Keirin Cycles R.I.P.

It's a sad day for the cycling community down here in Miami. I've just been informed that the great Keirin Cycles is no longer open for business. After being in service for a little over a year, they unfortunately have closed indefinitely, which is terrible news since I've always supported them from the beginning. They were the only shop in Miami where one could come into, drink a beer while Nick, Thomas or Fabian worked on your bike (without charging you labor if you were cool enough with the boys), watch videos and talk cycling shit for hours on end. They stocked quality frames and accessories, had the most knowledgeable staff in Florida and put together a slew of unforgettable events. It was definitely the hub for all fixed gear/track riders in South Florida and it will be dearly missed from deep within. It was the only shop of it's kind here in Miami and I doubt there will ever be another. Here's to Nick and Thomas for all the hard work they've accomplished. When I see you guys, first round is on me!

Race Against Time Alleycat NYC 2010

Here is another alleycat that took place this summer in NYC filmed by the one and only Crihs. I just love the way he films these races with his mounted Go-Pro cam. It puts you right in the perspective of the rider and shows whats smack in front of you. This particular race was held during the 10th anniversary of the Bicycle Film Festival and it's course ran all the way through the gritty NYC streets. Check out how intense it was below. Hold on tight!

BFF 2010 10th Anniversary alleycat Race Against Time from crihs on Vimeo.

Deftones Live @ The Fillmore

Last Wednesday was probably one of the best musical moments of my life. I had the privilege of seeing the great Deftones perform live in an excellent venue, The Fillmore, which is probably one of my favorite places to see a show due to it's sounds and sightlines, plus it's diverse range of bookings. I've only been there once before to see Morrissey back in '98, which was another excellent show, but both shows were immaculate in terms of quality.

At approximately 9:45pm, Stephan, Frank, Abe, Sergio and finally Chino stormed the stage and opened up the set with the genius composition, "Diamond eyes" followed by "Rocket skates" and "Beauty school". They then rolled into a few gems off their second album, 'Around The Fur' such as "Be quiet and drive" and the legendary song that got me into them in the first place, "My own summer". Each and every detail about this show was perfectly in place. The lighting, sound, crowd, and the overall ambiance was undeniably good! The way the band played that night was relentless which Chino's notes were perfectly aligned with. An assortment of tracks were played from all of their releases but the intensity level of the show really went through the roof as they went into an old school set with various songs off their first release, 'Adrenaline'. Classics such as "Nosebleed", "Birthmark" and "Engine No.9" really got everything moving, even lead singer Chino as he got off stage and interacted with the souped-up crowd. They finished things off with the ultra kicker "7 words" and before I knew it the night was over and the equipment was being broken down.

A Deftones performance can be easily described as emotional, aggressive, suggestive and intense. They know how to push the envelope, work the crowd, and bring everything together during their powerful live sets. They've mastered the art of performance and it emanates from them naturally. I've made a pact with myself to never miss a Deftones show, ever!

Below are some photos of the show. View an excerpt of the performance here and check out the entire set-list here.

Archival Thursdays: Deftones - Saturday Night Wrist (2006)

I know what your thinking, "another Deftones Archival Thursday?!" Well, yes! And that's because I went to see them perform a kick ass show last night at The Fillmore here in Miami Beach (will post pics/review soon). 'Saturday Night Wrist' was their first album after a 3-year break/hiatus that almost led to the bands demise. The wonderful opening track "Hole in the earth", was written by lead singer Chino Moreno when the band could not find themselves as a whole nor could agree on a direction for 'Saturday Night Wrist', which in turn created a beautiful release. The tracks "Kimdracula", "Beware" and "Cherry waves" are constantly being played in the great soundtrack of my life, and the rest of the album stays solid throughout the course.

I purchased this release in 2006 from eBay since Deftones vinyl is almost impossible to come across in local shops.

The City Sleeps

The City Sleeps is a photo journal from several Wall Street Journal photographers that were sent "out overnight to shoot the city during the hours when most of its citizens are sleeping." I love this idea. It reminds me when I used to trek home in the wee hours after a night at NASA or The Bank. The city looks so vulnerable and forgiving, almost like it's yours to cherish all to yourself. The madness is briefly elsewhere and the traffic is gone. The dark corners and alleys put a little bounce in my step, and that brisk night air is just a reminder to get home to that warm bed that awaits. I really miss NY! I need to finally move back for round two!

Anyhow, below are some of my favorites from this excellent photo set, view the rest of them here. Thanks to Prolly on this one.




Photos by Ramsay de Give and Keith Bedford

Supreme Fall/Winter '10

Coming correct once again, Supreme released a sneak peak into their 2010 fall/winter collection this morning. Impressive to say the least, and quite on point with various hues of brown, gray, green and khaki, this is what a fall/winter collection should look like. The 'Ripstop Parka' in black is sick as hell and would go great with a pair of those dope green 'Chino' pants. And what about those intricate accessories they've been known for, such as that 'switchblade comb' or that 'scorpion keychain' which is probably my favorite accessory, maybe since I am a Scorpio!? And that 'Wilson football' comes just in time for the football season. Great colorways and legit designs make this the season to look out for Supreme.
























The new collection will drop September 2nd in NY & LA, September 4th in Japan and online September 9th. View the rest of the 2010 fall/winter collection here, and be sure to check out the Supreme Look-book featuring Jason Dill on the modeling front here.

The Climb

South Florida's highest bridge is the William Powell which connects Miami to Key Biscayne via the Rickenbacker Causeway. It stretches over a mile long, reaches 75 feet high and is one hell of a climb on a bicycle, let alone on a fixed gear. I've done it countless times and it always puts you in your place with it's furious never-ending ascend to the sky. The key is to not look up and just keep pushing. Take a look below at my boy Luke leading the way during a beautiful Miami eve this past week.

Archival Thursdays: DJ Food - Jazz Brakes vol.4 (1993)

DJ Food is the alias of several people, not just one single person as it's commonly assumed. The core members consist of Strictly Kev, Matt Black and Jonathan Moore (aka Coldcut), all products of the legendary UK based Ninja Tune label, but there are a few other collaborators from time to time as well. They've been known to produce bottom heavy beats within many genres and are experts in mixing records and creating seamless mix-sets on the fly. These are professional beat conductors and true turntablists at heart. 'Jazz Brakes vol.4' was one of the earlier records and is chock full of blunted out beats and smooth samples with elements of hip-hop scattered throughout. Be sure to check out my personal favorites "Sunvibes" and "Living beats" as well as the rest of the LP which will surely gain your seal of approval.

I bought this release about 7 years ago on eBay from some dude in France. Also, be sure to check out some great DJ Food mix-sets available for download here.

Chasing Legends

The Tour de France is the one of the most brutal, punishing events in sports history and the oldest race to date, going back to 1903. These guys endure 120+ miles a day for three weeks non-stop along the beautiful roads and mountains of Northern Europe. This years Tour de France was seriously entertaining and I still believe that it was Andy Schleck's race until his chain popped and Alberto Contador attacked relentlessly on the poor man. There were controversies, wrecks, fights, horrible weather at times, and the craziest of spectators almost killing the riders by getting in the path of the race, making it a grand spectacle.

Gripped Films just recently released a dvd titled Chasing Legends, an in-depth look into the cyclists and people of the Tour de France. It covers all aspects of the legendary race as well as professional cycling as we know it. It features masters such as Eddy Merckx, Mark Cavendish, Lance Armstrong, Phil Ligett and many more. For more info and trailers hit up the official website here. Check out the main trailer below.

Essential 'Lazy Sunday' Listening

I've always been a fan of good ole' American rock. I grew up listening to legends like Bruce Springsteen, John Cougar Mellencamp, Brian Adams, etc. That being said, the new Tom Petty album, 'Mojo', kicks some pretty solid ass! It was released last month and is their first in eight years. Check out this wonderfully produced track off 'Mojo' titled "The trip to pirates cove", which I find fits perfect with my coffee on a lazy Sunday morning. Turn it up!


Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - The Trip to Pirate’s Cove found on Rock

Fast Forward Miami

Last month DVS Shoes & Cadence joined forces to produce a series of alleycat races throughout the globe. They traveled to 12 cities to pick 12 riders for a final race back in San Francisco. Cyclists from Tokyo, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Auckland, Paris, Miami and a few other cities competed for that first place spot to secure their trip to the final race in San Fran.

Here in Miami the race was pretty close and was definitely lots of fun. The race ended with Claudio in first place, my brother from the 'leah, Ivancito, in second place, and my other good homie Alex following in third. Unfortunately, Claudio can't make the trip to the final race due to other commitments so they are giving Ivan an opportunity to represent the MIA. Who else? Ivan is fast as shit! Sooner or later, I've been told that a fundraiser type bicycle swap meet might go down to hook up our brethren with a little cash for his trip to the west coast. Check out this wonderful video by Richard Quintero for the Miami event below. It features great shots of my favorite route, the Venetian, and also contains footage of the after party at Black Bar here in the design district. Extra special thanks to Keirin for putting together such a great event.

DVS - Fast Forward from Richard Quintero on Vimeo.

Archival Thursdays: Bochum Welt - Module 2 (1996)

This Archival Thursday is long overdue as Bochum Welt is such a talented producer and one of my favorites from the electro genre. 'Module 2', released on Aphex Twin's timeless Rephlex label back during the great musical year of 1996, is a steady blend of ambient-techno and atmospheric-electro. Tracks such as "Radiopropulsive" and "That's mutuality" simply soothe in every way. Lush electronics with subtle 80's analog tones make this one of Bochum Welt's most sought after release, and a landmark album for the Rephlex label.

I purchased this beauty of a copy from a small store, which closed a few months after opening on South Beach called 'Osiel'.

Cinelli Mash Histogram

Two months back during the Tour Of California, Mash held an exhibition at Project Space in L.A. The installations were photo's of last years Tour Of California which the Mash crew participated in. To commemorate this, Cinelli, along with the Mash boys, produced the Cinelli Mash Histogram frame-set to go along with the installations. There are only three of these beauties in existence, which are exactly the same in colorway, just different sizes. According to Mash, "the finished product is produced with a 2010 Columbus/Cinelli/MASH frame-set, with powder coat, matte clear coat, fine die-cuts." It's truly a beautiful piece, I wouldn't even want to ride it! Check out some photos and recap of the exhibit here.



Just the other day this highly coveted, limited frame-set popped up on eBay, fully built up and complete with a starting bid of $2,500 and a 'Buy it now' price of $4,000. It's a size 55cm and comes strapped with some pretty decent parts, though I would definitely modify a few. There are no bids yet, shit I wish I had money to just throw around, but it can be yours by clicking here! Go ahead, live dangerously! Below are some photos of the Cinelli Mash Histogram that is up for auction.