Poker Race Photos
By Anna | April 12, 2010 | 2 Comments
The race and the after party were a gigantic success! Here’s a little taste of what went down if you missed it, and I know after seeing the photos you won’t be missing the next event.
I need to thank a few people without whom this event would have been impossible.
Firstly, my roommates and friends who put together Bike Cult and this race. Thanks to Jack for being the slave driver and the motivator (talk-action=shit!). To Betty and David, who make an excellent team and for their financial support. To Kervin for his most excellent cover design, pithy design snob asides on layout and epic kinko’s trips late at night. UP THE BIKE CULT!
To our awesome sponsors, Marie Sena at All Is One Tattoo, Winning Coffee Co, Fixed and Free and Cafe Guiseppe.
To our awesome bands, Arroyo Deathmatch, Dirty Pandas, King Caterpillar, Titans of Light and Dirty Wheels.
For their contributions to the zine and/or race preparations and ongoing support of Bike Cult – Elie, Scott, Julian, Chee, Chris, Keli, Julia, Michael, and Chombe!
Apologies if I forgot anyone. Thank you all so much!
A note to all racers that payed the entry fee- the money has been safely stashed away and allocated to funding the next event and the next issue of the zine! If you’d like to help with either, drop us a line to get involved!
Poker Race!
By Anna | March 29, 2010 | No Comments
The only good thing about the disgusting lack of posts we’ve had recently is that we’ve been cooking up some new projects for you. Next up on the Agenda of Awesome is the Poker Race. This will be the first official Bike Cult sponsored event, and includes an awesome all-gear bike race/poker game, an awesome acoustic folk-punk show at our house, and the much anticipated release of the first issue of the Bike Cult zine.
BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE!!! It’s Lady Gaga themed, so dress up – best look-alike gets a prize. There are also prizes for fastest, the winner of the poker game, dead fucking last and others. Fixed & Free has generously provided swag for you to win, as well as prizes from Winning Coffee Co., Cafe Giuseppe and All Is One Tattoo.
Meet at the UNM Duck Pond at 4pm, Sunday April 11. 5 bux to race, includes spoke card, a copy of the zine (with a special cover) and admission to the show afterward (that’s a screamin deal, dudes). It’s a pretty standard poker ride, 5 stops to pick up cards. First place goes to the best hand.
After Party at La Maison (Bike Cult House) 3 bux, unless you race!
Featuring…
Arroyo Deathmatch
Titans of Light (from Wisconsin!)
Dirty Pandas
Emma and Bryce
Starts at 7p.
Come out and Play!
Taste of the Zine…
By David | February 5, 2010 | No Comments
So, I did this photo shoot for the zine a while back and whilst waiting for the zine to come out I’ll give you something to look at.
Just a little taste…
By Anna | January 24, 2010 | No Comments
The BikeCult zine is well on its way, many thanks to everyone who contributed! Each issue will feature a letter from a different editor, in which they can get on their soapbox about any cycling issue they’d like to discuss. I wrote the letter for the first issue, and it outlines our philosophy and mission for the collective, and I’ve posted it below to give you a little sample of what awaits you in February with the zine launch!
I’ve been riding bicycles in Albuquerque for just over three years now. In that time, I’ve met some of the most amazing people this city will ever know, forged important relationships with influential people in the community and come to learn a lot about myself, the cycling scene and life in general. It wasn’t always like that for me, though. I think I had it pretty easy in assimilating into the scene; I seem to have met the right people at the right time, but I had to work for it. Looking at the scene from the inside, though, I’ve been struck by some of its more unappetizing faults. People, myself and my cohorts included, have complained that the cycling scene in Albuquerque has a certain exclusivity to those that aren’t necessarily “in” it. I think there’s a lot of intimidation felt by aspiring cyclists (I use that term to collectively reference anyone who rides any kind of bike) when they look at the scene. We’re a bit of tight-knit band, especially given the small geographical and social size of the community; we all know or know of one another, more or less. Add to that the exclusivity of the fixed-gear scene in general (which, for this city at least, seems to be one of the more visible aspects of cycling culture), and I can understand how people might feel like riding a bike in Albuquerque is inaccessible.
As a collective, Bike Cult proposes a renovation of the cycling scene as a whole, with an emphasis on encouraging more young riders to take up cycling. We’re extremely opposed to the in/out notion of cycling that has become so prevalent in this city. Even within the scene, there are marked divisions between different types of riders, and even discrimination. Fixed-gear riders tend to stick together, and even being one, I’ve felt excluded. It’s disheartening for anyone to want to build a bicycle of their own, only to be scoffed out of shops for the quality (or price tag) of their components. Commuters don’t want to hang with road bikers, fixie kids don’t want to hang with commuters, ad infinitum. Even Critical Mass, an expression of solidarity with the entire cycling community against discrimination by motorists, has lost steam in Albuquerque.
I think the problem lies in an ignorance of (or refusal to recognize) our common ground. People who ride bicycles have so much in common. Whether you ride for sport, personal fitness, transportation or just for fun, we all share the same problems and opportunities. In a city so focused on car traffic, cyclists have to stick together to carve out a place for ourselves on the streets. Bike Cult believes that exclusivity has no place in cycling, and to that end our collective is completely all inclusive. All riders of all levels on all types of bicycles are welcome to participate in the collective and the events we sponsor. Bike Cult is an open, democratic organization, with no membership rules other than an adherence to the collective’s all inclusive philosophy. We welcome and encourage input and participation. If we are to build a better cycling scene in Albuquerque, we need your help. So come ride with us, write for the zine, organize events, spread the word!
As always, ride safe,
Anna Reser
Editor,
BikeCult, theohshithandle.com
