall stem or spacers.

Lastly, they come in any color, as long as it's black and 990 mounts will be available in the next batch. Send us an email or call for any ordering or questions you might have. Thanks.

Ohio.

Taking a break from the Japan/Vegas trip, we'd like to point your attention to Ray's MTB park in Clevland, Ohio.

We've heard Ray and his dedicated crew have been hard at work since we visited last year, but we had no idea they were taking it to this level:

Check the Vid, or Ray's Site for all the new improvements:




We've been really surprised at how far Ray has come along in making his dream become a reality, and hope to see the park grow even further. We can't wait to make the trip back to Ohio, and if you get the chance to make it out there before we do, be sure to throw a leg over one of the Brooklyn demo bikes we have there and snap a pic of this box jump.

Booyah! Thanks, Ray!

(But maybe not the Gangsta Track since we'll be stopping production soon. )

Have a great weekend riding!

Back from Japan.

Things at the shop have been full speed with new metal coming in every day and half of us traveling the globe. Here's a recap of what's been going on outside of Brooklyn.

BMW Superfan Number one walks fast, evidently:

JAHN PRORRY...gets blogsupn.

Kym P. wondering why everyone starts inching backwards after her fifth Sake Bomb:

More pictures are popping up by the hour, like this one we stole from INCASE, of friends, bikes , and general Japanese mayhem.

(Yes, that's our new fancy prototype fixed frame)

Feel free to share, incriminating photos of Joe and Austin can be sent to BMW@Brooklynmachineworks.com.

Lego Lids.

Crappy Pictures: Good Fun.

Summer temps have been churning on here in NY so while the Tokyo crew prepared to hit Vegas, the rest of us here in Brooklyn decided to take an impromptu lunch break at the dirt jumps in Cunningham Park.

*Bike Check*

*Brooklyn Park bike (1X9 trail setup)
*Brooklyn ACL
*OG BK park bike (24"/26"Fixed!)
*FBM 20"
*Brooklyn Big Ben (SS)

Chillin' at the top of the pump track:
Seth putting some distance on Darren:
Darren pumpin':
Maya holding his line:
Luke tucking low on the Big Ben:
Moving to the DJs Ken felt out a hip:
Maya sessioned the middle:
After splitting up for some trail miles, everyone met at the fresh stepdown/stepup/berms being built on the backside of the park.

Darren feeling the gap:
Ken tossing around the ACL:
Luke rockin' factory pilot style:
Seth working the step up brakeless after Luke broke off the lever on his thigh:

We still made it back to the shop in time to eat and answer calls. Whether you've been dumped by a hedge fund or worked the cheese counter at Whole Foods , go burn off some steam on two wheels and relax a bit. Money comes and goes but chill NE days spent riding with friends are priceless.
Check out NYCMTB, C.L.I.M.B, or IMBA to get involved wherever you are.
Peace.