Chrome Bike Bulletin

Chrome's New Bulletin Page!

2009-10-12T11:36:00.001-07:00

We've launched our new bulletin page: go to http://www.chromebagsstore.com/events/ for all Chrome news & event updates!

A preview of what will be raffled off at friday night's party:

2009-09-17T17:04:00.001-07:00

This Friday at our Store!

2009-09-17T13:32:00.000-07:00

Come check this out if you are in SF. All donations go to a good
cause. No cover, free beer, music and fun.

Chromesprints at Interbike!

2009-09-16T15:36:00.001-07:00

Swing by and have a beer with us, get your race on, bring your own
throw up bucket! Chromesprints are set to take interbike by storm next
week. No one that we know has ever done this in the convention itself,
gorilla style!

Anniversary and Shoe Launch Party!

2009-09-09T11:31:00.001-07:00

The beer and tunes will be flowing, swing by and have a cold one with
us!

Art Auction and Punk Show to Benefit San Francisco's Bike Kitchen. September 18th.

2009-09-01T12:18:00.000-07:00

Do you like art? Do you like rocking out to sweet jams? Do you like raising money for San Francisco's Bike Kitchen?

Come by the Chrome Store on September 18th from 7-11pm for a chance to bid on some custom artist designed bags.

Proceeds from the auction will support the Bike Kitchen and their amazing bicycle education programs.

Music by Comadre, Punch, Bad Friends, and Purple Mercy.

All ages. Free beer with valid ID.

Here are some rad events going down this weekend:

2009-08-14T12:16:00.000-07:00

Rose City Fix Book Release
August 15th 2009/ Portland,Oregon

Bike In Movie
August 14th, 2009 / Milwaukee, WI

Flirty 30 Alleycat
August 14th, 2009 / Birmingham, AL

All girls alleycat in Birmingham, Alabama (the first of it’s kind…most of the ladies have never raced before!), in cooperation with the Bici Bicycle Cooperativ e and BikeSkirt

Ass Fault Alleycat
August 15th, 2009 / Cleveland, OH

Bakersfield Alleycat
August 15th, 2009 / Bakersfield, CA

To the jackass that busted our door and stole our shit...

2009-08-11T15:00:00.001-07:00

For the love of the bag...

2009-08-10T14:59:00.001-07:00

Had to share this one:

I got my Chrome bag for my 23rd or 24th birthday. That's 5-6 years ago + a bit of change. It's gone everywhere-- it sat next to me on a ranch in Argentina while I learned how to slaughter a lamb; carried my large format camera, tripod and random stuff all over Boston during the winter; took beer and bananas to Venice beach; brought clean cloths to/dirty cloths from Japan; snuck 30 bottles of beer into class in Pittsburgh; brought acircular saw, carpenters belt and a framing hammer to work in Chicago; held food while I drove from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles; held 2 live lobsters when I was in Maine; it even held my vomit when I had nowhere to spew on the NYC subway.

I love my bag.
I tried others: Bailey's, Pedro's, Timbuk2, Ortlieb and a handful of musette type bags. Vanity might have forced me to try an Urban Outfitters bag too. (I am not proud of this)
I love my bag more than all of those combined.
I love it more than I love my Serotta. I love it more than my most comfortable pair of bibs loaded with chamois cream. I'll give up beer before I give up this bag.

But the bag is old--old like an eternally cool grandpa. Not just any grandpa though. It's like the grandpa that taught you how to fish and camp and how to drive a manual transmission at 12... the grandpa that wants to listen to punk rock with you... the grandpa that bought fireworks in July and gave them to you at Christmas so you could put them a snowman's head.

Unfortunately, my grandpa is missing teeth.
Unfortunately, my Chrome bag needs new plastic clips.

It needs a bit of help. It needs new clips so that it can be my commuting companion; so that it can do it's job while I start a new job in a new city.

Can I get these from you guys? Should I send the bag in?

I know I could probably take the bag to the lady on the streetcorner. You know, the old lady that sits in the upholstry shop? Her.

I'd rather get the stuff from you guys.

Thanks
TF. Tolhurst

No problem kid, we'll kick you some clips. Thanks for the love.

Chrome Van Hits Up Oaktown

2009-08-07T16:48:00.000-07:00

Chrome van's heading to Oakland tonight for Best of the East Bay. We'll be partying out in front of the Oakland Museum so stop by if you're in town. Check out the details here.

Ivan in the mail...

2009-08-06T11:51:00.001-07:00

who needs a box anyways...

Chromesprints video

2009-08-05T13:19:00.001-07:00

Chrome GoldSprints 2009 SF CA from C Evans on Vimeo.

NACCC Recap

2009-08-05T12:53:00.000-07:00

We had a blast out in Boston! The NACCC was a great time.
Congratulations to Christina Peck and Nico the champs this year. Enjoy
the bags. From the side events to the parties, Beantown rolled out the
red carpet for bike messengers from around the globe. Already looking
forward to next year!

And the winner is......

2009-08-02T14:38:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Christina from Chicago's Cutting crew! Fastest time, first
place female. Chas from SF cleaned up this weekend with first place
male and won the sprints! Great job guys we had a blast. Heading to
the Middle East for the awards.

NACCC Update

2009-08-02T11:10:00.000-07:00

The day is going great! Christina from the Cutting Crew is winning
both men and womens categories! 4 hours to go!
The winner will have done 100 miles in traffic.

Gearing up at Dispatch

2009-08-02T07:05:00.000-07:00

Main race is about to kick off, over 300 registered getting ready to
take to the streets of Boston. Rocking the checkpoint, stay tuned......

NACCC Day 1

2009-08-01T14:58:00.000-07:00

Today was the side events of the Championships. Sprints, skids and
trackstands. The best by far was the tractor pull, a track bike
pulling a car! Never seen that before. Congrats to Chaz from San
Francisco, first place sprints!

NACCC Boston Kick Off!

2009-07-31T12:55:00.000-07:00

We are at Revolution Bikes in JP! Swing by, first few to come by and
mention the post get new Chrome Hip Pouches. Stay tuned Beantown, we
will be around all weekend!

US Open Chrome Van Re-Cap

2009-07-28T16:11:00.001-07:00

What a trip! The US Open was of the hook, home town Huntington Local Brett Simpson took it after a ripping heat with Mick Fanning. A south swell moved in a day before to give everyone a sight, 10' plus waves rolled in both days. Props to Brett, your the man.

We did not think this would happen after getting pulled over by LA's finest. Much Love and thanks for the support!

Props to everyone we met in Huntington Beach, Long Beach and Manhattan Beach, cold beers and good times were had, stoked to come back soon.

Out of control, estimated 100K plus people came out for the event.

Our favorite surfer Rob Machado killed it as always.

Rob Machado

A full park was assembled for the bike jam.

We met so many rad people at the Chrome Booth, good times.

Mick Fanning killing it.

Velo City NYC

2009-07-28T10:05:00.000-07:00

Velo City wrapped up this weekend in NYC. Just a few thunderstorms, but luckily no crashes. Chicago Cuttin Crew killed it in the Messenger category, taking 1st and 2nd all around . Congrats to Molly Godlewski & Al Urbanski, both headed to Tokyo for CMWC!

Bow Bike Man

2009-07-27T11:51:00.001-07:00

Spotted this guy in Oakland this past weekend rolling down Market. The whole rig was basically moving wheels and all you could hear were the hundreds of holiday bows hitting the spokes. Pretty rad.

Chrome Van Hits Up The Hurley US Surf Open

2009-07-24T15:18:00.001-07:00

The van's headed to LA this weekend for the Hurley US Surf Open. If you're at the event and spot the van, drop by for a beer and say whattup! We'll drop a line on twitter & let you know where we're at...

Touchstone Bouldering Series

2009-07-23T12:01:00.001-07:00

Mission Cliffs Bouldering Competition Series kicks off this Friday in SF. Expected turnout is 300+ and the competition will be continuing every month at each MC location, concluding with the grand finale at Berkeley in November. For more info, click here

SF Park Tour Recap

2009-07-21T14:23:00.001-07:00

The Chrome Van was on the scene this past weekend. We hit up the BFF for a bit in the mission, just in time to checkout some BMX action.

After doing circles around Dolores for a while (parking this thing's a bitch), we rolled to the pan handle to setup shop & kicked out tshirts and tekates.

Fuck The Police

2009-07-20T14:59:00.001-07:00

Check out these pics that were emailed to us today, snapped from the Prop 8 protests that went down this past November in L.A.

Here's the email that followed:

I just wanted to show you the magical journey/free advertising your bag has enjoyed while being on my back.

In November, when Prop 8 passed, my mate and I were in the protests here in L.A. When my mate was helping someone out, the police started to toss him about. Seeing this, I came to his aide. While fending off the cops from my friend (after they pushed him to the floor when his back was turned to them), we managed to get arrested. While this whole altercation was happening and we were being manhandled by LA's finest, Rick Loomis, photographer, snapped some photos of us.

At the Annenberg Space for Photography, his photos of us getting arrested won him the award of Photographic Excellence for a Newspaper. Your magic Chrome bag can be seen in all it's glory. I have enclosed a photo for you guys. Well, that's all I got. Thanks for making a such a fine bag that protected my back for a while, before the knees were laid into me!

R

Hell Yeah, way to represent!

Downieville Classic / Downieville 2009 Pixie Cross World Championships.

2009-07-20T10:25:00.000-07:00

Downieville Classic was killer, this town is mountain biking. SF Dirtlab represented, congrats to all the riders, well done.

2009 Pixie Cross World Championships went off, only one casualty during the race, (broken finger, four missing teeth and stitches) however, he came back to make the mosh pit after the drama!! Hats off to Tom...

Beer drinking and hucking off a launch ramp, we love Downieville...

Congrats to SF Dirtlab riders. Eric, Luke, Kim, Murray and Tim braved the XC course on Day 1. An 8 mile climb up the Trail of Tears, 5 miles across the top of the saddle and a ripping descent down Pauley Creek, Third Divide and First Divide; for 28 miles of leg burning, lung searing mountain man bliss.

SF Park Tour This Weekend!

2009-07-17T15:25:00.001-07:00

Keep an eye out for the van this weekend. We'll be rolling through town Saturday, hittin up the BFF for a bit on Capp & 16th and then hangin in Dolores. Swing by for a beer!

Ramsay Bowl Recap

2009-07-16T13:34:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics from the Ramsay Bowl in Calgary this past weekend...

And a few words about the tournament from Cory S.:

With 18 teams in total, people came from Seattle, Portland, Vancouver and 1 guy from New York City. Friday night was pickup games and drinking. Saturday morning was registration and games started at 11am. Games were timed to 10 mins or 5 points, whatever came first. Justin set it up as a swiss style tournament and that kept things super fair. Teams got points for winning games so if you were on a team that won 3 games you would go up against another team that won 3 games and so on....

Saturday night we had gold sprints for those who had the energy and a DJ but most people packed it in early (1:30am) . Sunday games started again at 11am . We had to bump some of the teams with less points to the smaller court, just across the field, to accommodate for how many games we had to get through with 18 teams playing. The skill level was amazing and people were having a blast. We had hot food, cold beer, hats, shirts, hoodies, water bottles, and other stuff available the whole tournament.

Here are the top teams from the tournament:
# 1 .. Balls Deep from east van ... such a amazing team .. these guys got mad skillz winners of $1500 cash
#2 .. Smile from Seattle.. these guys can play!.. and are true gentleman on the court
#3 .. noinche noinche noinche...Kenny and martin from east van and Chris from nyc....these guys would spank you on the court but make you laugh while it happened
#4 .. Ramsay Rams.. our local A-team players .. although they hardly ever play together here in Calgary as a team..
#5 .. BallAholics.. Calgary local team ..I was on this one .. not bad for a guy who has been playing polo for 7 months!

Around 12 am Justin brought out all the prizes and I think everyone was happy with how it all turned out. It was so great to play such talent in our home town and hopefully everyone can make it back next year. It will be bigger and badder I promise! oh one last thing .. the weather gods were on our side .. nothing but sunshine the entire 3 days ...:)

Soup's Kitchen Race in Boston

2009-07-13T14:16:00.000-07:00

Check out the messenger race going down this weekend in Boston. In honor of Souphorse, and to get the Boston crew stoked for the upcoming NACCC, Chrome pulled out the big guns and kicked down a Warsaw for the winning prize.

Ride hard guys & we'll see you in a few weeks!

Calgary Bike Polo

2009-07-07T10:57:00.001-07:00

The Ramsay Bowl is coming up this weekend in Calgary. They're expecting a pretty big turnout this year and kicking down $1500 for 1st place. Definitely worth checking out. More info on their website & Facebook Page.

Juliet Rocking Chrome

2009-07-02T17:45:00.000-07:00

Found this rad pic on the Charge site, under Juliet Elliot's blog. COG mag just did a bio writeup in their latest issue & check out the new kickass video of her riding.

Hell of the Midwest Recap

2009-07-02T13:55:00.001-07:00

Here are some shots from the Hell of the Midwest race this past week in Bloomington, Indiana. The B.R.A threw a team relay that was 30+ miles. For more pics & a quick race recap, check out their blog & flickr. Rumor has it the Bloomington crew will be heading to Boston for the NACCC...way to represent the midwest! See you guys in a month!

Kranked Revolve Premier Tonight at Chrome!

2009-07-02T12:06:00.000-07:00

The latest installment in the Kranked Series is due out later this month and SF DIRTLAB is bringing it to SF tonight at Chrome! Come out and get stoked on the the sickest new bike film and then shred your favorite spots over the long weekend. The event will feature:

* A live performance by Attack Bird (yeah...like the one on Market St.)
* Frosty refreshments from Speak Easy Brewing Company
* Raffle to benefit SF Urban Riders
* Special Appearance by "Blind" Bobby McMullen, starring in the film

Doors are at 7pm, movie starts at 8:30. Tix are $10 at the door. Check the SF DIRTLAB website for additional details and click here to watch the trailer.

Velocity Chromesprints Recap

2009-07-01T12:29:00.001-07:00

The Velo City Tour rolled through San Francisco this past weekend. The preparty was here at Chrome with the Chromesprints rocking out! Thanks to everyone that came out for the event, we blew through 6 kegs of New Belgium beer and had a great time racing on the rollers. Special thanks to Masi for hooking us up with the bikes for our new sprints setup!

Big shout out to Souphorse for being MC and manning the show!

Congrats to Cory for kicking ass and winning the sprints. Along with a Warsaw filled with beer, he also scored a cruiser that New Belgium kicked down for the event.

The Velo City itself was great, though hot as all hell...about 100 degrees in the sun. Congratulations to Jim Riley from Godspeed Courier on the Win. The Chrome Van was out there all day grilling and a few well deserved beers were had post race with the riders. Here are a few shots from the race on Saturday and you can check out the rest of the pics from the event here.

SF Premiere-Kranked Revolved

2009-06-23T14:20:00.001-07:00

The latest installment in the Kranked Series is due out later this month and SF DIRTLAB is bringing it to SF on July 2nd! Come out and get stoked on the the sickest new bike film and then shred your favorite spots over the long weekend. The event will be held at Chrome Headquarters and feature:

* A live performance by Attack Bird (yeah...like the one on Market St.)
* Frosty refreshments from Speak Easy Brewing Company
* Raffle to benefit SF Urban Riders
* Special Appearance by "Blind" Bobby McMullen, starring in the film

Tix are $10 at the door. Check the SF DIRTLAB website for additional details and click here to watch the trailer.

Velocity Goldsprints Party This Friday @ Chrome!

2009-06-23T10:35:00.000-07:00

If you're in the hood, drop by Chrome this Friday for the Velocity kickoff party. Doors are at 7:30, Goldsprints (we're callin them Chromesprints) start at 8pm. New Belgium hooked us up with the beer and we'll be kickin down prizes for the winners. For those who haven't been to the shop yet, we're on 4th street at Brannan. Pass on the flyer & spread the word.

Chrome Van Recap - Reno Style

2009-06-22T13:01:00.001-07:00

Here are some photos of our trip to Reno / North Star this past weekend to support the Tour de Nez. Many thanks for the crew in Reno, it was great to catch up, you guys rock.

Reno is hosting the premire to Veer, check it out. http://web.twelvehorses.com/news/06-15-2009/award-winning-bicycling-culture-movie--veer--to-screen-in-reno-june-23rd

The race was insane, here are the winners after a three day session.

Cycle Path in Truckee is your one stop shop, these guys are rad, completely came through with a new rim to get us back on the lift at N*. Stop by and check them out, http://www.cyclepaths.com/

Our piece of heaven at North Star..

The Chrome connection in Reno, Dave LaPlante with Twelve Horses and Doug Moore with Bootleg couriers. Props to Doug and his crew for throwing the messenger race, solid showing.

Props to DJ Nugz for laying it down all weekend,

Welcome to Reno!

Chromesprints comin' along...

2009-06-19T11:17:00.001-07:00

Setup will be up and running for the Velocity Party we're throwing next friday.
Click here to check out the flyer for details.

Titty Kitty

2009-06-18T09:34:00.001-07:00

Check out the Tough Titty Kitty in the City alleycat this Saturday in SF. All proceeds raised will benefit the Avon 2day walk. Registration's ten bucks, begins in Alamo Square @ 1:30. Lindsay, the one running the show, stopped by Chrome last week to show us the custom cycling jerseys she's designed and hand-sewing for the race winners. Definitely some rad gear to kick down for a great cause!

"Hey, you with the teeth..."

2009-06-17T09:05:00.001-07:00

The Boise Adventure Seekers are throwing their first alleycat this weekend, 80's style. All proceeds are going to the Boise Bicycle Project and racers are required to dress up. There's possibility for a costume contest, so rock your fanny pack and represent.
More info here.

Rad Massaker Wrap Up

2009-06-16T15:59:00.001-07:00

Here are some shots from the Rad Massaker alleycat this past weekend in Oakland. Turnout was somewhere in the 150+ range and rumor has it the race was an ass kicker. All proceeds from the event went to Cycles of Change. The Chrome van rolled by & hooked riders up with some beers post-race. Thanks to our girl Joanie for manning the van & Miss Lea for taking the pics. Check out the rest of the shots from the race here.

Shout out from Blue Sky Cycles

2009-06-16T10:06:00.000-07:00

Rob from Blue Sky Cycles dropped us a quick line this morning:

Just wanted to give you a quick pic of my shins in action this weekend, and
to say thanks to Chrome for making rad stuff.

Right on, thanks for the support Rob! Click here to check our more pics from his ride.

Chrome in Barcelona!

2009-06-15T11:42:00.000-07:00

Chrome's new dealer in Barcelona is having their Grand Opening this weekend, checkit!

SLO Alleycat

2009-06-12T09:47:00.000-07:00

As T-rev puts it: "A fucking bike weekend". Saturday, 6/13- Alleycat 2pm & Sunday, 6/14 Hangover games. So grab your bike to kick off the summer in the central coast.

OKC Alleycat

2009-06-10T16:36:00.000-07:00

Bike against hunger this weekend in Oklahoma City. This is the first of a series of alleycats going down and all proceeds go towards the Thanda Project. If you're in the hood, check it out.

Suicide King Recap--Charleston, SC

2009-06-10T11:43:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick recap from Mr. Dan Kelley himself (the Suicide King mastermind, seen in the photo above)...

On May 31st, two months of planning came to fruition with the Suicide King Alleycat. This alleycat was in the neighborhood of 40 miles and began with everyone sprinting down King Street from North Charleston to the Battery wearing a gold crown. More coverage in the local newspaper.

The Suicide King Street Sprint was 6.0 miles from North Charleston to the Battery. Here's the best pic of the day...thanks zach!

Robbie at the Elizabeth Street Fountain

John from the checkpoint at Saint Margaret Street and Fifth Avenue.

Jason from ATL was the first out-of-towner to finish. The picture is from Magnolia Cemetery and Ravenel bridge is in background too.

Tipper (injured in March) being dragged down the finish line slip and slide by Ryan and Robbie. The dude broke his femur and ankle after avoiding a collision with a drunk driver and wasn't expected to be able to walk for six months. He said "fuck that" and two months later rode 40 miles in this alleycat.

Myself and Laura from ATL who won a pink beardhead for being the first lady to finish the King Street Sprint.

Group photo. Total participation - 42 get awesome people. Don't count the picture. Some people couldn't stay for the whole thing, but we counted at the beginning and there were 42. Trust me. Not as big as a turn out as I had hoped. Unfortunately, low cashflow kept all but a couple of Columbia kids in Cola for the weekend.

And there you have it....

Shout out to the Santa Cruz Ladies...

2009-06-09T10:03:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics from the All Girls alleycat this past weekend in Santa Cruz. About 40 ladies showed up for some sweet racing. Checkpoint activities included pin the tail on the donkey and fording rivers for beer. The race was about 25 miles long with 9 checkpoints from Wilder Ranch to UCSC all the way out to Aptos and Soquel. It ended ate Oceanview Park with a beautiful view of the Boardwalk. There was lounging on the grass, beers, prizes and some bike tricks. Overall a super pleasant day for a ladies only bike race!

Chrome Van Hits Up Scooter Rosa Rally

2009-06-08T17:25:00.000-07:00

The van survived the ride back from Portland and hit up Scooter Rosa this past weekend. Here are some pics from the event & more on our Flickr

NACCC Artist Bag Contest Winner

2009-06-08T12:48:00.000-07:00

Big shout out to Greg Ugalde of NYC! His hand drawn design of Paul Revere riding fixie will be embroidered on this year's winner bags for the NACCC, held in Boston. You can check out more of Greg's artwork on the cyclehawk website here

Huge thanks to everyone that submitted designs for this contest! They'll be more contest opportunites coming up on Facebook & Twitter so keep an eye out...

Northwest Van Tour slightly extended…

2009-06-05T15:01:00.000-07:00

Yep. Our boy Trystans been representing for a few extra days in Portland, ever since the van developed a bad tie rod and ball joint. Here’s a quick update from his trip:

“There are definitely worse places to be held up in for a few extra days. Fortunately, Chrome has quite a few friends in this area and some with couches to crash on. Not to mention the coffee in Portland is pretty amazing…

There has to be close to a dozen independent coffee roasters here, some a lot more famous than the guys at Extracto Coffee House on Killingsworth. It's a bit out of the way, but if you happen to be near the Alberta Street Arts District, it’s a great spot to grab a cup. Extractro has it's own roasting room on site. We got to watch the process when we stopped in this week and snapped a photo of the art.

Portland probably has the most diverse collection of bike shops anywhere in America- from hole in the wall pick-apart shops to multi-level museums with indoor test tracks. It also has the largest collection of independent frame builders in one city. Cog Magazine did a great story on Jordan Hufnagel a while back. We stopped by his shop for a quick visit. Huf is the kind of guy who would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He took a few minutes out of his day to hang with us, so we brought him a sixer and stoked him out with one of the new Chrome Hip Pouches. He even helped us out with a bottom bracket issue between finishing a customer's new fork.

The only thing Portland has in greater quantity than bikes and coffee is beer- so it's clear they've got their priorities worked out. When we were in South East PDX we had to check out the Hopworks Brewery. The owner, Christian, is a major bike geek- note the recycled frames as art- don't worry, no functional frame was harmed, these were all salvage. Briana, behind the bar, was awesome and stayed late to hang with us for a few.

Overall, the trip was rad and the van got major props wherever we went
(when it was running). Considering we put some major miles on the old girl, she's doing pretty well! Let's just hope the van survives the drive back- looks like it's gonna be an all nighter..."

All Girls Alley Cat--Santa Cruz

2009-06-04T16:13:00.001-07:00

They'll be some Chrome Hip Pouches up for grabs. Don't forget your map...

1 Day Left for NACCC Artist Bag Contest!!

2009-06-04T12:14:00.001-07:00

Chrome is looking for a kick-ass design to be embroidered on this years 1st place bags
for the NACCC. Winner gets a $200 Chrome gift certificate, bragging rights, & your design will be featured on the Chrome Website, Blog, and Facebook page, linking to
your website (if you have one). Up for the challenge? Artwork is due this Friday, 1pm PST!!

Submission Guidelines:

Vector EPS file

Design cannot exceed 12 inches in width or height

Name your submission your first and last name (ie: jeffrey_lebowski.jpg)

All artwork must be submitted by Friday, June 5th, 1pm PST

Send artwork to Jackie@chromebags.com

Scooter Rosa This Weekend

2009-06-03T13:34:00.001-07:00

Scooter Rosa, a benefit for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the North Bay, is going down this weekend. All riders are asked to raise a minimum of $50 and can register here. Keep an eye out for the Chrome Van (that is, if she makes back from Portland in one piece)....

Chrome Van--Northwest Trip Recap

2009-06-02T15:23:00.000-07:00

Although the van is licking its wounds from this past road trip (yup. she's brokedown in a shop in Portland at the moment) the weekend, overall, was a complete success. There was a great turnout at Lizard Lounge, all due to word getting out on Twitter. Folks rolled all the way from Eugene after catching wind the van would be slinging beers & burgers! The Velocity race rocked and Portland was stoked to see Chrome come out and hang. Sunday we headed to Seattle & kicked it with the crew from Recycled Cycles. Thanks to everyone who came out to hang! Click here for more pics from the trip.

NACCC Artist Bag Contest--Only 4 Days Left!!

2009-06-02T09:11:00.001-07:00

Vector EPS file

Design cannot exceed 12 inches in width or height

Name your submission your first and last name (ie: jeffrey_lebowski.jpg)

All artwork must be submitted by Friday, June 5th, 1pm PST

Send artwork to Jackie@chromebags.com

Chrome Van still heading North..

2009-05-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

Portland has been so good, Great time at the Lizard Lounge, killer alley cat, after party, and Velo City!! We will recap soon, our trip has been extended... We will be in Seattle on Sunday 5/31 at Recycled Cycles @ 1 p.m., grill going and beer flowing stop by if you are around.

Ride Hard,

Chrome

NACCC Artist Bag Contest!

2009-05-29T11:05:00.000-07:00

Vector EPS file

Design cannot exceed 12 inches in width or height

Name your submission your first and last name (ie: jeffrey_lebowski.jpg)

All artwork must be submitted by Friday, June 5th, 1pm PST

Send artwork to Jackie@chromebags.com

Our homies in the Chrome factory in Chico!

2009-05-28T11:48:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all the hard work & kickin ass guys!!

Riding With Pista Malmo

2009-05-26T14:31:00.000-07:00

Riding with Pista Malmo from Let It Ride Ride Ride on Vimeo.

Got an email from Peteris with the latest update on the ride to Barcelona. Here's a vid of him and Steven riding with the fixed gear crew, Pista Malmo. They'll be kickin it in Amsterdam until tomorrow and then heading south.

Looks like they've also sparked some interest with Wend Mag:

http://www.wendmag.com/blog/2009/05/18/riding-fixed-gears-across-europe/

Stay Tuned Peoples...

2009-05-22T12:49:00.000-07:00

Tampa Two Stroke This Weekend

2009-05-21T16:11:00.000-07:00

Check out Florida's bad ass scooter camping rally this weekend, presented by the Tampa Two Stroke crew. If vintage scooter is your thing & you're in the hood, swing by and tell Kieran Chrome says whattup. Get the details here

Westside Invite Hits Seattle

2009-05-20T14:58:00.001-07:00

After 8 years in Portland, Westside hits Seattle! Along with the main race, there will be alleycats, track/footdown/skid comps and polo going down all weekend. There's already over 100 registered racers so if you haven't yet and want in, register here.

Baltic Ride Update

2009-05-18T17:34:00.001-07:00

Here are some pics from Peteris & Steven, the mustached fellas doing the fixie ride from Stockholm to Barcelona. They’ve been on the road since May 1st, kicked it with the messengers in Stockholm, & hooked up with Sweden’s only fixed gear crew, Piste Malmo: “ They have a great community going on here, trying to connect fixed gear riders all across scandinavia.”

Sounds like a rad ride so far...fill us in on the Berlin scene!

East Bay Bicycle Collation Party Recap

2009-05-15T21:56:00.000-07:00

Props to East Bay Bicycle Collation for the party, extra props to Cyclecide Collective for being Rad, check these guys out.. http://www.cyclecide.com/

Chicks on roller skates beating the crap out of eachother...

2009-05-15T11:48:00.000-07:00

Check out the Bay City Bomber s this Saturday at Kezar Pavilion (Stanyan Street). Chrome will be hangin before the bout, swing by the van for a cold one!

Side Saddle Recap, Austin

2009-05-13T11:11:00.001-07:00

Big shout out to Anne D. in Austin for pulling together the first ladies only alleycat in Austin. Side Saddle was a complete success with a turnout of 37 and cash raised through raffles and registration for Austin's own Mother's Milk Bank. Here's her recap:

All the local bike boys ran the checkpoints making the girls eat butterscotch, do an origami fortune teller, sew a button onto their shirt, shoot ducks with a toy rifle, and run into the Texas State Capitol to draw a sketch of Ann Richards. There was a local film crew shooting the event for a film on the Austin Bike Scene and lots of awesome photographers to capture the race. Side events were open to both sexes and everyone had a great time watching the girls stomp the boys including a tall bike in the Texas footdown competition.

Right on anne! thanks for the pics & throwing a kickass race

Tourist Trap SF

2009-05-07T14:19:00.000-07:00

If anyone in town is lookin for a ride this weekend, check out Tourist Trap SF. The race is this Sunday, starts at the Polo fields in GG park and you can register here.

Our boys kickin it in Stockholm...

2009-05-04T23:32:00.000-07:00

Stockholm (on the reg) from Let It Ride Ride Ride on Vimeo.

Treehugger

2009-04-28T15:30:00.000-07:00

Comin up this Saturday in SF. Starts at high noon at hippie hill. Cut off time is 4:20 for all racers...follow the theme? Proceeds go towards FUF. Chrome goods up for grabs including the new hip pouch

Chrome Van Trip Recap

2009-04-23T19:40:00.001-07:00

Made it to L.A. and took it by storm. Hit up a few shops & set up shop at Orange20 for a kickass BBQ. Velocity was hot as all hell but the beer coolers kept us goin. For more pics, check out the album on Facebook

2nd Stop-Sea Otter

2009-04-18T02:07:00.000-07:00

Slight delay on our drive down to Monterey. Apparently, a “kinda registered” van doesn’t fly these days. Luckily, Shawn worked his charm and was able to roll with a fix-it. Made it to Sea Otter with good time and set up camp in the lot. Kicked it at the show for a bit with Marin & her crew from The Spokesman and Shimano. The grill fired up around 1 followed by the pixie bikes and Tecate. More pics on Flickr. The Chrome van rolls on…

1st Stop-The Spokesman, Santa Cruz!

2009-04-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

1st stop on the Van trip to L.A was Santa Cruz. Dropped by The Spokesman and kicked it with Marin and the crew. Cracked a few Tecates, hung with the locals & our new buddy Ashton from Clutch Couriers. First travel stickers hit the roll up....more to come. Next stop...SEA OTTER WHUUUUUT!!

Chrome Hits The Road!

2009-04-16T13:52:00.001-07:00

Crazy Shit Goin Down in NYC....

2009-04-10T17:18:00.000-07:00

Check out this article & video NY Times posted on their site today about a protest in NYC. That's some crazy shit! (notice the Chrome Bags).

Art Crank, Denver

2009-04-10T15:13:00.001-07:00

Just stumbled upon this rad print by Tony Cozzi from his "Drop Sequence" series, which he'll be showing this weekend at ARTCRANK in Denver. I would highly recommend checking this show out if you're in the hood. Unfortunately, Chrome won't be able to make it out for the event but will be following Charles's on Twitter while he's posting updates from the event.

Baltic Ride Sendoff

2009-04-08T10:44:00.000-07:00

Come out and party tomorrow night at Shotwell for the send-off of Peter and Steve, new pals of Chrome. They'll be embarking on a three month epic ride from Stockholm to Barcelona on their fixed gears and we'll be following them the entire way. If you haven't yet, get your ass on Twitter and follow Chrome. We'll be posting updates from they're ride and uploading pics and video on our blog and Facebook pages.

Paint the Van!

2009-04-07T20:50:00.000-07:00

Chrome crew at work

Shawner doing his thing...

kickin it

D hangin

group shot

Back on Track...

2009-04-03T20:21:00.001-07:00

If anyone's in LA this weekend and owns a bike, this is a worthwhile ride to be part of. The Chrome crew extends its best regards to Mike and his family and wishes him a healthy and full recovery. Thanks Jeff for sharing his story with us & best of luck with the fundraiser:

Hello,
Mike Vincent, a Los Angeles area BMXer/Cyclist/BMX event organizer was
hit by a car while riding his bike to work in January of 2008 and
sustained severe head trauma. Thankfully, Mike survived the collision,
but throughout the first few months of the accident, Mike was in
intensive care, enduring multiple brain surgeries along with surgery
to repair a punctured lung. Eventually, as we all probably know, Mike
pulled through, but the past year has been extremely difficult for
both Mike and his family. He has been through numerous surgeries,
countless tests, and recently moved back to Virginia to get as much
support from his family as possible. And since he's still fighting to
regain his vision, he's still undergoing testing, and will be making
the trip to John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore later this week for
additional testing.

Now, as well know, hospital bills are expensive, and in the past year,
Mike's bills have amounted to well over 3.4 million dollars. But there
are still ways to help. In fact, the 2nd Annual Back On Track, A
Benefit Ride for Mike Vincent, is being held this coming April 5, 2009
in the Los Angeles area.

Here's the details: It's a 27-mile ride throughout the Los Angeles
area, with a raffle and t-shirts being sold afterwards. Last year, the
event raised over $2200, and they're currently seeking donations for
this year's raffle. The event goes down on April 5, 2009 at 12:30 PM.
If you're in the L.A. area, come out and enjoy the ride. And if you're
a company looking to donate prizes towards the raffle, your donations
are very welcome.

If you'd like to make a contribution or need additional information on
how to donate to the cause, please e-mail kevintherobot@gmail.com

Sincerely,
Jeff Stroot

Newest Member of the Fam...

2009-04-03T13:22:00.001-07:00

makeover this weekend. gotta get you pretty for LA Velocity...

Clown Dog Anniversary-Austin,TX

2009-04-02T18:53:00.000-07:00

We're all about partying for a good cause. If anyone's in Austin and knows Clown Dog Bikes, swing by & give some support:

Once again it's time for the Dog's anniversary party. This year we're combining our party with a benefit for the local non-profit bike gods at the Yellow Bike Project. The city has given them a hundred year lease on a piece of land and now the mission is to raise money to build the facility. Monthly benefits and private donations have gotten them about halfway there. We hope to raise a couple thousand American dollars at our party.
Our party is going to be at the Scoot Inn this Saturday. We're having a slow race, a small bike bunny hop and distance jump contest, tire toss, and some other bike shenanigans in the afternoon. Then, as the suns starts to creep down the bands start. We've got a drunken country band, a nerdy white rapper, a pole dancing crew performing with weird keyboard band, and a Queen cover band headlining.
It is looking like a fantastic party. We'll be selling raffle tickets and raffling off a Schwinn Jenny and a set of Velocity wheels and maybe a *chrome bag................Here's a flier. Yo. Thanks for your consideration of considering to make a considerably considerable donation to our celebration.

Love, Clown Pup John

*actually-we kicked down some of our new Chrome hip pouches along with some other goods. In fact, they're so new we haven't even thrown them on the site yet. Keep an eye out...should be available by this weekend!

No Po Up recap

2009-03-31T16:54:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics of the UP crew from the No Po alleycat this past weekend in Portland. Nice call with the pixie bikes alex & thanks for the photos!

GG Roller Derby

2009-03-27T17:00:00.001-07:00

The Gotham Girls are kicking off their season this Saturday with their first bout in Brooklyn. If you're in town, check out the event. Chrome gear will be raffled off & rumor has it there's only a few tickets left.

Messenger Appreciation Chicago

2009-03-23T17:02:00.000-07:00

Chrome hosted a happy hour for Messenger Appreciation this past week in Chicago at the Blue Frog. With two hours of free PBR and product raffled off, including the new Warsaw messenger pack, rumor has it the house was packed & the crowd was stoked. Huge thanks to Augie for running the show for us and Chris Dilts for shooting the pics! For more photos, check out our Flickr page.

High Rollers Weekend

2009-03-20T10:24:00.000-07:00

The 10th anniversary of the High Rollers Weekend kicked off yesterday in Vegas. Scooterists from all over the US and UK will be partying all weekend, attending events like the "Put Up or Shut Up" scooter build-off. Chrome kicked down for the raffle this year so check it out if your in town!

Chrome Warsaw!

2009-03-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

Pete from COG magazine rocking his new Chrome pro series messenger pack, the Warsaw.
Just arriving in-house today, this bag, in my opinion, is our most bad-ass piece to date.

Seven Alleycat

2009-03-06T17:01:00.000-08:00

Alleycat update if you're in Fremont, Cali this weekend...
Checkout the fremont fixed site for more info.

Keepin Warm in NYC

2009-03-02T10:47:00.001-08:00

Our boy Squid's keepin warm in NYC, rockin the Chrome Kit: our Champ riding jacket & Pacer merino zip! We've got a special goin on right now, checkit checkit.

Hope our homies @ cyclewhawk aren't gettin too nailed by that snow storm hittin the east coast right now...stay warm guys!

COG Anniversary Party

2009-02-25T10:37:00.001-08:00

Check out some pics from the COG Anniversary party in Chicago this past weekend. The COG crew put together an amazing hardcover book of all their imagery from the past year. We've got a few in at Chrome so swing by the shop & pick one up while you can! Big thanks to Andy Golding and Chris Dilts for the photos!

.83 Race in Seattle

2009-02-20T16:14:00.000-08:00

checkit checkit out.

Hamburger Eyes Fundraiser

2009-02-11T14:44:00.000-08:00

Pick up some rad art & support a local mag

Coffee Buzzzzz....

2009-02-09T16:56:00.000-08:00

BIG shout out to our Philly peeps Josie & David for kickin us some of their home-roasted coffee beans!!! Josie submitted this pic for the Chrome Facebook contest and won her boy a new Cobra merino jacket....

"My crazy husband roasts this coffee and then delivers it in 5 pound bags with his fixie and chrome bag to local restaurants in Philly."

Here's to one bad-ass cup o joe...

Git Your Stache On

2009-01-27T16:03:00.001-08:00

Check out the festivites in Seattle the month of Feb, including the Beard & Stache Dash on the 8th!

Macaframa Premiere, Salt Lake

2009-01-20T13:00:00.001-08:00

If you're kickin it in SLC this Saturday, check out the Macaframa premiere followed by some Goldsprints action & live music. Thanks to mike from Skyline for the pics!

Not your average blinky...

2009-01-19T14:30:00.001-08:00

Interesting concept (dubbed "Light Lane") by the boyz at Altitude.

"Da Tour is what street racing in Chicago is all about."

2009-01-16T10:22:00.000-08:00

Balls to the wall for this one....

Chrome Photo Contest

2009-01-15T16:23:00.001-08:00

Happenings in Ogden, UT

2009-01-09T11:18:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics from Ogden's last Gold Sprints. Turnout was 170 and a bigger crowd is expected for tomorrow's. Check it out if you're in the hood & tell our peeps at Skyline Cycle Chrome says whatup!

If you're kickin it in Chicago....

2008-12-30T15:38:00.000-08:00

Swing by Gold Star and Check out Chrils Dilts's images from the NACCC

Snot & Tears

2008-12-19T09:59:00.000-08:00

peeps in Austin, TX

For all you folks in Calgary...

2008-12-16T17:15:00.000-08:00

Xmas Alley Cat 08: Calgary, AB