Sunday Riders

Roll Model: Malia Mask

Like many, my love for biking began in my youth. I have many fond memories of navigating the neighborhood on my red bike, beads on my spokes and the wind in my hair. All that joy came to an end when my little brother got old enough to take my bike apart... but lacked the skills (and intelligence!) to put it back together. It wasn't just my bike. My two sisters got the same treatment. What is it about little brothers!?

Fast forward quite a few years and I am in Paris for my honeymoon. We sign up for an urban bike tour and fall in love with navigating the city via bicycle. It is amazing what a different perspective a bicycle can give you. Not just touring a city but just running an errand. When was the last time a trip to the store made you happier, healthier and better looking?

Anyway, on my honeymoon, I fell back in love with biking and got a baby blue cruiser with a basket as soon as I got home. How cliche is that?! At the time I lived in Buckhead and could be seen cruising sidewalks on the regular. It was liberating and invigorating, but something didn't feel quite right. I wanted to be on the streets. I wanted to play by the rules. I wanted legitimacy, and I wasn't going to get there on my cruiser.

So, I moved to midtown and solved my own problems. I founded MBIKES, which designs fixed gear, single speed bikes that are light and fast... perfect for intown riding. Now, I ride almost every day. I lose my car keys on weeknights and weekends and I love it. With my fixie, my bike has become the ultimate fashion accessory. My bike, The Twain, was originally white on white but I switched out one of the rims to add a hit of the world’s most regal color, purple! That way, when I am on my bike killing it down 10th Street, I feel like the queen of the streets. Since we ride hard, my fashion accessories usually include my Vans and my favorite pair cut offs, but I am not scared to dress it up for a concert in the park or a date night with my hubby.

At MBIKES we say we want to rid the world of cars one bike at a time. We believe in biking as the solution for many of our intown transportation issues, and we want to be part of that solution. From a brick and mortar showroom to one day manufacturing our bike frames in Georgia, we have big plans for MBIKES. When Mayor Reed says he wants Atlanta to be a top ten biking city. We say what can we do to help?!

Oh, and remember that story about my little brother? Well, he was our first MBIKES customer. So, he turned out alright. Funny how things work out.

Malia Mask

Wednesday Sightings

Isn't is fun the way themes sometimes appear all by themselves?

On The BeltLine: Fixie Riders

In Midtown: A Fixie Rider

A Designer And His Fixie

In Little Five Points: A Fixie Rider

Please follow this link to his first appearance on this blog, away back in January. 2011 has been an awesome year.

On The West Side: Sunday Riders

As if to offer a counterpoint to the ladies of Saturday, these gentlemen paused today during a coffee break on Howell Mill Road.

Inman Park Riders

On Howell Mill Road: Fixed Gear Chase

Another street fashion blogger agreed with me: even at a distance, the stylish stand apart from the crowd, so often our challenge lies in closing that gap. Running these gentlemen to earth was no easy feat. They were making haste southward, so it was necessary for me first to turn the car around in rush hour traffic, then overtake them while observing the three foot rule (not yet law in Georgia) and at last find a parking space near the hoped-for rendezvous at the bike rack outside of Octane. Aren't you glad that the plan worked?

On MARTA

For reasons best known to MARTA, it was necessary to change trains at the King Memorial station. This minor delay gave me yet a photo op with the talented Mister Friday. Rock that fixie!

Insouciance

one gear, no brakes and a wallet full of frites