Was up most of the night with my eye on the polls. After listening and relistening to Obama's "This is our moment" acceptance speech I'm feeling genuinely hopeful that this new dawn of American leadership beckons an enlightened sense of global direction and ideology. He was gracious and thanked many, including campaign manager David Plouffe. The success and excitement of the campaign was in part due to the use of new and innovative methods to inspire the young and disengaged. Shephard Fairey, the "Obey" artist behind the iconic HOPE portrait was part of this, as were the founders of the Obama spokecard campaign.

ANIMAL brought Geekhouse bike builder Marty Walsh together with pattern reworking genius Dan Funderburgh to create a ONE OF A KIND fixed wheel ObamaBike that was auctioned on Ebay and sold for $1,425. It wasn't the only fixie homage to President Obama . . .

To a crowd of 75,000 in Portland Oregon this May, Obama called for the nation to get serious about it's energy issues and model Portland's investment in bicycles and alternative means of transportation, making him the only candidate to specifically mention investment in bicycle infrastructure. Now that he's president, I'm sure, in time, Americans can expect innovative lateral thinking as well as real progress on this issue.

Shepard Fairey Obama HOPE 4x6 sticker OBEY StickerRobot

	US $10.00 End date: 9d 21h 20m Buy it now for only: US $10.00 Buy it now | More info

Here we come...

photo by pete_d

via JUN

Another great SF cycle style look! Brown leather boots, with black tights and miniskirt. Some friends comment on how I'm always wearing skirts when I bike around town. Frankly, I think it's much easier and more comfortable than wearing pants!

I take after this woman not only in style, but in habits, as I personally find it way too difficult to actually ride and talk at the same time. Cell phone calls require a stop and chat.

November's Urban Velo, their 10th issue, is now out and available as a free .pdf download here. Contents include : The Million Mile Man - Danny Chew, A Ride on the Wild Side - A Working Vacation as a Bike Messenger, 10 Types of Pedestrians We Love to Hate, Winter Footwear Options, Blinkie Light Theory, How to use a Chain Tool, Ed Glazar Photo Gallery, plus I Love Riding in the City, Bikes on Film, Residue and No Exit comics.

From my inbox tonight...

Dear Fritz,

I wear my messenger bag high and tight and empty just like the cool kids I see in the videos, but the other cyclists in my city just laugh at my sense of style. What am I doing wrong?

Signed,

Confused in Cleveland

Dear Confused,

Just like politics and good organic produce, cyclist style is local. Chrome is king in San Francisco, but Lycra still leads in much of the Midwest.

Ditch the steel SE Lager fixed gear bike, those ridiculously tight Swrve pants, hemp belt and your home sewn bag and replace it all with roadie gear. A good starter ensemble might include the Look 595, ridiculously tight Assos "kit", and Rudy Project eyeglasses. You can still wear your Sidi shoes, though you need to learn how to use clipless pedals. The roadies will still mock your piercings, PBR and smoking, but they'll let you ride with them -- probably in the "C" group -- if you can hang with the peloton.

Love, Fritz

Bikeworks is a social enterprise based in Victoria Park in East London. If your looking to buy a bike they have a tasty collection of second-hand/recycled bikes on offer like this rather beautiful Spacemaster pictured above - am just loving the white saddle and white handle bar grips

The team running bikeworks offer cycle training and maintenance training... and seem like jolly nice chaps to boot!