18 Miles Per Hour

18 MilesPerHour is about riding through the world instead of just passing it by.

OLD SCHOOL, SMART, COOL. GODSPEDE TOOL ROLL.

As a lover of all things time-tested and sensible (note the steel frame and leather saddle) I’ve been wanting to try one of these for ages. It’s already made my life more wonderful.

It’s the Bicycle Tool Roll from GodSpede.

18milesperhour reader Emile Kotzke shot it to us all the way from South Africa, where they are made by hand.

Elegant and practical, it holds all the stuff that used to put a huge, embarrassing bulge in my jersey pockets. It takes a load off my back, literally.

One of the main benefits of this roll is one that I haven’t needed to use yet, thankfully: The ease of use when needing to change a tire or fix a mechanical.

Instead of ripping off all kinds of Velcro straps and dumping your tools and tubes all over the roadside – which I had to do recently when I flatted on a wet ride – you undo one strap and roll it out on the ground. It neatly presents all that you need to handle the task at hand. Much more dignified than the roadside yard sale and chorus of swear words I presented to the public on that sopping ride. 

And certainly not least, I love the construction. This thing is hand made and it shows. You see the hand-sewn deliciousness in details like the stitching on the strap up there. Rad. Lovely. And that burly stitching ain’t going anywhere soon. I’ll be handing this tool roll down to my Grandson or Grandaughter, God willing.

Rhys will get a chance to try this thing out soon and I’ll be sad to pass it on. Until then, it’s made my rides better and my bike cooler.

Thanks so much Emile.

Check out his bike shop – Starling and Hero - where he brings old, cool bikes back to life. They’re also opening up a bike-friendly café. Good stuff. 

NEW BIKE PRODUCT ALERT Just got something from 18milesperhour reader Emile Kotze all the way from South Africa. Good, simple, well-made stuff. Product review to come tomorrow. Gotta go now and try it out. 

NEW BIKE PRODUCT ALERT


Just got something from 18milesperhour reader Emile Kotze all the way from South Africa. Good, simple, well-made stuff. Product review to come tomorrow. Gotta go now and try it out. 

HAPPY FRIDAY. RIDE YOUR BIKE THIS WEEKEND. Like Ms. Eden here. Major Nelson and Jeannie lived on Cocoa Beach. Stroll out there in the coming weeks and all you’ll find is shaved-down folks on tri bikes. If Major Nelsen was any kind of astronaut, he’d be rollin’ down the strand on perhaps the coolest bike in all history: a Spacelander. That’s all we’ve got. And if you’ve now got the “I Dream Of Genie” theme song stuck in your head, I’m sorry. 

HAPPY FRIDAY. RIDE YOUR BIKE THIS WEEKEND.

Like Ms. Eden here.

Major Nelson and Jeannie lived on Cocoa Beach. Stroll out there in the coming weeks and all you’ll find is shaved-down folks on tri bikes.

If Major Nelsen was any kind of astronaut, he’d be rollin’ down the strand on perhaps the coolest bike in all history: a Spacelander.

That’s all we’ve got. And if you’ve now got the “I Dream Of Genie” theme song stuck in your head, I’m sorry. 

18 MILES PER HOUR ARTWORK From time to time we get asked if we make prints of Rhys’ artwork. At long last we can answer “yes.” Each of the drawings are available as 1 of only 18 (obviously) limited edition prints. Every one of the drawings is available. The Universal Truths Of Cycling. The above “Cyclist’s Lungs.” The component drawings. Every one.   Each one is printed on Archival Grade Enhanced Matt Paper (which prevents fading), full colour and 100% to scale. So, you get to see all the details, mistakes and hidden bits that you don’t necessarily see online. The colours and line quality are really, really good. All prints are numbered, have a hand written title and signed by the two of us. Each print is printed on oversized paper, to allow a good amount of border, as it helps to frame the drawing. Each print is $100 plus shipping. If you’re interested, please shoot us an email letting us know which one you’d like and we can arrange the delivery and payment.

18 MILES PER HOUR ARTWORK

From time to time we get asked if we make prints of Rhys’ artwork.

At long last we can answer “yes.”

Each of the drawings are available as 1 of only 18 (obviously) limited edition prints.

Every one of the drawings is available.

The Universal Truths Of Cycling.

The above “Cyclist’s Lungs.”

The component drawings.

Every one.  

Each one is printed on Archival Grade Enhanced Matt Paper (which prevents fading), full colour and 100% to scale. So, you get to see all the details, mistakes and hidden bits that you don’t necessarily see online. The colours and line quality are really, really good. All prints are numbered, have a hand written title and signed by the two of us. Each print is printed on oversized paper, to allow a good amount of border, as it helps to frame the drawing.

Each print is $100 plus shipping.

If you’re interested, please shoot us an email letting us know which one you’d like and we can arrange the delivery and payment.

THE ROAD AHEAD

18milesperhour reader Sindre Ulvik Péladeau is a cyclist and animator from Montréal. He just finished a short film inspired by a 3300 km bicycle trip he made between Montreal and New Orleans last summer. 

“…I wanted to express the contrast I experienced between change and repetition while I pedalled day in, and day out for three weeks,” He stated. 

“…I did the same thing every day, yet each day felt completely different.”

Sindre, thank you for the nice piece. Even if we never pedal a 3300 mile journey, we totally get it.  

MY HEADBADGE All the great headbadges out there are loaded with meaning. Some are about company heritage. Some have symbols from the town where they’re located. Or the builder’s family crest. This one is simple and personal. And it has to do with wine. I’d just gotten my all-rounder, XO-1-inspired Handsome Devil and, alas, no headbadge. It came with stickers but…that’s not the same. And try as I might, I couldn’t embrace the whole “no decals or headbadge, clean bike” aesthetic. Soon after that, I found myself on a private tour of Garden Creek Vineyards. After using a thief to taste some Cabernet, I spotted the brass plaque on the barrels. I remarked that it would make a great bike headbadge and the vineyard owner – a friend of a friend and fellow cyclist (and personal friend of Scot Nicol of Ibis) – used a knife to pry it loose and tossed it to me, insisting I shoot him some photos once I got the bike built up. He understood. Fantastic. It’s not cast from sterling silver. It’s not made by some boutique bike builder. It doesn’t have the power to alpha dog other bikes in the peloton. Its not terribly profound in its meaning, but it’s the first headbadge that has any kind of tie to my life at all. I raise my glass to you, Garden Creek.  - Brian

MY HEADBADGE

All the great headbadges out there are loaded with meaning. Some are about company heritage. Some have symbols from the town where they’re located. Or the builder’s family crest. This one is simple and personal. And it has to do with wine.

I’d just gotten my all-rounder, XO-1-inspired Handsome Devil and, alas, no headbadge. It came with stickers but…that’s not the same. And try as I might, I couldn’t embrace the whole “no decals or headbadge, clean bike” aesthetic.

Soon after that, I found myself on a private tour of Garden Creek Vineyards. After using a thief to taste some Cabernet, I spotted the brass plaque on the barrels. I remarked that it would make a great bike headbadge and the vineyard owner – a friend of a friend and fellow cyclist (and personal friend of Scot Nicol of Ibis) – used a knife to pry it loose and tossed it to me, insisting I shoot him some photos once I got the bike built up. He understood. Fantastic.

It’s not cast from sterling silver. It’s not made by some boutique bike builder. It doesn’t have the power to alpha dog other bikes in the peloton.

Its not terribly profound in its meaning, but it’s the first headbadge that has any kind of tie to my life at all.

I raise my glass to you, Garden Creek. 

- Brian

HAPPY FRIDAY. RIDE YOUR BIKE THIS WEEKEND. Guy probably never turned a pedal before and he looks a thousand times better in that “Rich Greek” jersey (wtf??) than I ever would. Damn his handsome, charitable, talented arse. Well, there is that awful, dreadful, goes-on-forever bicycle scene in Butch Cassidy…so we’ll call it even. I do love his pineapple salsa, however. Especially in a burrito after a good, long ride. So he’s back in the lead. And he also shares a last name with 18milesperhour’s own Rhys. No relation. And Rhys’ wife is better on a bike than Paul’s so advantage, Rhys. (photo courtesy of Rides A Bike)

HAPPY FRIDAY. RIDE YOUR BIKE THIS WEEKEND.

Guy probably never turned a pedal before and he looks a thousand times better in that “Rich Greek” jersey (wtf??) than I ever would. Damn his handsome, charitable, talented arse.

Well, there is that awful, dreadful, goes-on-forever bicycle scene in Butch Cassidy…so we’ll call it even.

I do love his pineapple salsa, however. Especially in a burrito after a good, long ride. So he’s back in the lead.

And he also shares a last name with 18milesperhour’s own Rhys. No relation. And Rhys’ wife is better on a bike than Paul’s so advantage, Rhys.

(photo courtesy of Rides A Bike)

THE ONLY TIME RACING GOES TO RHYS’ HEAD Rhys has plenty of medals and finisher’s jerseys. This time, his wife wanted there to be something more waiting for him. While Rhys raced, his wife raced against the clock as well. When she wasn’t acting as pit crew, nutritionist, chef and therapist, she was knitting. This beanie was ready too warm his cold head at the finish of his last race. Better than any trophy. 

THE ONLY TIME RACING GOES TO RHYS’ HEAD

Rhys has plenty of medals and finisher’s jerseys. This time, his wife wanted there to be something more waiting for him.

While Rhys raced, his wife raced against the clock as well. When she wasn’t acting as pit crew, nutritionist, chef and therapist, she was knitting. This beanie was ready too warm his cold head at the finish of his last race.

Better than any trophy. 

THE BOOZY BIGFOOT It’s mysterious. It showed up out of nowhere at the race. We weren’t sure if we saw what we really saw. It danced a jig. It yelled. Then it handed us booze of some sort. We think it was Famous Grouse. Out of fear and respect we obliged. Then it disappeared. 

THE BOOZY BIGFOOT

It’s mysterious.

It showed up out of nowhere at the race. We weren’t sure if we saw what we really saw. It danced a jig. It yelled. Then it handed us booze of some sort.

We think it was Famous Grouse.

Out of fear and respect we obliged.

Then it disappeared.