Greenpoint
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Culture on the Cheap
Hot Wheels
Yesterday I arrived to work five minutes late. Being a punctuality freak, such a temporal transgression does not come to pass without a damned good reason. And the previous I had: during my ‘commute’ I saw a one of the coolest bikes ever created. I asked the owner if I could photograph it. He said “sure” and proceeded to expound upon his bicycle’s numerous appointments for the next ten minutes.
I for one like the customization of the handle bars.
What would a bike be without mudflaps and a radio? Unworthy of gracing the fine streets of Greenpoint, that’s for certain!
The mastermind behind this phat set of wheels purchased this radio during his recent trip to Puerto Rico. He found the pickings in Greenpoint of inferior quality. They were too “tinny-sounding” for his musical palate. At a paltry six bucks, this lilliputian boom box is not only a bargain, but it is also significantly lighter than his old system, which consisted of a car stereo (powered by a motorcycle battery), speakers and a pair subwoofers that were mounted inside a wooden box. “You could hear that thing all the way down the block”* he wistfully mused.
But it also added a lot of weight to the bike, which made it very hard to bring upstairs. I live on the top floor. You can’t leave a something like this outside, you know. Someone will steal it.
I have always been amazed by the bicycle theft problem in this city. Any bike, regardless of condition or quality seems to be fair game. Now take a masterpiece like this (or better yet, DON’T); as I was speaking to this gentleman I even found myself wanting to steal this bike. A candy-ass lock isn’t going to protect this set of wheels against theft. This bike needs a detachment of the National fucking Guard!
Miss Heather
*This is true, you could.
Comments
3 Comments on Hot Wheels
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lisanne on
Mon, 16th Jul 2007 10:22 am
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missheather on
Mon, 16th Jul 2007 10:24 am
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rj on
Tue, 17th Jul 2007 5:33 am
That’s probrably why those guys usually travel in PACKS! I LOVE those guys and their bikes….according to my b.f who is puerto rican, it’s a sub culture that has been around for a long time in Puerto Rico….suave!
This guy is fucking cool. I am proud to have him as a ‘nabe. Very nice chap.
I don’t know if it was this guy or another dude with a radio on his bike, but I went by a guy blaring “Every Breath You Take” by the Police from his handlebars a few months back in Greenpoint. It was awesome! I had that song in my head for the rest of the day though….
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