HELLO. My name is Drew, and I am the creator of MAIN FRAME CYCLING: a collective of artists, visionaries, and other humans who all prefer to move through life by bicycle.
The idea to start a cycling collective has been flowing around in my head for quite a long time, and it’s taken many different shapes along the way, but through the help of many friends and fellow cyclists I’m happy to finally begin this journey.
In honor of the first M//F post I’d like to introduce myself, the bikes that lead me here, and share ultimately what I envision MAIN FRAME to be.
My hopes and dreams are just that for now, but I believe with your help that we can cultivate a nurturing community; bringing anyone who loves to ride their bike together.
PT. 1 – INTRO
From a young age, I have been obsessed with cars and motorcycles (really any thing that goes fast.) Compared to my ‘right brain’ creative side that normally runs the show, the straightforward nature of motors, wonderful artistry of design, and intoxicating sense of freedom all combined to provide a pretty satisfying balance in an unbalanced world. More than that, and far beyond a hobby, these passions grew to become my connection to a caring community & life-long friends.
When I moved from Atlanta to Chicago in 2018 for a writing/filmmaker program at the Second City, I left my cars and motos behind but took with me those experiences which had lead me to the obsession in the first place.
I started cycling more seriously (along with most the U.S.) at the beginning of the Covid pandemic. I bought a Fyxation ‘East Side’ single speed from my local bike shop, and headed out on the town with no real sense of urgency or direction. I even started filming/editing some of my rides to follow my inspiration at the time, Terry Barentsen.
While I was out exploring, I discovered that a lot of the feelings I associated with my enthusiasm for cars translated well over to bicycles: The strong sense of community, the fulfillment of working on your own rig, the sense of exploration, the list goes on…
When I found myself working at a local bike shop right before the Summer of 2020, I was fully immersed and again my hobby became so much more…
From when I started logging my miles around June 2020 to January 2021, I have traveled ~2,000 miles by bike and I couldn’t be happier.
PT. 2 – JUST ONE MORE BIKE…
These are the bikes that helped me see so much over the past year. I think of them as more than just tools but also extensions of my personality as well as vehicles through which I can meet so many amazing new people, and visit so many interesting new places.
Pictured above is Felicity, my 2020 All-City Macho King A.C.E. The name comes from Ms. Frizzle’s, “The Magic School Bus” because this bike is a crazy yellow party machine that I could take to space. To date I have put approx. 1700 miles on this bike (including trainer miles.)
The project began early on with my job at the shop when one of the mechanics recommended I build up something “unique.” Up until then I had been looking at the Trek Checkpoint, but wasn’t completely sold on the colorways. Furthermore, with the bike boom nearly in full swing, availability was becoming more and more limited…
Only a handful of these frames popped up online and I knew I had to pull the trigger. Of course at the time I had no clue what it meant to build a bike from the frame up, or even how lucky I was to have the expertise of others on my side. However, after a couple of calls for sourcing parts and a many early mornings working before opening, this Macho King came together. I had my first serious road bike.
Felicity was truly a bike that has catapulted my love for cycling into what it is today. It’s unique, fun, and versatile enough to explore well beyond the paved path.
1700 miles of not stretching and beginner form however caught up with me towards the end of the summer when I woke up one morning and had pulled a muscle in my back so bad that I couldn’t walk. After watching me hobble around for a day, the shop I work at was kind enough to loan me this cir. 1990’s Trek 820 Mountain track.
The upright riding position made it easy to get to and from work easily without straining my back. I never expected to fall in love riding a crusty steel boat anchor with 26″ wheels, but I’m glad that I did. This 820, whose full name is, “Greta the Green Gravel Grocery Getter” has become my favorite little bike to ride to the chiropractor and beyond.
Meet Venus, the 2020 All-City Cosmic Stallion. This bike was purchased right before the harsh winter of Chicago took all the nice riding weather away, but I hope to take this along for many longer journeys later on this year.
Perhaps by now you’re sensing a theme: I like steel bikes. I suppose it could be a lack of experience from not riding other frames, but there is undoubtedly a feeling that is unique to iron alloy. After all, there’s a reason they say “Steel is Real…”
PT. 3 – THE VISION
Moving forward, I envision MAIN FRAME CYCLING to be a central network where anyone can go to connect with others beginning with their shared love of bikes. I believe that cycling has the power to bring people together, and I want to capture the shared experiences of those in and around my community.
In the beginning, I think most of these posts will be stories from my own adventures as well as discussions about topics that concern the cycling community as a whole. Perhaps some product reviews sprinkled in there, who knows? As the community grows, however, I hope to plan more group events and get together outside.
I want this home to be above all free of judgement, bias, and overall negativity. The MAIN FRAME will be a hub of positivity and growth for those who want to ride their bike.
I want to talk with you, so please comment on this post with things you want to chat about. Feel free to share with your friends and bring them in on the discussion too. I have many ideas which I’m excited to share over the coming year and beyond, and I hope you’ll ride tandem with me (lol).
I am currently creating a discord group to keep the convo going, so keep an eye out for a link on my Instagram page: @mainframecycling
Lastly, I’d like to thank some of the people who helped me get here. Thank you to my parents who have always been supportive of me and my hobbies, and encouraging me to keep on writing.
Thank you to Connor P. and Alex F. for always being there no matter what.
Thank you Alex R. for your generous creation of the logo, and for being my best riding partner. Without you, I don’t know if I would have taken the next step to create this blog.
Thank you so much to Lauren W. You have been a huge part of my growth into the bike hobby, and I’m happy to share it with you.
Thank you for reading, and welcome to The Network…
MAIN//FRAME 