A bit about Work. And commute.

The UMass Bike Coop, a small, narrow high ceiling room in the University's Student Union. We try and make it work but space is an issue, to get an idea of the space its about two and a half bikes wide and maybe eight long, we have one stand which two mechanics can work on at once. But with the weather becoming nice here in Western Mass, the bikes are coming out. We do have a small storage space outside under an over hang. We are the underdog student business on campus, we are stereotyped as the goofs and underachievers, I can say we work hard to keep this shop going and as one of the two businesses that is not food oriented its hard for people to understand just what goes on in running things. For the most part, people bring in bikes saved from yardsales or attics, left in snow and rain or was their bike as a kid. Some bring in their trusty commuter, their weekend road bike or mountain bike. No matter what we fix it, we have to, in some cases we should just tell them to put it in the dumpster like some shops do, but they are just riding from their dorm to class of to the store downtown, let them ride what they want. Bikes are like people and people are like bikes. We all look at a bike and judge it, just like we do with people, so in a sense we judge a person by their bike. This is human nature and we can all get past this. I enjoy working on every bike that comes through the doors of our shop, no matter how shitty. Its great to see people ride away, being happy about their bike.

Maybe I care a little too much at times, I love my bike, I put just as much care and effort into others bikes when I fix them as I do my own and hope that when it leaves the shop they care for it just as much. It really is a bummer to fix up a bike and put alot of time into it and then see it back in the shop a month later mangled and rusted, all your hard work ruined. I tell people to treat their bike like a cat or dog, you wouldnt leave your dog or cat outside over night, leave them out in the rain or not give them the things they need to survive. A bike is the same way, if its neglected it will rust and components may stop working, you need to give it lube, air, and attention. Take care of your bike, bottom line.

Thanks Tyler

Heres some writing from my friend Tyler, I wanted to get other people i ride with to just write what ever comes to their mind, here is his, enjoy......

First off, you'll have to forgive the lack of direction with this post. I knew I wanted to write something, just not exactly what, or where I wanted it to go. I don’t know why I ever stopped riding. It seems that once I hit 14 I forgot about bicycles in general. I don’t particularly know why it happened, but here I am six years later feeling like I have rediscovered something great. When I was young, my bike was my only transportation. In the summer both my parents would be working for the majority of the day, leaving me home with no real way to get anywhere. If I wanted to head over to a friend’s house (more specifically a friend with a pool) I couldn’t ask for a ride, I had to pedal myself over. Georgetown had a small bike shop, and if I had some time to kill I was riding down, and would walk aimlessly around the shop (trying to appear as if I was looking to buy something, but secretly watching the mechanics work on bikes and trying to figure out what exactly they were doing, then going home and trying to do the same to my own whip)I think that bicycling is something I associate with my childhood. I can remember doing countless laps up and down my street, and going OTB when I tried riding no hands and no feet down my hill. Some of the first good friends I made were neighborhood kids who happened to be out riding one day, there was an impromptu game of red light green light, and then contests to see who could make the longest skid in some sand with their coaster brake. (So young and already having basic trackstand and skid comps!) To me, it’s not just the riding that makes bicycling so much fun. It’s the sense of community surrounding the activity itself. There is energy. It could be felt last Friday at critical mass. I don’t know how to explain it, but if you were there I think you know what I'm talking about. You could see it on the face of the little kids we slowly paraded by through Amherst Center. You knew that if they had their streamer rocking, top tube pad wearing, baseball card spinning bikes right then, they would have joined the fray. Our critical mass wasn’t as much of a protest, as it was a large group of riders looking to go for an easy ride with some friends. I like going. Nowhere in particular, just riding. It’s like going for a relaxing cruise in a car, but a bit more energizing and open to your surroundings. There have been several nights at 1 or 2 when I’ve gotten some funny looks as I walk my bike down the hall and out into the (until recently) cold frosty nights. I'm just going for a ride to clear my head and get out of my stuffy dorm room. Last night I gave a friend a call around 3:45 and we both went out for a short lap around campus. (I didn’t realize quite how tired and under the influence I was until we hit some moderate uphills- sorry if you were looking to ride around longer man!) Friends down the hall will ask 'Where are you going?' I just smile and respond with 'Just Going.'

We were out, and so were the Cops.

We have started to coordinate ourselves a bit better. We all show up at 10 or a little after organize and ride out. But the bar we meet at has become uncomfortable with our presence each Friday, saying the our gathering of bikes at a bike themed bar drives business away. So be it. It is true, we are not all 21 but when that time come I am sure all of use will show up earlier and grab a beer or two from The Spoke before we head out, but this is all an issue of public verse private space and who owns the side walk. This is an issue that I have run into before in my home town of Danvers Mass.

Unusually hot October day, I have been working since 7 a.m. at Marthas Bread Basket when 12 o'clock rolls around and the high school gets out for an early release. This is great for local business because all the kids flock down and hang out for a few hours before their normal time to go home. Sure it seems like a flood of kids at times, but its is also safe to say that a business can make a few hundred dollars more than any other normal day. So, there are a few kids eating some food and having a drink in front of my store when a cop comes up and tells them to leave. Seeing this I head out and ask what the problem is, the cop tells me the old ladies are concerned with the kids in down town, well it is none of their concern who is down there and what they are doing as long as they are not starting any trouble, which they were not. So because these kids "ruined" some old ladies lunches a massive attack by the local police ensues. After the cop tells me I do not own the side walk and that no one can be on our tables and chairs regardless of them buying anything in my store he leaves. I tell the kids they have every right to sit and finish their food then leave, five minutes later one of the kids has his face smashed up against the store front and is being cuffed, for sitting and eating a sandwich, this kid was only 16. I run out and demand to know whats going on and am met with a quick,"Shut the fuck up and get inside.", well I open my big mouth and yell at him as he parades this kid through town to his cruiser. No more than 15 minutes go by and three officers come into my store and ask me to go outside, I tell them I need to punch out and go with them. "Where do you get off calling me an asshole you fuck?" "You think you own this store and the sidewalk?", these are the questions I am met with as I am asked to turn around and get cuffed for disorderly conduct, not having my rights read to me or told until the next day at the court house, what I was being arrested for. It is in my opinion and the opinion of my employer at the time that the cops were the ones causing a scene, disturbance and over all poor conduct, they don't own the side walk either. So I got 20 hours community service and my record was cleared.

From being told to leave the bar front, we head to our trusty pals house and have a few before going out. We head to an undisclosed party and are welcomed right in despite our large numbers. Its a nice time, we all chat outside and slowly become inebriated. Things are going well and we have one of the best human pyramids to date, then flash lights and navy blue uniforms. "If you don't live here get out." a deep female voice rumbles from behind a mag light. All of us drop our beers, put them away, what ever and move out, we immediately have another place to go and swiftly go. Next party we know some people and are having a good time, giving each other knuckle tattoos and mustaches with sharpies mingling and what not, then another hush is forced over the group as word of cops enters. The party down stairs is being shut down and it seems that the one we are at is next. We leave again due to cops. Now, I begin to think they have us figured out and are using us to shut down parties and if that is the case then fuck. So we head to a party way out in the more rural part of town. The ride there is super fun however, all down hill, fast but scary because its dark as a dragons cave in spots. we get to this party and are informed its an underwear party. We all get down to our briefs and hang out. I'm out of beer at this point so I help myself to one and see whats going on. Not much, ex-girlfriend there making things awkward as usual, not saying hello, shitty stuff. I head back home with a friend and we tackle the up hill ride home, grunting and cursing the whole way. But I will say we charged it hard and my legs hurt in the best way because of it.

It is sad to think that we could have been the reason a few people got arrested last night. Or that the space of sidewalks will be disputed as public or private for a time to come. Also, why a group trying to do something positive and fun may be being used for the gain of a corrupt group of men and women who forget that they were once kids, they are human beings and are on they same level as you or I and that it fucking sucks to be arrested for something so petty and inconsequential as having a good time.

Just Whats on my mind.

The warm weather is on its way and bikes have been rolling in to the Coop. It feels good to have black hands at the end of the day. People have been coming in with their bikes that have been left on racks all winter, or the yard sale bike they got over break. Its great though, not all people are into riding year round and that's cool. As long as they are riding I am fine. What I don't like however, is when people are embarrassed of their bike. I guy came in with a Huffy mountain bike(not sure of model or year) and was apologizing for how crappy it is. Its fine, your twenty something and cant afford a good bike, does it get you from a to b, yes, good. Having a good bike takes time, its a slow process and should be. When I was a kid I had a BMX, it was right off the show room floor and a rode it for a few months then found something new to keep me occupied. It was not until years later that I started to race Mountain Bikes for the school I was attending, again the bike was handed to me. I learned nothing, I let other people work on it for me and treated it like shit. Then when I was a sophomore in High school I got a yellow Raleigh Sprite 27, for 5 bucks, I fixed it up and rode it until college. On this bike I learned respect for bicycles, I had to work hard to keep it in riding condition and had to work to ride it, it was a piece. College comes and I leave it at home, I entered UMass in the middle of the winter, here is where I began to get into road bikes and track bikes. I am now a mechanic and ride everyday no matter the weather. But it takes time, you cant go from one extreme to the other in a week. So don't be embarrassed of your bike, learn from it, take care of it and progress.

So, the forecast looks good for tomorrow and its the last Friday of the month so you know what that means, Critical Mass. Now, being out in Amherst Critical Mass may just be more of a nuisance than a way to help bicycle awareness. But, to me its a time to ride with my friends and acquaintances in a pack and have a good time. This is how I look at it, when I ride by myself I am aggressive and will let cars know I am there and to give me some room, but when you are riding in a Critical Mass there is no need to be aggressive and yell or punch at cars. During a Critical Mass people driving are aware of you they see 50 or so people on bikes and will get out of the way, this ride is more to express a point that we all ride everyday and cars should be aware that in a group of two or fifty we deserve the same respect.

My commute is short, 2miles, and I get through it with ease every day. Though the mornings suck all up hill the first half. But its quiet and not much traffic. Until the second intersection. Every morning I roll up to it and there is little room between me, the cars and granite curb. In this small space there are pot holes, sand and chunky pavement. On most mornings I slip through and race the cars into campus, this morning however I got pushed into the curb and jumped around a bit. I didn't fall over but it sure as hell woke me up. I gave a friendly tap on the passenger window and relieved myself of some saliva, she looked scared having not seen me, so I smiled and moved on. If you let them know your there, smile and give a wave, they are more likely to remember to give cyclist room. She pushed me a little so I pushed back, this is not eye for an eye but an exchange of "Hello", I am here you are here, we are both on the road so lets share it.

A little late, but I need to take it all in.

Ten in the p.m. and the red lights come flashing from in front of the Spoke as the early birds show up to ride. I get there, as an early bird and in about fifteen minutes we are a pack of about 20, bags at the ready with beer and goods for the night, red embers hissing and glowing from cigarettes. As the group forms and addresses are put on the table for party locations we move to our friends house to put a few back and wait a bit for the hosts to be in a more inviting mood. It is hard for a group of about 20 guys (there are only 3 girls if that in the pack on any night) to just show up at a party and not get kicked out. So, we have a beer or two, a toast and jump on the bikes. Away we go, down Triangle Street to Main, 699? was the location. Triangle Street is down hill to the intersection of Main, needless to say we are all a little buzzed and the skids feel like butter, but loose chain lines and potholes make for a harsh ride, about a quarter of us lost our chains coming towards the red light. My buddy Brian wasnt so lucky, he came to the light and went OTB from the sand on the road, or something the details are still up in the air as to just how he ended up face first in the pavement.

With some cheers from the rest of us we were on our way once the light blinked green and down Main in a hurry, this road is longer and steeper than the last with a few more potholes. I think the term "Masshole" cmae about not because people from Mass are assholes, but for the abundance of potholes to screw up anything on wheels.

Well, in one piece we make it to the house, right away things look out of place. Not to many cars in the driveway and no noise coming from it either. The door opens and a small, average college guy comes to the steps.

"Who are you guys, who do you know here?" the figure askes to the group, one dude who "Knows someone" speaks for the group. I never knew what was really said untill days later, but i went up took one step in the door and turned to leave.

"To my house!"

So we end up at my house, a little place that looks like a Doll House, I live with some Hockey guys and my brother, its alright.
We are there for about 15 minutes before the guys come home with a look of anger and defeat on their faces, it was time to leave again.
Out to a house where i know a few people, most of us never make it inside and just stand at our rack of bikes telling every drunk bro the same thing abotu how our friday night works.
I dont know about the rest of the guys and girls I ride with but I get a great sense of pride everytime I have to explain my motives for riding my bike.
That party was cool, nothing all to crazy went down, from here the group split, people heading off on their own, to their girls/guys place or sticking around.
A majority of the group and I went off to a small house just about on campus. This place looked dead from the outside, and as we moved closer looked like a satanic ritual was going on on the inside. We stand outside waiting to get the okay from someone who knows someone when our connection comes out in a white hat and sun glasses and tells us all to come in and have a beer. We have a 30 handed to us and start dancing, there were only about ten kids from outside our group in this place and we swarm and take over. As we get a roaring thing going some girl crys out, "If you only know the guy in the white hat, Then LEAVE!"
Well, it sucked but we had our time and beer there so we left, stealing another 30 on the way out and heading for home.

First Things First

So, there is a group of riders, mechanics and all around bike nerds that attend The University of Massachusetts Amherst and get together every friday night to ride. I am one of them, a mechanic at the University Bike Co-Op. It is a very small student run Co-Op that helps the University and local bike community for a little to no money ethic as well as build a strong group of friends and over all bike community. This blog does not however speak for the whole group, I am a single person who is involved with this community and feel that writing about my time and adventures with these people helps to take a weight off of my mind. As well, document a part of my life that is important to me and many other people apart of this community.



Along with telling stories of the FGDT (Fixed Gear Drinking Team) I may tell some more personal stories about my life and its relation to bicycles. I may even say a few words about some things in Bike Culture around the world, who knows I am using this forum to get things out and relate them in some way to a big part of my life, bikes.