Cultured - new bike shop in Temple Bar.

flickerx

I was on the wrong side of the M50 today (the town side, that is) and had a bit of time to kill before picking up a repaired mobile phone, so I thought I would stick my head into the new 'Cultured' bike shop in Temple Bar, after it got a mention in another thread. BTW in case this sounds like an advert or something, it isnt, I've no affiliation with the shop or the owners, I just wanted to check it out.

Its above a clothes shop next to Eamonn Dorans pub. There's a bike hanging out the window as a street sign which I thought was good, reminded me of a pawnbrokers or barber's shop sign of yore.



They've got a good bit of stock there for a small independent shop thats only just opened. There's a decent variety of deep v rims, a couple of cheap hubs, some cranksets, and some really nice frames, the steel red and blue ones were gorgeous, I think the guy said he was going to start building them up for whole bikes for sale.







I got chatting to the guy chewy who runs the place, he was a courier before, I recognise his face from around the place. He said things were going well for him, and that he was thinking of opening a shop up in Harolds Cross after Christmas, depending on how business goes coming into the winter.

They've also got some saddles, tyres, seat posts, stems, and other bits and pieces for sale. He was going to build up some of the rims into wheels in the next few days. The bike hanging out of the window had a couple of those strange spoke configurations, I think one is called a 'snowflake' and the other was maybe spanish laced? I cant remember, it was in issue one of The Ride journal.



He's only really got components so far, not too much in the way of smaller practical stuff like tubes, rim tape, pumps, etc. Give it a bit of time I imagine he'll diversify his stock.

I've said it before, I'll say it again. I dont care what it is that drives (oh, the irony) people to cycling, whether its a cycle to work scheme, fashion, peer pressure, congestion charges, whatever. Anything that gets people cycling and into bikes can only be a good thing. Good luck to chewy and his new bike shop, I hope it takes off.

I was going to post this on dublinfgss.com, but I decided to put it up here, this post is especially for kona.

Caroline_ie

... I doubt these rims will make me cycle faster a a hill. however it might make me pass for a hipster douchbag who tries too hard.

TheJones

flickerx wrote: »

I've said it before, I'll say it again. I dont care what it is that drives (oh, the irony) people to cycling, whether its a cycle to work scheme, fashion, peer pressure, congestion charges, whatever. Anything that gets people cycling and into bikes can only be a good thing. Good luck to chewy and his new bike shop, I hope it takes off.

I was going to post this on dublinfgss.com, but I decided to put it up here, this post is especially for kona.

despite my rant on another thread, mostly due to the weather and envy of the trendy types I see more and more in imaculate threads and on overpriced fixies, I can't but agree with the above sentiment, good luck to him!

DirkVoodoo

Best of luck to them, I must pop in when I get around to building up that frame Gavin gave me.

DualFrontDiscs

Caroline_ie wrote: »

... I doubt these rims will make me cycle faster a a hill. however it might make me pass for a hipster douchbag who tries too hard.

I think anything that helps other cyclists readily identify your 'tribe' is a good thing, though, from other posts, I hadn't identified you as same. Thank God for such rims

niceonetom

I hate the part of me that really really wants an orange wheelset.

AstraMonti

niceonetom wrote: »

I hate the part of me that really really wants an orange wheelset.

Along with a blue-electric frame? You know you want it!

flickerx

Someone mentioned in the other thread about importing culture from across the Atlantic. Whatever positives or negatives about importing bicycle trends, what is ten times worse is importing their slang terms. 'Hipster' in Ireland refers to a pair of trousers worn low on the hip. 'Trendies', 'Fashionistas' and 'Morons' will do just fine. 'Douchebag' is even more American (do people actually know what a douchebag is? I really wish they wouldnt use that word, its disgusting, the whole douching thing is such a WASP-ish, body hatred, stuck up, only done by posh American women obsessed with hygiene, thing. Its quite a dangerous practice as far as I know). Take your pick for offensive terms that are more home grown, obviously I cant type them all cos the swear censor will knock them out but "feckin eejit", "loo-la", "ding-dong", etc will also suffice.

TinyExplosions

niceonetom wrote: »

I hate the part of me that really really wants an orange wheelset.

I'm the same with the side of me that wants a purple or pink one... may have to pop in and build up a C2W scheme bike

Caroline_ie

Are they going to sell hipster clothing? Thoses with reinforced seams where needed? ... I wouldn't mind a pair of those.

mloc123

Isn't douche derived from French?If so I guess Caroline should be allowed use it

Caroline_ie

mloc123 wrote: »

Isn't douche derived from French?If so I guess Caroline should be allowed use it

Being a Francophone in English speaking Canada ... i know what it is thanks, and yes I did make a fool out of myself a few times because of frenchisism...

Chips Lovell

flickerx wrote: »

Someone mentioned in the other thread about importing culture from across the Atlantic. Whatever positives or negatives about importing bicycle trends, what is ten times worse is importing their slang terms.

Too right. We should only import the hipster look, not the name.

Irish words for Irish people!

ROK ON

@Tom. Orange rims on a blue frame would look great with your boards jersey design.
Go for it. Its for you.

I will head here tomorrow. I aim to become a fixie hipster at some stage, just to try it out.

niceonetom wrote: »

I hate the part of me that really really wants an orange wheelset.

chakattack

Might check them out for parts for my winter training fixie plan. What are the prices like?

For me though, "it's all about performance". No purple rims or narrow bars flat bars thanks....

RacoonQueen

TinyExplosions wrote: »

I'm the same with the side of me that wants a purple or pink one... may have to pop in and build up a C2W scheme bike

Make sure your work have 'approved' the seller. Apparently my work don't use cycle superstore as a vendor even though they're an official C2W vednor. :rolleyes:

I really want a yellow saddle.

kona

HA HA HA:pac:

First off fair play to chewy(is he hairy and big??) as much as I hate the whole "scene" of fixies, I applaude somebody who has the foresight to gather all this colourful crap in one place, and hopefully milk it for all its worth, Indie kids have alot of disposable income.

Does anybody else say to themselves while laughing when they see one of these colourful funboys on their fixies..."What a dick". because I do:D

On a side, has anybody noticed more couriers using MTB(good ones) as apposed to fixes, now that they have been hijacked ans the chosen mode of transport for the plonkers of dublin?

kona

:pac:Perhaps a more fitting name would be:

FRED


:pac::pac:

fenris

For feck sake at least they are on bikes!

C2W coupled with a pick and mix shop could really brighten up the city - a bit like a crayola version of Copenhagen!

Raam

niceonetom wrote: »

I hate the part of me that really really wants an orange wheelset.

Don't worry, Tom, I like that part of you.

flickerx

el tonto wrote: »

Too right. We should only import the hipster look, not the name.

Irish words for Irish people!

I like that Irish Pride spirit!

petethedrummer

kona wrote: »

On a side, has anybody noticed more couriers using MTB(good ones) as apposed to fixes, now that they have been hijacked ans the chosen mode of transport for the plonkers of dublin?

Haaang on now. I thought couriers used fixies because they were the ideal choice for getting around town. So now they have decided MTBs are better suited?

TheJones

MTB's, well it depends on a couple of factors such as, the center spread of the Sunday Times' Style section, Urban Outfitters seasonal sales and which way the wind's blowing!:)

Chips Lovell

8 or 9 years ago most of them were riding MTB's with slicks. Track bikes were a relatively rare sight before this whole aesthetic crept in.

kona

petethedrummer wrote: »

Haaang on now. I thought couriers used fixies because they were the ideal choice for getting around town. So now they have decided MTBs are better suited?

Seems that way. hey Im in fashion again:D

L'Enfer du Nord

Almost typed "fixster" by mistake earlier, turns out it is a word:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fixster

(I for one welcome our new fixed gear overlords)

ednwireland

L'Enfer du Nord wrote: »

Almost typed "fixster" by mistake earlier, turns out it is a word:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fixster

(I for one welcome our new fixed gear overlords)

love that

correct response:
"you ride a fixed gear? isn't that really unsafe?"
"shut your cake hole suit"

nak

petethedrummer wrote: »

Haaang on now. I thought couriers used fixies because they were the ideal choice for getting around town. So now they have decided MTBs are better suited?

There are also a good few on road bikes, like all cyclists, most couriers have more than one bike.

My husband has the cargo bike, track bike and road bike to work on, depends on the work/weather. Who wants to take their nicest bike out in the rain?

petethedrummer

nak wrote: »

There are also a good few on road bikes, like all cyclists, most couriers have more than one bike.

My husband has the cargo bike, track bike and road bike to work on, depends on the work/weather. Who wants to take their nicest bike out in the rain?

Ah i know, I've seen them on all sorts of types of bike myself. I just think it would be amusing if fixies were shunned because they had become mainstream.

Actually I don't care, I'm just posting so as not to do any work.

Húrin

I wonder if many of these people who start out cycling on fixies for fashion reasons keep cycling? Many who haven't cycled free wheel bikes before get into near-misses and accidents with motors. I wonder, thus, what the "dropout rate" is or will be?

petethedrummer

Húrin wrote: »

I wonder if many of these people who start out cycling on fixies for fashion reasons keep cycling? Many who haven't cycled free wheel bikes before get into near-misses and accidents with motors. I wonder, thus, what the "dropout rate" is or will be?

Are you saying there are people whose first bike EVER is a fixie?

L'Enfer du Nord

petethedrummer wrote: »

Are you saying there are people whose first bike EVER is a fixie?

Tri-cycles are fixed, no?

Doctor Bob

Húrin wrote: »

I wonder, thus, what the "dropout rate" is or will be?

Don't you mean 'fork-end rate'?

petethedrummer

L'Enfer du Nord wrote: »

Tri-cycles are fixed, no?

petethedrummer wrote: »

Are you saying there are people whose first bike EVER is a fixie?

:cool:

chewie dubmess

first off thanks to flickerx for dropping by and posting flicks of the shop, i actually had no idea i'd been making such a stir! The shop has been open just over two weeks now and is doing brilliantly considering! (thanks to everybody that's supported us so far!) We already have plans in place to move to a bigger self contained shop/workshop on harolds cross road come January which will be more along the lines of a predominantly courier-run bicycle co-op that will be rammed full of top end fixed wheel bike bootie and whatever other cycling accessories you may require. We first had the idea for the shop about 2005 but the market and the means to justify actually opening one have not been available until recently.
Our velocity rim's may not necessarily make you go faster but they are undoubtedly better quality and value than any of the alternatives in the same price range, wheel building prices are more than competitive and we can provide a half dozen different tried and tested 'exotic' spoke patterns and recommend the pro's and con's of each...
The term hipster was as far as i know coined by nyc messengers and is generally said in jest to tease heads that are into fixed city riding and the things that go along with it, which is a predominately courier orientated scene, but haven't actually worked as a courier. If the sight of someone on a trackbike with coloured rims actually makes you angry enough to curse them, you've got issues.
We are looking into getting certain bicycle related clothing brands, cadence for instance, and will also be getting handmade cycling hats, courier bags and hip pouches.
Re: Kona - couriers started riding fixed because they are low maintenance workhorses, and i have yet to meet one that has any problem with the fact that alot of people are now riding fixed, or even give a ****. When i started riding fixed in 2002 there were 3 other couriers that had trackbikes. i don't think any of us ever had any idea it would become a trend.

jefferson73

chewie dubmess wrote: »

first off thanks to flickerx for dropping by and posting flicks of the shop, i actually had no idea i'd been making such a stir! The shop has been open just over two weeks now and is doing brilliantly considering! (thanks to everybody that's supported us so far!) We already have plans in place to move to a bigger self contained shop/workshop on harolds cross road come January which will be more along the lines of a predominantly courier-run bicycle co-op that will be rammed full of top end fixed wheel bike bootie and whatever other cycling accessories you may require. We first had the idea for the shop about 2005 but the market and the means to justify actually opening one have not been available until recently.
Our velocity rim's may not necessarily make you go faster but they are undoubtedly better quality and value than any of the alternatives in the same price range, wheel building prices are more than competitive and we can provide a half dozen different tried and tested 'exotic' spoke patterns and recommend the pro's and con's of each...
The term hipster was as far as i know was coined by nyc messengers and is generally said in jest to tease heads that are into fixed city riding and the things that go along with it, which is a predominately courier orientated scene, but haven't actually worked as a courier. If the sight of someone on a trackbike with coloured rims actually makes you angry enough to curse them, you've got issues.
We are looking into getting certain bicycle related clothing brands, cadence for instance, and will also be getting handmade cycling hats, courier bags and hip pouches.
Re: Kona - couriers started riding fixed because they are low maintenance workhorses, and i have yet to meet one that has any problem with the fact that alot of people are now riding fixed, or even give a ****. When i started riding fixed in 2002 there were 3 other couriers that had trackbikes. i don't think any of us ever had any idea it would become a trend.

Best of luck with the new enterprise, great to hear about someone that does something constructive. I live in Harolds Cross so i'm really excited that there will be a bike shop that caters for track /fixed bikes in the local, i'm sure you'll be seeing plenty of me and my Bob Jackson.

Dublinstiofán

chewie dubmess

Hey best of luck with the new shop. Do you do any kind of repairs or is it just sales?
Reason i'm asking is i would like to know how much it would cost to convert my racer into a fixie? and maybe get a new stem so it doesnt hurt my back when i'm cycling.

Cheers

chewie dubmess

Dublinstiofán wrote: »

chewie dubmess

Hey best of luck with the new shop. Do you do any kind of repairs or is it just sales?
Reason i'm asking is i would like to know how much it would cost to convert my racer into a fixie? and maybe get a new stem so it doesnt hurt my back when i'm cycling.

Cheers

Thanks all! yes we can do repairs although any light work can be carried out by velocity couriers Dublins only independent/cargo bike courier company who also provide a mobile bicycle repair service. phone graham 086 847 8116 or chris 086 847 8117 or see http://velocitycouriers.ie/

as regards converting an old school racer, it can be done for as little as 20 euro's with a piece of kit surly bikes makes which converts any cassette wheel into fixed. We had a few nice old cinelli quill stems but they sold surprisingly fast, we're getting a few more in tomorrow but i don't know if they'll be as nice as the cinelli, drop by the shop...

Itsfixed

chewie dubmess wrote: »

as regards converting an old school racer, it can be done for as little as 20 euro's with a piece of kit surly bikes makes which converts any cassette wheel into fixed.

A Surly Fixxer for €20? Do you have them in stock, or where can you get them for that price?

Best of luck with the shop btw, certainly hope to call in next time I'm in town.

Dublinstiofán

I'll pop in next week and have a chat about it.

Whats your name?

chewie dubmess

Itsfixed wrote: »

A Surly Fixxer for €20? Do you have them in stock, or where can you get them for that price?

Best of luck with the shop btw, certainly hope to call in next time I'm in town.

sorry, my bad, it'll be more like 50. just secured a supplier today that distributes surly, i will be able to get them in in coming weeks.

spincess

el tonto wrote: »

8 or 9 years ago most of them were riding MTB's with slicks. Track bikes were a relatively rare sight before this whole aesthetic crept in.

Hmm.. in London at that time there were plenty of couriers riding fixed, some with a brake some without.

spincess

Well done and best of luck with the shop/co-op Chewie, you're onto a winner!

ROK ON

spincess wrote: »

Hmm.. in London at that time there were plenty of couriers riding fixed, some with a brake some without.

I'm heading to London on work next week. Anytime I'm there I'm always amazed by 2 things
(1) the sheer numbers of cyclists commuting,
(2) the amount of fixies/hipster SS is mind boggling.

I have never encountered either when in NewYork, PAris Milan or anywhere else for that matter.

London is a cyclist city, and in particular a fixie city.

Vélo

chewie dubmess wrote: »

first off thanks to flickerx for dropping by and posting flicks of the shop, i actually had no idea i'd been making such a stir! The shop has been open just over two weeks now and is doing brilliantly considering! (thanks to everybody that's supported us so far!) We already have plans in place to move to a bigger self contained shop/workshop on harolds cross road come January which will be more along the lines of a predominantly courier-run bicycle co-op that will be rammed full of top end fixed wheel bike bootie and whatever other cycling accessories you may require. We first had the idea for the shop about 2005 but the market and the means to justify actually opening one have not been available until recently.
Our velocity rim's may not necessarily make you go faster but they are undoubtedly better quality and value than any of the alternatives in the same price range, wheel building prices are more than competitive and we can provide a half dozen different tried and tested 'exotic' spoke patterns and recommend the pro's and con's of each...
The term hipster was as far as i know coined by nyc messengers and is generally said in jest to tease heads that are into fixed city riding and the things that go along with it, which is a predominately courier orientated scene, but haven't actually worked as a courier. If the sight of someone on a trackbike with coloured rims actually makes you angry enough to curse them, you've got issues.
We are looking into getting certain bicycle related clothing brands, cadence for instance, and will also be getting handmade cycling hats, courier bags and hip pouches.
Re: Kona - couriers started riding fixed because they are low maintenance workhorses, and i have yet to meet one that has any problem with the fact that alot of people are now riding fixed, or even give a ****. When i started riding fixed in 2002 there were 3 other couriers that had trackbikes. i don't think any of us ever had any idea it would become a trend.

Best of luck with the shop. I'll be in within the next week to have a look and maybe even buy a frame.

How much are your frames selling for?

flickerx

ROK ON wrote: »

hipster

rottenhat

ROK ON wrote: »

I have never encountered either when in NewYork,

Are you kidding me? NY is where the courier/fixed thing began, spreading pretty much the length of the east coast before being picked up in other cities across the world.

El Tonto is correct in saying that couriers on fixies were a rarity in Dublin ten years ago - I don't remember more than one or two people having them (the same would be true for messenger bags btw - it was all those heavy plastic ones back then) - but I can well imagine London was ahead of Dublin in thhat respect. Cheap mountain bikes with slicks were standard issue back then.

ROK ON

rottenhat wrote: »

Are you kidding me? NY is where the courier/fixed thing began, spreading pretty much the length of the east coast before being picked up in other cities across the world.

Not disputing you at all, its just that when I have been in NY I havent noticed the phenomenon as much as I have when in London. They are everywhere in London, particularly around the City ( I guess for obvious reasons). However I have never noticed the fixie/courier phenomenon in Lower or Midtown Manhattan. (Maybe I am more drunk when in NY versus London!!!).

alritelad

ROK ON wrote: »

Not disputing you at all, its just that when I have been in NY I havent noticed the phenomenon as much as I have when in London. They are everywhere in London, particularly around the City ( I guess for obvious reasons). However I have never noticed the fixie/courier phenomenon in Lower or Midtown Manhattan. (Maybe I am more drunk when in NY versus London!!!).

when i last lived in new york in 2006 it was almost exlcusively "messengers" who you'd see riding fixed in midtown and lower manhattan, however in the east village, lower east side and the trendy areas of brooklyn there were a fair few non messengers, but enthusiastic cyclists, riding fixed. it seems that since then the whole thing has blown up astronomically, in brooklyn in particular.

out of interest, why would you be hanging out in midtown or lower manhattan anyway?!

it seems totally bizarre to the point of unbelievableness that somebody would get a fixed gear as their effective first bike. has that really happened???

oh, let me go on record and say that the more people getting into (and staying) into cycling, the better, just don't demean it by using it as a fashion crutch!

Chips Lovell

ROK ON wrote: »

Not disputing you at all, its just that when I have been in NY I havent noticed the phenomenon as much as I have when in London. They are everywhere in London, particularly around the City ( I guess for obvious reasons). However I have never noticed the fixie/courier phenomenon in Lower or Midtown Manhattan. (Maybe I am more drunk when in NY versus London!!!).

You need to go to Brooklyn.

rottenhat

ROK ON wrote: »

Not disputing you at all, its just that when I have been in NY I havent noticed the phenomenon as much as I have when in London. They are everywhere in London, particularly around the City ( I guess for obvious reasons). However I have never noticed the fixie/courier phenomenon in Lower or Midtown Manhattan. (Maybe I am more drunk when in NY versus London!!!).

yeah, I see I actually misread you and you were also talking about volume of commuters which I would readily believe is much greater in London than NY. Couriers have always been thinner on the ground in NY than you would expect - I could never figure out why but they were far less visible than in Washington DC, Chicago, Boston or San Francisco even though the gross population of couriers was higher there than any of those cities.