The Derny

A derny is small motorbike that is used in track and road racing to pace cyclists up to high speeds, usually driven by a larger fellow for more effective drafting of the rider behind. Though you won’t see derny’s in tons of races today the popular Kieren race use them to bring up the group of riders up to set pace and then rides up the bank to allow a final sprint to ensue. If you’re lucky enough to live in a European city that hosts an upcoming six-day race event you’ll be able to catch some derny paced track races in person.

Pictured: some earlier bulky pacing bikes used on velodromes and more streamlined versions with handlebar mounted gas tanks in use on the Bordeaux-Paris.

watch: Berlin Derny CriteriumSix-Day Race History

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Locked Up

Some beauties spotted locked up around New York City by Johny Prolly. Really loving the Serotta (second pictured) with the pope bars, looks like a quick and easy set up to get around the city. See more in the series here.

also see: The Cannibal

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Papa

Ernest (Papa) Hemingway and his son Gregory duck hunting in Sun Valley, Idaho. Photographs by friend and Magnum co-founder Robert Capa ca. 1940 (via) More shots of Papa at Magnum.

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View

Keep your “full frame sensor” and give me an f/64 lens with a box of cut sheet film any day. Men at work behind their view cameras in order of appearance: Ansel Adams in Yosemite, Julius Shulman at Pierre Koenig’s Case Study House #22 (aka The Stahl House), Joel Sternfeld at High Line park, Gregory Crewson in Pittsfield, MA, and Scott Pommier showing off his Linhof Technika for Camerabag TV.

also see: shooting gallery

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Old Glory

In honor of Flag Day I thought I’d share some photos I’ve taken of old glory over the past few years.

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Sizemore Randonneur

Taylor Sizemore is one of Portland’s many talented handmade frame builders (Ahearne, Vanilla, Hufnagel, to name a few) and at the age of twenty-four has a good range of  track and commuters under his belt after just a couple years of building. This particular frame is my favorite, a copper plated randonneur built for the owner of Bespoke Bicycles in Brooklyn who built up the bike after Taylor was finished with his work. The whole build is really well detailed from the copper hammered fenders to the olive accents: Brooks leather bar tape, Ostrich handlebar bag, and copper railed Brooks saddle. Check out more of his work here.

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The Stonemasters


“The thing that distinguished, it’s a stretch to use that word, The Stonemasters is that one you had to climb valhalla which is by far one of the hardest routes in the country, two you had to be a young arrogant punk, and three you had to have the capacity to smoke enormous amounts- prodigious amounts- of really really bad marijuana and we all had those talents so that was sort of the glue that held the whole thing together.”

-John Long from Vertical Frontier

The Stonemasters were a group of climbers in the 70’s notable for their style and attitude, it’s also worth mentioning that a few of their members made the first one day ascent up the nose of El Capitan. Dan Fidelman was both a Stonemaster and talented photographer whose pictures have been published into this book which also includes some more stories by fellow Stonemaster John Long.

also see: Glen Denny

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REBEL

Tommy Rebel aka REBEL SC is something of a legend in New York City and the somewhat underground subcultures of graffiti and vintage gear collecting. I was first drawn to Rebel after seeing pictures of box trucks he had painted in New York in the 80’s and mid 90’s. To me, these trucks epitomized that era of graffiti and sadly I have not been able to find some of the best throws and pieces that are stuck in my mind still. Though his Brooklyn basement collection of vintage Nikes, Polo gear, and North Face’s (and so much more) is well known these pictures weren’t as easy to track down as I had initially hoped. Many years ago I recall coming across flash pictures of his basement that were similar to the few above but less posed- shoe boxes reaching ceilings and lining the walls. I’m sure there’s a lot to be said about having such a compulsive desire to collect and write your name everywhere but for now just enjoy the pictures.

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