Action Sports
Beautiful Godzilla: Spooky Spokes
Cyclists love costumes––especially when worn on themed group rides. The reasoning behind this is pretty simple––cyclists are also total attention whores. Seriously, think about it: Take the lane campaigns, Critical Mass, spandex shorts … You think it’s about activism and awareness? Of course not. We just want all eyes on us in our two-wheeled fabulosity. That being said, costume rides are heavy, and Halloween costume rides are even heavier. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Rebel Grrrls—Ovarian Psycos
Ovarian Psycos’ Maryann Aguirre, aka La Fingers, answers a phone somewhere in East LA with unrestrained enthusiasm as I state my name on the other end at the SLUG Headquarters in Salt Lake. Ovarian Psycos claim to organize and cycle “for the purpose of healing our communities physically, emotionally and spiritually, by addressing pertinent issues through cycling. ”As she explains her nickname, La Fingers, a result of being caught wagging her middle-finger on more than one occasion, I know I’m talking to the right person. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: My Chain Hits My Frame When I’m Bangin’...
I know that, as a cyclist, I’m supposed to love nature and spend the daylight hours outside mountain biking and hugging trees, but give me a fat stack of Tom Hanks movies and every season of 30 Rock on Netflix, and I’ll be happy never seeing the light of day. I only ride bikes ‘cause I hate walking, remember? That being said, movies ABOUT bikes are the cat’s pajamas, the bee’s knees, the fixie’s wooly pubes. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Gucci Gucci, Louis Louis, Fendi Fendi, Wal-Mart
I was once pretty fashion forward: putting lots of thought into my outfits, makin’ my hair all fancy and even smearing on eyeliner every day––but my entire look changed when I started cycling. When your main transportation is a bicycle, that cute sundress you pull from storage that highlights your supple winter boobies, and the matching sandals that showcase your fresh pedicure … Well … their story won’t end as happily as The Brave Little Toaster’s. … read more
Evan Service: Fixie Fiend
Like many cyclists, Evan Service boasts a lifetime of rollin’ rough: “I’ve been riding two-wheelers since before I was three,” he says. What sets him apart is exactly what reeled him into the world of fixed-gear freestyle, though. “I always thought it was cool, something different,” he says. “No one did it at the time that we all started doing it.” … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Yeah, Prolly
John Watson, aka Prolly, has documented everything from epic alleycats and up-and-coming fixed-gear freestyle riders, to the latest in urban cycling trends since 2006, wrenching it all together on his blog: Prolly Is Not Probably. Prolly has pedaled into a successful career on the blogosphere over the past five years, traveling around the globe from San Francisco to Australia, providing us with a taste of what those greasy bike meccas have to offer. I met up with the “#fixiefamous” cycle god himself where he now resides in Austin, Tejas to juice his brain. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Will You Go To Prom With Me? Check...
Last year fellow lady cyclist Agnes Robl and a handful of others decided Salt Lake City needed a bike prom. Jonathan Morrison of the Bicycle Collective, along with a bunch of help from some more dedicated cyclists, made it a reality. Wouldn’t you know it, the hands-down most fun dance I’ve ever been to, I attended stag. I said no to all of my suitors, matched my dress to my pink bike chain and danced the night away with friends and strangers after going on one of the best-dressed group rides in the history of Western bike civilization. … read more
Wrenching It Out: Local Bike Mechanics
In honor of National Bike Month, SLUG interviewed some of our favorite local bike mechanics to give us the scoop on their respective shops, and inspire you to pull out your own set of wheels and join them on the road. Read on for interviews with Jace Burbidge of the Bicycle Collective, Mark Polichette of Sport Chalet, Chris Ginzton of Cyclesmith and Lindsey Howard of Saturday Cycles. … read more
Velo City Bags Speeds into Downtown
Since the inception of Velo City Bags in 2008, owner and creator Nathan Larsen has adorned cyclists and others with handmade, colorful and well built messenger bags and backpacks as they cruise around the city. As his bags have caught on, he made the long-awaited move into his first storefront in downtown Salt Lake in mid-February. I sat down with Larsen in his new shop to pick his brain on the new location and the high-quality goods within. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Ladies, Leave Your Man at Home
Bike shops intimidate me. I don’t think it’s so much that I walk into a shop and there’s a whole bunch of dudes who know way more about bikes than I ever will throwing around bike mechanic gibberish—I’ve got mad respect for people who can do things I can’t (yet) do. I guess I just feel a little sheepish walking in there and asking them to switch out my pedals when I purchased a fixed gear primarily for its low maintenance. This is why the Salt Lake Bicycle Collective is one of the greatest places in all of Salt Lake. … read more
Cameron Wood: BMX pro, Jesus Carpenter, Entrepreneur … Anything Else?
For the last 15 years, Cameron Wood has been perusing the back alleys and grungy side-streets of Salt Lake on his BMX bike. Instead of focusing on giving the public more contests or being a poster child for his sponsors, Wood is taking a more unique approach with his involvement in the sport. The Wood Shop, recently opened by Wood, is not just the sole BMX-only shop in Salt Lake, but it is also home to his unique, crafty carpentry designs. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: SXSW Edition
As part of my SXSW experience, I participated in SXcycles, the new (as of this year) bike share program provided by the festival and Tern bikes. They opened it up to those with badges and wristbands during the Interactive portion of SXSW, and I was lucky enough to catch the tail end of it on Monday and Tuesday. … read more
