Off to the races!

Tomorrow is a Big Deal. Our intrepid Bilenky Tandem team is heading into the wilds of the Lehigh Valley (and, more troubling, its surrounding mountains) to ride in the grueling but polite Rapha Gentlman's Race.

Here is a video about it. No one connected with this race ever gets dirty.

Bob's spent the past few days putting together three racing machines from all the random tandems we have lying around. I went on a short spin on one yesterday. Bob is not a scary captain at all (but then, all the other guys I've ridden with have been TERRIFYING captains, so maybe Bob is just less terrifying.)

Another team member visited yesterday, the inimitable Sally Poliwoda of Sturdy Girl Cycling. She founded Sturdy Girl, which is Philadelphia's premier women's cycling club, back in 2003. She's been riding for 20 years, specializing in long distance.

Here she is, trying to convince a skeptical Bob that we are In It To Win It.

Also joining the team is Pat Engleman,

We hope he doesn't try to get this rad on a tandem.

And Michelle Lee:

We retrofitted her Serotta!

Here's a quote from her website: 

.... I can beat you up a hill in my big chainring, but I've got a problem with gravity-aided motion. That means you'll probably choke on the fumes of my smouldering brakes as you pass me on the way down...

And Caroline Gaynor:

Even her kit is carbon fiber?

"She has also been competing in triathlons for over 10 years and stair climbing (Empire State Building) races since 2007.  This summer, Caroline raced as a guide for a blind athlete in Ironman Lake Placid, having been given only five weeks to prepare. She and her athlete were the first blind female athlete/female guide pair to ever complete an Ironman triathlon..."

And finally Brian Gatens who is so mysterious that we don't even have a photo of him, but the internet hints at Ironman triathlons, fancy races, and possible James Bond-like urbanity. Hopefully he will become visible by the start line.

If you're staying in Philly this weekend you should come out for the Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby and watch me ride through a mudpit (Kensington KNOWS mud.) Look for the angry possum.

Have a great weekend, and GO TEAM BILENKY!

Isis
BCW

Events Events Event Events!

May is the bikiest month indeed. Everything is happening at once, and there aren't enough of us to go around. It was great to see old friends and new faces at the parts swap, and that was only the beginning. Here's a crib sheet:

THIS WEEKEND...

Head north for the Brooklyn Bike Jumble, say hi to Steve, and PLEASE buy all those wheels that are STILL oozing towards my area in an inexorable spokey tide.

Nooooo!

If you're staying in Philly, go to the epic Neighborhood Bike Works benefit alleycat, The Works I. We are a proud sponsor, so now's the time to try for that free paint job everyone's always bugging me about. Tons of prizes, fun race, great afterparty, and the best company in the world.

Be there, bring a spare.

NEXT WEEKEND....

Some of us will be heading down to the Classic Rendezvous in Greensboro NC. We'll have some super fancy items on display, including a gold-leafed Motobecane and Steve's beard. So come and indulge your unhealthy obsession with stunning, old school steel.

Ooooooooh

Unfortunately I won't be there-- I will be at the Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby, piloting something awesome. Not gonna say what it is though. You'll have to come and see. 

Awesome like this!

Meanwhile, Bob is off to ride in the Rapha Gentleman's race. Go Bob!

Here he is, doing some serious training

MEANWHILE, we'll also be at Dirtfest, thinking about mountain bikes and mud. 

Who needs teeth, anyway?

How, you ask, are we going to be at all those places at once?  I don't know! But we will. Defying minor obstacles like logic is a specialty at Bileny Cycle Works.  Especially in the spring. 

What are YOU doing this weekend?

...Because if you are anyone who is ANYONE you'll be at the Trexlertown Swap Meet, which is actually called the Valley Preferred Cycling Center Spring Flea Market (everyone calls it the Trexlertown Swap Meet, though)

Our bleary, barely conscious, up-at-six selves will be selling REALLY AWESOME STUFF. Like, a couple of frames, our few remaining pink hats, shirts, various fancy doo-dads, and about eight hundred wheels which I really hope find buyers because they are slowly marching their inexorable way into MY AREA.

There'll also be a viewpoint on display, as well as a fancy dog themed mountain bike. Definitely worth a drive. And there's beer, too.

In other news, we actually finished those Pugsley-wheel monster dinosaur bikes in time! We had about two hours to spare, since their owners' Australian visas were running out.

Here is Steve, with the female:

Wait! Come back! It's done!

Built up, they got even bigger:

The dots on the rims are rhinestone peace signs, in case you were wondering

And here's one fully loaded:

That is a surfboard on the back, yeah.

It's thrilling that our bikes, fabricated in North Philadelphia, are heading out to ride over beaches on the other side of the world. 

There are lots and lots of other events coming up this month. I'll keep you posted. 

See ya'll at the swap!

Isis

BCW

The Biggest Bikes and the Pinkest Hats

A pair of small Australians ordered a couple of bikes recently. This isn't too unusual, since we ship bikes all over the globe, often in groups of about two. But these bikes were special.

At first the looked like bridges:

Here, Bob is attacking one.

Then they started looking like dinosaurs.

Here, one is attacking Brian. Look out!

Now they are looking pink and green, respectively. They are made to ride on beaches and transport surfboards. The rims are four inches wide. They are, fortunately, herbivores. I will put more pictures up when they're done. 

We've acquired a new intern. His name is Sam and he is translucent. 

"Lights are unsafe! Helmets are unsafe! Brakes are unsafe!" 

Hopefully his sojourn here will lend him some common sense, as well as opacity.

We've also acquired a bunch of sweet Bilenky hats. It's a limited edition and going fast, so call us up to order yours ASAP. 

Here's one on Carl:

And looking epic, too.

Here's one on me:

Get that camera away from me!

Here's one on Kasy's front rack:

Don't ask what's all over his bars. 

Bilenky hats look great on everything. 

If you happen to live in NYC, you should go to the New Amsterdam Bike Show this Saturday. We'll be representin'. 

I better scram. Shop's a little full right now:

We're chipping away, slowly but surely....

See you in NYC!

Isis 

BCW

Spring Update!

Happy spring from the grimy crew at Bilenky! As the weather warms we are removing our winter clothes for the first time in months, shooing the hibernating animals out of our hair and beards, and considering carrying our fifty pound snow bikes into the basement at last. My hat has turned pink from excitement.

It was a black beret all winter

Spring brings announcements, some exciting, some bittersweet. In the latter category is Simon's departure to start his own brand, Hanford Cycles. I did a longer story about it on my Wheelgrinders blog. We all wish Simon the best of luck and miss his noisy presence (but NOT the BBC Radio 4. Not even a little.)

CXHairs came by the other day to work on a documentary on our Junkyard Cross. They're going to show it in the Bicycle Film Festival!

Here's one of last year's winners looking contemplative

Also, we have an unprecedented number of demos and display models for sale. If you want a Bilenky and don't want to wait, now's your chance. 

Oh to be a few inches taller

NAHBS was a success as always. Our ridiculously fancy mixte won best lugs, and impressed everyone with its overwrought majesty.

Thanks to Urban Velo for the studio shot

Look for us at the San Diego Bike Expo next month, too. 

Steve would like to add that he left two bananas in his bag and they totally mummified, without leaving any banana slime anywhere.

It's a good omen!!



So here's hoping for a good spring full of new ventures, shiny bikes, adventures, and panniers unsullied decaying organic matter.

Isis

BCW