Jeff and Lisa are the heart, soul, and backbone of the FBC. Over the last couple years, the simple format-- a bike ride on the full moon every month -- has coalesced the fledgling bike culture of Spokane into a bonafide identity.
The last FBC ride I went on, in June or July, had about 175 cyclists. The cyclists represent just about all the different types of cyclists you'll see in Spokane: racers, hipsters, fixed-gear newbies, 20-something professionals, traditional cycling club curmudgeons, commuters, free riders, retro-grouches, and just plain old Spokanites on their trusty garage bike.
The vibe is wide open. If you show up on a bike, you are welcome. All of these labels really do wash away as the night progresses and the beers flow.
Whether or not you ride with FBC, you really should appreciate the value of the community it provides and the uniquely Spokane result that has emerged from Jeff and Lisa's dogged persistence in hosting these rides month after month.
So, it's really cool that the community has been recognized externally.
Check out the new Knog catalog (huge pdf). It's more of a snapshot of global bikester hipsterism than a catalog, but I suppose in PR'sville, that's what makes for a good catalog: you're buying a lifestyle, not a product.
The catalog profiles hipsters on bikes in a bunch of cities around the world: Budapest, Cologne, Paris, etc. Right in between Portland and Melbourne, you'll find a four page spread on Spokane. And the FBC.
Well done Jeff and Lisa. Your efforts have put Spokane bike culture on the map.
Thanks for the complements, John. I hope we can keep the momentum up through the winter.
ReplyDeleteJeff and Lisa have done wonders with the FBC. I remember my first ride (Festivus - Dec 07) was attended by 8 people. If the FBC had a voice it would say, "How do you like me now?"
ReplyDeleteWhat an odd publication. And yet if I was 20 I'd have this strange impulse to backpack to Koln, Germany.