The Gowalla Bike Project
Happy New Year! It’s been a while since I’ve posted, but as life tends to be, I’ve been busy. Check out what I’ve been dedicating every work moment to:
Gowalla is a new, Austin based, social media company based on discovering new places and connecting with friends, of course. What better way to meet up with friends than on a bike?
Chris Wood from Sicola Martin put Gowalla in contact with me to help make this interesting idea a reality. Btw, he took my photo above, otherwise, I took the rest. Thanks, Chris.
The Details:
Gowalla wanted the bicycle to have minimal branding. No small task in the cycling world’s in your face advertising! That is why we decided on custom finishes.
Because a commuter needs a durable finish, I chose powdercoating instead of a wet paint option. Each bike was set up with a free wheel to ensure safe, downtown commuting. The rear hub will accommodate a track cog to allow the bike to ride in a “fixie” type manner and have the versatility to flip back to a free wheel.
For tires, I used a larger 700c x 30mm, to allow a plusher ride on downtown Austin’s unforgiving streets. I chose the legendary Selle Italia Turbo saddle to provide unbelievable comfort and style. Oury grips in white, head-up the front to give a smooth and reassuring grip.
The Velocity Deep-V white hoops with machined sidewalls are attached to the traditional high flange hubs, leaving a reliable wheelset that provides adequate braking on top of a bold statement.
The steel frame and fork are set up with rack and fender eyelets to allow this bike to be an ideal commuting rig or a versatile bicycle.
Co-founder Josh Williams commissioned these bikes for his staff as an unbelievable Christmas gift. This was the first time the Pro Cycle Works studio has ever felt like Santa’s Workshop!
I just signed up on Gowalla, so if you use them, throw a shout out.
Best,
-Erik Vitela
Update: Gowalla has since been bought out by Facebook. Read about it here.
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