More Photos Below!Gallery
I went to the NAHBS show for the first time this winter. That’s the national handbuilt bike show. Around town and the venue I kept noticing these stickers, fliers and posters with an espresso pot and an “e.” One night there was a Secret Party at a nearby hotel bar sponsored by Rapha and…images of an espresso pot.
A week after the show I heard about a swanky new bike culture magazine called Embrocation. I googled their website…and there was the pot.
So THAT’S who threw the party.
I got a copy of their mag.
When it arrived…whew! It had an aura around it. Bike culture is truly and finally finding its full bloom as ART! Design and lore is everywhere around bikes. And that’s Embro for ya. And it comes to us courtesy of publisher Jeremy Dunn.
Embrocation… Are ya hip to it? Man, that name made me laugh. It’s great bike lore. I remember being a newbie bike racer looking up to the Cat 2’s in awe. The first races in the spring had this crazy strong menthol smell all around the starting line of the main event. The Cat 4’s had nuthin like it. It was the embrocation! That’s why all those shaved legs were so shiny. They slathered on this protective layer of “Icy Hot” type stimulant to get the blood flowin’.
I think I used embro once. I remember getting some on my chamois and getting the dancey pains.
Sure, I used to shave my legs. And in my last year of racing the leg veins started to stand out… If I would’ve stuck it out a few more years, embro would’ve really entered the picture.
I’ve only encountered one shop that sold it—sold a TON of it, all sorts—Wheelfine of Princeton. OK, in the nutrition section of his website there’s a pic of his embro cabinet: www.wheelfineimports.com/nutrition.html. He was going to trade me some embro for bike books once, but I was outta the racing loop by then. (Dang, it looks he DOES have the most embro! He also has the biggest selection of bike books anywhere.)
The #3 issue of Embro has several items that stand out for me. The “Gentleman’s Slide” story is about how to handle not finishing. How to drop out…in glory. Well, a twisted and limited version of glory, anyway. If you know it’s not going to work out, go off the front early and cause a ruckus, then nod to the real riders as they gradually flow past you. Then bow out. …Spot on.
It’s a ‘cross theme issue, starting with the freaky toy-like bikers cover.
I’ve never done ‘cross. It looks like a party—an “eyeballs out” party, according to one of the essays. It’s the small venue, the cozy grass, the proximity to casual beverages that makes the party. And it’s the mixed sports in the slow mud that brings the “eyeballs out.”
The writing rings true — the paeon to embro: cool. A couple praises for all things bike: gotcha. The getting along with the girlfriend who isn’t into it essay…
Item: “Who Built Your Bike” is a detailed look inside the Seven factory. The reporter candidly relates how the initial assignment morphed as he and the photographer realized that deeper things were going down at the factory.
Item: Sweet dirty girl pics of ‘crosser Mo Bruno-Roy…tough!
Item: Crazy story about a guy “dealing” sewups in the park, and letting the secret out about “running them low.”
Item: The tale of rival ‘cross clubs hints at hilarity—the relentless HUP versus the ironic Super Relax Concept squad.
The finale behind the scenes photo of Belgian ‘cross is worth the price of admission alone.
Table of Contents of Issue 3:
Dirty Pictures :: PDX Cross
Embro Season :: by Bill Strickland
Eyeballs Out :: by Brian Palmer
Respect the Spirit of the Bicycle :: Natalia Hernandez-Gardiol
Spectacle :: Aimee Wickman
Choosing Lines :: Matt Kraus
Ketchican :: by Pete Rubijono
Bird Watch :: by Joshua Gunn and Jill Gatlin
The Roller Cross :: VeloDramatic
IMX :: by Jeremy Dunn and Chris Milliman
Finding the Balance :: by Jackson Weber
Fork Install : by David WIlcox
Cupcake :: by Richard Sachs
H.U.P United vs. Super Relax :: Slate Olsen
The Women of New England Cross :: by Dave Chiu
Cyclocross World :: by Tim Johnson
Contributors
Chis Milliman
Joseph Songco
Joshua Gunn
Jill Gatlin
Peter Rubijuno
PDX Cross
Bill Strickland
Brian Palmer
Natalia Hernandez Gardiol
Aimee Wickman
David Wilcox
Matt Kraus
Laura Jacobs
VeloDramatic
Natasha McKitterick
Pierre Vanden Borre
Jackson Weber
Richard Sachs
Slate Olsen
James Selman
Shannon Holt
David Chiu
Toyish-looking “tilt-shift” biker cover for Issue 3.
Embrocation!
(World’s largest selection at Wheelfine of Princeton.)
