JoeyBike

First...I had nothing to do with the making of this vid. You can tell because it is really good.

This vid is a nice short about how commuting by bike changed a young woman's life for the better (I assume). And there is an Xtracycle involved.

Claire Rides a Bike by Front Ave on Vimeo.

There must be a thread around BF somewhere regarding how cycling in general or commuting specifically has changed BFers lives for the better. If not, maybe a Sticky would be appropriate? I would like to hear some true stories about bikes changing lives for sure.

jsmonet

my own testimonial: it's added significantly to my stress level...but at least my ass looks better ^_^

the film was actually kinda lame, ******y, and dare i say it... scenester fodder. There's a good message in there, but it's muddled in with... i'll stop right there.

oh, and he deserves to lose her if she can drop his ass while riding what looks to be a big dummy loaded down with all her stuff. there's no excuse for him not being able to catch her

unrelated: those toyota vans are great. MR config... i've always wanted to buy my friends and try swapping a 3s-gte into it. the only thing stopping me is figuring out how to either get an engine crane into the car, or lift the entire body without actually having a lift

Luddite

I kinda like it, I wouldn't mind wearing my bf's jerseys though heh.

tbdean

You're asking for a long thread!

I suddenly started having disabling Migraine's about a decade ago. After 18 months and over a dozen trips to the E.R. I found a drug cocktail that took the pain from 'constant' to 'once a week'. It was cycling that got rid of that weekly Migraine. The last time I took a few weeks off of riding I wound up back in the E.R., but that was awhile ago. I haven't seen an E.R., or even a pain killer, in years.

CB HI

Bet the guy at work liked her better in the lycra.


Why throw an anti-lycra thing into what is suppose to be a cycling vid?

lambo_vt

I've asked a similar question about many threads in this very forum.

JoeyBike

I wasn't sure if that was just a way to mark her progression away from the boyfriend, or to show that she somehow graduated from a "cyclist" to a "person who rides a bike". I didn't read that as a dig against Lycra per se. She didn't need the cycling uniform anymore. In a short vid without time to develop characters completely, the film maker needed some landmarks for the main character to pass in order to show her progression away from the boyfriend.

CB HI

Seemed rather obvious with the camel toe remark by her.

QuickityJacks

The hipster doofus are a cowardly and suspicious lot, more insecure than the ever-frustrating (to these fashionista fascistas) and unflappable Fred. Justification for picking up the discarded leavings of cutting edge "underground" fashion and claiming it's a matter of pragmatism is the first sign of the infection.

There is no cure.

Next up, she'll start listening to radio safe indie bands, getting some ironic tattoos, wearing a Hugo Boss influenced military jacket, ironically donning a keffiyeh and making a statement about gears being an overcomplicated crutch for the weak.

Those handle bars are just going to get narrower, those tires more colorful. Sure, she lost the deadbeat, but at what cost?

AT WHAT COST, JB?

I need more NyQuil.

RedZone

It reminded me of a schmaltzy movie from the Hallmark channel: downtrodden woman finds inner strength to leave her creepy boyfriend.

lambo_vt

That she ended up on an Xtracycle/Big Dummy instead of generic fixed gear #12598 is pretty cool.

abmtnbkr

That video was awesome. Cracked me up when she called him a "pendejo" at the end. Indeed he was.

hairnet

Bendecho

mondaycurse

I tried watching, but had to pause after she got the chainring tattoo. I mean, really?
The scenes connect very awkwardly with very little flow. I almost felt like there was supposed to be a commercial break around 5:19. The whole thing just didn't move me at all, but I will say that some camera shots were good.

As for bikes changing lives, I fixed up my mom's Mongoose (pre Walmart takeover) hybrid and she's lost 20 pounds over the summer. She used to ride occasionally, but I just realized this spring how poor some of the adjustments were. A well-tuned bike can make all the difference.

jsmonet

it WAS terribly acted, but i tried to get past that and not let it dog the general message that while she looked good in the jersey, mustache bars and rolled jeans are just cooler than a guy with no aspirations not to get dropped by a girl hauling more stuff than a chinese water man*


*before any snide remarks, been there, bought that water, going back in a few months, eat my lycra

nwmtnbkr

I liked it. Remember the category of film this is--it's a short film. Meaning, you don't have much time for your story line. I thought it certainly was more creative and artistic that the other films presented at the Oregon bike film festival. Most were pretty unorganized and boring with amateur videography.

Grim

Ok vid with a Ok message. I can relate to it. I'm 6years post dropping dead of a heat attack. Almost 2 years past being told that I was pre diabetic and what finally got me commuting. Blood sugar is now good and I'm 30lb lighter then spring 08. Now if I could get my wife in the Lycra and on the bike more I'd be happy. We do have a linear park that is about to be built behind our neighborhood and I think that will get us more bike together time.

tballx

I find your ideas intriguing and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

jsmonet

i think the worst facet of this vid is the insistence that one can be neither fredly (she looked pretty good in the jersey) nor a sports fan and still a) keep a sigOther and b) be taken seriously as a cyclist

no, i'm not going to take a ride with you during a charger game. that's once a week, and I will be either hitting the trainer after or riding -before- the game.

i suppose being a sports fan just isn't hip :/

JoeyBike

Yeah, that's a bad time to expect attention - during a sporting event. I think the problem with the boyfriend was more than once a week tho.

My wife told me on our second date 15 years ago that she was not a cyclist right up front. So no surprise there. I would be a real dikk to hold that against her later. And SHE stays home to watch the Saints, not me. That works out great for both of us. Especially since the Saints are doing great this year. If I have errands to run (grocery, Home Depot) or a bike ride to do, I just leave the house right at kickoff. At least a quarter of a million less people will be outside for three hours! I have the city nearly to myself. Later in the week I catch the highlights on NFL.com.

God how I LOVE football! Keeps the masses off the streets during the best weather of the entire year in New Orleans.

tjspiel

And here I thought it was just to show the progression of time and her adjusting to the colder weather ;-). I actually ride with a green shirt like that (though it's not a jersey) and bike shorts. My wardrobe evolves in a similar manner as we move towards winter, 'cept for the tight rolled up jeans.

It's an OK video for what it is. Biking is both how I get to work and a hobby. However, it's not a lifestyle for me in the way it is for some folks. Given that, I think part of the message is lost on me.

Foofy

Pretty simple little movie, but for what it is I liked it.

mrbrown

That was hilarious.

waynesworld

One of the most entertaining posts I've read in a long time. Thanks for helping me through Monday morning.

echotraveler

seen this vid a couple of times now! thanx for postin it!