Tag Archives: Mission Workshop

2012 NYC Velo Holiday Gift Guide

Phil Wood Hand Cleaner, a home mechanic must-have, $12

Brooks Limited Edition Union Jack-Series Swallow Saddles, Red ($275) and White ($350)

Grimpeur Bros 9 Dub Espresso Beans, roasted in Queens, $14/12oz

Endura 100% Merino Baabaa Base Layer, $69.99

CEP Compression Gear, Team NYC Velo Tested, $39.95

Andy Hampsten's Extra Virgin Olive Oil Co. from Tuscany, $24/.5l

Oakley Frogskins, A Classic, Revised, $100-140

Bailey Works/Independent Fabrication Whale Mouth Duffle, $150

NiteRider Lumina 350 Rechargeable Headlight, $95

Silca Classic Floor Pump, Made in Italy, $100

Silca Classic Floor Pump, $100

Defeet/Team NYC Velo 9 Inch Wool Socks, $20

NYC Velo Custom Wheels, Industry Nine Hubs, Velocity A23 Tubeless-Ready Rims, Sapim CX-Ray Spokes, $1100

NYC Velo Wool Longsleeve Jersey, Handmade in Canada by Cima Coppi, $190

Search And State S1-J Riding Jacket, Weatherproof, Handmade in New York City, $245

New Gear: Fall + Winter Outerwear

Mission Workshop Orion Jacket - Scholler C-Change Waterproof Breathable - $415

Fall is here, and winter’s right around the corner, stop by NYC Velo to check out our selection of new outerwear styles from Mission Workshop, Chrome, Search and State, and Nau.  Many of the pieces deliver excellent on-the-bike performance yet don’t look out of place once the ride is over.

Mission Workshop Bosun Jacket - Merino Wool - $265

Chrome IKE Windshirt - Breathable, Wind-Resistant - $125

Nau Wax-on Shirt - Weatherproof, Solvent-Free Urethane Wax Cotton - $195

Nau Highline Jacket - DWR-Coated Waterproof Breathable Wool + Waxed Cotton - $415

Search and State S1-J Riding Jacket - Scholler C-Change Waterproof, Windproof, Ultra-light - $245

Chrome Cobra Hoodie - Merino Wool - $160

Nau Riding Jacket - Weather-Resistant Recycled Polyester Softshell - $235

Mission Workshop Faroe Pullover - Marino Wool - $195

Chrome Storm Cobra - Waterproof Jacket - $200

Chrome Storm Cobra - Waterproof Jacket- $200

apparel, C-Change, Chrome, fall, jackets, Mission Workshop, Nau, SAS, Scholler, Search and State, waterproof breathable, Waxed Cotton, winter

Gear Review: Mission Workshop Sanction Rucksack

Capsule Review: Orion Jacket

The charm of winter is long-gone, and we’re here freezing our you-know-whats off in anticipation for an end to snow and frost.  In a bid to help keep you warm and dry in the meantime,,  our friends at Mission Workshop came up with the Orion Jacket.  We had our dutiful mechanic Chris Harris wear it around for a while so that he could grace us with an eloquent review.   And now, without further ado…

Mission Workshop’s Orion Jacket is an expensive piece of apparel that, though there are plenty of cheaper alternatives, is nonetheless worth what it costs.  The fit is perfect for cycling: full enough for a heavy wool or synthetic shirt underneath but without any excess to flap to let in a draft.  If the sleeves were a little longer, I would think them faultless, but I don’t imagine most will want to change them—my arms are particularly long, and the Orion is one of the only jackets I’ve worn whose sleeves cover my wrists without the chest being too large.

The material, Schoeller c-change, is remarkable.  So far it has been completely waterproof and impervious to wind, as promised by Mission Workshop.  Not long ago, I left work in the middle of a heavy snow shower, and by mid-town on the Westside Greenway path, there was two inches of snow on the asphalt.  My pants were soaked with black filth, and I was upset to think that the back of my new jacket looked the same.  At home, I spread the Orion out on my desk—it was spotless.  Whatever salt, water and sludge that was sprayed on my back and backside (covered by the jacket’s long cut) during the commute had rolled right off.  My khaki pants, however, were ruined.

In addition to repulsing the elements, the fabric acts as a kind of permeable membrane that mimics “a fir cone opening and closing in response to different weather conditions… Not only temperature but also air and body moisture are balanced out (schoeller-textiles.com).”  I cannot claim to have noticed this microscopic cone-action, but I have not once felt humid or overheated when wearing the Orion.  Warm and dry, that’s it.  Of the features, I think the removable hood is fine, and the breast pocket is smartly done.  The large, zippered pocket on the back is particularly voluminous and useful, and all of the pockets are lined in the softest, most accommodating fleece I’ve ever felt.  But it’s the fit, cut just for cyclists, and the innovative fabric that make this jacket a good buy in my mind.

And it’s made in Canada.

The Official NYC Velo Holiday Gift List

‘Tis the season… To spend money on other people!

Chances are that if you’re reading this blog, you have friends who like to ride human-powered 2-wheeled machines.  It just so happens that we specialized in “peddling” cycling-related wares to the general public (see what we did there?)

If you’re a bit stumped on what to get the cyclist who has everything, then check out our holiday shopping list, which features gifts at myriad price ranges.

1 – NYC Tour Brass Bell $15 Commonly referred to as the “Crane”bell, this sucker lets you warn others of your arrival, in style.

2 – Brooks B17 Saddle $105 The B17 saddle is an icon, a classic, and now comes in 6 colors, a great way to improve any ride!

3 – Oakley Frogskins $110-130 West coast style, limited edition colors, made in the USA.  Kids love ‘em, adults who remember them when they were kids love ‘em, and bike nerds love ‘em.

4 – Campy Record Track Hubs- 32H $475 Another modern classic, the perfect basis for your next fixie wheel build.

5 – Deluxe Tune $125 Winter weather is bound to get crappier and our bikes will no doubt take the brunt, why not surprise someone with the gift of clean?

6 – Gore Race Overshoes Thermal $100 For the aforementioned crappy weather commute, keep your lower extremities dry, cozy, and warm.

7 – Indy Fab Corvid $8500 Eighty-five hundred bills doesn’t seem like such a deal, but this barely used demo frameset is sporting all new components for a savings of over $2k.

8 – Mission Workshop Rondel Shoes $130 It’s about time someone came out with some bust-around-town sneakers that clip into your ATAC/SPD/Crank Bros pedals… clips and straps seem so 2009.

9 – NYC Velo cycling cap $20 The new edition has landed in the shop, great for keeping your head warm(er) and the low afternoon sun out of your eyes.

10 – Embrocation Volume 6 $20 Bike culture in Journal form, so your partner doesn’t think your reading just another bike racing rag.

11 – Holdfast Straps $59 If you want security at the pedal, but aren’t into ”positive cleat engagement”, check out these Made in Brooklyn Velcro toe straps.

12 – Chrome Dually Reflective backpack $140 Chrome bags last a lifetime (their warranty says so), and the generous reflective panels on this bag ensure that it’s a long one.

13 – EWR NYC Velo Wool trainer $125 When it gets cold, wool is the only way to go, and this jacket stands about the crowd.

14 – NYC Velo Geekhouse Rockcity Frameset $1150 Custom steel frames, handmade and powdercoated in Boston, except they’re available in stock sizes, and without the 6 month wait, so not really custom… but damn nice to behold and ride.

15 – Princeton Tec PUSH Headlight $50 Finally, an amazingly bright 100 lumen headlight that doesn’t elicit comparisons to a 3 d-cell duct-taped to your handlebar.

We’d like to wish everyone a happy holiday season!

Vandal Backpack: NYC Velo Special Edition

I’ve never had luck with timing.  It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of the Cavernous and awesome Vandal backpack, produced by our friends at MissionWorkshop.  The minute I buy my own, I find out that Andy has been working with the west-coast luggage fiends on a special edition of the bag just for our shop.  That’s right kids, now you can have your very own Vandal backpack bedecked with our awesome logo.  I guess I was wrong when I though they couldn’t make this bag any cooler.

-CJ

West coast McNally Exhibits

As a public service announcement to our friends out in San Francisco, we’re proud to announce that our good friend and NYC Velo artist Chris McNally will have his work featured over the next two days:

Tonight (10/21) Chris’ work will be featured at the Mission Workshop store, celebrating the debut of Outlier’s fall line.  Check the site for more info.

Tomorrow night (10/22), Chris will be part of the ARTCRANK poster show a the Chrome store

Gear Review: Mission Workshop Vandal Backpack

I guess it’s easy to write off a shop’s “gear review” as a bit “biased.”  However,  one has to feel strongly enough about a product in order to overcome laziness and write about it. That should say something.

I had been using a small Chrome backpack for the last few years that an ex-girlfriend got me as a birthday present.   While it looks good and is the de facto hipster norm of backpacks, it became apparent over the years that it wasn’t an effective bag when it came to carrying anything significant.  Messenger-style bags that hang on a single shoulder have an inherent design flaw of using one shoulder instead of two (duh.).  I had been waiting for someone to come along and produce a good looking yet utilitarian backpack.

Enter the Vandal, produced by Mission Workshop.

After owning this backpack for a few weeks, I can tell you that its the best messenger bag/backpack/urban bag/keg hauler I have ever used.  Solidly and locally constructed,  waterproof, and expandable, this bag is as versatile as MacGuyver in a hardware store.   Here are some deets on the bag:

4,000 Cubic inches is enormous. Kloe Kardashian enourmous.  The compression straps keep the bag tight when expanded.  You would think that it’s too big for everyday use, but the collapsible midsection keeps things slim.   Here’s a shot of it in its collapsed form,  which still has 1,800 cu. in. on space:

Time to put it through its paces.  I started by using it as my only bag for a 2 day excursion to the Gran Prix of Gloucester.  It fit all of my CX gear (including helmet and shoes), clothes, laptop, camera, and other items.  The perfect weekend bag.

The bag is comfortable when on the bike.  I would assume this bag is well-liked by the “legit” messenger community as it is waterproof, comfortable, gigantic, and well-compartmentalized.

This bag is also perfect for anyone looking to carry something on a motorcycle.  it fits well and doesn’t get in the way.  to test this out, I used it for a few laundry runs on my Ducati.  Yes, I’m aware that doing laundry runs on a Ducati is about a 105 on the douche-meter (out of 100)  A week’s worth of laundry was no problem.

As for negatives,  I would say that I’m worried about forgetting something in one of the cavernous pockets.  it’s only a matter of time before I accidentally leave a Bahn Mi in one of the compartments only to discover it a month later…

This bag gets an A+ in my book.  My friends are sick and tired of my ranting and raving about it, so to them, I apologize.

The Vandal retails for $259,  and they are in stock at the shop.  Stop by and see how you like it.

Mission:Great Backpacks

About six months ago we got a postcard in the mail from some old friends.  The postcard had a lenticular image of an elephant on one side and an invitation to visit a trade show booth on the other.  It was signed by Bart and the guys behind Mission Workshop, whom we knew from their days running another fave NYC Velo brand, Chrome.

At Interbike a few weeks later, the trade show booth smelled like promise (and glue), and Bart proudly showed prototype backpacks which were like nothing we had seen before.  Mission Workshop had contracted the factory responsible for originally making Chrome bags, and have recently been manufacturing gear for Mystery Ranch, to fabricate their new line.  Our mouths watered. Our hands shook. We needed these.

Fast forward a few months to an early spring and a trip to the Bay Area revealed the finished products:  the Vandal and Rambler backpacks and the almost unveiled Shed rolltop shoulder bag as well as an SF (in the Mission of course) workshop/storefront.  The buildout of the homebase utilized a healthy dose of reclaimed wood, so it felt like home.

“The Vandal is a good size – it doesn’t block visibility when riding, the shoulder straps are extremely comfortable, and it’s waterproof!”

“The bag is lightweight and surprisingly slim when empty and huge when expanded, the 3 “slim” pockets (outside of the main compartment) are very versatile, making it great as a carry on/general travel bag as well”