The 2013 London Tweed Run, with Tokyobike

Yu Fujiwara, manager at Tokyobike UK and photographer at 8 and 2 blog

My ride for the day!

…then to UCL to meet the rest of the gang and fuel up

feasting on Vintage Rascal models

Our good marshalls

One can not decline a last minute invitation to join a biker gang, now can one.

The Tweed Run is one of those few elusive, fantastic events in London that you only hear about after its all happened, or worse, one you see happening one random Saturday when, just the other day you’d reminded yourself to find out when it’s taking place. So yes, being in a (flash mob) biker gang is pure awesome, but to be in time for it is a small miracle. The bigger miracle of course, is actually having tickets for it as they’re allocated through an auction (ours of which were provided by Yu Fujiwara [Tokyobike UK manager]). At 8am we convened at the Tokyobike shop in Shoreditch, where we were presented our rides for the day – mine, a mushroom-coloured beauty – and had our numbers pinned onto our sleeves. Then we joined the rest of the gang at the UCL courtyard, where the 500-strong mob filed in, dressed in some form of tweed, bumping fists and fueling for the six-hour tour through Central London. Promptly at 11am we were shepherded out by the marshalls and a day of grins-on-wheels (and bum-bruising) would begin.

Stay tuned for part two, the fellowship of the Tweeds, and a journey across middle-London.

The post Gang initiation, Tweed Run (Part 1) appeared first on PARK & CUBE.

I’m 25 today. Here’s a list of things I wish I had learned earlier:

1. Time is the most important resource you have. Don’t waste it.
2. If you don’t ask for what you want, you won’t get it. Asking for it isn’t enough either.
3. Music is important. Listen to what has gone through centuries and inspired generations, forget about the rest.
4. Instead of watching TV, watch the world you live in: the touristic places will tell you about a country’s history, the local pubs about its people.
5. You’re not unique. Everybody is just like you, except they don’t tell you.
6. Do never spend the money you don’t have yet.
7. Write down every single thing you have to do, you’ll sleep better. GTD is a good way to do it.
8. Love is just a chemical phenomenon, but it’s still awesome.
9. Stuff you buy and services you pay are supposed to just work and for a long time. Choose wisely instead of spending your time and money on crap.
10. Stop complaining about free healthcare and free education.
11. Back up your data.
12. Family will always be there for you. Be there for them too.
13. Running is easy and good for you. The hardest part is to start: Couch to 5k will help you reach 5 kilometers and the RunKeeper platform will make you go further.
14. Learn to forgive: everybody can make a mistake as long as they learn from it.
15. Wikipedia is one of the most useful things we built. Think about how often you use it and give a few bucks to the creepy guy already.
16. Guitar is easy to learn and a great way to express yourself. Start with the Beatles, don’t stop at the F chord and skip Oasis.
17. Don’t force people to change their habits. Make them want to do it.
18. You won’t be able to watch every good movie. Focus on the great ones.
19. Be nice to most people and just ignore the assholes.
20. Watch Friends.
21. You have a lot to learn from your grandparents. Call them once a week.
22. Find out what the teacher expects from you and prove him you understood. The key to success in school is to never be surprised.
23. Don’t panic: if you can’t fix the issue, just wait until you have more information.
24. Technology is not perfect yet, but it still does more than you could imagine five years ago. Give it a second while it’s going to space.
25. Know how to order a beer wherever you go, and you’ll be safe.

Take care,

Kevin

ps: Stop riding your BMX with no hands, it’s going to end badly.