Rakish 003

My latest build, which like all of them has evolved over many months, has now reached what feels like completion. Of all my bikes this one has one of the most interesting histories. Although I lost the written details when I deleted my Facebook account I can recount most of it from memory and a …

Essential Skills Part 2 – Get Loaded

If you aspire to using your bike for more than just the commute to work and recreational rides, it's time to consider the how to carry loads on your bike. For the quick trip to the store a or commute to work a backpack might be just fine, but you can carry a lot more …

A long winter and a strange spring

Beth setting off in the rain After a long, cold, wet and sun deprived Dutch Winter it is beginning to feel like spring this week. Just as the whole world starts to hibernate for an entirely different reason I feel like getting out and riding my bike more. In fact riding might be the perfect …

Practicality in Germany

Fully loaded and highly visible Biking setup in Duisberg Germany Take a moment to appreciate the amount of luggage capacity this woman has on her vintage mixte bike. There are two large rear panniers, two large baskets, one mounted to the rear rack and one slightly harder to see one on the front, and there …

The Rakish Rider Skill Set – Part 1 – The Essentials

Having been a cyclist pretty much all of my life I thought my own skill set was pretty complete, but alas there are some skills that are hallmarks of the Amsterdam cyclist but really don't show up much if at all in other places. In no particular order, they are; Look closely, a family of …

My bike collection – a higher calling.

Original 1960's Peugeot racing bike. With some holiday down time I decided to take a trip out to my friends farm where I have some of my bike collection stored. When I moved to Amsterdam a few months back, I had some time and space constraints so some of my bikes remained here in Minneapolis. …

Rue de Rakish

This morning I had a chance to walk down what has become one of my favorite boulevards in Paris, the Rue de Lyon. This street has a high concentration of bike, scooter, motorcycle and camera shops...so it is my kind of place. I also love admiring the Parisian talent for great storefronts and window displays. …