ARTICLES OF INSPIRATION: FUGAZI


August 25, 2014 · by MURPH · in About Swobo, Customers, Dealers, Showcase,TEAM RADIO SWOBO. ·

Fugazi has always held a special place in my heart. I’ve loved their music and it was the soundtrack to much of my high school and college years. I saw them only once in Milwaukee and it was a memorable experience to say the least.



But beyond just the tunes, I’ve always respected the way they tour, play shows without set lists, AND they way they do business. After I graduated and left Wisconsin for DC for my first post-college job, I ended up moving into the neighborhood where the Dischord Records mailing address has stood for its entire existence–Ian MacKaye’s family home. I remember the first time I walked past Beecher street from the bus stop and couldn’t remember why that name jumped out at me. I went home to check the back of End Hits to confirm. It was a silly moment of coincidental joy.

Over the years their continued integrity to doing things their way has served as a regular reminder–if not an inspiration–to buck the prevailing trend and do what you know is the right thing to do. The folks at Dischord Records have it down to a science. From selling their LPs with complimentary digital downloads, to archiving and making available online all of the shows from Fugazi, to just keeping pricing reasonable. 


Perhaps it isn’t the most popular, or lucrative, but doing something the right way is always more fulfilling. I think we at Swobo use this as a guide as to how we make decisions–or at least I really hope we do. We try to take care of a customer or a dealer how we would want to be treated. We make things in a quality fashion even if it costs more, is a bigger risk, and isn’t exactly how everyone else is doing it. Also, we sell things in an honest fashion. Our online sales don’t blow out our dealers, and we don’t stack our brick and mortar partners on top of one another–we like to give them room to breath and serve their customers the best way they can. We really want Swobo resellers to be part of our family. Honest dealings beget satisfied partners.

Anyway, back to Fugazi…Recently, a few gems popped up around various parts of the internet and I’d like to share them with you. Maybe listening to the soothing tones from Ian MacKaye in a radio interview isn’t your idea of a great way to spend part of an afternoon, but I’d recommend giving it a shot. That guy has a pretty great outlook and has been the voice of reason and common sense for many of my generation (and those slightly before and after me).


The Dischord Records co-founder talks D.C. punk history and more with WTJU. courtesy of WAMU

The Dischord Records co-founder talks D.C. punk history and more with WTJU. courtesy of WAMU

And then there is this beauty of a video. Glen E. Friedman & Ian MacKaye discuss some of the photographs in MY RULES the book (2014) from Burning Flags Press onVimeo. While not pertaining only to Fugazi, Ian and photographer Glen Friedman reminisce about their shared moments of artistic gold and everything else amazing that Friedman has done. If you don’t recognize Friedman’s name, you will most definitely know his work. That is, unless you have been living inside a closet for the last 30 years. Who knows? This guy might not know Friedman’s work, but pretty much everyone else will.


Also, for the record, this is one of my favorite books I have. If you can, snag yourself a copy.


And remember, maybe sometimes it isn’t the easy way of doing things, but doing something that your gut tells you is the right way always feels more satisfying.

Enjoy!

Love, Murph.

Family and History: SWOBO Chronicles with Darin

One of the best things about being on the inside of Swobo is the many great people you meet that are deeply connected to the brand and its history. In many ways Swobo is a big clan or better yet, a loud, loving family. We have many distant relatives that will come back to reconnect and every time we go anywhere it’s like an impromptu family reunion. One such fine example is our pal, Darin Smedberg. One of the infamous orange jumpsuit clad Amigos, Darin is probably one of the sweetest and weirdest fellows I’ve ever met. He goes way back with Swobo and accordingly we’ve asked him to share some of his favorite stories about Swobo’s past from time to time.

But first a little bit about Darin.

Darin Smedberg is the youngest of three children from Pollock Pines, California where he spent many of his early days riding through the hills on his Mongoose BMX bike. Years later he moved to Chico for school and met Curtis Inglis and the rest of the crew at Retrotec.



While cruising the NORBA circuit with Bob Seals, Rob Sears, and a host of NORBA notables, Darin quickly became fond of single speeds, rigid forks, and general debauchery (like helping Seals organize the first single speed worlds in Big Bear).

During a rapid decline in taking racing seriously and a quick progression into making some life-long friends from San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and Colorado, Darin met the forces behind Swobo [1.0]. At Interbike 1995 in Anaheim, Darin helped Swobo set up their booth and mostly ran around wearing a red cape, throwing little toy sheep at people.

“That night I think I puked and spent the night outside the hilton,” he recalls.

As for many, eventually Darin’s professional attention wandered away from bikes and he slipped into a dark hole of white collar work and world travel.

While away, Darin kept tabs on the underbelly of the bike world, via Stevil’s How to Avoid the Bummer Life blog at Swobo.

Currently Darin spends most of his time working as a Mechanical Engineer in San Francisco. During weekends you can find him on a bike, lending engineering services to those who ask, and helping spread the word about rad bicycle advocacy groups like the MeetYourMakerTour.

Volume 1 : My first visit to SWOBO world headquarters and one pair of lucky knickers

It was 1994. I think SWOBO was on 4th and Townsend in San Francisco. Back then they called it a ‘Seedy part of town’ and back then, it was. They were in the basement, and late one night I found the whole gang working (and/or drinking). Steve Smith was hanging out with J Mac (who ran garment purchasing and production), Chris Fenster ‘Books’ was at one desk while Tim Parr was at another.

We hung out for a while and before I left, one of them gave me a set of knickers. I’m a huge knicker fan so this was a big deal. I started wearing them on any ride under 80 Degrees and during winter months I used them for Telemark Skiing in the back country. I was just learning how to Tele ski back then and would often crash, splitting the crotch of the knickers not once or twice but at least 6 times.
Each time I’d take them to my mom over a holiday or a visit and she’d mend them. Eventually she got tired of doing it so I took up the task. 18 years passed, and I still wear the knickers. They are a faded grey, are filled with rips and tears, a broken zipper and a well-used crotch seam. I had a girlfriend tell me that she’d stop seeing me if I kept wearing the knickers, so we split up.

I still own the knickers and I’d love to visit the new SWOBO location some day!


50 Great Things to Do With $50

Lists like this one seriously annoy me.

They are part of this great wide wonder we call the internet. They pop up in your social media feed and tempt you. And for some indescribable reason you click on them. Maybe you’re bored. Maybe you’re on the toilet reading your phone. Maybe you’re just trying to find one last excuse of a link to click to avoid going back to work. Heck maybe it’s a combination of all three. No judgement, we’ve all been there.

What gets me about these sorts of lists is the sad fact that we are bombarded by this fodder on a daily basis because some poor soul that with a freelance writing gig couldn’t come up with anything better. This unfortunate author (like so many others) typed away at their machine churning out ’50 of the best things to spend $50 on’–or some such variation–and they probably hated themselves for it. They probably felt guilty for the fact that they wasted $150,000 on their B.A. (no judgement–I did the same) in English so they could end up blorching out text that the masses could self-hatingly consume while hiding from their desk in the bathroom.

So in and effort to one-up the sad saps that regurgitate useless nonsense for others to download into their useless-idea-storage-receptacles (brains), here’s a short list of 5 better things to do with your $50.

[One thing first though--seriously, do people really lack of things to do with $50? First world problems, for sure. All of this is with the clear caveat that you wouldn't first give your extra money to any number of humanitarian aid projects desperately in need of funding. Or pay down your soul crushing credit card debt. Obviously.]

1. Give it to Raju (courtesy of Stevil at All Hail the Black Market)

Stories like this one are increasingly visible due to the wonders of the internet. We see more and more about the evils of mankind and then some rare true examples of grace. Give your money here to support Raju. Or go support (or volunteer!) any other local animal rescue organization in your area.

2. Buy something at All Hail the Black Market (that one wasn’t from Stevil, honest)

We’ve met many folks over the years that are able to hold down jobs they otherwise hate, simply because their daily dose of bike blogs keep them sane while enduring the mundane. When you can’t be riding, reading about riding and the lifestyle you love helps a little. And great resources like Stevil help keep that alive. Buy some goods at his site because they look cool and you get the smug sense of accomplishment for supporting something you love. It’s like supporting public radio, but with more Danzig.

3. Buy some new rubber

Face it. You’re putting it off. Go buy some new tires. Seriously. When it starts raining, all that crap that’s been swept into the gutters all summer is going to end up in your bike lane. And you’re going to rue the day you didn’t buy a replacement for that worn down rear tire because you thought it could wait another month. Go get some new tread. You’ll thank me when you’re not standing on the side of the road in the dark trying to reach 60 psi with your minipump. In the rain.

4. Buy beer for your local shop

Give your favorite salesperson or mechanic a little love. They deserve it. They’re there sweating their asses off for you, living what is hardly the dream, simply because they love and believe in what they do. And that my friend, is keeping you rolling on a daily basis. For as appreciative and understanding as you already are (or perhaps just think you are) go the extra step. Drop off some beer (and some good craft sodas for the folks that don’t partake) at your favorite shop just because. It’s like giving your sweetheart flowers for no reason. You feel like a champ and they know that you think about them enough to spend a few ducats on them. The added perk is you’ll probably get to share one with them.

5. Get in line for the new Scofflaw 

Lastly, as it pales in comparison to the many other truly better things you could do with $50, I’d say you could lay down some coin to get in line for the new Scofflaw. Shameless self-plugging aside, this bike has been the toil of some good people for a good while. It’s got all the tricks: a good steel frame, simple singlespeed platform (whilst compatible for gears), and a preponderance for shredding on all terrain. We’ve been anxiously waiting to release this one to the masses and soon enough it will be here.

SCOFFLAW 45

But the thing is, we need to know who wants them. It will help us bring in the first few bikes, well ahead of the final production delivery later on in 2015. Scofflaws will initially arrive in early 2015. So go secure your place in line and trade in that pesky extra $50.

Love,

Murph

 

PDW Good Neighbor Series, Vol. 9: Rapha North America

Good Neighbor Series, Vol. 9: Rapha North America

Submitted by Da_Murph on Fri, 03/01/2013 - 2:18pm

PDW Good Neighbor Series – Vol. 9 Rapha North America: Jeremy Dunn

Welcome to another installment of the PDW Good Neighbor Series. This time around we’ve ventured a bit outside our immediate N. Williams Ave neighborhood and headed across the river to chat with longtime friend of PDW, Jeremy Dunn (a.k.a. JD) of Rapha North America.

Jeremy, like myself, hails from Wisconsin and was gracious enough to expand upon a few of our normally trivial questions.

With great candor and gentlemanly poise, he provides an honest and in-depth portrait of the communications realm over at Rapha. Get set for some hard-hitting journalism on topics like Sheldon Brown, the Jens Voigt Army, pink frilly underwear, and the god known as Freddy Mercury.

Read on, Compadres, and enjoy!

--Murph

 

Name: Jeremy Dunn, Company: Rapha North America - Rapha Spring/ Summer 2013 Collection

[L to R, top to bottom: JD and bike, Mr. Smiley outside Rapha North America HQ, the new old Citroen, Luggage, Sippin’ properly, Citroen Sign] 

KM: How long have you been in the bike biz? What’s your bio? How did you end up in Portland? 

JD: Let's see. I started at a bike shop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin — Ben's Cycles in about the spring of 2000. It was pretty cool over there. Actually, it was mindblowingly cool over there and just the thought of Drew still running things means that it probably still is.

I think the only thing I did was change flats for the first summer. However, it was a great place to learn a bit about bikes and a bit about the cycling culture. The guy who managed sponsorship for the Saturn Cycling Team (think Tim Johnson, Jonathan Page, Mark McCormack and Chris Horner) lived above the shop so we were regaled with some of those stories and then watch them thrash SuperWeek, needless to say--exciting times.

From there I moved out to Boston to pursue a career in the film and television world. I wanted to work in documentary television and shoot documentaries and that whole scene. It was definitely a hustle that either I wasn't used to, or wasn't into at the time. I was called back no less than 6 times to interview for a camera operator position for a kids show about an animated dog and that's when I lost it and started looking back into the industry that I had fun with… bicycles.

Luckily, I found a job working for a legend. Straight to the top next to a man with an eagle taped to his helmet. You know that man as Sheldon Brown. I spent a couple years at Harris Cyclery in their "internet department" chasing after the 5,000 + static interweb pages that Sheldon had cobbled together over the years. It was amazing in a lot of ways.

Whew. 

Actually, there were a couple cool things there. One is a man called TQ. He influenced me in many ways, mostly by introducing me to cool bands like High Llamas and Sparks.

The other was that there were a couple of us that started a team there racing this thing called "cyclocross" it was crazy. A bunch of bike messengers banding together to roam around the East Coast doing bicycle races. It is staggering the number of cross races you can do on the East Coast if you put your mind to it. Wow. Plus, when the people there realized that there were a bunch of us into bike racing rather than the crusty ol touring bikes that S. Brown was pumping out they opened up to us in a whole new way and that's when I met Steve Pucci and Chris DiStefano. Those two right there could be a novel in and of themselves.

Then I picked up shop and moved over to Cambridge Bicycle and the whole cycle of life started over again but in an "urban" environment. Sort of.

From there it gets easier and shorter, I promise.

We got a catalog in the mail from a company called Rapha. Maybe you've heard of it? Well, I had just started this cycling publication and was about to show it at the NAHBS show in Portland, Oregon a few months later. With a little internet research I found out that these "Rapha" folks actually had a small home base in the Portland area. So, while out in Portland for the worlds largest and most exclusive handmade bicycle show I had a little meeting with Mr. Slate Olson and Mr. Daniel Pasley and the forming of an East Coast Rapha Continental was fully underway.

Side Note: I was sporting a ridiculous blonde mustache at the time, so I don't know what they were thinking.

So, that, aside from a few thousand miles of riding and a whole slew of great people along the way pretty much brings us up to now….let's move on. 

[Beloved and Rapha sign, JD the Barkeep, Baller fridge, the Rapha office at work, Horsin’ around, Bridgeport on tap, Up close with the Citroen, Grillin’, JD as Joe Cool, Their own brand of coffeemakers] 

KM: Prince or Queen?

JD: Well, let's just say this. Freddy Mercury is a god. In fact, he's even named after one. And isn't a "prince" just the consummate "next in line for the throne." A throne that Freddy Mercury will own forever.

KM: How much can you bench? What is your vertical?

JD: What does the bar weigh on those bench press machines? I'm pretty sure I could still heft one of those. No idea on the vertical although I recently got a pair of shoes that can measure that. Which is something that is very important to LeBron and his fans.

KM: What’s your favorite thing about cycling in Portland? Where could things improve?

JD: My favorite thing about cycling in Portland is the number of races one can do. My least favorite thing about cycling in Portland is the number of races that you can do that will help advance cycling on a National level. The folks here in Portland have done such a good job of working on the scene here that it has started to become insular. I know I know, that sounds like a bad thing, but it isn't. It is just going to say that it's really good here. In fact, it's freaking great! You can race every day of the week through the summer. But there is one thing that is holding us back... We need some UCI cross races. Then again, maybe that's the last thing we need.

KM: Who’s a better dresser, you or Slate Olson?

JD: Slate has a very awesome, very classical style. He loves Jack Purcell's in a variety of colors, he probably has more than one suit as well. His sweaters do not have holes in them. Versus my style where I see something that I like and I wear it for the next six months straight until it falls off my body and smells like it came out of a raccoon den. This style of his carries over to the bike as well. We have a thing around here we call the "Olson Effect" and I think he keeps doing it because it keeps the US sales high. He will wear something Rapha, look all cool in it, and then we'll go out and order it. Then Tim and I will be on a ride looking all goofy and say to each other "did you get that because Slate had it? Yes. Damn, it looked better on him." Ok, so to answer your question - Slate.

KM: What's your favorite Rapha product?

JD: Currently - Thermal Bib Shorts - they keep the boys warm and snuggly all winter long. Remember when Craft had those windproof underwear that went under your bibs? You don't? Well, they were awesome. These are better. All Time - Leather town gloves? Gilet?

KM: I have to agree. Those thermal bibs are pretty much my favorite piece of cycling gear ever. 

[Editor's note: To see new stuff, check out Rapha's new Spring/Summer 2013 collection here]

KM: You’re a fairly adept baller on the court at our weekly basketball game. What other sports are you good at? What game could use some work?

JD: Hmm. I'm sure that my golf game could use some work. I can't count how many times my father woke me before 6am in the summer to play golf with him. I think it’s where my distain from getting up early comes from. I'd like to think that I'm good at ultimate frisbee, or baseball, but I'm not sure. Those two leagues have yet to really grab hold here in Portland (actually, I'm sure the Ultimate league is probably just fine). 

[JD from the weekly PDW Thursday Night Basketball Game] 

KM: What is your favorite NFL team? How dare you? 

JD: Pittsburgh Steelers - for a few reasons. 1) they are my co-worker Gerben's favorite team. When he moved to the US from the Netherlands a couple years ago he started a blog about the trials and tribulations associated with picking a favorite team within a sport he knew nothing about. Needless to say Gerben has forgotten what the actual web address is, but I liked the concept. 2) James Harrison. He gets fined for hitting too hard. That's badass. Then he turns around and and fights back when the NFL tries to sell the photos they took of the plays they just fined him for. That's double standard badass. He also turned down a visit to the White House post Super Bowl win because "the president would have invited whomever won" that's badass. His badassery knows no bounds.

KM: Wrong, it’s the Green Bay Packers.

KM: Humor me, do you have a favorite PDW Product?

JD: I love the full metal fenders. Although sometimes when a small rock gets kicked up in them it rattles around and scares me to the point that I think I've done something wrong. Which I haven't. Also, the Fenderbot has this little trick to the packaging that allegedly my good friend Kyle was a part of inventing. When I saw that the cardboard backing of the fenderbot actually had the drill holes on there and that Kyle was the idea behind that, I was pretty much sold. Plus, who wants to have to remove their lights every time they go to the movies? (I go to the movies a lot and have lost more than a few lights that way.) 

[Full Metal Fenders up close, Fenderbot, JD and his steed] 

KM: Roller: Skates or Blades? 

JD: Wait, what? That's a question? Go watch some Roller Derby and then tell me what you think of whenever you see Roller Blades again after that.

KM: Rapha has made a great effort to be a part of racing culture around the US (and the world). What elements are you most proud of? By our count your ladies are racking up some pretty decent results in the USGP…

JD: We try. Just a couple weeks ago our Rapha-FOCUS racer Jasmin Achermann (she's Swiss and based in Europe) got on the podium at the Roubaix World Cup Cyclocross race. That is so freaking awesome. More than with the men's side of racing you see that women support what these ladies are doing through a "I want to be like them" attitude. But, of course, who doesn't want to be like Gabby Day and Julie Krasniak? I have seen quite a bit of this with their racing here in the states (it's a very different scene here compared to its European counterpart) and they have both come away from it with a definite fan base.

KM: What is your favorite hobby outside of riding bikes and losing at basketball?

JD: I used to say "reading" whenever a question like this would pop up. Then for a while I stopped telling people that because I was embarrassed by putting the though of myself "curled up with a good book" into people's minds. But now that it's back en vogue I'd say reading again. But, the caveat to that is that it's more of a lifestyle choice than a hobby. Magazines, comic books, novels, historical fiction, non-fiction… the back of a cereal box, it really doesn't matter.

KM: What are your top 5 favorite albums?

JD: Of the moment? Tame Impala - Lonerism The Strokes - Angles (no idea why, I just like it) MF Doom is Viktor Vaughn - I like masks Red Fang - Tour EP Anything Notorious B.I.G

KM: With the recent détente between JVA and Rapha, which was brokered by our friends over at Chris King, what does the future hold for relations between you two? Can we expect successful ongoing bi-lateral cooperation? Or just general silliness?

JD: Silliness is such a good word for that. Who's got that kind of time? They're the real pro's here, those JVA guys. We've got people working around the clock to maintain a real website with content that we produce…they bang out a better, well functioning site over the weekend… sigh. Also, we've teamed up with JVA to produce a series of beer coasters documenting their rise to popularity and a pop-up childrens book narrated by Jens Voigt. It's called "Your Right to Voigt." 

[JD brokering the peace between Jens Voigt Army and Rapha. Image courtesty of Kyle Von Hoetzendorff] 

KM: John Elway or Joe Montana? 

JD: Are we going back to the badass-o-meter? Then Montana for sure.

KM: The correct answer is Aaron Rodgers. We also would have accepted Bart Starr

KM: Favorite 3 books?

JD: Right now I'm reading a book called The Professional by W.C. Heinz. It's about boxing, but really its about the costs that are associated with being a professional in the world of sport. Oh, and it's fucking amazing. FreeDarko Presents: The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac - this book taught me that there was a different way of looking at popular sports that I have appreciated again and again and again since reading. It's amazing and the illustrations are amazing as well. Run Rabbit by John Updike

KM: Hammocks or cots?

JD: I slept in a hammock one time in Panama. It was at the top of the mountain and the forest service service hut that was supposed to be open wasn't. My roommate and I both slept in one hammock because it was so cold out. So, I will forever associate hammocks with the smell of someone else's feet. Cot.

KM: Describe your favorite pair of underwear?

JD: Well, they're frilly, pink and…wait a minute…ok, we're done here.

KM: Thanks JD!

PDW Good Neighbor Series, Vol. 8: Ahearne Cycles

Good Neighbor Series, Vol. 8: Ahearne Cycles

Submitted by Da_Murph on Tue, 06/12/2012 - 12:44pm

Welcome to the next installment of the PDW Good Neighbor Series. This time we feature one of our favorite builders in town, Joseph Ahearne of Ahearne Cycles. Like our other good neighbors, Joseph is situated right up the street from us along N. Williams Ave. Joseph designs and builds a pretty diverse range of custom steel bicycles from Cycle Trucks to killer Fat Bikes.  

I sat down with him recently to hammer out the secrets of his shared lair (with Mitch Pryor), what makes a crust punk crust, and why the yurt. Read on...with love and fury!

 

Name: Joseph 

Occupation: frame builder

KM: Where are you from?

JA: As Popeye's genie once said, "I come from the noplace, I go to the nowhere, and here I am."

KM: When did you come to Portland?

JA: I first landed here after being in Alaska in 1995.

KM: Who is your idol?

JA: No gods no idols.

KM: Okay, then, who is your muse?

JA: Suttree.

KM: Glad you didn’t say Harrogate.

KM: Whom do you most admire in the cycling world?

JA: The ones who gave up their cars.

KM: What’s it like sharing a space with Mitch Pryor?

JA: It's like living with your brother on a small boat. Sometimes everything's smooth and the sky and water are lovely to see. Other times the weather's shitty and you've got to keep bailing to stay afloat.

KM: Do you guys dance, fight, or tickle more?

JA: None of your business.

KM: Where did you learn framebuilding? How long have you been building?

JA: I first learned from Tim Paterek, then I spent a couple of years (at least) fucking things up, which taught me a lot. I've been building for ten years.

KM: Can you elaborate on some of the details in the design of your headtube badges?

JA: No, but you can read all about it on Karl Edward's blog. He's the artist who I worked with to design it.

KM: I’ve heard someone say that you had some crust punk roots. Would you care to elaborate on such a rumor?

JA: I've traveled a lot, most of it the hard way. I've been dirty. Can't get enough of the music that makes most people want to shoot themselves.

KM: What is your favorite type of bicycle to ride and what are you most proud of building?

JA: Touring bike, a bike that can carry stuff.

KM: How do you separate the design and build processes?

JA: Function first, form follows. They should work together, and be as simple as possible. Maybe. Unless it needs to be complicated.

KM: Please describe your approach to craft?

JA: My approach? Like do I go at it with my mouth open, tongue at the corner, concentrating real hard? I don't know, there's no mirror by my workbench. Craft? I focus on one project at a time, step by step, working through the details. Because that's what it is in the end, a series of steps to follow to arrive at the best possible result. The way I do it may be different from the way someone else does it, which is what gives my bikes their uniqueness (or lack thereof). Mouth breather.

KM: What is your favorite Ian MacKaye band?

JA: Are you kidding me? Any answer I give will be incriminating. Of course Minor Threat, although I haven't listened to them in years.

KM: Where in town (generally speaking) do you reside? I hear you have a Yurt. Can you explain what it is for the uninitiated?

JA: I live in northeast Portland, and yes I've got a yurt. [It’s] based on a portable style of housing with first known origins in the really fucking nether regions of northern China, Mongolia, Eastern Russia, where nomadic tribes subsist off some scraggly, desolate and very lonely looking countryside. Because of the incredibly harsh winters and the need to keep moving to find food for their offspring, their horses and themselves, these tribal folk designed a light, sturdy, portable housing that can withstand the very gods of climatic rage and torrential, hurricane-like storms that plague the massive barren planes upon which they reside. The yurt in my yard is based on this design. When I tear the neighborhood open with serious stereo decibels I have no fear that my yurt will be destroyed.

KM: What is your power animal?

JA: Did you know that the word soricine means 'shrew-like'? Or that corvine means 'raven-like'? My power animal has the head of a shrew and the body of a raven. It's soricorvine, which kind of sounds like prescription medication.

KM: My therapist prescribes me soricorvine.

KM: Knowing full well that they are necessities for most, if you had to do without two items from the famous Surly sticker, “BONGS. FARTS. CHAINSAWS.” which would they be?

JA: I'd do without the bongs and farts.

KM: From my perspective, bicycle framebuilding is a tough business. What motivates you to keep building?

JA: I like bikes, I like building things. My hands need to keep doing things.

KM: You made big a big splash at NAHBS this year with your fat bike. The world wants to know, will you be building more fat bikes?

JA: Orders will decide.

KM: How do you keep your hands warm in winter without heat in the shop?

JA: Internal fire.

KM: Please choose one or the other: Roller blades or roller skates?

JA: Neither.

KM: Bi-planes or helicopters?

JA: Bi-planes.

KM: Boxers or Berneses? (it’s a dog question)

JA: Boxer.

KM: Up or down?

JA: The way up is the way down.

KM: Whoa, I like that one.

KM: Telegram or email?

JA: Letter.

KM: Tent or bivy sac?

JA: Depends how bad the mosquitos are. Probably a small tent.

KM: Pedal or coast?

JA: The pedal is the coast.

KM: Battle Cat or Cringer?

JA: ?

KM: Obviously you’re not a He-Man fan.

KM: Have you ever built a tandem? Would you build me one? I want one reverse engineered for the smaller rider up front.

JA: Yes, I'll build you a tandem. Seriously, I want to do it. And yes, I'll put the shorter rider in front.

KM: Where is the coolest place you have ever visited?

JA: Alaska, by boat, way out in the middle of a deep ink black sound after a storm so that everywhere was strewn giant chunks of blue glacial ice.

KM: What is your most memorable ride you’ve ever done?

JA: Along the Brenta River in Italy, from Padova to Venice. Big villas, lazy curves; pretty dreamy.

KM: Thanks, Joseph!