What a day... again...

Today was one helluva day. It's Tuesday and I'm already tired.

We received our copies of Road Bike Action yesterday, and I found this on page 22;

*They did get one thing wrong though, I'm the Brand Manager and not the Product Manager. The Product Manager working with me to create the Masi line is Wayne Doran. They also called the Randonneur the Raconteur... but I am not complaining at all.

When they sent me the questions for this piece, I had no idea they were gonna run all of it verbatim and that I was the only one who would be mentioned. I woulda tried to sound, you know... smart. Regardless, I'm really tickled by this and hope you'll go out and buy a copy of the magazine and support my friends there.

If you saw the Masi website or the Masi Facebook group, you would've seen that I also received and shipped out all of the team frames for the Kenda Pro Cycling p/b Spinergy team. I'm so thrilled to be still working with these guys as they step up to UCI Professional status this year. I really can't say enough how proud I am of the team and how happy I am for my friend Chad Thompson who runs/ owns the team. He has done SO much for this program in a very short period of time. It's been an honor to work with him and I am very happy to see his efforts pay off with this next step in the team's evolution. It's exciting to say the least.

Another really cool thing today was that I had an article published on one of the preeminent online marketing publications in the US- the Marketing Profs Daily Fix blog. I've been one of the contributors to the site for a couple years now, but as things here at Masi have really picked up and my marketing work for the brand has increased (along with the travel), I have had less and less time and ability to contribute. It is no exaggeration to say that writing for the Profs is one of the greatest of my professional highlights. Many thanks to the editor (and my friend), Ann Handley, for keeping me on the list of contributors as I've floated in and out. If you have such an inclination, go give the article a read... just be warned that it's my marketing persona and not my bike persona.

Now that it is nearly 11:00PM, I think I'm going to finally haul my carcass to bed.

Good night my fiends,

Tim

The Del

Tim
-- Post From My iPhone

Dollars

Tim

-- Post From My iPhone

SoCal winter

Tim
-- Post From My iPhone

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Masiguy!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or just having the day off (hopefully you have the day off), I sincerely hope that you have a fantastic day with your friends, family and/ or loved ones.


Christmas, like most holidays in the US (especially), has become largely a way to stimulate the economy with massive consumerism. But, the true meaning of the day is built around the idea of love, compassion and caring for others. In that spirit, I wish all of you a fantastic day.

Days like today should remind us of our blessings- no matter how small they may seem. I am blessed to be able to share this day with my loved ones. My crash in April put me a lot closer to not being able to enjoy this day than I ever care to get again. The fact that I am well enough to be able to complain about not being able to ride as often as I would like is a blessing that I do not take for granted. I am also blessed to have the friends in my life that I do- and that includes you.

Enjoy the day and remember the little things that build into the blessings in your life. They are there, even if they seem hard to find. I promise.

Thank you,

Tim

Tis the season...

All the family Christmas festivities have begun...

... hope you are enjoying yours too.

Tim

My eyes are burning...

Gary Coffrin, of the Coffrin Group, sent me a link to some of the most painful "innovations" in the history of the industry. What's really sad is that I can vividly remember many of these. It makes my eyes burn!

So enjoy the unenjoyable.

Tim
(I'm expecting James from Bicycle Design to get a little nauseous from these...)

Friday News

It's Friday! Woo-freakin-Hoo! Not that I have a crappy job, it's just nice to get to the weekend!

So, I made the announcement first a few minutes ago over on the new Masi Friends, Fans and Owners page on Facebook, but I am in the early stages of finally developing new Masi clothing. Yes, you read that right- there WILL be new Masi clothing before the start of the next century. Once artwork is completed and approved, I will post it here and elsewhere for all to see. I am hoping... HOPING... to have the artwork done by the end of January so that we can hopefully see delivery of the clothing around the April time frame.

Here's the plan;

• There will be one "Team Masi" kit of jersey and bib short. This will have a retro-themed race look to it.
  
• There will be one full-retro jersey. This will have a totally retro/ vintage look and feel to it.
  
• There might be a matching "Team Masi" vest or jacket/ wind shell- if there is enough demand for it. (Look for poll here soon.)
• Soon after the riding apparel is developed, we will also have a couple of t-shirt designs ready for you.
  
• We're also looking at possibly doing a cycling cap, with very retro designing.
  
• After much demand, we're also working on getting a few stickers done as well. Possibly a simplified version of the large dealer window decals we have done for years and then possibly just some simple "Masi" lettering stickers and small head badge artwork stickers.

It's been a long, long time in the making, but now that there is a break in the development process, there is finally the time to actually jump on these projects. As soon as I have more to share- I certainly will.

Have a wonderful weekend! And stay tuned for many more details in coming weeks.

Tim

Random bits...

My brain is scrambled, so I'm making this short;

1) The Spokesmen Holiday Gift Guide is now up for your listening pleasure!
Go give it a listen. It's cool!

2) I have created a new Masi Friends, Fans and Owners group in Facebook. (For the record, I am ripping off Jill Hamilton the Brand Manager of Haro Bicycles and her Haro group.)
Join, share and enjoy!

Tim

Almost there!

Tim
-- Post From My iPhone

More pics from the NeverStop ride

Check this link for many cool photos from the 2008 NeverStop YangJin P Highway Challenge. The pics were all taken by Hsiao-long Chen. And get this; he rode the entire event on a folding Dahon bike, while carrying all his camera gear and snapped all the pictures along the way.

I am so lame by comparison...

And yes, the really fat guy at the bottom of the page in the Masi jersey is me. Usually the camera adds 10 pounds, but I think he was using one of those weird wide-angle, fisheye, fatass lenses.

Tim

Masiguy Podcast?

Well, it's been 7 months to the day since I recorded a podcast. It'd be swell to lie and tell you I spent the last 7 months working on perfecting the technique and production quality... but that would be a lie. Instead, I just recorded #9. It's a podcast. I talk a lot. I ramble as usual. But hey... it's free.

Tim

Another reason to buy a bike.

Don't say I didn't warn you...


Tim

ATTENTION BIKE INDUSTRY

Here's a little something I wrote as I am fighting off the jetlag and trying to get myself to fall asleep. It's aimed at the bike industry itself and I hope that all of my brothers and sisters will respond and offer their thoughts as well as get involved.

Thank you... and good night!

Tim

Home again, home again...

Got back into San Diego this afternoon after a series of flights from Taipei to Tokyo to Los Angeles to San Diego. There were no problems with any of the flights, even the last leg from LA to SD where I had to nearly run from the Customs and Immigration security to my gate. I boarded the plane just 5 minutes before taking off, but I made it!

The three of us- Wayne Doran (my Product Manager), Pat Crosby (Haro MTB/ Adult Product Manager) and myself- managed to all make it back home safe and sound. After being away for 15 days, it will be nice to sleep in my own bed and see my daughter- though I do already miss my girlfriend.

As always, my camera was with me all the time and I have tons of great pictures to share. The first week of my two week stay in Taiwan was for a bit of a vacation with my girlfriend and going to a wedding for her best friend. Getting a chance to see more of Taiwan than just bike factories in Taichung and Taipei was long overdue and much enjoyed. I'll share some of those pictures as well as all of the usual bike-related ones too.

Yes I know- she's much better looking than me.

The second week of my stay was devoted to working with Wayne to see key vendors before finalizing the spec of the bikes you will get to see (and fall in love with) in 2010. We're working on some really incredible bikes and I am so proud of how the Masi line is growing and shaping up. We visited with many different vendor partners- either at their factories/ offices, or in ours- and are much closer to having all of our homework done to deliver some incredible products to you.

Part of that second week was spent at RideOn/ Taichung Bike Week. It's a mini-"tradeshow" for the OEM market only. It's a valuable chance for us manufacturers to meet with our various suppliers and vendors to finalize our spec and see anything that might get a last second add to one of our bikes. It has grown very organically over the past 4 years or so and is now something that is actually quite important to the industry. It has become important to the city and county of Taichung as well. On Monday, many of us who attended the RideOn/ Taichung Bike Week had a private meeting with the Mayor of Taichung and some of his representatives. Several of us sat in a "round table" discussion panel to talk about the pros and cons of the current event and listen to the city explain how they want to help facilitate what we are already doing. Honestly, it was very exciting for me personally to sit in a room of my peers and industry kin and talk about how we can all work together to make the little un-tradeshow work for us all. It was also very exciting to see how much the city of Taichung wants to help us do our jobs. After all, much of the Taiwan bike industry is centered in the city and county of Taichung and is a major economic force in the Taiwan economy. But, sincerely, the best part was the feeling of being a part of something that was about the greater good of the industry itself. Those who cared to attend clearly represent those brands and people who actually care about the health of the cycling industry and not just the bottom line of their respective brands. To me, that's the best part of the industry I care so much about- the people in it who also care.

The Mayor of Taichung and his liaison to the bike industry, Anna Wang.

Last Sunday I also took part in a 75km "race" in the mountains surrounding the city of Taipei. I say "race" because it wasn't an officially sanctioned event, per se, and was more like many of the "fun rides" we have here in the US. The riders ranged from the elite to the novice... and everywhere in between and on every conceivable type of bike you can imagine. Of the 75km, 50km were uphill... some parts of the climbs were steep enough that scooters were being pushed up the hills! Needless to say, with the total lack of fitness I have, it was beyond painful. I am not too proud to admit that in the last 5km, I had to walk my bike up the climbs 3 or 4 times. I was blown to pieces by the end, but considering that I have ridden 3-4 times over the past 2.5 months... I'm happy to have even finished at all. I am also happy to report that the bike I shipped over for the event rode flawlessly- aside from not making me not have to pedal uphill. The new Scandium frame I have been testing rode perfectly- it accelerates like a dream and corners flawlessly. The road feel is everything Scandium is supposed to be and has very stiff power transfer to the pedals. The updated SRAM Rival group worked perfectly but I was totally over-geared and needed a compact crank for the amount of steep climbing we did, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Also, the new Shimano RS80 wheelset rode awesome! These new carbon/ alloy clincher wheels are sweet and I can't wait to get the bike back from Taiwan so I can start putting more miles on it.

It's time for me to try and get some sleep, even though my internal clock is all out of whack. I'll have more to report soon and will have plenty more cool pictures now that I have reliable internet able to handle the images.

Tim

On the plane

Heading home...



Tim
-- Post From My iPhone

Friday

It's Friday night! Woooooooooo!!!!!!!


Tim

-- Post From My iPhone

Thank God it's Friday (in Taiwan)

Tim
-- Post From My iPhone

I'm not dead yet...

I know I have been missing in action for the past few days, but I'm back in the real world and no longer on vacation. Things have been very busy since arriving here in Taichung. We've had numerous visits with vendors and have had plenty of factory trips as well. It's been very busy indeed. But I'm not dead yet and many photos have been taken that I will post soon. Until then, thanks for your patience... see you soon!



Tim

Cool art

Small version of art by famous Taiwanese artist: his usual sculptures are usually around 10' tall... This is a cool smaller version.




Tim
-- Post From My iPhone

Taroko Gorge

Amazing beauty...



Tim
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Even more beautiful

Thought I posted this before...



Tim
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Thai hot pot dinner

So yummy!



Tim
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More beauty

Tim

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Beauty

Tim

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Her best friend's wedding

Today is my girlfriend's best friend's wedding here in Taipei- it's been really cool to learn the traditions here...







Tim
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Famous dumplings

Eating in a famous Taipei dumpling house... amazingly yummy!


Tim
-- Post From My iPhone

Happy Thanksgiving from Tokyo!

It's half a day ahead here in Tokyo and very early AM there in the US, but happy Thanksgiving just the same!



(Wow... I do look tired!)

Will be boarding my third and final flight in just a few minutes. Taiwan is just another 4hr flight away!

Tim


-- Post From My iPhone

Lunch was yum

A little sushi in San Francisco... just a little practice.



Tim
-- Post From My iPhone

It's like dejavu...

It seems like it was just a few weeks ago that I was here in the San Diego airport sitting on the floor with my laptop and waiting to board a plane for Taiwan... probably because it was!

And here I am again. Another two weeks in Taiwan waits for me. The local news media was making quite a big deal about the holiday travel situation and the need to be at the airport early due to the huge crowds of people traveling. The warnings were to be at the airport 2 hours early for domestic flights and 3 hours early for international flights. I got here two hours early and was feeling a little nervous in the cab that I would be cutting it close. Got to the airport and the car traffic looked slightly heavier, though not crazy... although every local news station had their satellite trucks out and news reporters with mics in hand trying to talk to travelers... especially the ones kissing "good bye" and/ or crying.

I stepped in to the terminal and walked straight up to the check-in counter with my bags and then cruised straight on through security without having to even stop. Then I walked straight to the gate! FYI- travel this morning in San Diego is light!

So as Thanksgiving day approaches, I want to say thank you to all of you who continue to come by here and check in from time to time. I sincerely thank you for the support and kindness you have given me over the years- but especially this very trying year. I wish you and all of your friends, family and loved ones the very best this holiday. I am thankful for many little blessings this year. Last November was not an easy one for me personally, but a lot has changed in my life and I am thankful for the people in my life. Thank you for being a part of that.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Tim

Masi in the Huffington Post

This article by Waylon Lewis first showed up in the online publication Elephant Journal, but has also now popped up in the Huffington Post! HuffPo is one of the premiere online news publications, so getting a mention there is pretty cool.

So if you didn't check it out before, give it a read now! As I mentioned in my post over on the Company Website, it isn't all perfect and glowing, but I'll take it!

Thanks Waylon, thanks Elephant Journal and thanks Huffington Post!

Tim

Slow road to recovery: milestones

In many ways it feels like my recovery from the crash in April has been taking far too long and in other ways it has been moving very fast. I know that April 29th was not that long ago, when considering the number and severity of injuries. Though it has been almost 7 months since the crash, I am still a very fortunate person to be as recovered as I am. My standard answer to the "so, how are you doing these days" question is this; I'm well enough to be able to complain about not getting to ride as much as I would like to. In the past 2 months, I have ridden so few times I could count the number of rides on one hand and maybe a couple fingers of the second hand. Needless to say, I'm not in great shape these days. That 184lb low I reached in May after my second stay in the hospital due to the blood clots, is now LONG gone... and I now "hover" around 220.

During the recovery, I have focused on little milestones- you know, things like first day without the neck brace, first day walking without crutches, first ride, first flight, etc. Today marks another first and one of the more important ones for me; the first day of not having to wear a band-aid on my right thumb. If you don't recall, the end of my thumb was severed off in the crash and had to be reattached with a metal pin sticking out of the tip of the thumb to help the two pieces of bone mesh back together. The thumb was cut in two right through the nail, so it cut the nail and I lost most of the nail and had a fleshy red and bloody mess that I had to cover to keep from bleeding all over everything all the time. Due to the blood thinners I have to take because of the clots in my right leg, my blood is thinner than water it seems and I bleed if I even think about using my right hand. I can't tell you the number of band-aids I've used or the number of shirts I've bled all over. I peeled my band-aid off in the hotel shower in Taipei earlier this month to wash off the wound area like I have done every day since losing the nail. Somehow though, I bumped the thumb and I began bleeding... and bleeding... and bleeding... and bleeding... to the point that it looked like a crime scene. Getting ready to go to dinner one night there, I tried to button up my shirt and bled all over the white shirt as I fumbled with the buttons. In Japan, I had a similar shower experience and bled all over the place there too. The constant bleeding has been a major annoyance and just another of those little (messy) reminders of not being totally recovered.

Today though, I was able to go the day without a band-aid and without bleeding. The nail has finally grown back over 100% of the nail bed area and covered all of the flesh that was always bleeding whenever I bumped the thumb. It may sound a bit dramatic- considering all the other much more serious injuries I had- but not having to wear the band-aid and not bleeding all the time is a BIG deal to me! The thumb still isn't pretty and looks "different" from the left thumb... but it is still attached and the nail is growing out and the old part of the severed nail will soon be gone as well.
I know it doesn't look healed and the shape is different, but I'm beginning to really like this thumb... you might say it's growing on me. (Sorry... I just had to.) The last remaining bit of the original nail is almost grown out to the point I can begin trimming it off. It isn't there yet, but it is getting closer. It may not be much, but it's mine.

Tim
(PS- Thank you again for all of the support and caring that you have shown to me. As we approach Thanksgiving this year, I am filled with many things to be thankful for and your kind support is one of the biggest- I promise.)

Outlier

Now and again I get really cool emails about press releases or other newsworthy bits of information. This is one of them...

PRESS RELEASE

OUTLIER Tailored Performance Clothing for Cycling in the City.

New York City - Wednesday November 19, 2008 WWW.OUTLIER.CC

OUTLIER is about classically tailored garments made with the best technical fabrics around. Clothing that works from both bike to boardroom.

Outlier's aim is to make clothing for a world where bikes are the best mode of transit through public spaces. Designed for the maximum in versatility, both socially and technologically, Outlier clothing looks great no matter where you are in the day, riding to work, meeting with clients, or out on the town. Clothes you can buy based on their classic styling and construction, and appreciate their performance with a cool discernment. Outlier's strives to create future classics, clothing that works as well a century down the road as it will tomorrow.

Aimed at the urban dweller that has a slightly different world view than the rest. They ride their bicycles to work because of the way it makes them feel, refreshed yet exhilarated. They ride to work because it is the best way to navigate the city, with complete freedom. This audience is well-educated, opinionated and have a keen sense of style that others often look to.

Two years ago, Abe and Tyler began to search for a solution to a basic problem; how to ride their bikes to work and show up looking crisp, fresh and clean. The stresses of cycling wore out their jeans. On days when they needed to dress up for clients, they either suffered the train or performed awkward superman maneuvers in bathrooms to change. Rain of course was a persistent problem too.

Not knowing each other at the time, they both independently started to tackle the same issues, convinced there was a better way. It wasn't until an insightful barista at their local coffee shop, Gimme Coffee, put two and two together and connected the pair. It was at that point Outlier was born. Tailored performance clothing for cycling in the city.

WWW.OUTLIER.CC

For more press information please contact:

Tyler Clemens

OUTLIER Tailored Performance

tyler@outlier.cc

+1 917.400.3458

55 Washington St. #659

Brooklyn NY 11201

This is cool stuff- dig around their website and look at the slick bike friendly duds and the excellent messenger video as well... it's cool stuff... Masiguy Approved!

Tim

If in Tokyo...

If you are in the Tokyo area- whether you live there or are visiting- you have to get to the new ultra hip bar; the Kinfolk speakeasy... the pictures really say it all.

I wish I would've learned about this place before I left Tokyo because I would've made a little pilgrimage over there to soak it all in.

I got an email from John Buellens, one of the folks behind/ on top/ around the bar and it turns out that they are fans of what we're doing with Masi! Pardon my French... but how rad is that?

So the next time I'm in Tokyo, you can bet I'll be paying them a visit. They've got the urban fixed gear culture on point!

Tim

More pictures from Japan, Tokyo Cycle-Mode

More pictures and a little commentary from my recent trip to Tokyo;


Yep, that bottom shelf has a complete and unused Campy 50th group in it... I was slobbering on myself when I saw it last year in this same shop (that now carries Masi)- Friend Bike Shop.



This was possibly my favorite bike sighting in Tokyo. I saw it last year, riding by me before I could get my camera out. This year I caught it in repose. I LOVE utility bikes. I love what Surly and Kona have done with their long wheelbase cargo bikes, but this is really cool with the sidecar. I would love to do a cool cargo bike with Masi... so you never know what you might see in the future.


This is so cool! I love the cool motorcycles and scooters they have running the steets of Japan. This old Suzuki was just too cool to walk by without getting a photo- I love the modern rettro lines of it.


This thing... Batman's water ferry. I mean... it's really cool.


Rin Project- some of the coolest of Japanese urban uber hip design. Dig the modern hairnet helmets! I need to get in touch with these guys and get a hook up!


Tomoni is another of the really, really cool urban gear brands. The bags, etc, were incredible. Really amazing stuff... and I just had to refrain myself from buying one of everything.


Here is the same chef at teppenyaki that we had last year; it was an honor to sit as his grill again. AND... it was exceptionally delicious again! I was actually lucky enough to eat at the same great sushi restaurant, the same great teppenyaki grill and the same great tempura restaurant; yes, I am way beyond a little spoiled.


I really, REALLY want both of these helmets. They are so cool- total carbon fiber shell for lightweight and strength. I've always been a fan of the OGK helmets and these were spectacular. They had a full line of road helmets that were also really great. But these two are on my short list of "must have" helmets for track races. Now I need to befriend somebody at OGK!

That's it for tonight. I have tons more, but my eyes are crossing and I need to get some sleep. More to follow... promise.

Tim

Paging Sam Miller

If you know Sam Miller... or are Sam Miller... shoot me an email; tjackson (at) MasiBikes (dot) com.

#1
#2
#3

Tim

Great Sunday!

Had a great day with the Masidaughter. Felt good to ride for the first time in nearly 3 weeks.







And then we ate!




Tim
-- Post From My iPhone

Doing good

Sometimes it seems like life is full of tragedy and sadness. It isn't, but it can sometimes feel that way. Thing is, even when it is brimming with things that aren't so "nice", good things can be made of the not-so-good.

I recently got news of a very sad death that happened back in March of this year;

Heartbreak is setting in for family and friends of the bicyclist killed by a hit and run driver. Roy Sekreta, 43, had set a goal of biking 4,000 miles this year. He was on his way home from work Monday night when a 25-year-old man slammed into him on Comanche at Vassar. That driver orginally fled the scene and returned 30 minutes later. Police said he admitted to hitting Sekreta. Sekreta was married and worked as a design engineer for a local solar panel company. Police will present their investigation to the district attorneyʼs office. The D.A. will decide wither to

charge the driver with a crime.

I never met Roy, but I knew his bike well- we shipped it as a special order to a great shop of ours- Bicycle South Windsor in South Windsor, CT. Sadly, the bike arrived to the customer with a dent in the frame, so I had to strip a bike and send the frame to replace the dented one. Afterwards, Roy sent a letter (or email) thanking us for the replacement because he loved the way the bike rode and was just so bummed when he got it and it was dented... he wanted a perfect bike and we supported that. So, it isn't like I "knew" him, but I do still feel like I "met" him. His loss is terrible.


In the words of Pete, the owner of Bicycle South Windsor;

No one could descend like Roy. We grew up when Tomac was king, and I swear he rides just like him. He also rode with Hincappie, and a mutual friend of theirs visited him just this year for a ride together. Roy was the perfect mellow-man and respectful rider.

For anybody who feels the desire to do something to honor this man, please donate to either of the charities that have been set up in his honor or by request of the family;

UNM Foundation Inc. (University of New Mexico, Dept. of Civil Engineering)
Roy Sekreta Endowment
700 Lomas Blvd. N. E. Two Woodward Center Albuquerque, NM 87102

Bike Albuquerque (BikeABQ)
P.O. Box 4119 Albuquerque, NM, 87196-4119
(www.BikeABQ.org)

Tragedy like this has struck far too many times in recent years, but sometimes these tragedies bring greater awareness to others. Hopefully Roy's too-soon passing can inspire others and remind us all to continue to be safe and to be thankful for life.

****

Now, the blogoshpere is full of many fantastic and wonderful people. Many people who read this blog may be familiar with the Fat Cyclist blog and it's writer/ creator, Elden- aka Fatty. Many may not, yet, know of Fat Cyclist and the great blog and community he has built around it and his wife Susan, who is battling cancer- and we all know she will win! Anyway, Elden has begun a challenge... one that I am joining.

We're going to beat a couple records in the LiveStrong Challenge on our way to helping Susan beat cancer;
1) We're going to have more team members than Team Dell, who had over 260 last year.
2) We're going to raise more money than Team Toi, who raised over $350,000... by raising $1,000,000!

We can do this!

I met Elden for the first time at Interbike this year, as he and I were on the same panel of speakers during one of the seminars that took place at the show. Elden is a great guy with a great blog and a wonderful wife who certainly deserves our support. So let's do this!

Read Elden's blog for the details and then, on or after December 1st, join me in joining him and beginning to raise the money to set the record for the challenge!

Cancer has touched my life in many ways over the years. I won't go into all the details, but it is something that has been a big part of my life and is something that I deeply wish to see beaten. If we all work together, we can help to find a cure for cancer- or at least a better understanding of it that can ultimately lead to a cure.

Susan- we're here for you (and ALL who live with cancer) and we're going to be setting tempo at the front so you won't have to do the work alone.

Tim