Why Hello, Mr. Byrne!

Hello Nation,

We just did a big run of SuperPros for our friends and idols at Transportation Alternatives.

They are the largest and smartest of the big city bike and ped advocacy groups - a close working relationship with the city gives them wonderful influence. Instead of the city inventing policy on their own they have a very engaged and informed partner to work with. The Bloomberg administration several years ago worked to introduce a congestion pricing system to Manhattan (Read: Charge cars admission to drive downtown and reduce congestion and pollution). Trans Alt built that plan - it didn't pass, but it's not dead yet. We have been donating custom printed bags to them for four or five years now. They give them to volunteers and auction them off to raise funds.

David Byrne is also a fan of theirs (as we are of him). He just wrote a book, "Bicycle Dairies," full of his musings about riding in cities all over the world. Mr. Byrne is no Lycra-clad, heartbeat-monitor-wearing newbie to riding bikes. I understand his mount of choice to be an old English three speed (mine too). He seems a man who rides the same way a 12-year-old rides. BECAUSE IT IS SO FUN. Anyway, he helps out the Dept. of Transportation when he can and is also a big supporter of Transportation Alternatives.

So here we are. TA generated art work that took the book cover and put it onto our bag. We built a big run of them and they will go along to readings and book signings in other cities. The proceeds will support the work TA does. Everybody wins.

-Jon B.

BaileyWorks bags at the No. American Cycle Courier Championships

Hey folks, it's been a busy summer here and we've been quiet for too long. We thought a good place to restart is with some photos of hard working couriers and their personal BaileyWorks bags competing in the 2009 NACCC held in August right here in our backyard in Boston.
These fine photos come to us courtesy of Tyler at Independent Fabrication in Somerville. IF was a manifest stop in the NACCC work simulation race, and Tyler had his camera and photo studio set-up to capture the competitors along with their bikes and bags.

As you can see, these folks are the ultimate test of our craftsmanship and quality, putting their bags through rigorous real-world use every day. They also seem to prefer the more subdued colorways in the gray-scale range!

Even with the mono-chromatic colors, personalization and creativity abound.
This one is a personal favorite. Note the extra "Lookout!" warning written into the reflective strip. Speaking of lookout, be on the lookout for upcoming posts on special edition bags made from recycled banners, and a very special, limited edition bag featuring artwork from David Byrne of Talking Heads fame, to be purchased from, and benefit, Transportation Alternatives.