Falling Back in Love with Brooklyn, One Pedal Stroke at a Time

I've lived in Brooklyn long enough to think I know it inside out, but every spontaneous ride proves me delightfully wrong. A few Saturdays ago, I found myself wandering down streets I'd somehow never noticed before, past vibrant murals and tiny cafes tucked between buildings I've walked by a hundred times without seeing. Suddenly, my neighborhood felt brand new, bursting with secrets and surprises just waiting to be discovered.

There's something powerful about that feeling of being a stranger in your own city. It's like being a kid again, eyes wide and ready for wonder. One afternoon, entirely by accident, I stumbled upon a small park with an open-air concert, just guitars and laughter and people lounging on picnic blankets. I sat on my bike, grinning like I'd found buried treasure. It's these tiny moments of accidental magic that make riding without a destination so profoundly rewarding.

A Bookstore, A Conversation, and a Moment I'll Never Forget

I'll never forget one ride a few years back. It started off ordinary enough, meandering aimlessly on a lazy Saturday afternoon, but then something caught my eye. Behind walls of tangled ivy, there was this cozy little bookstore I'd somehow missed for years. Curious, I parked my bike outside and wandered in, expecting nothing more than a quick look around. Instead, I found myself deep in conversation with the owner, an older woman with stories of Brooklyn’s past that felt more vibrant and alive than any book I'd read.

We talked politics, history, favorite places to eat, everything and nothing. By the time I hopped back on my bike, I realized I'd been in there over an hour, completely absorbed. Years later, I still think about that day, how one random ride led me to one unforgettable conversation. It's a reminder that the best parts of life often hide just beyond our plans.

Why Spontaneity Matters More Than Ever

I'll be honest, it's not always easy for me to let go of planning. I'm someone who lives by lists and schedules. But when I'm on my bike, pedaling without an agenda, something shifts. My worries fade, my phone stays quiet, and I'm simply there, present and open. Each turn of the pedal feels meditative, a chance to reconnect with myself and my surroundings in a way that's increasingly rare in our busy, structured lives.

Those unplanned adventures aren't just fun, they're transformative. They teach me how to slow down, how to trust my instincts, how to appreciate the joy of surprise. Every spontaneous ride changes the way I see the world around me, making the familiar feel wonderfully new again.

Here's Your Invitation

So, here’s the deal: Next time you've got a free afternoon, just go for it. Don't plan. Don't map it out. Just grab your bike and ride. Trust me, there's something out there waiting to surprise you, something that might just remind you how beautifully unpredictable life can be. Because honestly, friend, the best adventures are never the ones we plan, they're the ones that find us.

Below you'll find our favorite bikes for discovering.

Featured Bikes for Urban Adventurers

Roebling Hybrid Bike

The perfect combo of comfort and agility for spontaneous city rides.

Lorimer Hybrid Bike:

Lightweight and versatile, perfect for exploring new paths in your city

Want a mini-tour of some great coffee shops in Los Angeles? Matt has you covered. Matt is a writer and photographer living in West Hollywood, and he has a penchant for coffee and beautiful spaces. These shots of his neighborhood haunts have us craving caffeine and breezy L.A. mornings.

Check out Matt's pics below, and if you're in L.A., head over to Enigma Coffee, The Butcher, the Baker & The Cappuccino Maker, and Verve Coffee Roasters. You won't be disappointed.

Our Wythe, perfect for riding and home decor.

Enigma Coffee

The Butcher, The Baker, The Cappuccino Maker (BBCM Cafe)

Verve Coffee Roasters

Check out our City Bike Collection to get started on your own adventures!

Each month we feature a different member of the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. community and share what makes them tick. Read on to learn about the most recent member of our community spotlight...

Steff Sullivan - RN, Fitness Instructor, & Entrepreneur

Where do you call home and explain some of your favorite things about your community?

I originally grew up in a very small town in the Kawartha Lakes called Bethany. Riding bikes was a daily after school activity..we’d ride up and down my driveway and my neighbours like a halfpipe, racing, making obstacle courses and having way too much fun. Now, home is Toronto, where I was born. I came back after I graduated university to start my career as a nurse over 5 years ago and haven’t left since! I live in an amazing bustling area on the west side of Toronto between two incredible communities of Parkdale and Liberty Village - both filled with many young, forward thinking people. Even though I live in a big city being part of these two tight knit communities I still feel like I live in a small town. There are so many amazing initiatives going on, teams, community events and incredible opportunities to tap into!

Can you tell us about what makes you a “fitnursepreneur”? What do you do day-to-day that makes you… you?

The term fitnursepreneur (also my Instagram handle) represents the three things I “do”. Fit - which represents my love for staying active starting at a young age playing sports, dancing & running track. In university this progressed to joining the varsity lacrosse team where my love for fitness grew even more, and now, I am a fitness instructor and get the pleasure of helping others sweat, move their bodies and clear their minds. Nurse - which represents the natural healer in me, the giver & the nurturer. I specialized in women & infants health and currently work in fertility medicine. Preneur - the final portion of the name represents my business mindset. In university I started an eco-friendly residential cleaning company, then a social marketing wellness business, and as of late I am working on a new project helping others find what self-care means to them while running a holistic wellness focused blog.

Day to day you can find me doing one (or all) of the above things, taking care of my large plant collection, cooking up nourishing meals or hanging out with friends and family. Quality time & connectedness is extremely important to me as an extrovert, but I also love to recharge solo with quiet nights to myself. Self-care and my wellness is top priority in my life so much of what I “do” is focused on those values.

What impact has biking had on your lifestyle?

Biking has impacted my life in more ways than one. To start, of course, the physical aspect. On average I commute anywhere from 40 to 90 minutes a day via bicycle which is an incredible way to start my day with gentle movement heading into work or to teach a class. Not to mention the amount of time I save. Toronto’s traffic can be brutal but cycling cuts my commutes down almost in half. I also save around $250 a month when cycling as it is my main method of transportation (and helps lessen my environmental impact, too!).

But it’s not all positive either. Toronto is not the safest city to cycle in, and unfortunately a few years ago I got in an accident due to a streetcar track landing me a broken arm in two places and a damaged knee - which to this day causes me issues. Riding in our city requires being on high alert at all times, knowing your hand signals and of course having a great helmet, something that is a non-negotiable for me. Unfortunately, I do not ride all year long but I generally get 8 months of appropriate weather which I am so grateful for.

Run us through your perfect Saturday biking around your hometown.

Packing up a bag with gym clothes & some snacks and heading out to a morning workout class. Afterwards, biking over to meet a friend for brunch or a morning smoothie. Then, enjoying a ride through Queen West and Trinity Bellwoods - two areas I love to cycle through...bike paths, nature, sunshine and no schedule to follow make for the perfect midday strolls around the city.

What Brooklyn Bicycle Co. bike do you ride? What made you choose this specific model?

After my accident ruined my last bike, I finally committed to a ride I could depend on. I knew it was time to invest in a  good quality bike so I shopped around for something that would be perfect for commuting around Toronto, reliable & also stylish..of course. My local bike shop Metro Cycle helped me pick out my Brooklyn Bicycle Co. bike - the Roebling. The fact that it is a hybrid is perfect for me and the puncture proof tires have saved me SO many times I lost count..there is so much broken glass in this city and I’ve never had to change a tire! This bike takes me from fitness instructor, to nurse to entrepreneur and everything in between.

Share something that you are really excited about right now. Could be a favorite book, recipe, cocktail, movie, etc. 

Right now I am so excited that fall is upon us. It’s my favourite time to pause, rest, reflect & reevaluate. With just a few months until the snow hits and the new year is upon us, it's a perfect opportunity to take a breath. Fittingly, I am reading a great book called “Do Less” by Kate Northrup. It’s titled for mom’s, but the way she discusses societal expectations and how we really are all doing way too much, is really resonating with me. To some, doing less may elicit fear of falling behind, failure or stress - but to me, it’s about approaching our life in a different way. Choosing things that fill us up, saying no and creating boundaries and giving ourselves the extra love we deserve without sacrificing our health for our dreams.

Steph rides a Roebling

Allie Quigley & Courtney Vandersloot

Perrenial WNBA All-Stars Courtney Vandersloot (left) and Allie Quigley (right) with their Roebling bikes in front of Barclay's Center.

Courtney, you hail from the greater Seattle area, Allie from the greater Chicago area. You are the first married couple to win a professional sports championship. Currently living in Brooklyn, Courtney, you led the WNBA in assists last season with the WNBA runner-up NY Liberty, and Allie, you’re a four-time WNBA three-point contest winner who’s taking some time off and serving as Courtney's #1 fan. So much of what we know about you both revolves around your basketball accolades, what is that story not capturing?

I feel like we kind of had a similar childhood upbringing but just on opposite sides of the country. Just in terms of growing up playing outside in that era. I have three siblings, a sister and two brothers. So, I grew up just playing girls versus boys in the backyard. And we're all like,14 to 18 months apart, so we were just so close. And that's just kind of how we bonded and just fell in love with sports, and how I fell in love with basketball. I don't remember a time when I didn't have any kind of ball. I played volleyball, softball, and basketball in high school. And I tried everything growing up, cheerleading, soccer, hockey in the backyard, anything you can imagine.

So much of what we've done in our last 15 to 20 years has been related to basketball. We have this other side of our life that we don't get to talk about as much, but so much goes into basketball that there's really not a lot left. We spend so much time with our family because we sacrifice so much in-season. We go to watch my sister's Division 1 team play, and my brother's a tennis pro, so he teaches tennis all day long. We played overseas for 12 seasons. So now our lives revolve around spending time with friends and family and just downtime. So that's really who we are. We just are really simple.

WNBA superstars Courtney Vandersloot (left) and Allie Quigley (right).

You two have been all over the world. What's your take on New York, but Brooklyn specifically as a microcosm?

We really like it. Just being able to walk outside and have so many restaurants. Not just any restaurant but good restaurants. There's not a lot of chains, which we like. People are very friendly. We get recognized a lot which could potentially be disruptive to daily life, but people here are so friendly and supportive. There a lots of "Go Liberty!" or "great season!" comments so it's just love.

We also like how vibrant Brooklyn is, yet it's not so crazy like Manhattan. We were terrified to move to New York because of all the stuff we see in the movies, and the hustle and bustle, but it feels more relaxed and a little bit in-between.

Just as an example, we were riding back from the Brooklyn Flea and were on a really busy road. We don't really like to ride on those busy roads, but, all of a sudden, we took a side street and I'm like “yes, these are the streets I love.” I like going down those brownstone streets. It's just quiet, and really nice that we can have that option.

WNBA superstars Vandersloot (left) and Allie Quigley (right) on quintessential Brooklyn brownstone steps.

It's true-- Brooklyn’s food and restaurant scene IS hard to beat. What’s been your favorite?

We love the diversity of food Brooklyn has to offer but our favorite is a Halal food truck. There are also some good Mediterranean spots that we found and we also found a really good Turkish spot. We played in Turkey for a few years and loved the food there, so, one day I'm realized they’ve got to have Turkish food here. It's actually down 5^th Avenue, Tava, it’s called and it's so good.

Mediterranean food here just feels so different, more authentic than I've experienced anywhere else, except Turkey. Where we're from, we can't really get that unless we go to a chain like Roti.

Tava Turkish and Mediterranean. Photo courtesy of Google.

It sounds like we've covered quite a few of them, but what are your "secret" Brooklyn indulgences?

Prospect Park. Whenever we have a free day, we decide ride there. We do it so much because, first of all, you don’t see parks like that or don't see much grass outside. It’s truly a concrete jungle. And then you go there and it’s beautiful. We ride with our dog a lot.

We’ve also started riding to the Brooklyn Bridge Park area where all the piers are so cool. I also played a couple of pickleball games at that little indoor court. The first time I played was back in Chicago last summer with my mom who has become a fantastic pickleball player. So I went with her, and I fell in love with it. I got paddles and brought them back here and then I searched where the courts are, and that's when I started riding there a lot. But it's crazy busy on the weekends where you may have to wait 40 minutes to get in the game.

We also love the beach. We took the train twice and rode once, our second week here. I used a Citibike and rode down Ocean Parkway. You know when you hear or see 50 minutes on the map, you think it's not that bad, but when you're doing 50 minutes on a Citibike, it's a LONG time.

Allie Quigley (left) and Courtney Vandersloot (right) with their Roebling bikes.

You have three homes now- the Seattle suburbs, the Chicago suburbs, and now Brooklyn. Obviously, this is much less of an automobile town than the areas you hail from. How has having your bikes here changed your perspective on living in the city?

It's changed my life here. I would be hesitant to get in Ubers and I don't know, maybe I wouldn't walk as far, but I just feel like I can see so much with the bike, and discover new things. I feel like when you're in a car or a subway, you're not paying attention to the outside world. You're on your phone and not taking in your surroundings.

We have also gotten to know areas in the city more because we're riding through so many areas as we head to our destination. We look at the route maps and we're like "oh yeah, I've seen this" and we become familiar with alternative routes. 

We were also gifted a physical map of all the different bike lanes-- the ones that aren't protected, the ones that are. Whenever we go somewhere, we opt to take the streets that are more protected and easier to ride on. 

Brittainy Newman

Award-Winning, NY Times, AP, & Nat Geo-Contributing Photojournalist

Brittainy, you're from New York and studied at RIT. Your photos have been featured multiple times on the front page of the NY Times. You captured Covid, Harvey Weinstein, the US Open, Donald Trump, team photos at RIT, etc. So much of what we know about you revolves around photography and your tremendous ability to capture emotions through a lens. You have a seemingly wicked cool job with an element of freedom. Can you share more about what propelled you into photojournalism? 

I studied photojournalism in college- junior and senior year. We took trips to meet every major editor of every major publication, both in New York and DC. And we learned how to network. We made business cards, we met people, we built a portfolio, and we worked on a senior thesis.

My senior thesis was documenting the closure of the Ringling Brothers circus. My mom works as a professional clown, and I had to work on a project for my senior thesis, which was a yearlong project. I wanted to work on something that was also sort of a thank you note to my mom for putting me through college this whole way, especially as a professional clown. The news broke out that the circus was closing forever, and I immediately got onto Facebook and started researching and reaching out to every circus performer that worked for Ringling Brothers. I ended up buying a ticket to the circus when they arrived at Barclays Center. During the intermission, I went down to the ring and spoke to every single circus performer, and I ended up meeting a clown from Cuba who was going back to Cuba to join the Cuban circus. And I was like, "I want to come to the Cuban circus with you." And, ultimately, I did. I ended up going to Cuba with him for two months and photographing him there. And that was my senior thesis. And it got a few photos featured in Nat Geo, which was cool, and it was featured a little bit in the Times.

A year after graduating, The New York Times introduced a fellowship program, which was like a yearlong internship, and it was the first thing of its kind. There were 5,000 applicants and only two photographers got it. The fellowship completely changed my life forever.

Award-winning photojournalist Brittainy Newman, and Brooklyn Bicycle Co. founder, Ryan Zagata, sit down for an interview.

You got your first camera when you were 13, and you're now 27. How did you get started? When would you say you first became a serious photographer?

When I was 13, my mom and I went to Machu Picchu in Peru and visited Colca Canyon. While there, I photographed a bird and submitted it to Nat Geo’s "Your Shot" contest and won. But because I was only 13, they told me I wasn't eligible to win. Then years went by, and I was in college, and we visited all the publications to network. We went to Nat Geo and I met the guy who runs "Your Shot". I told him the story of what happened when I was 13, and he looked up my photo submission, and found it. It was a nice connection and funny to come full circle.

I guess I didn't realize I was good at photography, or that I wanted to take it seriously, until my senior year of high school. I studied at the International Center of Photography and got a scholarship to go for free. It was a yearlong, black and white film class. And when I was a senior in high school, my stepdad died. We had to work on a project, and I ended up photographing my relationship shift between my mom and me when my stepdad died. I dressed up as a clown, and so did my mom, and we took self-portraits together. It was a very eerie, sad, and interesting photo project-- and also, therapeutic. That's when I started to get serious into documentary photography, and I used that work to apply for college and was accepted into the photojournalism program.

Photojournalism is a combination of photography and storytelling. How do you differentiate from being a photographer? Where do you freelance?

It's like being a visual storyteller. The way my sort of "day in the life" works is I get a phone call anytime between 6 AM and 10 AM from an editor being like, "I need you here". They call, I go. I shoot for Associated Press and the New York Times regularly- at least three to four times a week. And then I also shoot for the Greek Orthodox Church. I'm the archbishop's personal photographer. He's based out of New York, but I travel all around the world with him. I was just in Panama with him in September, I've been in the Middle East with him, and I've been to Turkey twice with him. Some of my favorite images I’ve ever shot have been with him. My stepdad gave me my first camera when I was 13 and he passed away when I was in high school of lung cancer, and I feel like somehow way up above he set this up in a way where I can be connected back to Greek roots, because he was Greek.

By calculation, you've been a serious photographer just shy of a decade. How has your photojournalism evolved? How do you see it continuing to evolve?

Photojournalism is all about trust and moving your feet. So, I've always tried to get better at that. There's moments and days where, like, I see something amazing. I just like don't go up to it, you know. I see like a moment and I'm like "oh fuck, I missed it" and it breaks my heart a bit.

I've gotten more comfortable to being closer and approaching people. I'm gotten more comfortable technical wise, using lights and flash. I used to hate using flash, I really only like natural light. I like toning and have gotten a lot better at it. Toning is color correction and bringing out the shadows. I'm really good at deadlines and being super communicative. That was a skill I had to learn very quickly while working with the biggest newspaper. My professor always told me, "go early, stay late." That's just a photojournalism tool to have.

Speaking of photojournalism tools- what do you shoot on? What do you use and what camera do you covet?

I have a Nikon D5. I do want another, new Nikon. I'm always going to stick with Nikon. I'm not into mirrorless cameras. I really need to get my gear checked out because I've been in rain, I've been in snow, I've been pushed around. I'd love to be a Nikon ambassador one day. In college, we'd have Nikon ambassadors come talk to us, and I always went up to ask "how can I be you?", and they always told me to "just keep shooting." But it's my dream to be like sponsored by Ruggard, which is the camera bag that I've had since forever. I use all their stuff, and Nikon.

Future Nikon ambassador, Brittainy Newman, in her element.

Of all the cities and countries you've traveled to, is there one that has left a lasting impact on you, whether it be something you saw, or an emotion you felt?

There are probably three. The first one is Cuba. When I did the Cuban circus, I was 20 years old, and I traveled with the Cuban circus for a few months. It was amazing and I felt really in my element the whole time. There was hardly any Wi-Fi in Cuba, and there was no one telling me what to do. I was just kind of there, and I shot some of my favorite images ever.

Another place that had a huge impact on me was when I traveled to Kosovo for a five week study abroad photojournalism program. My assignment was on a woman named Flakë, meaning flame, who, while her mom was pregnant with her, had grenades thrown at their house. Flakë was a TV journalist and who was around my age at the time. She was guarded and hard to get anything out of, and I realized all my past assignments and stories at that point were on older subjects, no one close to my age. We walked around the local mall, and ultimately she told me she wrote poetry about her father who went missing during the Balkan War. We went to visit her childhood house that she hadn't ever been back to and it was really powerful to go through that with her. We saw the baby shoes on the ground, the house completely covered in hay and straw, holes everywhere. I did an audio slideshow, of natural audio sounds like her stepping on the straw, and I recorded audio of her reciting her poetry in Albanian, and me translating it with the images I shot. It was really impactful.

And the final place that was really impactful on me is when I visited Turkey in August with the Greek Orthodox Church. It was the Virgin Mary's birthday in August, and we went into this insane monastery at the top of this mountain in Turkey, in the middle of nowhere. 

And we were with the patriarch, who is like the holiest holy person of the Orthodox Christians. Usually in these settings, they really only want men to be there. And I was the only female photographer, but I was the archbishop's photographer, so I had to be there. And basically, I pushed myself into the back area where everyone's changing, but everyone said "no, no, you gotta go. You gotta go. You can't be in here." And the archbishop was like "no, no, no, she can stay." And that was, like, a really nice feeling. I really felt welcomed by him.

Photo courtesy of Brittainy Newman. Follow her at @bnewmanphoto.

Outside of photojournalism, what are your hobbies?

Well, I love music. My boyfriend's a musician. He makes psychedelic rock music mixed with, like, electronic. It's Sylvan Paul on Spotify - he just signed a record deal with Sony. I love music, I'm obsessed with playing music while on my bike, so much so that I have a speaker on my bike. I have to blast music and make sure everyone else is hearing what I'm listening to.

Brittainy's handlebar speaker mounted for all to listen.

And I used to make rugs as a hobby, like during Covid; I was really interested in making things with my hands. I got like a rug making machine, and my friend made me a rug frame out of the Coney Island boardwalk, and I had a little piece of history in my house at one point.

And I really love movies and films. I'm a huge film person and really love Fellini movies. I went to high school for drawing and painting; I love art. I love traveling-- I love traveling with my mom. The last time I traveled with my mom was to Thailand. We went for a month during the New Year, and it was beautiful.

You were born in New York, but moved to Brooklyn a few years ago. How has Brooklyn impacted you? Has it changed the lens in through which you see the world?

Well, I moved to Brooklyn to be closer to my friends. Literally when living in the city, I would travel to Brooklyn every day to go hang out because no one wanted to hang out with me in the city. Brooklyn is like the cool, chill spot to be. Being in Brooklyn has definitely slowed me down. When I walk outside, there's not a million people going to work like there were when I was living on 41st Street. The cafes are cooler, and I love the graffiti and murals in Brooklyn. That's probably my favorite thing about living in this borough.

"I love the graffiti and murals in Brooklyn. That's probably my favorite thing about living in this borough."

To us, a bike represents enlarging the radius of your community. For example, when you're taking the subway, and you go into the tunnel, you're dark from everything from where you are in Bushwick to the East Village. It's dark. You're in a tunnel. You focus on your music, what you're reading, or whoever's performing in the middle of the subway train. When you’re on a bike, you’re exposed to the sights, the smells, the people. Do you find yourself always discovering stuff on your bike? Has it given you a different perspective, or changed how you see or experience Brooklyn?

Definitely. Starting out, when I first got my bike, it gave me a whole new sense of independence. I could go wherever I wanted. And when I went off somewhere, I would notice a whole bunch of things. Like, I would notice, all this cool mural art, or when I would bike to Fort Tilden with my friends, I would notice abandoned buildings and an abandoned piano with flowers growing out of it-- small things like that are what I'm always looking out for.

When I ride my bike, I really feel like I’m in a movie. One because the bike is so smooth, you know, it has this really smooth way about it. And it's just super slick and it's cool. It says Brooklyn on the side, and I love showing it off. And I have a cheetah helmet and gloves; I like going faster than everyone else in my bike lane.

With her steadfast bike, and cheetah print helmet and gloves, Brittainy embodies a cheetah's speed, allowing her to ride as fast as possible on the open road.

What are your three favorite things about Brooklyn? Say you're away from Brooklyn, you're over in Turkey, or you're in the Middle East for two or three weeks, what are you missing most?

I guess this is just like a general New York thing, but it's also close to Brooklyn. It's like all the different cuisines that exist, all the different restaurants. I can literally eat Vietnamese food anytime I want. The murals and wall art are my favorite things. And the nightlife. I go to a lot of afterhours and my friends' DJ sets, and most of them are here in Brooklyn. Also, I really love the Williamsburg Bridge. I love biking on it and I love biking up the hill. I like the museums. I love the parks and having picnics in Prospect Park. I also like going to the saunas in Brooklyn and Bathhouse in Williamsburg.

Along those lines, what's your “secret” Brooklyn indulgence?

Just being on my bike in general-- I'm already a curious person, but it ignites even more curiosity, you know? I just feel hyper independent on it. I still feel the way I do when I first got my bike, like a long time ago. The independence is still there. I feel like all I need is my camera, my phone, music, some new underwear and like, you know, a set of wheels, and I can go anywhere.

I guess it's like a combination of when I'm riding my bike, and I have Shazam on, trying to pick up all the music that I hear along the streets. And I also play music on my bike’s speaker loudly while I bike. I'm into riding during golden hour. It's just really beautiful, really relaxing, and I feel like I'm in a movie. I enjoy taking like eight-mile bike rides, and testing my stamina to keep going.

"When I ride my bike, I really feel like I’m in a movie. One because the bike is so smooth, you know, it has this really smooth way about it. And it's just super slick and it's cool. It says Brooklyn on the side, and I love showing it off."

And finally, Brittainy- out of the gate, you're almost at the top echelon of your career. You're shooting for some of the most famous publications in the world, doing some of the coolest assignments in the world-- where do you go from here?

I really want to make a feature documentary. I want to make a music documentary about JJ Cale. He originally wrote "Cocaine" and "After Midnight." He's the best, and I'd love to make a music documentary in the style of "Moonage Daydream." Aside from making a feature, I hope to work on long-term stories. I'd love to travel to India during the Holi festival, and Morocco. I’d love to shoot for Nat Geo. I'd love to push myself even further. 

The greatest piece of advice my professor always told me was to “just keep going.” In college I won “College Photographer of the Year”, which is like a worldwide competition. I won Best Video, but even with that, I had to keep going.

Brittainy rides a Driggs 3 in Matte Black. This is her second Driggs as her beloved Army Green Driggs was unfortunately stolen last year. 

Note: This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. For the full interview, please see the video clip below.

Today, we introduce you to Mickey Ashmore, founder of Sabah. Sabah designs and crafts high-end Turkish leather slippers and leather goods for a variety of occasions. With Sabah Houses in New York, San Francisco & London, goods can also be purchased online at Sabah.am 

Tell us about Sabah. How was Sabah born? What was your motivation?

Mickey: After living in Istanbul for two years, I moved back to New York and began working in finance. I would say my motivation to start Sabah was mostly independence. I wanted to live my own life and chart my own course and one way to do that was by starting my own business. I wanted an opportunity to express myself and, while living in Turkey, I had been gifted a pair of shoes that I wore all the time and loved. My friends regularly asked about them and I found myself giving them as gifts, so it occurred to me that I could build a business selling these shoes. Thus, Sabah was born.

The shoes I was gifted were made by a family that was making shoes based on a traditional style of Turkish slipper called the Yemeni shoe. They were one of a handful of families still producing them by hand, using traditional methods and leather from Turkey. The shoes come from Gaziantep, a town in the southeast of Turkey, and one of the oldest cities in the world having a continued history of leather work.

It’s impossible to be a fan of Sabah and not be drawn to the unending release of new colorways, the imagery, the Sabah houses – from where do you draw your inspiration?

Mickey: Prior to starting Sabah, one of the things I did was gather people. When I decided to start Sabah, I relied heavily upon my knack for gathering people and we started hosting parties where we sold Sabahs. We sold 40 pairs at that first party which was a big deal for me.

With the Sabah houses, it’s an interesting dynamic, and incredibly fun now that we can interact with a broader audience and still create the vibe we want. The majority of Sabah  is about people. I think we make great shoes, and I'm very passionate about them, but it really started with a love for people. When I started Sabah, I would sell the shoes out of my house, and you couldn't buy a pair without hearing the story of the shoe makers. To me, the story and history of the craft was always more interesting than the shoes themselves.

"To me, the story and history of the craft was always more interesting than the shoes themselves."

The houses give us a place to meet and connect with people. Today, we say our store is a modern-day Caravanserai, which was a concept along the Silk Road where travelers could rest and recover from the day’s journey. These stops served as makeshift trading grounds for commerce and stories. If you look at our houses, they are filled with seating for anybody seeking respite. We’ve tried to create a place that's both generous and hospitable. I am moved by hospitality and service and I think commerce, when it's done with a lot of care, energy, and attention to detail, and customers not being treated like a transaction, but rather a relationship, it's quite uplifting. The world has lost a lot of that in the way commerce is currently being done. Venture capital has created a highly matrixed scenario for commerce, and I feel that it’s lost a lot of its soul. So, one of the things I'm inspired by is bringing the soul back to commerce.  

"So, one of the things I'm inspired by is bringing the soul back to commerce."

We have always been drawn to the fact that our brands are similar in that we want to take people there – wherever they’re going so if they’re walking, it would be their Sabahs or if they’re pedaling, it might be their Brooklyn (of course wearing Sabahs). What does that mean to you that your shoes have been there for so many pivotal moments in people’s lives – I’ve seen photos of Sabahs being worn at weddings, travelling the world, first babies, first day of work, etc. You are literally there with them at these profound moments, Mickey. How does that make you feel?

Mickey: It's an honor for us. It's meaningful and it's fun to have people share those stories. When people buy their Sabahs, they initially fit snug, but over time, they form to their feet. They truly become a part of them, almost like a second skin. So that's a significant thing to be able to participate in someone's life at such a level. For me, what's most important is that Sabahs are for everyone and they're for all types of situations, and people get a lot of value out of them. It’s important when you create a business to create value rather than just extract value. I mean, with what you do when someone buys one of your bikes, you're creating a lot of value for their life. Of course, you're getting something in return as a business, but you're selling something, something that really uplifts their life and makes it better. I like to think Sabahs do the same and that people get more value than we take from them. And I think that's what creates a great business.

"Sabahs are for everyone and they're for all types of situations."

If you think back and were able to have a conversation with Mickey in 2010, what would you share?

Mickey: I would say three things. First, trust yourself and believe, and lean into your values. Early on, you get very caught up. Everybody's asking you, how are you going to scale? What's your vision? What are your goals? I used to get very intimidated by these questions, but I eventually learned that I don’t even need or have an answer. To me, it has always been about holding true to your values and letting the rest takes care of itself.

The second thing is take it slow. Don't get caught up in the race. Really, take it slow.

And the third piece of advice, very practical, is to keep great books. You can keep very tight books and really understand your business from many perspectives. It’s also much more enjoyable to run a business when you're measuring, and you really understanding your metrics to the point that it puts a little competition in it.

Obviously, we are a bike brand and I do see bikes making appearances in your Instagram feed. Any thoughts on a person living or dead that you’d love to go on a ride with? And part two, I know you ride our Driggs, can you share a bit about what drew you to this specific model?

Mickey: There can be many answers but I'm going to route my answer in business. I would go on a ride with Hamdi Ulukaya, who founded Chobani. I met him once briefly, and I've heard him speak a few times, and I find him very inspiring. I really like the way he's built his business and I have a lot of questions I'd ask, and a bike ride would make for a very captive audience.

To the second part of your question, I ride your Driggs because I love the double top tube look. It's classic. When I ride, people always stop me and ask me about it. With the army green color, it's just a special color. Also, I don't mind spending money on things, but I always like to get value. And your bikes are the perfect combination of quality for value. It’s kind of what we talked about earlier, where you're definitely getting more out of it than you're paying for it. And I think that that's a really awesome thing. Excellent. I also ride my bike in lots of different ways. One time I rode from my house all the way to Shelter Island and back. I ride it around the city. I've ridden it across Long Island from Mattituck to Montauk, 55 miles in one day. And I've never I've never had an issue with it. I've never even had any maintenance done. Perhaps I should.

Of Note: For those of you wondering, Mickey handily beat Ryan at backgammon.

Each month we feature a different member of the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. community and share what makes them tick. Read on to learn about the most recent member of our community spotlight...

Stosh Kozlowski - Conservationist, Founder of "Save the Coast or GTFO" - @stoshalex 

Where do you call home and explain some of your favorite things about your community?

New Orleans is my home. I live in the Fairgrounds neighborhood, about 6 blocks from where Jazz Fest is held. I love my neighborhood because of the diversity, kindness, friendliness, and altruism we all have for our city. New Orleans is my adopted home, but my wife is from Baton Rouge and that’s why we are here. The consistent warm air, although terribly hot at times, is wonderful for bike riding and commuting.

You recently rode from New Orleans to Nashville Tennessee as part of your annual “Save the Coast or GTFO” ride. Give us the low-down on why you do the ride, and what “Save the Coast” is all about.

www.savethecoastorgfto.com

Save the Coast or GTFO is an annual ride in the spring, with 2020 to take place around late May. The ride is sponsored by local New Orleans businesses who are concerned with rising sea levels, Louisiana land loss, and the destruction of animal and plant species that we in Louisiana rely upon for our economy and ways of life; essentially, climate change. The LA coast is also an economic engine for our country with a significant amount of breakbulk tonnage pushing down the Mississippi River and being dispersed through the Port of New Orleans to the rest of the world. Our city and Gulf Coast is fundamental for a growing American economy. People may discount this because they may not live in LA, which is understandable, but nonetheless, the country, or just another person, should be made aware of our detriment. Hence our ride for awareness.

The inspiration with my ride began a few years ago when I read this article in the NY Times Magazine.

I was shocked and taken aback. I’m not a geologist, nor am I a person that is able to implement rational, comprehensive policy. Our politicians in Louisiana are either too corrupt or too inept to do the job too. So, I did the only thing I could do - simply, find a reason to talk about it.

You chose to ride a Wythe throughout the entirety of your Save the Coast ride. Why did you choose that specific model, and was it difficult to put in so many miles on a single speed?

The Wythe is my daily rider. New Orleans is flat as a pancake so gears are irrelevant in this town. To be honest, I wanted a challenge. I wanted the ride to have a dynamic of audacity that perhaps most wouldn’t do. So I fixied the ride for about half the way. But as soon as I started to hit those hills in upper Alabama, I started having second thoughts. Once I hit Tennessee - I bonked. The fixie was a no-go from that point on and I had to flop the wheel for the single gear for the remainder of the journey. Call it Catholic guilt, call it catharsis for my partaking in our throwaway lifestyle - but I felt that I had to make a statement to myself. What better way to do it than on a bombproof steel bike? After all, the Wythe could take a beating and keep going. No gears to fix, not even a flat tire. Just glutes, hamstrings and quads to push it.

Do you have any stories from the ride? What was your favorite stop along the way? Any interesting wildlife sightings?

I did make it into Tupelo for Elvis Festival. What a trip that was. In this age of “fostering a rise of the creative class” or “economic development incrementalism,“ Tupelo isn’t trying to be anything other than Tupelo. Further, I had the best damn BBQ brisket sandwich of my life there.  All those calories I lost, I gained back that night in food and beer. The people are phenomenal, the visitors are ecstatic to be there and the town is alive as any American town should be. If you get a chance for an evening and happen to be in Mississippi, throw your political sensibilities out the window and get on over to Tupelo for a drink or two. You’ll be happy you did.

Another interesting conversation I had was in Kosciusko, MS with a lady who worked at the visitor's center right off the Natchez Trace. We spoke for over two hours about the way the world is and the way it should be - the mistakes we made in our lives as citizens of a planet and the ways we were desperately trying to change ourselves to be the people we dreamed we could be. As I soaked up the air conditioning and cooled off from the humidity and high temperatures we found common ground in our ideas, aside from our generational gap - she a baby boomer and I a Xennial - or cultural experiences. I have traveled the world and she rarely, if ever, left the south, but there I found a new friend whom I hope to see again soon.

What are you most passionate about? What passions drove you towards your efforts with “Save the Coast.”

I’m angry, to be honest. I‘m angry that we are fucking this whole thing up while others point to the night sky and say “Mars is where we will live.” How the hell are we going to live on a dead rock when we can’t keep the one we got alive?

Kids are sick from poisonous water in Flint. The older people are left to waste in “retirement communities” that we built so they’ll just stay out of our way. The middle-class lady with GMC Yukon XL wants 5 sweet teas in styrofoam cups with straws for her five kids as they breathe without mechanical assistance gazing into the black mirror. It’s a shit show out there, particularly in the south, and I have to try and do something about something.

Every heavy rainfall in New Orleans we are wading through waist-deep water somewhere in the city. The oil companies dredged canals for exploration and don't fill them back in so now a greater amount of saltwater is introduced into the brackish marshland killing the only land we in Louisiana have to slow the impending, deafening onslaught of 100 mph winds that will most surely destroy our state again. And again and again. 

Frankly, what drives me is the will for justice. I want justice for people who have done everything they were told to do and get screwed in the end. But I can’t get it - so I’ll ride. I'll feel that pain in my glutes, hamstrings, and quads and I’ll take it. I’ll take that pain for my catholic guilt or for catharsis because that pain will make me feel like I’m doing something about all my anger.

What impact has biking had on your lifestyle?

Man, I don’t know how to answer this. Bicycling is as close to flying as I can get without an engine. It’s Icarus on wheels - don’t go too fast, you might get doored harder. Don’t go too slow - you don’t want to get run over. It keeps my waistline tight and my mind settled.  I haven’t owned a car in nearly 8 years. I don’t want to. The majority, if not all, of our countries problems, are built upon keeping those hunks of shit on the road. Too much space, too much money, too many assholes creating negative externalities because they lack the physical manifestation of masculinity in which was denied by their maker. So they buy a canary yellow mustang and peel out in front of a coffee shop at 10am on a Sunday in Westside, Buffalo, NY just so they can show everyone that they might have finally purchased what they were never provided. That happened this past Sunday actually.

The oil, the gas, the common space, the infrastructure, the money, the inept DOT’s of the country, the lives lost consistently, and so much more. All of it comes down to owning a car. It’s a lose, lose, lose situation.

Run us through your perfect Saturday biking around your home town.

My perfect Saturday is sneaking out with my daughter early in the morning while my wife sleeps. I put her in the kids seat that cranks on to the back of my Wythe. We grab a cup of coffee and a chocolate milk at Pagoda Cafe, then decide if we are going to head down to the French Quarter for a NY bagel at Small’s Deli (H&H bagels flown in from NYC) or head to Tastees for a donut that my wife doesn’t like us eating because she says it’s not healthy. Sometimes we take a quick lap around City Park or other times we head to the grocery store to pick up a few things for the day.

The perfect day would have a humidity index below 50% and a few large clouds in the sky that may provide a respite from the hit Lousiana sun. I would choose to ride the side roads with the least amount of potholes and perhaps get lucky and find that traffic is light and I can take one of those smooth paved collector roads.

In the evening I would hook up with my friend Max. We would put the colorful spoke lights on to better illuminate our ride. Then we would debate the best route to take to round the city. Should be head down toward the river and the French Quarter, then head upriver to Uptown? Or should we go to the Lake Pontchartrain, round our way through Lakeview, through Navarre then MidCity and find the perfect bar to pull up to? Eventually, we would stand on the corner of Esplanade Ave and N. Broad St. with our bikes under us, getting our last point across to each other, then break away with my going upriver to Fairgrounds and Max heading downriver to Treme.

“Next week?” one of us would yell.

“Next week!” the other would yell back.

Share something that you are really excited about right now. It could be a favorite book, recipe, cocktail, movie, etc. 

I’m excited about trees. Yeah, trees. I finally got my ass out of the public sector and into a hard-working job with a tree service company. I’m outside all day and the goals are simple for the time being. No more “should I reply all or just reply to the sender?” anxieties. No more precious, little political egos at City Hall to run into. Just the trees and my willingness to keep them alive and do the best little thing I can do for what I’m passionate about. Monday comes, and I’m happy it’s here. Tuesday is next and there’s no more “Is it really only Tuesday?!” I’m healthy, I’m paid well and I’m working with my real friends.

Otherwise, I’m happy that I have two feet, two legs, two arms, and two hands. The days go by slow here. Unlike New York. No one cares too much if you’re the best that you are at your job or if you make money to be part of their club. I’m excited about New Orleans. I’m excited about my family and I’m excited about waking up for tomorrow.

Stosh rides a Wythe in Matte Black

Each month we feature a different member of the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. community and share what makes them tick. Read on to learn about the most recent member of our community spotlight...

JAN HEYLEN, OWNER, KAFE RACER

Where is Kafe Racer located? What are a few of your favorite things about the community surrounding your shop?

Kafe Racer is located at 998 Douglas Ave, Dunedin FL. It’s on the corner of Main St. & Douglas Avenue right next to the Pinellas Trail - one of the most beautiful bike trails in all of Florida.

You have a pretty unique background as a racing driver. What drew you to racing and how did you get started?

My career in motorsports started with Go-Karts. As a young boy my father, Marc Heylen, bought me a pedal-powered Kett Kar that my friend and I used to race around our neighborhood. When my friend, Tom, upgraded his pedal kart to a proper racing Go-Kart he invited me out to the local kart track. As soon as I got behind the wheel I knew I would need my very own kart - which is where it all began.

After a year of nagging my parents for a go-kart, my dad purchased a used  Italian Tecno Chassis. I spent every waking minute in the garage, keeping it clean and making sure it was always ready for the track. The next four years were spent going to club races and eventually moving to National level competitions. When I was about fifteen-years-old, I was approached by Paul Lemmens, the owner of the prestigious GKS team. Lemmens offered me a test and after a successful test run, I was offered the opportunity to spend the summer working in his shop in exchange for a ride with their racing team. Come summer’s end, my parents had arranged accommodations with the Lemmens’ family so I could work in the shop full-time and continue racing. I ended up living with Paul and his wife, Lisette, for the next five years - the Lemmens’ became a second family to me.

Over those five years I was able to travel the world racing karts with GKS. At 20-years-old I had won the World Cup race in Monaco and a round of the European Championship in Genk. As a young adult at the beginning of my career, this was one of the coolest experiences and I will always be grateful for my time with their team.

By the end of the 2000 racing season, I would move on from racing karts to cars. I moved to England to partake in the British Formula Ford Winter Series. After a few years and working small jobs left and right, I was picked up by Formula Ford constructor Van Diemen. With the team I accomplished five wins, fifteen podiums and a win at the prestigious Formula Ford Festival - an event that has propelled the racing careers of many drivers.

After a significant career with Van Diemen, I then signed with the Mercedes Junior team in 2003. Unfortunately the program never successfully came together and for the first time since the start of my career, I struggled to even finish in the top 10.

The following year I decided to move back to the German Formula 3 series where I had six wins and eight podium finishes. This lead me to a seat in the 2005 World Series of Renault touring car championship which I wound up winning. After this, I remained pretty busy throughout the remainder of the year while simultaneously thinking about taking my career to the United States.

In 2006, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to compete in the Champ Car World Series, driving for the Dale Coyne’s team. Driving alongside Indycar champion, Cristiano DaMatta, as my teammate - I was able to quickly learn to drive the Cars. I eventually recorded the best results that the Coyne team had ever seen, I received fifth place at the Cleveland Grand Prix, and out qualified my much more experienced teammate in about half of our races.

In 2007 I continued to drive in a Champ car after making a last minute deal with Conquest Racing team. I worked closely with their engineers and crew to develop a car that would be capable of winning on multiple tracks and terrains. This led to a second place finish at the Grand Prix of Holland with the best finish of the season as well as the best finish ever recorded for the Conquest Racing team.

Since 2007, I have focused my efforts on professional sports car races competing in events such as the 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Spa.

In 2011, I competed in the European Sports Car Championship in a Porsche. Since then, majority of the work I have done has continued to be with Porsche while working  with great teams such as Wright Motorsports, RS1, as well maintaining a close relationship with PMNA, Porsche Motorsport North America. 

Tell us about Kafe Racer. How has your experience in racing translated to opening your shop and selling bikes?

The cycling sport actually came from my mom’s side of the family. Growing up in Belgium, my uncles rode bikes at a fairly high level and would always try to convince me to get out on the bike with them. I’m really not a huge fan of the cold weather, so the thought of being out on the bike in the cold didn’t ever appeal to me. Of course I always had a bike and would ride to school or around town, but never professionally.

It wasn’t until I moved to the US in 2006 that I developed a real passion for cycling. Riding became a hobby that later grew into racing at an amateur level - it’s brought me the same level of joy as racing cars.

I never thought this would grow into owning a bike shop and it was never really apart of the plan. However, about four years ago I started thinking I needed to do something outside of just racing cars. I put a lot of thought into what my next move would be but never really pinpointed a specific idea. One day I was out and about in Dunedin when I heard there was a bike shop possibly going up for sale. After a few conversations with the owner, he made me a deal and sold me the shop.

I simply stumbled into it without a plan but have loved it ever since. I’ve put a lot of time and effort into Kafe Racer over the last two years and it’s just been a really fun experience. Racing cars is still my number one job while the bike shop remains a great hobby. It’s in a great location with a dedicated and hard working staff who have become family.

How is your shop involved in your local community? Do you offer community impact programs and/or events for local residents?

We always try to help out and support the local businesses and people in the community any way that we can. Over the last two years we have worked with a handful of local Dunedin schools by bringing bikes to the students. We have been heavily focused on finishing construction here at the bike shop over the last few years, but once we are complete we plan to organize several yearly events for the community.

Run us through your perfect day biking around Dunedin, Florida. 

Dunedin is known for all of its local events, micro breweries and is also home to the Toronto Blue Jays for spring training. It seems like every week there is some different going on - whether it’s a music event, art show, local market, car show, or boat parade - there is always something to do. Majority of the people who come to Dunedin, come for this specific reason. For me, riding around town and just enjoying everything that Dunedin has to offer is my perfect day. I also enjoy riding along the Pinellas Trail which is one of the nicest bike trails in all of Florida.

Share something that you are really excited about right now. Could be a favorite book, recipe, cocktail, movie, taco stand, upcoming shop event, etc. 

I’m really excited to get back on the bike. I’ve been working on Kafe Racer a lot over the last year and a half and we are getting close to the grand opening. Once everything at the bike shop is up and running to full capacity, it will give me more time to enjoy my bike again.

Each month we feature a different member of the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. community and share what makes them tick. Read on to learn about the most recent member of our community spotlight...

 KEVIN CRAFT - CITY BIKE TAMPA, OWNER AND PROUD NEW DAD

Where is your shop located and explain some of your favorite things about the community surrounding your shop?

We are located right in the center of a wonderfully growing downtown here in Tampa. It is really pretty special to be part of the growth and developing personality of the city around us. Tampa is a great place to be outside and an even better place to be on a bike. The city is increasingly becoming more cycling friendly and there seems to be a new restaurant or place to explore opening every week. We have a core little group of small businesses surrounding and working with us to help create a feeling downtown, and despite the growth, you still get a great neighborhood feel where you walk down the street and know people.

Tell us about City Bike Tampa. How did you get started and what drew you to selling bikes?

We are going to be 10 this summer! I was not the original owner of City Bike Tampa. The Cyrs opened the shop in 2009. I started working for them about a year after they opened, and we started slowly transitioning after that. I’ve always had the dream of having my own shop. It’s about having a place where people can come together and better themselves. A place where they can be among friends (even if they haven’t met us yet). It’s educational, it’s about helping people, serving a community, and enabling. Bikes are pretty dang transformative and our job is to show people how.

What makes your shop unique? Why should customers buy a bike from you?

A whole bunch of things. For one, our staff is second to none, I dare you to find more personality in an employee base. I’m not kidding. And every single one of them cares so much about each person that walks in that door. You can’t train that. Our shop was built from all the things that we’ve ever wanted in a shop experience, tweaked to make sure we were always doing something different than anyone else around us, and honestly, refined by a simple list of all the things bike shops typically do wrong. We’re family, your bike family.

What impact have you and City Bike Tampa had on the overall bike culture in Tampa?

We are always working on that. From one side it’s just about enabling (we say that a lot) and constantly trying to get more people outside on bikes to explore our blossoming city. From the other, we get to help really influence the culture and style that is going to define biking in Tampa.

Our team adores Macey the Guard Dog. What is the story behind City Bike Tampa’s mascot?

Macey is part greeter, part supervisor, part Ybor Street Dog, and an immediate welcome into a store experience. I jokingly say my wife had Macey before she had me. She is a rescue that was found in Ybor and has been with us for the past nine years. We made her the official logo to be a disarming and inviting symbol as we felt too many shops were intimidating places for anyone that wasn’t a seasoned rider.

Run us through your ideal day biking around Tampa.

I love any day when you can leave the car in the driveway and just live on the bike. There are great bike routes to get anywhere in the area and sometimes it’s about finding a new one. It always starts with coffee, and probably a ride to not  the closest coffee shop. From there, a couple of errands to feel accomplished, then take a stroll down Bayshore Blvd which is a beautiful path and bike lane on the water attached to downtown. Follow that up with some coconut shrimp from Jackson's or a wrap from SoFresh. Then ride over to Coppertail Brewing for a beer, and a nice easy stroll home via the bike path and the Riverwalk.

I think my ideal day is still to come! I am a brand new dad, and cannot wait to be able to just cruise around town with the little dude, visiting the bike shop and stopping at every park along the way to play and run around (and maybe the aquarium because of all the fishes). And in the evening maybe riding to dinner with the wifey at our favorite restaurant Boca, and then all across town to Coppertail Brewing for a beer to cap off the night.

Share something that you are really excited about right now. Could be a favorite book, recipe, cocktail, movie, taco stand, upcoming shop event, etc.

I hear there’s a 10 year anniversary party in the works, don’t worry Brooklyn Bicycles, you will surely be getting an invite.

But also this city is growing so fast. The excitement is that there is always something happening, and the sense of community is so great to head out and support what everyone else is doing.

Congratulations to Kevin, Allison, and Macey on your new addition! We can't wait to meet Brixton.

City Bike Tampa

208 E Cass St, Tampa, FL 33602

About Brooklyn Bicycle Company

About New Belgium Brewing Company

New Belgium Brewing, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a host of Belgian-inspired beers, is recognized as one of Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work, one of the Wall Street Journal’s Best Small Businesses and tops Bicycling Magazine’s Best Companies for Cyclists. The 100% employee-owned brewery is a Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Business as designated by the League of American Bicyclists, one of World Blu’s most democratic U.S. businesses, and a Certified B Corp. In addition to Fat Tire Amber Ale, New Belgium brews fourteen year-round beers: Citradelic Tangerine IPA, Fat Tire Belgian White, The Hemperor HPA, Voodoo Ranger IPA, Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA, Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA, Sour Saison, Honey Orange Tripel, Dayblazer Easygoing Ale, 1554 Enlightened Dark Ale, Bohemian Pilsner, Abbey Belgian Style Ale, Trippel and a gluten-reduced beer, Glutiny Pale Ale. To learn more, visit NewBelgium.com and follow the brewery on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.  

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We wanted to learn a little bit more about the community surrounding Brooklyn Bicycle Co. bikes, so we created a section of our journal dedicated to some of the people we’ve been fortunate to call our customers.

Each month we feature a different member of the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. community and share what makes them tick. Read on to learn about the most recent member of our community spotlight...

ANDREW TARTAGLIA, CO-OWNER, VERDE KITCHEN & COCKTAIL BAR & COASTAL KITCHEN & DAIQUIRI BAR

Where do you call home? Tell us about some of your favorite things about your community! 

Home for me now is the South Shore LI community of Bay Shore. After many years living in Ocean Beach Fire Island I have settled here on the mainland just across the bay. I love the small town feel of both communities. Bay Shore is a hip little town and I enjoy living here. Riding around town, lots of stops for hellos, and supporting my local community - which is easy because it’s awesome!

Tell us about each of your bars: Verde Kitchen & Cocktails and Coastal Kitchen + Daiquiri Bar. How did you get started and what drew you to open a bar?

Having spent most of my life in the restaurant industry, I was blessed to have an opportunity to take the next step into business ownership. My brother, our friend Chef Zach and I took 361 days to build Verde (our first venture). Refurbishing what we could and building what we needed with repurposed materials. Part of that project was renovating our Greenhouse Dining Room where we grow in over 60 planter boxes year-round and are 100% edible/usable in the summer months. The three of us have travelled many times to Mexico and love the food and culture. We felt a lack of Authentic Mexican Restaurants out here on LI so we took the leap and started our own spot where we combine a full menu (tacos and so much more) with a great cocktail program. It’s been almost 5 years now and we love our ever-growing community of friends and family. We strive to combine respect & authenticity with the best locally sourced ingredients for both food and cocktails in our own “Verde” way.

Coastal Kitchen + Daiquiri Bar began with a similar feeling. It started with us wanting something that we couldn’t find. As travelers we have again been blessed to visit many coastal communities and each time we are inspired. We wanted to create a concept both focused and broad enough to incorporate all of the wonderful food, drink, & culture that exists in coastal communities around the world. We’ll keep wandering and looking for inspiration as we hope you do too! Feel free to share your favorite coastal food, drink, music, art, or whatever moves you at www.coastalliny.com or @coastalliny. Even better, pop in and share your travels with us over some food and drink. 

Run us through your perfect Saturday biking around Bay Shore. 

My perfect Saturday biking in Bay Shore is more like a Monday 😊 (restaurant industry things). On a nice day I love to ride up to my favorite coffee shop for some iced coffee and a croissant before a morning yoga class. In the afternoons the bay is a beautiful place to ride for a visit. But my favorite is the summer evenings. Riding with friends to our favorite Bay Shore restaurants and enjoying the beauty of this town. Raw bar & bubbly at Salt & Barrel, a visit for a chat & a cocktail with our pals at Tullulahs, and down to The Lakehouse for snacks and sunsets.  

What Brooklyn Bicycle Co. bike do you currently ride? What made you choose this specific model? 

Thanks to some amazing customer service I am happily riding the Driggs 3 speed. I always like to call and talk to someone and Rachel set me up with the perfect relaxed ride for my daily commute and evening explorations! 

Share something that you are really excited about right now. Could be a favorite book, recipe, cocktail, movie, event at your bar(s), etc. (Keep in mind that we’ll be sharing your spotlight piece in later February). 

Honestly, I’m really excited to be a part of the continued growth of what has become my home town. After many years of travelling seasonally I am happy to be settled in this fun little town. As the weather warms, I am looking forward to biking down to see some live music at Coastal and all around town. I also always love a quick trip to Ocean Beach for some waves and of course to see all my old pals in town. Taking my Driggs to the ferry, and the ferry to my beach cruiser that’s locked up and waiting in OB. Come visit us out here. Bring your bike and your appetite. Find a local and jump right in with the crew. We’re always happy to share our favorite spots.

Andrew rides our Driggs 3 Speed in Denim Blue.

Photos are by Input Collection (@gnarshredjab).

Hey y’all! It’s R’el & Marcus, the duo over at This Is The Place I Was Telling You About. We’ve partnered up with Brooklyn Bike Co. to bring you our top 5 date night spots in the Downtown Brooklyn area. Come take a ride with us!

#1 CECCONI'S

55 WATER STREET

DUMBO

If you are trying to treat your partner to a romantic night with waterfront views then we have you covered. Cecconi’s is an upscale Italian restaurant located in Dumbo. The beautiful interiors and tasty entrees are enough to rave about. The menu includes items like handmade pasta, wood oven pizza, and several seafood options. You really can’t go wrong ordering anything from here. Side note – the whipped ricotta appetizer isn’t to be missed.

#2 THE GATEHOUSES AT KINGS COUNTY DISTILLERY

299 SANDS STREET

BROOKLYN NAVY YARD

This intimate tasting room located at the entrance of The Brooklyn Navy Yards is the perfect bar for all you whiskey lovers out there. Not only are all the spirits made in house, but their cocktails are robust and flavorful. Munch on small bites like beef jerky and almonds while conversing over an Old Fashioned or Negroni. Check out the menu here. 

#3 TACOMBI

25 LAFAYETTE AVENUE

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN

Looking for a restaurant that hits the spot while also being easy on your wallet? If so, then Tacombi is the place for you. This laid-back taco spot has been a personal favorite of ours for years now. They have elote, tacos, and quesadillas. We typically order one of each taco but the shrimp and al pastor tacos are our favorite. After feasting on all that, we wash it down with a nice margarita (mezcal, of course). Yup, that’s right, the bartenders at Tacombi know how to make a pretty tasty margarita along with the other cocktails they have available.

#4 ELSA

136 ATLANTIC AVENUE

COBBLE HILL

With an inviting space and unique seasonal cocktails we can’t help but to love Elsa. Everything about this bar is, dare we say it, GOALS! The interiors are beyond stunning (think loose prohibition era vibes), the cocktails are high end with the perfect notes to complement each spirit, and the service is top notch. There’s not a bad thing to say about this bar – it’s simply spectacular. Oh, and they have the coolest bathrooms in the city (we’re not weird, you are)!

#5 AMPLE HILLS CREAMERY

623 VANDERBILT AVENUE

PROSPECT HEIGHTS

ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS IN BROOKLYN, MANHATTAN, & QUEENS

We have the perfect ending to a date night and that’s heading over to Ample Hills for some dreamy scoops of happiness. Every flavor is just as creative and delicious as the last. Park your bikes and grab a seat outside!

R'el rides our Franklin 3 Ivory Large bicycle

& Marcus rides our Bedford Large bike in Matte Black.

#1 - Our customer service is second to none

Our customers won’t stop talking about us. Seriously, just take a peek at our over 1,300 verified five star reviews. Admittedly, sometimes things don’t go perfect, and if you find yourself not having a typical five star experience, we’ll make it right through our LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT GUARANTEE.

#2 - No one makes it easier to buy a bike than us

From our bike finder quiz to our super simple sizing guides, buying from us is ridiculously easy. No tech talk about the chemical composition of our frames or college flashback-inducing lectures on gear ratios and tire size.

If you're ever stuck, schedule a one-on-one consultation call with our Bike Concierge. We'd love nothing more than to chat with you and answer any questions you have.

Best of all, we get it shipped and built for you free of charge through our industry leading Buy and Ride Program. We’re with you every step of the way to make it easy – and dare we say ENJOYABLE - to buy a bike.

#3 - Our Product Development team consists of some of the best in the business

We’ve spent years perfecting our bicycles, and we aren’t done yet. Actually, we’ll never be done. We were fortunate enough early on to partner with Grant Petersen, whose design ethos can be seen in most of our models. Grant “is widely known in the cycling community for opposing complicated design and slavish prioritization of speed, light weight and racing-led fashion — over tradition, comfort and durability.” 

To top it off, with Brooklyn as our testing ground, you can be certain our bikes will hold up to anything you can throw their way. Long story short, we’re working day and night to perfect your ride. Read more about our design here. 

#4 - We make some of the best city bikes around

Our bikes are regularly included in annual “Best City Bike” roundups in nationally syndicated publications, like the world’s largest cycling magazine, Bicycling Magazine. Some of our biggest fans also include Business Insider, New York Times, Vanity Fair, Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar & Vogue, keeping us blushing.

#5 - EVERY bike comes with free shipping & professional assembly; No asterisks necessary

Seriously. Free shipping and professional assembly are included with every bike purchase, so the price you see is the price you pay. Well, unless you live in New York, because, well, taxes, but you can take that up with your local government.

#6 Easy payments

We’ve partnered with Affirm to make financing easy-breezy for customers in the USA. Now you can make smaller payments over a few months, making our bikes work for any budget.

#7 We give a sh*t

We care about our products, our employees, our partner shops, but most of all we care about YOU. We want you to have a more-than-excellent experience and that’s why we’re here Every. Step. Of. The. Way. We get a lot of questions thrown our way, and we’re never without an answer. Not sure about sizing, color, the whole process, ETA, if your dog can fit into a front basket, or where to find the best slice in Brooklyn? Schedule a consultation call. Contact Us! Live Chat us! Facebook Message us! Slide into our DMs on Instagram! If you’re really into snail mail, we’ll accept that too and send you back a pretty cool postcard. We want to talk with you and ensure that you’re riding on the best bike for YOU.

La Contenta is one of our favorite lesser known gems in the Lower East Side. The two of us have traveled to Mexico on several occasions, and the food here is some of the closest we have found to the incredible dishes we remember from our travels. If you can, totally grab a seat at the bar and chat with their friendly bartenders while they whip up some seriously unique concoctions right before your eyes. Don’t miss the Mayan cocktail, a mix of corn puree and coconut milk with tequila and a spicy rim that almost tastes like a Dorito. If you think that’s gross, then for sure what is wrong with you?

If you come down to LES and you don’t go to economy candy, you haven’t done a trip to New York right. This place has been around since the Great Depression, and you know if a business could make folks happy selling candy back then, it’s gotta be legit. They have something for literally everyone here, unless, somehow you don’t like candy, and even in that case they have a huge selection of bulk nuts! So stop reading and get to snacking!

It’s maybe the understatement of the century to say that New York has tons of great places for Pizza. You know this, we know this, you are basically born knowing this. So how do you decide where you’re gonna go since just in lower Manhattan alone, there’s almost an infinite amount of choices? Well, let us make this one easy for you: you’re gonna go to Prince Street Pizza, and yes, you’re also going to wait in that line. The Pepperoni Grandma slice from this place is without a doubt one of the best slices in the city, and possibly the world. The nostalgic, fluffy yet crispy crust, great sauce to cheese ratio and obviously those tasty little cupped pepperonis is what has put this spot on the map on the national stage, even though they are only 6 years old.

The great thing about Lower Manhattan is that since it was the first part of the island to really be built up and established, there are so many great places that have been around since forever. And Parisi Bakery Delicatessen is no different. This family owned bakery and deli has been in Little Italy for over 100 years, still cranking out the same amazing bread they have been since 1908. And if you are looking for an amazing lunch spot to grab a sandwich that you can also eat for dinner and possibly breakfast the next day, look no further. The sandwiches here are stacked high with quality meats and cheeses, are very inexpensive and could probably feed a whole baseball team and the batboy and one lucky fan whose dreams just came true.

This is hands down one of the best date spots in Manhattan, and one of our favorite little gems in the West Village. One of those classic New York spots where they cram so many people inside that they gotta literally move the table for you to sit down, and you break bread with strangers whose elbows are practically on your shoulders, but the food makes the whole experience worth it. Where else in the West Village can you get a plate of pasta that tastes like grandma made it for 14 dollars. And that's how much every pasta dish is, not just a special. Their wine selection is also fantastic, and you can really feel like you are ballin' out here for under 100 bucks for two people. Make a reservation if you head here for dinner though, cause it fills up quick.

For amazing and authentic Chinese American food in Chinatown, Great NY Noodletown is a must visit. Picture in your mind a classic New York Chinese restaurant, and thats what you are envisioning at Great NY Noodletown: Roast ducks and pigs in the window, hot tea when you sit down, massive menu with seemingly endless, inexpensive choices and decor that looks like they bought it from the souvenir shop next door. This is a fantastic late night spot, as you can get a ton of food for not that much money, but don’t rule it out as a good place to fuel up any time of day. Get the ginger scallion noodles for sure.

Forgetmenot is one of the best “where do we go now” spots in this part of the city. Located right between LES and Chinatown, this place has something for everyone: a fairly well rounded food menu (that’s full of delicious options), cheap beers and a surprisingly creative cocktail list, outdoor seating, sports and movies on tv and little nooks to have intimate moments if that's your angle. All this wrapped up in a package that lives somewhere in the middle of being a bar and a full on restaurant. It's casual and cozy, and no matter when you find yourself here, its always the right move.

Looking for a creative food menu, awesome cocktails, a pool table, trivia and the occasional celebrity sighting? Look no further than the “your friend's house from the 80’s” inspired Flower Shop. Dripping with cool, but still surprisingly accessible and not too snooty, this is place is a rare find in this part of town. The "kitch" factor draws in just the right type of crowd, the staff is friendly and the food is truly bangin’. If you come here, don’t skip the bar downstairs which truly looks like a basement in a suburban home, right down to the carpet on the floor (that’s right, carpet in a bar).

Feeling like you wanna get lit but maybe you don’t wanna actually get lit? Also, are you riding a bike and trying to be responsible (yes)? Head over to the Instagrammers dream, Cha-Cha Matcha. This place is like a bar experience without the bar, down to the baristas making shaken drinks like cocktails, that are actually non-alcoholic elixirs in every color of the rainbow. Even if you don’t take pictures of your food, you will hardly be able to resist snapping a picture of a half blue, half green drink with a giant purple orchid sitting on top of it. And the best part about this place is that all their drinks are actually delicious. This is definitely a spot to be experienced for the NA crowd, but the novelty can be appreciated by just about everyone.

If you only go to one of the places on this list, this is the one to go to. Located underneath Dante, this speakeasy looks like you’re about to walk into the back of house of the restaurant as you step through air curtain flaps into a liquor store. That's right, the whole bar is lined with bottles of alcohol, and they aren’t just for show. The name of the game here at Liquorette is creativity, as you are able to take whatever alcohol you want from the shelves, bring it to the bartenders and ask them to make you something with it. The amount of fun you can have at this place is only limited by how many cocktails you can have. Our recommendation is try and find something truly weird, that you think you might hate, and have them change your mind about it. They also have a limited but delicious bar menu, fantastic and photogenic cocktails made with airline liquor bottles, and a great and often changing list of house cocktails. This place is a total experience and it is truly not to be missed.

Howdy y’all. It’s the duo from the lifestyle blog, This Is The Place I Was Telling You About. We’ve partnered with our friends over at Brooklyn Bike Co to share our day date to Prospect Park. With all the rain that’s been going on lately, we were ecstatic when the sun finally came out. So we packed our backpack, grabbed our bikes and decide to make the trip from Bushwick to Prospect Park. 

The Soldier and Sailors Memorial Arch at the main entrance of the park always catches our eye. We find the architecture especially beautiful. 

While the foliage was no longer at its peak, the leaves on the ground definitely added to the autumn vibes. Fall is our favorite seasons so the longer we get to bask in it the better. 

It was a brisk day, so when we weren’t biking things got a bit chilly. It made for the perfect reason to warm up with hot cider and donuts. We laid down a blanket, read a little bit, and did some people watching. 

On our way home, we stopped at a local farmers market to pick up some fresh produce for dinner that evening. We came across a Chinese dumpling vendor and ordered half a dozen pork dumplings to eat while we walked around. The dumplings aren’t pictured because they were devoured in seconds. They were delicious! 

We asked Brooklyn Bicycle Co. customer and Harvard alum, Katherine Harrison to show us around Cambridge, Massachusetts. The well-known city is known for many things, including its exceptional changing leaves in the fall, and Katherine's tour perfectly captures the fall foliage. Read on for her favorite local spots!

I like to think I discovered Boston the second semester of my freshman year at Harvard. In the three months previous, i.e. my first semester, I had effectively exhausted myself of Harvard Square’s offerings and had begun to surreptitiously indulge in Boston’s bustling Instagram community of cafe hoppers and museum goers. From afar, I longed to be a member of that scenic caste of city explorers, but I faced one key roadblock to my full self-association: transportation. You see, I hadn’t yet worked a bonafide job, and my meager college-student finances kept carpooling to a minimum, so, in lieu of actual explorations, I was consigned to stockpiling a list of places I hoped to one day visit. This ever-compiling locals-list would remain relegated to its discarnate realm — aspiration — until my junior year when I would fall in love with a little red bicycle. Thanks to my Brooklyn Bicycle, one then invariably saw me zipping through Cambridge, a flash of vermillion, a black scarf trailing in the wind.

1. INTELLIGENTSIA

Starting from Harvard Square, you’ll bike an easy ten minutes down Brattle Street to accomplish your first order of business: coffee at Intelligentsia (the Chicago-based roaster that you may also recognize from its Los Angeles and New York locations). As you whir down Brattle, be sure to admire the brilliant cascade of changing leaves as well as the historic homes lining the road, including George Washington’s Revolutionary War home (the unmissable yellow home on the right). Closer to Intelligentsia, you might even swoop right onto Larchwood Lane and explore the circa-1915 Larchwood neighborhood, a winding amalgam of Georgian Revival homes situated on the former estate of William Gray, a wealthy Salem merchant.

Once you've arrived at Intelligentsia, park your bike outside, and enter the sleek, industrial establishment. Order a coffee and perhaps a pastry (courtesy of a partnership with local bakery, Forge), but stave off from any further noshes — you’ll have plenty to eat later on this tour.

2. SOFRA

Just across the street from Intelligentsia is the place I basically want everyone to know about: Sofra Bakery and Cafe, a Turkish, Lebanese, and Greek fusion cafe that serves food from morning till night. I like to say that despite all of the photos I share from here, I’m not always at Sofra, but I sort of wish I was.

Sofra, to quote the cafe’s website, “is a Turkish word that means a picnic, a special table preparation of food, or a small square kilim rug for eating.” When you walk inside, you’ll agree that this is exactly what Sofra feels like - a warm and bustling weekend cafe, crowded with locals vying for a coveted window nook seat, scents of spices from the shelves and aromas from the open kitchen drifting through the air. Not to miss menu items: the morning Asure (the Turkish version of porridge — hot whole grain cereal, fresh-soaked chickpeas, a crumble of pistachios and almonds, an assortment of dried fruits, all topped with coconut flakes and a date molasses syrup), the spinach falafel (seriously, I could bury myself in these flavors), and any of the Turkish drinks on offer (like the Sahlep or the seasonally flavored drinking chocolates).

3. Lamplighter Brewing Company

Our next destination is Lamplighter Brewing Company, where you’ll warm your hands and spirits with some, well, spirits. New England is for no shortage of breweries, and the region is particularly known for its bright, hop-forward IPAs. To sample some, look no further than one of the tasting flights from Lamplighter. The citrusy, bitter brews are made from the incorporation of Galaxy or Citra hops, and paired with some good bar snacks, your palette will be thankful for the biking reprieve. Afterwards, you might loiter about the open garage chatting with the brewing staff while considering which case of beer to take for the road.

4. BACK BAY & BEACON HILL

Alright, now that I’ve made you feel certifiably gluttonous from a hefty string of drinks and meals, we’re going to work off some of it with a bike ride into Boston. Though this is technically breaking the rules of a Cambridge only guide, Cambridge and its bustling tea party counterpart are one in the same, especially by bike, so ride down Massachusetts Avenue straight into Boston and take a left onto Marlborough Street. Here you’ll have “happened upon” one of Back Bay’s many streets, crowded on both sides by the city’s iconic Edwardian residential architecture (those sprawling, multi-storied brick abodes). Having lived in the area for four years now, I can assure you Autumn is the quintessential time to go what I term stoop-peaking, as each of the doorsteps are bedecked in charming assortments of gourds and pumpkins. Simply enjoy the ride and stop frequently for photos.

As all roads must end, you’ll soon find yourself at the Boston Commons. You won’t be able to ride your bike through here, but it’s also not the object of our destination, so dismount, stroll through, and make your way to Charles St. and the historic Beacon Hill neighborhood. Like the second part of its name suggests (Beacon Hill) these are some seriously steep hills, so after you covetously explore some of the riverside brick abodes on Chestnut, Brimmer, and Mt. Vernon Streets, you’ll want to walk your way up to Cedar St. (grab a coffee or hot chocolate from Tatte Bakery and Cafe should your hands be wanting of some heating assistance).

Ambling along Cedar, you’ll come across the famed Acorn St. (a must-stop for shameless tourist pictures) as well as another plant shop, Rouvalis, whose striped green and tan awnings give way to the lively, plucked-straight-from-a-picture-book botanist responsible for all that cute stoop decor you’ve been stopping to photograph. After you’ve seen a sufficient number of brick homes such that they start blurring together, make your way back down to the commons and swing a right onto Beacon St. where you’ll glimpse many more an Edwardian and Victorian home. By the time you reach Massachusetts Avenue again, you’ll be ready to head back into Cambridge for dinner.

And there you have it - how to eat and bike through Cambridge. When you return for your next visit, you’ll be one step closer to being a Cambridge local!

Xx, Katherine

Katherine rides a Franklin 3 Speed in Cardinal Red. 

Below are our top five things to consider when buying a bike as a gift:

1. Sizing
   
   When choosing a bike, sizing is critical to having a safe and comfortable ride. You want to ensure that the recipient will be able to confidently come to a stop, as well as easily hop on and off their bike. Sizing guides are featured on each of our model pages, but if you have any questions – don’t hesitate to reach out to us through our chat function on our site or via phone at 800.631.0630. Is the recipient between sizes? We recommend reaching out for personal guidance.
   
   
2. Color
   
   You may love our Cardinal Red Franklin or Gloss Coral Brighton Beach Cruiser, but does that mean your sister or cousin will be as obsessed as you are? Know your husband absolutely loves Army Green? Go for it! If you aren’t quite sure about favorite colors, we recommend sticking to simple, classic colors like Black and Ivory (and these happen to be our best sellers, too)!
   
   
3. Timing
   
   Need a bike as a present by this weekend and it’s Tuesday? Your holiday party is coming up tomorrow? We always do our best to accommodate deadlines, however there are two things out of our control: the assembly schedule of your local bike shop, and FedEx transit times. We estimate your bike will be ready for pickup within 10-14 business days after your order is placed. Many times bikes are ready to roll quicker than that, but sometimes it just isn’t possible to ship a bike from our east coast warehouse to Minnesota, to have ready in two business days. Give us a shout before ordering so we can do everything in our power to meet your need-by date. And before you ask - overnighting a bike incurs a minimum of a few hundred dollars in shipping, and can lead to extensive damages in transit, so we do not offer express shipping on bikes. But like we said, reach out to us ahead of time, and we will do our best to get your gift as quickly as possible.
   
   
4. Riding Style
   
   Riding style and comfort can vary from person to person. Has the recipient had a severe back injury? Our Wythe model may not be the best fit because the posture is much more aggressive, however our Willow and Driggs feature an upright style that is quite ideal for such a situation. Does the recipient live in hilly San Francisco? An 8-speed or hybrid bike will be much more preferred for tackling those steep inclines. We don’t want to be the cause of a premature end to your friendship because you purchased the wrong bike.

5. Still Not Sure? We Also Offer Gift Cards
   
   If you are feeling intimidated about picking the right color, size, or model of bike, or you want the element of surprise without the hassle of a return, we also offer gift cards. Our e-gift cards will be delivered right to the email address used during checkout, and are a great option to ensure the recipient chooses the perfect bike for their lifestyle. Drop us a note and we will be happy to give you a certificate to gift wrap so the recipient has something fun to open.

Did you buy a bike before reading this post and realize you need to change a size, color, or model? If the bike hasn’t yet shipped, give us a shout via email or call us at 800.631.0630 as soon as possible, and we’ll do our best to sort this for you. If the recipient has already received the bike and isn’t quite in love, email us, and we can discuss our refund and exchange policies! Have general questions? Give us a shout and we’ll help you out!

As you’ve no doubt gleaned from the news, the United States is currently levying tariffs on goods imported from China. These tensions have produced a number of economic consequences both domestically and abroad. And they’re making a very real impact here at Brooklyn Bicycle Co.

On September 24, a new wave of tariffs took effect. These tariffs tax billions of dollars of imported Chinese goods at a rate of 10 percent. On January 1, this rate will increase to 25 percent. This means Brooklyn’s costs will also rise by 25 percent come 2019.

Since the tariffs were announced, our team has spent hours putting our heads together to determine the best possible response for our customers, our employees, and our company.

We’ve known since day one that we’re unwilling to compromise on the quality of our bikes—even though that would be a simple way to cut costs. A radical commitment to bicycle quality is fundamental to who we are as a company, and we’ll never ask our customers to ride lesser bikes just so we can save money.

We’re also unwilling to compromise on our employees’ well-being by cutting salaries or benefits in order to accommodate our increased costs. We care just as much about our team as we do about our customers. And much as we’d love to produce our bikes domestically, the realities of the bike industry mean that domestic manufacturing is also out of the question, especially given the identical tariffs levied on intermediate parts not available domestically.

After looking at it from every angle, we’ve determined the most effective way to maintain the quality of our bikes, the quality of our customers’ experiences, and our employees’ well-being, is to slightly increase the cost of our bikes. These increases won’t be dramatic. Prices for some of our bikes may increase by approximately eight to 12 percent, while some bikes may not see a price increase at all.

Even though these changes are small, we want to be transparent about why and how they’re taking place. Here’s an inside look at the many factors we’ve taken into consideration and why we believe this decision is best for our customers and our team.

The Infeasibility of Domestic Bike Production

Purportedly, the tariffs are an attempt by the U.S. government to level the playing field between Chinese manufacturing and domestic production of the same goods. Given the way the bike industry currently functions, there are almost no large-scale bicycle manufacturing facilities in the entire U.S. For better or worse, most products originate from very few countries.

In fact, virtually every part necessary to build a bicycle—from tires to rims, reflectors, hubs, spokes, frames, fenders, stems, forks, pedals, chains, crank sets, brakes, seat posts, and even screws—is manufactured abroad. For the most part, every single component on our and other brands’ bikes comes from different suppliers (even for those brands that claim to be “Made in the USA,” in almost all cases the parts are still imported; that label simply reflects the fact that the bike is assembled in the U.S., or in rare instances, the frame is welded here). Approximately 90 percent of those suppliers do not exist domestically. Instead, they exist primarily in Asia with China, Taiwan, Cambodia and Vietnam being the largest.

This explains why during its founding in 2011, Brooklyn Bicycle Co. made the decision to manufacture its bikes in China. We would love to have a domestic supply chain, but the option to do that—especially while maintaining the quality and affordability of our bikes—simply does not exist.

In lieu of manufacturing domestically, we’ve worked hard to connect with factories that live up to our stringent standards. These standards revolve around treating employees fairly, building high-quality products, and maintaining the safety and well-being of factory employees and our customers at every stage of the manufacturing process.

We choose to work with manufacturers whom we believe surpass all others, and we’re proud of that. And if you look at our customer reviews, you’ll see that our international suppliers are doing an excellent job.

Our Ongoing Commitment to High-Quality Bikes and Experiences

Because manufacturing our bikes domestically is currently out of the question, one of the only other options available to us would be to swap in cheaper bike components in order to maintain our current prices. But we’d rather produce no bikes at all than sell lower-quality bikes to our customers.

In order to absorb a 25 percent increase in our costs, it would be very easy for us to make some reductions in the quality of our bikes’ components and designs. But in our view, every cut in quality represents a sacrifice on the part of our customers. For example, a cheaper seat sacrifices comfort; cheaper tires sacrifice puncture resistance; cheaper delivery would require our customers to assemble their bikes on their own (as opposed to having them professionally assembled), and so on. 

We don’t want our customers to make these kinds of sacrifices. Quite frankly, we really give a shit about the quality of our bikes and the quality of the experiences that we offer our customers—and because we care, we’re not considering qualitative changes as a cost-cutting measure.

It’s for this same reason that we’re also unwilling to sacrifice our employees’ livelihood, our partnerships with independent bike shops around the U.S. and Canada, and our ability to remain a sustainable business.

So come December, please be aware that you may see a slight change in the pricing for some of our bicycles. What you will not see—now or ever—is a single negative change in the quality of our bikes or the quality of our customer service.

Sincerely,

Ryan Zagata

President, Brooklyn Bicycle Co. 

We wanted to learn a little bit more about the community surrounding Brooklyn Bicycle Co. bikes, so we created a section of our journal dedicated to some of the people we’ve been fortunate to call our customers.

Tell us about Thousand Helmets and your role within the company.

Thousand makes thoughtfully designed cycling gear to help people reconnect to the joy of riding their bike. We make helmets that people actually want to wear so that riders don't have to sacrifice style for safety (or vice versa) – and we also happen to be sold through a certain Brooklyn-based bicycle company! ;) As Thousand's Marketing Lead and Copywriter, I'm responsible for managing our online and in-person marketing efforts, and for serving as the company's voice wherever Thousand speaks.

What are you most passionate about? What passions drove you to your chosen field?

I'm passionate about using thoughtful writing to help bring meaningful brands to life. I believe it's important to help drive positive change by giving consumers the option to make purchases that are better for the planet and for people.

What impact has biking had on your lifestyle?

Biking has completely changed my lifestyle! Since moving to Little Tokyo, I've actually gotten rid of my car – something almost unheard of in LA. Now I bike and take public transportation nearly everywhere I need to go, and I love the combination of freedom, exercise, and independence I get from using my bike as my primary mode of transportation.

Run us through your perfect Saturday biking around LA.

Right now my favorite place to bike is along the LA River Bike Path, so I'd wake up, bike down to Bicycle Coffee for a quick breakfast and then ride to the start of the path. I love biking around this path because it has the greenery and wildlife of the river on one side of the path and shops, restaurants, and bars on the other.

What Brooklyn Bicycle Co. bike do you ride? What made you choose this specific model?

I ride the Lorimer because its compact frame perfectly fits my petite height. I love how lightweight and fast it is! Plus, with the added honey leather saddle and grips, it looks amazing.

Share something that you are really excited about right now. Could be a favorite book, recipe, cocktail, movie, taco stand, etc.

I love checking out new restaurants and bars and right now have been very into Genever, a new bar in the Historic Filipinotown neighborhood. It's owned by three Filipino women (which, as a Filipino-American woman, I love) and specializes in gin cocktails (which, as a gin-lover, I also love).

Yanti Turang, Registered Nurse,  Founder and Executive Director of Learn to Live 

Where do you call home and explain some of your favorite things about your community?

New Orleans is home. My neighborhood is personal, warm, diverse, tree lined, historic & interesting.

Tell us about LearnToLive. 

LearnToLive is an organization I founded in 2013. Our programs focus in health care, health care education,clinical training and water solutions. These programs work in communities in the world that access to these things ( Indonesia, Laos, Kenya & South Africa). LearnToLive through its programs also evolves and builds more informed global citizens - Being apart of one of our programs will hopefully inspire, humble and make you into being a much more empathetic thoughtful human being.

What are you most passionate about?

Equality & Choice. Knowing that choice gives you freedom. Majority of people in this world do not have a choice because their primary needs like water and healthcare are not met & therefore do not have the freedom to make choices to alleviate living in poverty because they have to spend their entire life meeting these primary needs. It is our role to level this playing field for people.

What passions drove you to your field?

Family members of mine were dying of preventable disease in Indonesia so I decided to do something about it.

What impact has your bike had on your lifestyle?

The bike gives me an opportunity to lower my carbon footprint, encourage healthy living, gives me a chance to connect with my neighborhood & quickly commute!

What are your top 3 favorite places you bike to?

City park, French Quarter, and The Mississippi levee.

What does Brooklyn Bicycle Co. mean to you?

Style, comfort and freedom!

Yanti Rides a Franklin 3 in Gloss Black

Jessica Rey, Actress and Founder of Rey Swimwear

Where do you call home and explain some of your favorite things about your community?

Home for me is Southern California, but I do travel quite a bit so home is really wherever I am together with my husband and 3 kids. The neighborhood we live in is all about community— I almost feel like we’re living in another era. Everyone is so friendly, people ride their bikes and take walks, know each other’s names and are willing to lend a helping hand when needed.

Can you tell us about Rey Swimwear, how you started the company and the mission behind the company?

I started Rey Swimwear when I simply couldn’t find a swimsuit that made me feel both comfortable and beautiful. My first swimsuit was made for myself, with no intention of starting a company. When countless people asked where they could get one, I knew that starting a business was the next step. We have since expanded into more than Swimwear— dresses, skirts, and tops that are timeless. The heart of my company is dignity— a respect for the people who make them clothes and who wear them.

What are you most passionate about? What passions drove you to your chosen field?

I am most passionate about helping ladies to embrace their dignity— to know their innate value, no matter what they look like, what talents they have, or what they own. This is what drives me.

What impact has your bike had on your lifestyle?

Riding a bike is freeing for me. It brings me back to my childhood— a time when I didn’t have a care in the world. Being a "mompreneur" can be quite stressful and it’s wonderful to be able to relax and relieve some of that stress with my kids, riding our bikes around our neighborhood.

What does the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. brand mean to you?

I love supporting small, locally owned businesses. To me, the brand is about sleek minimalist design and quality.

Jessica rides a Willow 3 in Sea Glass.

Vincent Cross

@vincentcross

We connected with video producer - and consummate Brooklyn boy - Vincent Cross, and asked him to show us around his home neighborhood of Crown Heights.  He said yes, grabbed a Wythe, and took to the streets to document his favorite spots in the area. Take a peek below to read about his trip.:

Golda

Have you ever loved the food at a place so much, only for it to suddenly close down? That’s what happened to me with Tilda All Day, the former home of my Favorite Egg Sandwich. That was until Danny Nusbaum (formerly one half of TAD) went off on his own to open Golda - a quaint neighborhood joint serving up middle eastern inspired food. My Favorite Egg Sandwich included.

 Nagle's Bagels

If you’re looking for something a little more well, New York, then another one of my go-to is the Classic Nagle from Nagle's Bagel. Think sliced smoked salmon, house-made cream cheese, tomatoes, onions, and capers. Ask for it on a toasted everything and you’ve got it made. Pro Tip? Head next door to Little Zelda for a coffee while you wait for your order.

 Brooklyn Pizza Crew 

Speaking of New York classics, every good New York neighborhood need it’s very only pizza slice spot. In Crown Heights, I would say it would have to be Brooklyn Pizza Crew over on Nostrand.

Gueros

In the mood for some Tex-Mex? How about Gueros on Prospect Heights. Home of the best nachos in the neighborhood. On a hot summer day, make sure to get the margarita - ask for half frozen, half shaken.

 The Food Sermon

If you find yourself dreaming about the islands, I suggest heading over to The Food Sermon where you’ll meet one of the friendliest faces in the neighborhood. Rawlston Williams’ build-your-own jerk chicken bowls always hits the spot. Take a swig of some of his bottled sorrel and you might just find yourself on The Grenadines.

 Hart’s

Named one of Bon Appetit’s Best Ten New Restaurants in 2017, Hart’s is a solid addition to the neighborhood. No matter what the occasion, do yourself a favor and and have whatever chef Nick Perkins recommends. Make sure to pair it with whatever cocktail Nialls Fallon recommends and you’ll be good to go.

 Doris

Close out your evening with a nightcap at Doris. If you’re still hungry, grab a grilled cheese from their nightly pop up and head to the backyard for a table tennis match. If you can’t find me there, check Do or Dive for some late-night Brooklyn fun.

Vincent rides a Wythe in Raw.

We wanted to learn a little bit more about our Brooklyn Bicycle Co. community, so we created a section of our journal dedicated to some of the people we’ve been fortunate to call our customers.

I live in Virginia right outside of DC in a cool community with a university and lots of green. We have wonderful neighbors who take care of each other, and there is a great mix of young and old, families and college kids, and all races and ethnicities.

Are there other endeavors or projects that Clean Soul Living has lead you to take on?

I am starting a cooking school in DC for home cooks.  The school will be farm-market to table focused, with an extensive kitchen garden on-site. The school is borne from my food blog, where I post recipes, interviews with farmers and fishers, information on CSAs, and some tips on living well and happy.

What are you most passionate about? What passions drove you to your chosen field?

That we take a step back, breathe deep, and appreciate all the gifts in life, even as difficult as that may be some times.  I really want people to see that living a heathy life doesn’t mean rigidity or restriction, and that no body shape or weight is the single indicator of health or beauty. And clean eating means knowing where your food comes from and that it was grow or raised with care, and avoiding processed or “fake” food.

What impact has your bike had on your lifestyle? 

We live in a very bikeable area, and I hate jumping in my car to run errands that are less than 5 miles away.  There are a few farm markets and farms close to our house that I visit frequently, so I will be biking there from now on!

What are the top 3 places you bike to?

Farm markets and farms, the park with my kids, and to meetings in our community.

What does the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. brand mean to you? 

I was looking for a bike but was not very impressed with what I saw.  Then I saw one of your bikes at the Dupont Circle Farmers Market and closely checked it out! When I looked up your company and learned about your ethos and philosophy, I could tell that you really cared about your customers, community, and quality.  I was ready to hop on!

Your blog posts tend to focus on the cultural significance of the food you're writing about. Are there any new cultures or dishes you've recently been learning about?

I explore soul food from all over the world, but have really just started learning to cook Japanese soul food.  I have one recipe that represents a mashup of American soul food, Jewish Soul food Chinese soul food, and Thai.  It’s a lime and ginger spiked chicken soup with sweet potato dumplings.  Here you go!

Nicole rides a Willow 3 in Columbia Blue.

Photos By: Lauren Louise Photography

Dana Stanley

@itsdanastanley

We connected with New Jersey resident Dana Stanley of CoastlandClub.com & Between Wake and Sleep Films to show us the town surrounding their 1920s Bungalow, Asbury Park. Take a look below to see some of her favorite locations in the area:

Living in a coastal town, we make ​every ​excuse to ride our bikes. Our two-year-old daughter looks out the window every morning to our bikes as if asking, “where are we going?” For us it’s either to grab coffee, to the park, to the beach, or even to the post office. Nothing says summer like cruising down a sunlit street and it always ends up being the highlight of my day. (If you’re looking to visit Asbury Park this summer), here are some places we’ve grown to love through our pedal adventures.

But First, Coffee - Booskerdoo

Booskerdoo is on the outskirts of Asbury Park, which makes it the perfect first stop for your bike tour.

During the summer months, be sure to get the Malt Cold Brew, which sometimes sells out by the late afternoon. It’s our favorite drink to hold while we cruise down Sunset Ave towards the coast.

Look for the COFFEE RULES sign by my friend ​Ashley Burk​, you can’t miss it!

Heading to Brunch - ​Cardinal 

Cardinal​ has become a favorite go-to spot for its beautiful interiors and insanely good food. They make their own cold brew (yes, I’m mentioning coffee again) and have lots of vegan options. One of the owners just had twins, so you know, it’s kid-friendly (always a plus in my book).

If you’re looking for a place to show off to your friends and family, take them here. Just keep in mind they’re closed on Wednesdays!

It’s All for the ‘Gram - Asbury Park Boardwalk 

The walls of unused buildings along the boardwalk have become so covered with street art, you could spend all afternoon stopping at each one.

You’ll see everything from larger-than-life mermaids to musical tributes, and it’s part of what makes this place so special.

Our favorite drink for mural-snapping? An ice cold lemonade, light on the sugar, from ​Pucker​.

Get Away from Crowds - Pizza on the Beach

The only downside of living near a beach town is when you’re starving and everything is crowded. We don’t like to wait to eat, especially with a toddler in tow. Savior: bringing pizza on to the beach. We’ll be doing this a lot this summer!

If you’re coming from inland, call ahead to ​Medusa to pick up pizza. They’re perfect for strapping to your bike and taking to the beach (plus no forks or knives needed.)

If you’re already set up by the beach, ​Porta​ is our favorite spot for drinks and some meatball pies. It gets really crowded from 7PM on, but you can always get it to go!

Dana rides our Brighton 7 in Ivory

Photos by Veronica Lola Photography. Instagram: @veronicalolaphoto. Twitter: @veronicalolapho.

Kimia Ferdowsi Kline Brooklyn Artist

Where do you call home and explain some of your favorite things about your community? 

Brooklyn is home for me. One of my favorite things is the cultural diversity and openness I experience every day. The support and love for the arts is another amazing quality about this community. As a painter and curator, it's an incredible place to live and work because collaborations with other creatives is so accessible and a fundamental way of life. Art and design are a regular and normal part of life here--it's not a separate thing you have to seek out. I love that creativity is integrated into neighborhoods, restaurants, hotels, schools, and public spaces. 

Tell us about your art career and how you came about it. 

Any career in the arts is a long and winding process and mine is still unfolding. I always knew I wanted to be a painter and wanted to live in New York, but it took me 27 years to finally get to the City. Once I relocated here though, I was lucky in that opportunities came my way and I've been fortunate to work as both a painter and curator. 

What are you most passionate about? What passions drove you to your chosen field? 

I'm passionate about the power latent in art to change hearts, communities, and society. Bringing art to the masses and raising awareness and education around its potential is what drove me to choose my field, and also what has made curating in a public space like a hotel such an exciting experience. 

What impact has your bike had on your lifestyle? 

My studio is in the Navy Yard, which isn't easily accessible from any subways. My bike gives me the flexibility to come and go as I please without any need to wait for buses or worry about parking. It makes my commute to studio a total pleasure and saves me tons of time every week. 

What are the top 3 places you bike to? 

My studio in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Fort Greene Park, and to visit friends in Brooklyn.

What does the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. brand mean to you?

 I love that it's a local brand based in my community. I also really appreciate the brand's commitment to aesthetics and beautiful design. To me it's the quintessential Brooklyn bike. 

Can you share your favorite gallery in New York, some place off the beaten path? 

My favorite gallery in New York is CANADA in the lower east side. They have an amazing roster of artists and are an artist run space with smart and innovative programming.

Photos by Jane Bruce and Carmen Chan.

Elena Besser

@elenabesser

Williamsburg is a trendy part of Brooklyn with a vibrant food scene, so we asked video producer, on-camera host, and chef, Elena Besser to show us her favorite places. She hopped on her Bedford to visit her top spots for a sweet treat. Check out her recommendations: 

Caffe Lilia

Lilia NYC (where I used to cook) is one of the hardest reservations in town, but what not many people know is attached to Lilia, there is an all day cafe serving up coffee, pastries, soft-serve gelato, and sandwiches.

Sweethaus

Looking for an adorable space for coffee and anything sweet? Try Sweethaus. They frost cupcakes to order. What’s not to love? My favorite is the yellow cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkles, matches the bike seat pretty well too.

Sunday In Brooklyn

The last stop on our little Williamsburg dessert-adventure is Sunday in Brooklyn. This place is famous for their brunch but they have an amazing take-out window serving up epic soft-serve. Like this s’mores soft serve. A dairy-free chocolate treat with torched marshmallow meringue enrobing the chocolate.

Elena rides our Bedford