Doing, not saying . . .

Kicked off the build of http://www.bikecrave.com today. Official site launch is June 15. 

BikeCrave is an idea that has been in my brain for over a year now. It’s become a labor of love and shared project (with cyclists around the world) as a place to celebrate all things cycling, and the cycling lifestyle. I’m providing blog updates here (and DMs and emails) as a way to share the “process” and demystify the “social media” thing. Too many buzzwords and not enough reality. Let’s strip it down to the pure essence. 

BikeCrave? It’s real. URL secured. Host secured. Design direction and architecture complete. Brand guidelines done. WP template for customization complete. Plug-ins chosen. Designer and coder hired. Chief content producer (me) hired.

One thing I enjoy about cycling is the near-zero tolerance for fakery. You either climb the mountain, or you go back and reach a fitness level that will power you up the mountain. Or you pick a smaller mountain, also known as a “hill.” The point is, you’ve got to start somewhere. It doesn’t really matter where as long as you reach the goal, and you enjoy the journey. You may only want to ride flats in Tuscany and sip wine. Or work on your glove tan lines along Highway 101. Way cool, each.   

But no faking. 

We can’t talk ourselves up the mountain or down the coast in a 20 mph headwind. We can’t slog through a cold rainstorm without something deep inside. I’ve been there, digging about in an empty suitcase of courage, harkening back to times when the legs were stronger and the heart more capable of carrying red blood cells to hungry muscles. 

Doing, not saying.

That’s top of mind this afternoon before I kit up and do my ride.

A tad cliche? Yep.

The best route? Always.

Hope you’re having a great weekend and doing what you love, which may even include two wheels.

Getting closer . . .

This weekend I should have wrapped up:

(a) Brand platform, logo, tagline and color palette

(b) Web site architecture, layout and design

I’ve shared comps with several Twitter cycling compatriots. This comp is 97% there (minus the background).

I’m very jazzed about this project, and the conversations I’ve had with several folks. A heartfelt thank you to all of you who have given me feedback and been so kind to share you thoughts so far. It means a lot.

More to come soon!

Thinking . . .

I saw things yesterday during a recovery ride that I hadn’t before. Amazing how that happens when you’re thinking about something entirely new and feeding the brain more oxygen.

Yes, riding provides fitness benefits. Benefits we can track and analyze. The data reveals our progress, or lack thereof.

Perhaps more than anything else, though, what I enjoy about riding is the mental side. Riding is meditative and restorative. Riding removes clutter. Riding purifies thought. Going through a chilly headwind or up a hill is akin to going through the day. We start fresh with goals. We move forward. If we need help, we ask (or draft).

When we finish the ride (or day), we start the work of preparing for tomorrow and what may come. We learn from the past and focus on the possibilities ahead.

I’m thinking. I like the possibilities that thoughts produce.

BikeDesire or BikeCrave . . .

I have a dream. It gets better when I’m awake.

With your help, I hope to build a community Web site/blog that blends the best of all things cycling–and the people who love the lifestyle. Newbies. Club riders. Cruisers. Ultras. Racers. Tourers. Roleurs. I’ve met you on the road (and dirt) and Internet. I think we all share something.

I have narrowed the site down to two names: BikeDesire or BikeCrave 

There’s equal parts black art and metrics-driven rationale to starting a brand. Focus groups tell you a lot, but ultimately people shape community sites and why others decide to visit. Good ideas spread. 

A brand is just one piece. It’s goes beyond logo, typeface or color palette. It’s what you feel. It’s why you pick Specialized over Trek, or Moots over Seven, or Colnago over Pinarello. It’s why you’re a Campy fan or a DA disciple. And vice versa. It’s why you made the leap to SRAM. 

I’m working to turn on the BikeDesire or BikeCrave site in late June before the Tour de France. I hope it’s a compendium of what I like best about the Web: Ulility, Sharing, Helping, Experiencing, Going deep on a topic about which you’re passionate.

Cyclists desire or crave many things in the pursuit of cycling. Enjoyment. Fitness. Comraderie. Peace. Competition. Status. Belonging (group rides). Not belonging (going against the automobile grain). Exploration. Conquest. Of course, Bikes. There’s something that happens when we throw our leg over the top tube and start turning the pedals on these bikes. We can’t always articulate it. But we have the common bond. We desire/crave it, and it becomes part of our the fabric of our lives, mirroring seasons and establishing milestones. Our families and loved ones understand. They support cycling and the great things it can do–and does.

I’ll initially organize the Web site in 3 main categories:

1. Need (topics, basics, things that cyclists need)
2. Want (products, experiences, access to other things that cyclists want)
3. Have (photos, tips, stories, races, routes, fundraisers that cyclists have)

 

As I go down this path, I hope you’ll join me. I plan to share the process so you can see and help shape the outcome. Visuals always help, so here are a few of some 20 logo comps (pre-color) that are on the wall for consideration. Thanks for the early feedback on naming through your tweets, and please be safe out there when riding.