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and, CALLING LOCAL VENDORS:
Head Heart and Hands
In a little over a week we’ll be re-opening our web-store at Swift Industries. While our doors were closed to customer orders we were looking closely at the life and soul of this little company. Here, in three installments, I’d love to catch you up on what we’ve been forming and shaping. The three parts are intrinsically linked and can only be cultivated simultaneously, but they present a different way of thinking about a business.
6 wks. pt. one: HEAD
Pinned up at the little coffee stand by the studio last week was my horoscope. The timely fortune read, “Martina, get your courage up and look at your books! It’s time for you to stop avoiding a meticulous cost analysis and really fess up to the accounting side of your business.” Gulp. Fine. Continue reading
rSogn specific builder’s collaboration
What’s the Deal? Haulin’ Colin and Swift Industries are offering rSogn owners a batch-produced Porteur Rack and Ozette XL combo deal. For one month we are offering dibs on this amazing combination. No foul play, no scalping slots–be gents, first come first serve. We will complete and ship the bags and racks in 10 weeks, so you can expect to see them by mid-March.
You’ll save $30.00 by purchasing the rack and the Ozette XL together at http://brazedandstitched.wordpress.com
ENDS JANUARY 21st!
Haulin’ Colin’s masterpiece
About the Rack:
Measurements: 12″ wide X 10″ deep.
This is the only non-adjustable rack built specifically to fit the rSogn’s specially placed fork braze-ons. It is constructed of 3/8″ x .035″ 4130 chromoly tube. All joints are fillet brazed. It is finished with a professional satin black powder coat.
The rack has many of the standard porteur rack features, including bent lightweight tubing construction, a backstop, a M6 threaded stud for mounting a Schmidt eDelux, B&M Cyo, or similar light on the right leg, and a M5 fender mount on the center strut angled to directly face the axle.
There are also a few novel features:
- Radiating the central rails from the crown mount stiffens the platform without requiring additional stays or Kogswell-style mounts on the shoulders of the crown.
- “Breezer-style” counterbored screw mounting points are stiffer than typical plate tabs.
- Bending the rear corners acutely and offsetting the backstop to the rear makes it possible for the bag to rest on the rear rails — normally the backstop keeps the bag from ever being supported along its back edge.This is a lifesaver when you’re using a bag smaller than the full platform:
Readers of the Rawland Cycle Owners’ Google Group will be familiar with a recent design change. The backstop will now be integrated with the V-shaped center rail assembly, allowing it to move back about an inch. The whole platform moves an inch back with it, maintaining the 10″ deep dimension. This change puts the bag as close in to the head tube as possible. The pictures here were taken with a rack from the first batch, but you can see a picture of the new prototype here and here.
Swift Industries Contribution
Measurements: 12″w X 10″d X 9″tall
The Swift Industries’ Ozette XL is a randonneur-inspired front bag designed specifically to accompany Haulin’ Colin’s rSogn front rack. rSogn owners may choose either an elegant charcoal waxed canvas bag with black thread and trim, or a durable and well-matched black Cordura bag with burgundy front and rear pockets (the weight saver).
Three pockets with overlapping flaps offer access to your personals (wallet, phone, lipstick tube, blackberry, tire levers, 3-d glasses etc). The side panels offer a flat pocket and built-in dee rings. Each Ozette XL comes with vinyl lining and a clear map case which measures 12″ X 9″. Cyclists enjoy Swift’s simple eyelet & hook closure system on all external pockets, and the internal wings which deter water from entering the bag in blustery weather. The Ozette XL opens from the rider out so you never need to dismount your rSogn again. The bag maintains it rigidity with removable coroplast inserts.
How does the Ozette XL attach to Haulin’ Colin’s rack?
The Ozette XL matches the footprint of the platform perfectly. Three velcro tabs prevent the bag from moving laterally on the rack (1. front middle, 2. left side, 3. right side) , while held steady by the vertical back-stop on the rack.
head to flickr for more photos!
TO PURCHASE HEAD TO http://brazedandstitched.wordpress.com
Proud Sponsors and Participants of Alleycat Acres benefit ride!
Over the years Swift Industries has sponsored projects, rides, and races, committed to positive environmental and social change. We are inspired and down-right proud to be sponsoring the second annual Alleycat Acres benefit ride “Streets and Beets.” First and foremost we are supporting Alleycat Acres because they organize urban food production right here in our community. Beyond their commitment to our city and our neighborhoods, the folks at Alleycat Acres have integrated the bicycle into many aspects of their identity and work as an urban farm collective. Continue reading
My Long-Term Relationship
Ten years ago my car died in the Arizona desert. It was a fateful day for more reasons than I could imagine. I was a student at a California State University dabbling in all sorts of topics and departments–well, floundering may be the better adjective–and in youthful spirit trying to find my place in the world. My classes offered no substance, no hook and line, nothing that connected the class material to the unexplored world around me. Having been raised in a highly creative and alternative early education program I was yearning for something I could feel, understand, and connect to–the meat and potatoes if you will. Continue reading
Learning to ride a bike–Again.
Russ Roca, from Path Less Pedaled reminded me that while the bicycle feels like an extension of my body now, ten years ago I discovered cycling as an adult and everything changed from there. We’d love to hear your stories about learning to ride your bikes as an adult, and stay tuned for more tales to come.
Fow now, here’s Russ’ post to get the wheels turning:
PathlessPedaled.com
How Losing My Car Saved My Life
By Russ | November 6, 2011
It will surprise some readers to know that, in a not too distant past, before Path Less Pedaled, before Epicurean Cyclist, and before I was the bicycling photographer of Long Beach, I didn’t ride bikes, buses or trains. It’s almost embarrassing to admit, especially to our very astute bikey readers, but these things barely registered on my radar. I only relay these not-so-pretty details now to hopefully show others what is possible… just because you have one lifestyle now, doesn’t mean you are doomed to live it until the very end.
Ride with Old Man Winter
This is Swift Industries’ call to Cycle all winter long!
As cyclists, outdoor educators, agrarians, and more we love to be connected to the weather in a place. Seasons are vital–each plays its role in the ecology and culture of our homes. It can be sad to think that inclement weather has been sensationalized as a force against us, one that we need to dominate before it overwhelms us. Further, people buffer themselves from the elements to a point that migrations and the graceful, subtle season changes go unheard, unsmelled, unnoticed–ultimately unappreciated.
Here at Swift we see things a little differently. Cycling can expose us to the movement of a murder of crows, the changes in cloud formations, the direction of the wind and rains. We feel the year drawing to a close not by the boxes on our calendar, but by the changing hours of light and dark in a day.
A good outdoors-person knows that there’s no such thing as bad weather–just bad gear. We’d like to invite you (not challenge) to bundle up, invest in some gore-tex (or tin-cloth), put on your fenders, pack your panniers, and ride with us this season!
Closed to new Holiday Orders
Now would be a good time to say we’re NOT TAKING ANY MORE PANNIER and TOURING BAG ORDERS for the holiday season! We are still offering the Gifted 2011 Holiday Special. If you have not made your purchase in time please consider a Swift Certificate! You may choose values from $50–$200.00!
What’s still available?
Gifted Holiday Special Packages
Fanny Packs
Mini Mechanic Tool Pouches
Stock Panniers and bags found on Cycle Swift
Thank you to everyone who has shown your support and brought us business! You make our dream of living by our craft a reality.
Further: Swift Industries will be CLOSED from January 1st to February 1st, 2012.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YA’LL
Stock bags all sewn and ready to go!
Swift Industries has a limited-run of beautiful stock bags ready to be shipped out and aching for the open road.
Each set has been crafted with utmost care and keen attention to aesthetics and design.
Bypass the six-week wait by ordering your Swift Industries’ bags here. We’ll ship them out within two working days!
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$200.00/set ROLL TOP PANNIERS
Black Body
Black Thread
Black Trim
Neon Green Rear Pockets
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SOLD!
$235.00 a bag Field Tan Waxed Canvas Large Ozette
Body: Field Tan Waxed Canvas
Thread: Brown
Trim: Brown
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$150 a bag Pelican Porteur Bag for Cetma Rack
Body: Black
Thread: Black
Trim: Black
Reflective Stripe: Silver
Front pocket: Red
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**For more photos of these products voyage HERE
***For specific dimensions and specs kindly navigate HERE
