FORMAL FRIDAY 2011

How time flies! It's already third year sharp dressed men are racing around Tampere. I thought I took tens of photos but seems that they all are about barbershops and bike repair shops(task given on manifest..) For not-so-big-surprise Paavo took the first prize(Shimano short sleeve jersey. Size: XXXS).

KASHIMAX PROMOTION FILM

FORMAL FRIDAY PRE-TASTE

STADI SUMMER SESSION SHOTS

Here´s a few photos from the sessions. I think it´s about a time to buy a new camera, 
since that crappy pocket one sucks on speed shots.

WTF #2

Would You buy this one? Read the entire ad  here!

KING OF FIXED 2011

Samuli is the King Of Fixed 2011.

Photo by Toni Tiainen. Here is more.

STADI SUMMER SESSION FINALS

Damn it was great sessions! Huge airs and totally amazing tricks made. Trophy went to Gary Young (USA). Took a few photos of the session. Unfortunately not many good ones. Will put a few later to this post. Photos below by Kai Kuusisto. Here´s top three:
1. Gary Young USA
2. Alex Coleborn GBR
3. Daniel Tünte GER  

WTF! #1

Found this from ebay.com. Lunetten pista frameset made by Jan Kole from Netherland. Hand brazed, tig welded frames with very odd details like below (That´s a 10 cent coin). WTF! 20 years of frame making, but unfortunately (sorry mate) I just can not see it by looking these frames and the price tag! More here.

KOF (King Of Fixed) -THIS WEEKEND

KING OF FIXED a.k.a KOF , Saturday 20th of August is held at Sompasaari, Helsinki. Starting time 1pm!
There will be several events including trackstanding, skidding, track race etc.  If I am understood correctly the last event is the Alley Cat race. Hopefully it will be a sunny day! I will update this post, if there will be some changes to the schedule.

VELOBREAKFAST 15-08-2011

@Helsinki olympic velodrome. Photos (C) Teemu Mykkänen. Here is some more.

NJS FRAME PICKS #2

At the moment there´s two new beautiful Georama´s at NJS Export. Both priced 
over 2K´s tho. First with the all chrome lugs. The second one is the pursuit frame 
with 650C fork. Retail price around $3500.

THE COMMUTER BY LEVI´S

LET´S HAVE A PINT AND MORE.

Tonight Flow festival will gather the hipsters all around into a one big furnace. Since the Q-tip cancelled, I decided to get wasted with one and only Flogging Molly. By the way, forgot to shop the latests freshest rags and style my hair. Instead of all that crap I´ll rely on my Fred Perry´s, braces and bald head. So all you hipsters out there competing who has the freshest looks and knowledge of the bands no ones heard off; Kiss my wannabe irish arse- Sláinte!

VELODROME, TAMPERE FINLAND

If Rocky Balboa was a racing cyclist, this is where he would train. Tampere wooden velodrome has passed it's best-before date but after training hard here Italian Stallion would beat that slick carbon frame riding, aero helmet wearing Ivan Drago anytime!

PAKE ALUMINUM FRAMESET

This may be old, but I have not seen this before. Pake aluminum frameset! Looks great for me. Better than those Vigorell´s, TK´s, Leader´s etc. I had Pake steel frame before got my first Gan Well Pro and I have absolutely nothing bad to say about them. For the price under $500 I think this is not a bad deal. 

ARCHIPELAGO TOUR

Summer vacation is over and it’s time to unpack some pictures from my phone.

On July we took our bikes to Turku to ride the Archipelago Trail(saariston rengastie). It's about 200km route, going from island to another. Ferries are mostly free of charge and no reservation of any kind is needed.

On first day we put our bikes together in Turku and ate fast lunch in the park. After that we started riding to first ferry. Our plan was to sleep in Nauvo(we had tent + sleeping bags packed), but it was Sunday evening when we got there and all the shops were closed and we didn't have any food left so we decided to keep on pedaling and try to find something to eat on next ferry. 


At Korppoo port was a small shop where we fueled ourselves with fries, candy and beer. Exactly what we needed! After getting our primary needs met we decided to ride some more.. until sunset. Nice small roads, up hill, down hill, almost no cars..fast fast fast! Finally we stopped at Houtskari camping site. They had warm showers and all-you-can-eat breakfast. But I couldn't really sleep there. I don't know, maybe it's a tent and the nature, all birds chirping and mosquitos buzzing and just so hard to calm down after several hours of intensive riding.

Up at 8am. Breakfast and to next ferry. This one was only ferry that cost something. I think it was 6e/bike and 3e/person. So shouldn't break your budget anyway. We met other bike travellers, visited some small villages, churches etc. Waited 4h for last ferry to mainland. Then about 50km ride back to Turku. No flats.Very windy.




Text and photos by MarkyMarkus

"FULLSPEED" TEE

Just got a packet from guys of Stryker Los Angeles. Nice quality shirt with a large kanji "Fullspeed" print on back. On front there´s a simple picture of an drop bar and their shops name Engine No.11.  Unfortunately the shop will not ship internationally at this point. We surely hope they will some time soon! (No, the chopsticks was not with the shirt;) Here is their website.

 



 ^Photo above is an courtesy of Stryker LA.

BIKE EVENTS THIS MONTH

After last weekends Polo Championship there ain´t much time to rest, ´cause it seems to be a good month for a bike events.  On saturday 20th there will the KOF (King Of Fixed) at Helsinki. On a same day there´s a change to see a worldclass BMX biking when Simple Summer Session hits the Narinkkatori in helsinki city center.

A week after KOF there will be the Formal Friday at tampere. So tell you mama to start ironing your dress shirts and trousers!

Helsinki olympic velodrome is still dry, and morning Yksivaihde velo breakfasts are still running.

Every monday there will be polo session at Väiski. On wednesdays Keskarit (place changes every week).

And last for those who been wondering when Critical Masses are held, here´s the link for the event on facebook.

From today you will find all the events based in Finland on a right panel off the blog. If there´s something that I have forgot and should be on a list, give me a mail. For the international followers; international events are welcome too!

TAMPERE TOOK THE TITLE!!!!

Tampere won the first ever bicycle polo championship of Finland. Tampere´s team Tre Kronor won helsinki´s own  SHW Dets It 5-4 in a tough final. Snikt! from helsinki took the third place. We salute you! Here´s a few pics from the final. 

Here´s some more: