Kara Ginther Leather Studio

Kara Ginther Leather Studio from Steve Nelson on Vimeo.

I recently came across this great video showcasing Kara's work and her leather studio in Wisconsin. How awesome is that space! I actually met Kara almost exactly 4 years ago when she did an exhibit at NCC while I was working there. I took a bunch of photos at that event too, which are floating around somewhere on the net. Apparently, I barely knew what I was doing because the white balance is all screwed up (every photo I took in that shop looked like it was dipped in orange soda until I finally pre-set the camera), but a few of those photos can be seen here. Anyways, Kara is very skillful and it's nice to see her getting more recognition.

The Brooks B1866 Store

Brooks has recently been working to open up the first Brooks Store in London, and I've been following their progress on Facebook for a little while now. Well, it's finally open, and I'm goin' bonkers for this place. It's beautiful. Reminds me of Heritage Bicycles, here in Chicago. Check out some more photos and a write-up of B1866 here.

Brooks Cambium - Available Now

The new Brooks Cambium saddles are now available! I unfortunately didn't get the chance to test one out, but I would really consider purchasing one. There are two versions currently available - a mens and women's - and while it's not made of leather, it looks to be extremely comfortable while still maintaining the classic Brooks aesthetic. The shape looks great, it's maintenance free, covered in organic cotton canvas, completely waterproof, and also vegan. Essentially, it's a Brooks saddle without any of the downsides of a typical Brooks saddle. There will be an even narrower race-oriented version available soon too. I'm so curious to see one in person!

Get more info here.

The Brooks Cambium

Brooks will soon be introducing a brand new "vegan friendly" saddle called the Cambium (C17). I am not really opposed to using leather products, but from what I can see, this saddle looks to be a very promising alternative. It's made from a "uniquely flexible natural rubber and organic cotton top", which makes this saddle maintenance free and perhaps a bit less delicate than a traditional leather Brooks. The shape and look reminds me of the classic Selle San Marco Regal saddles. I'd love to get a hold of one of these, and you can register to test one here.

More info here.

Brooks/Land's End & John O'Groats Travel Panniers

I'm not really sure what role Land's End played in the production of these panniers, but they appear to be very well designed and look great. This short video was done well and effectively demonstrates just how much crap you can fit in these panniers.

The Great Frostbike Photo-dump

Yet another Frostbike came and went. As usual, it was a blast and I had a ton of fun hangin out with good friends, meeting nice new people, and drooling over some amazing products. I took a ton of photos and I'm too tired from uploading/sorting/editing everything to write much of a description, but they're pretty self-explanatory. A big thanks to QBP for putting on an awesome show and taking great care of everyone who attended. I'm always blown away by their hospitality and thoughtfulness. Also a big thanks to Handsome Cycles and One-On-One Bike Studio for putting on a killer party at the Cutter's Ball, and to Sram for providing the many kegs of beer. I might dedicate a separate post just for Cutter's Ball photos, but we'll see if I find the motivation...

Anyways, enjoy a bunch of photos of cool bike stuff below...

ReOrganizing/ReCycling at the Bike Shop

The innertube department has always been a bit of a lost cause here at the shop. It will typically stay organized for a week at most, before reverting to something that resembles a schizophrenic's pantry (food often finds it's way into the many compartments). This time of year, things slow down just a bit, giving us time to tackle these types of issues.

New Brooks Gear

Last week we were visited by Michael from Brooks. He brought with him a ton of new gear that should be available very soon, if not already. All of the new bags and apparel are very clever and well designed. Tyler models the new Rain Cape above. It rolls up and attaches to the back of your saddle when not in use and features reflective tweed accents.

More here.