Bikes as Art

16
Aug
2010
By

Cycling itself may be art in motion, but the concept of bike related art seems to really be catching on.  The design and craftsmanship that goes into a bike is reason enough to celebrate, and the handmade bike shows that happen around the World each year are a fantastic way to show off some amazing talent.  But I wanted to blog about some cycling related art that has caught my eye.

Biketastic

“Biketastic” is an art show for all mediums inspired by bicycles.  It opened on July 31, 2010 in Vienna, VA and continues on until August 29th. This show features art that represents the many nuances of bike culture; from bikes for commuting, racing and pleasure rides to those who ride them for economic, and environmental reasons.   The Soundry is the gallery hosting the show, and with it’s proximity to the W&OD Bike Trail there is a lot of “bike traffic”.  They have been able to witness first hand what an important role biking plays in many people’s lives…and they have also noticed that bike enthusiasts like bike related art.

“Biketastic has been a fantastic way to celebrate how bikes impact our lives through art. The event was made even more meaningful because we helped raise money for Bikes for the World while showcasing various bike and environmental organizations. We are already planning Biketastic 2011!” –Jennifer Crawford, Co-owner of The Soundry

So far they have sold 13 pieces at this year’s show, and they are already anticipating a great Biketastic 2011.  Congratulations to The Soundry for celebrating cycling through art.

Bike Scribble

Kathleen King has been a professional artist for 25 years….and she has a major crush on cycling. This love and passion led her to the creation of what she calls “Bike Scribble” .  It’s a funky cycling design that she has has great success with and now sells pictures, shirts, and jewelry with the bike scribble on it.

Last year, Kathleen was commissioned by Chris Carmichael to create a huge indoor mural for his new training systems facility.  It is an incredible piece of work which includes her patented “scribble” as well as the images of some Tour de France greats including Armstrong, Merckx, Hinault, and more.

“It’s About the Bike” Auction

If you watched the 2009 Tour de France, no doubt you saw Lance Armstrong riding some very cool looking bikes.  It was all part of an event called “It’s About the Bike” and it was the first time that I had personally seen real life bikes used for the intention of art.  Six different visual artists (shepard fairey, damien hirst, kaws, yoshitomo nara, marc newson and kenny scharf) were invited to customize his Trek racing bikes as a means of raising awareness for the stages art show which benefits the livestrong foundation.
The seven bikes were ridden by Armstrong during his 2009 comeback season and then on November 1, 2009 they went up for sale in the very cool auction held at Sotheby’s.  In total, $1.3 Million dollars was raised from the sale of the bikes, with Hirst’s “Butterfly” bike going for $500,000 alone. Incredible.  It was a spectacular idea and I really would have loved to pick up a couple of those bikes for myself.

The Future Belongs to Cycling

It just goes to show, that there is so much more to cycling than just riding a bike.  We’re everywhere, and we’re not leaving.  Be prepared for cycling to take over more and more industries in the future. Rock On.
Enjoy Your Ride

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  • http://www.speedypr.com/2010p2newsview.asp?fldNewsID=2746 Amalia Matts

    Awesome blog. So i’m of the belief that it truly is rewarding to spend more for some thing you undoubtedly love rather than setting it on the side. Life is way too short for that.

  • VitaminLee

    Amazing! I’m in love with that bike, think I wanna marry it -

  • http://bikerly.wordpress.com/ Jim

    Hey, am I really the first to comment here? Come on tough guys, you know you like art.

    Freedom, expression, art. 3 words that best sum up why I’m loving the bike.

    I’m the guy who goes out to his garage and ponders what color fixie wheelset will look best on the old Nishiki or which color Oury grips I should put on the Fuji… often when I should really be out riding.

    I can’t be the only one.

    • http://www.cyclelicio.us/ Richard Masoner

      The color selection process is easy, Jim. Consult Rule #8.

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What’s the best fuel for an early morning ride?

Question: Out of habit, I’ve always eaten cereal (granola) before my morning ride.  For the last several weeks, I’ve been riding at 6am to avoid the heat, and eating at 5:30 am.  I haven’t had any stomach issues, but I am not sure that this is the best pre-ride meal strategy. My legs have felt heavy since starting to ride earlier.  My rides are 1.5-2 hours.  Should I eat less, something different, or nothing at all?  What do you think?

Kelli’s Answer: I think your pre-ride fuel strategy can be improved.  The issue with eating a moderately high fiber breakfast within 30 minutes of beginning a ride is that it will likely take too long to digest, absorb, and metabolize to provide any energy to your muscles at all.  And, what’s more, if the meal is setting in your stomach, you are increasing your risk of stomach cramps (but it sounds like you’ve been okay here) and a reduced bloodflow to your legs since your body is working at digesting.

Although many athletes feel like they need a full breakfast before a morning ride, I think you’ll have better result with less food, and ones that you can eat quickly and metabolize faster.

My first choice would be 2 Tablespoons organic honey + 0.5 – 1 Tbsp organic coconut oil (all straight off the spoon).  Why? These are fast-acting, quick-metabolizing energy foods.  The honey provides moderately fast carbs that act similarly to maltodextrin (moderately fast and longer lasting than glucose), natural enzymes to improve digestion, and antioxidants.  The organic coconut oil provides fast-acting medium chain triglycerides which are used directly by the mitochondria of cells (energy producers) without the need for bile or slow digestion.

Another option would be a sports food with a moderate amount of protein – something like a Clif bar. Or, a smoothie with 1/4 cup yogurt, 1/2 banana, 1 Tbsp honey, and water.  These foods will also digest quickly and provide energy during your ride.

And, don’t forget about 8 oz. of fluid.

During your ride, especially if high intensity and over 60 minutes, or moderate intensity and over 90 minutes, you’ll still need during-ride fuel as well.  With all rides in heat, you’ll want fluids and lytes!

Please send us your questions for our Expert Sports Nutritionist, Kelli Jennings to “Ask the Sports Nutritionist“. Kelli Jennings is a Registered Dietitian with a passion for healthy eating, wellness, & sports nutrition. For more information go to www.apexnutritionllc.com.
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