Posted By Colin on March 29, 2010

Last Saturday was a beautiful day for a ride! The sun was out and citizens of Berkeley all waved graciously as the East Bay Tweed Ride traversed the streets in style. The marvelous Corpus Callosum once again played for us, but this time they actually played while we rode! Thanks to the ingenuity of Rubin Starset, each member of the band was pulled along the route with their instruments either in a trailer or on the back of a tandem. It was quite the feat and I thank the band and every bicyclist who wore out their legs towing a musician to make it happen!

Cesar Chavez Park, with it’s amazing view of the bay, turned out to be just the spot for a picnic and concert. We also had a contest for the most graceful mount and dismount of their steed with prizes graciously donated by Nan Eastep of B. Spoke Tailor. Nan donated two wonderful recycled tweed tube top covers and a lovely pair of tweed fingerless gloves. Local to the Bay Area, B. Spoke Tailor is well known for their fitted and fashionable bicycle wear and I encourage everyone to follow them on B. Spoke Tailor facebook page and come to one of their fittings.

We ended our day at the Albatross Pub, Berkeley’s Oldest Pub, which was the perfect spot to wind down after the fun filled day. Who can argue with a pint of beer, darts, popcorn and such well dressed company.

The SF Tweed photo pool has been filling up with some wonderful photos from the ride. We have also due to popular request created a SF Tweed Facebook Fan Page.

But really don’t take our word for it. Listen to Joe P., one of our most dedicated and dashing riders who sent us this lovely letter…

What a Wonderful Ride That Was!

I had a wonderful time! It was so good to see old friends as well as all the riders from SF make it over to Berkeley, starting not one mile from my house. The seaside was beautiful in the warm afternoon, bridges and sailboats in the distance. And the rolling musicians of Corpus Callosum were the perfect touch (The toy piano was especially charming). Waltzing to the band mere feet from the palisades below at the end of our great promenade could not be topped but only by a visit to the Albatross pub with the most stellar company.

Ah, so far away it seems when looking back from the rain filled morning presently; I say let the rains come and have their time, that we may have ours come April!

Joe P.

Thank you for the letter Joe. It is always such a pleasure to see your smiling face on the rides!

Till next time tweeders, Cheers!

p.s. Our next ride will be in San Francisco and should be in late April. Stay tuned through either this website (rss), our Jaunty Mailer, Twitter, or Facebook

Posted By Colin on March 12, 2010

Save the date, Saturday, Mar 27th, 2pm for SF Tweed returns! This time with EasTweed ride starting near the North Berkeley BART station at Deleware and Sacramento at the
Ohlone Park. Stay tuned for more details!

It’s been a while since the last SF Tweed ride—but we sure ended last year with a bang didn’t we with the SF Tweed Olympics! I’m looking forward to the fine tweediness that 2010 will bring.

In fact, it does seem that we here in the dapper Bay Area have already been shown up by a number of cities across the country. This past February has seen most excellent Tweed Rides in both Seattle and Vancouver! Riding Pretty has an excellent writeup on both of the rides: February Tweed Rides – Seattle, Vancouver, and more. Also find out more at Seattle Tweed.

The fine folks of Sacramento Tweed had their very own Sacramento New Year’s Day Tweed Ride. And most excitingly already have their second Sacramento Tweed Ride planned for March 28th! I’m sure the dapper will be turned to 11 as most recently, the most talented designer Nan Eastep from B.Spoke Tailor was in Sacramento for a fabulous tweed tailoring event at Hot Italian. Eco Velo has a great writeup with photos from the Pizza & Tweed event.

Also back in January, Portland had their 1st Annual Portland Tweed Ride. I highly recommend you hoist your eyes upon the lovely photos from the PDX Tweed Ride. Also check out the video from the PDX ride!

More Tweed Rides are also upcoming around the world:

• SF Tweed Ride March 27th
• Sacramento Tweed Ride planned for March 28th
• The 1st Annual Kansas City Tweed Ride is scheduled April 3rd.
• April 10th is the great London Tweed Run!
• Memphis Tweed Ride, Memphis TN, March 17th
• Coral Gables Tweed Ride, Coral Gables FL, March 20th
• Los Angeles Tweed Ride, Los Angeles, CA, March 27th
• Big Apple Tweed Ride, NY, NY, Spring 2010

Posted By Colin on February 21, 2010

Last evening a few of us ventured to the Roxie to see a film about bicycles. Fine volunteers for the SFBC were on hand to valet our bicycles as we went into the theater. Before I continue let me first say that the Roxie is a fine establishment, and I don’t know who tricked them into letting this depraved film be shown. The film we went to see Bike Porn 3: Cycle Bound presented by the people of Bike Smut.

One would think any film with the word bike in the title would be innocent. But no the lot who crafted this moving picture are beyond immoral! I’ve never seen so many bicycles and bicyclists so tied up and violated! People ridden like bicycles and bicycles ridden like people!

My friends and I were so shocked by it all that we must have been overcome by paralysis—that is the only excuse I can offer why we did not run from such a debauched assault of our senses.

The film is playing one last time in the East Bay, 9pm tonight at the Roll Up Bike Shop in Oakland. The price is $8, and is of course a 21+ event. I urge all decent people to stay away for you may walk away never looking at a set of handlebars the same way again!

For those who doubt me what follows is the trailer for this movie. I warn you ladies and gentlemen, the trailer is nearly as explicit as the movie.

Posted By Rubin on November 17, 2009

A group of over 200 dandy lads and lasses participated in the first Washington DC Tweed Ride this past Monday. They even took a spin around the dashing White House. Photo credits to Cycle Jerk for this amazing photograph of tweed and capitol building.

Posted By Colin on October 13, 2009

As promised, SF Tweed presents it’s first day ride, this Sunday, October 18th!

We sally forth at 1pm from the Civic Center Bart

Ride up the wiggle and onward to the Conservatory of Flowers

There we break for a lovely picnic so bring your picnic goodies, and bring your sporting spirit for the Tweed Olympics (in spirit with the Chap Olympiad)

SF Tweed Olympics

• Umbrella jousting!
• Pipe lighting relay!
• Cucumber sandwich discus!
• Mustache Tug of War!
• and more!

Prizes donated by Minnehaha Bag Co. and others!

Posted By Colin on July 28, 2009

Whether you wear tweed or not, there are a number of great bicycle-related events coming in the next couple weeks you should know about:

SFBC Bike-in Movie Night: Rad

July 29, 8:00 pm : Held in the parking lot across from the Good Hotel, 112 7th Street @ Mission St
Don’t miss the first of the SFBC’s free summer bike-in movie series with your fellow bike lovers! We’ll be kicking off the series with the beloved BMX cult classic Rad, featuring the amazing and infamous bike dance scene with a young Lori Loughlin (best known for her role as Aunt Becky on Full House). Help us transform an ordinary parking lot in to a fabulous movie theater under the stars, complete with complimentary bike valet!

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Brainwash Bike-In/Walk-In Movie Festival

July 31 &  August 1, 9pm : 1960 Mandela @ 18th (American Steel building)
For more information check out the Brainwash Movie Program

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California Academy of Sciences’ Nightlife Series,
with pedal-powered sound system!

Aug 6, 6–11pm : California Academy of Sciences

Next Thursday we’ll be pedal powering California Academy of Sciences’ Nightlife Series, including a 4-hour DJ set with Energy 92.7’s Jeff Stallings. He plays a style of danceable yet relaxed house music he calls “Chillhouse”. Should lend itself nicely to the creative, intelligent crowd and inspiring space.

Cal Academy has an awesome downstairs Aquarium Space with incredible creatures like Leafy Green Sea Dragon. Right by the 15′ tall aquarium is where we’ll have our second music stage, featuring Fossil Fool, the Bike Rapper, Mafiosa Felice, and Jared May.

Posted By Colin on July 28, 2009

To get you warmed up for the next Tweed Ride I bring you the another fine British export, the Chap Olympiad!

The Chap Olympiad is brought to you by The Chap Magazine, which is a fine and dandy magazine devoted to… you guessed it Chaps!

Posted By Colin on July 28, 2009

I have a confession to make… I have worn very little tweed the past couple months. I have instead been wearing that oh so gauche item of clothing called the t-shirt for it’s been an atypically sunny and warm summer in San Francisco—that is until this past week. The fog we know so well has returned with a gusto and the sun is once again something we remember from photographs.

The grey skies overhead have once again brought on my need for tweed! It’s been a long time coming but we know you want to ride again! The date has yet to be set but be certain that the plans have begun. More information will be forthcoming this week.

Posted By Colin on May 19, 2009

Our fine Canadian neighbors to the north are breaking out their dapper duds for their very own Edmonton Tweed Ride!

This is admittedly not the first Canadian Tweed Ride — that honor goes to the  First Daffodil Tweed Ride and Picnic in Vancouver, British Columbia; however, it is the first in Alberta. I can only hope this means the Tweed movement is spreading eastward and we shall soon see Tweed appearing in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Québec, Labrador and Newfoundland! Then if the dapper is strong we can hope to see Tweed migrate north to the lovely expanses of Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut!

Edmonton Tweed Ride

May 24th

Start 6:30pm at the University of Alberta in the “quad“

This will be a social ride with a bit of style. The proper attire for this ride will of course be expected. We will be taking a leisurely ride through the city and will be stopping for mid-ride fortitude and cheer.

There will be Contests for:

• Most dapper chap
• Most dashing dame
• Award for most civilized behavior on the day

For more info visit A Lost Home’s Blog

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Note: The herald shown above is borrowed from the excellent folks from the Royal Heraldry of Canada

Posted By Colin on May 14, 2009

To all the fine people pedaling to work today, I salute you! And to any who missed out on this fine day for lack of a two wheeled steed, it’s not too late for every day is a fine day to ride a bike!

If you need any more convincing to buy a bike I suggest you watch the following charming animation…

Why only 4 shillings a week! I’m nearly tempted to buy a second bicycle for myself!

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Hope to see some of you at the SFBC’s Bike to Work Day After Party and Fashion Show
6-10pm, Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell st (at Franklin).
Celebrate the day at SFBC’s Bike Away From Work Party and Fashion Show at Rickshaw stop and party down with fellow cyclists. Plus the parking’s a breeze!