Mission Bicycle News | Mission Bicycle Company

Bars + Basket = Handlebarsket

January 21, 2013

In order to produce the cleanest, most elegant bicycle possible, we designed our frames to be free of the unnecessary braze-ons, guides, and hangers that usually clutter city bikes. So when we augment our bikes with fenders or baskets, we choose products that will compliment our clean build, not detract from it.

Say hello to the Bike Porter: the basket that minimalist dreams are made of.

Hand welded from aluminum, this integrated handlebar-basket installs easily on any stem with a removable face plate. At just over 3.5 lbs it adds little weight, but can carry over 30lbs of goods, relieving your back and bag of the heavy lifting.

Last week we announced the winner of our 2012 Customer subMission Photo Contest: this Mission Bicycle Valencia with an electric blue Porter on San Francisco's Ocean Beach. Photo and feet by Brooks Hassig.

Turn heads and haul gear. Find your Porter here.

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Wet Roads, Dry Chains

January 14, 2013

It's the rainy season here in San Francisco, and while it may seem counter intuitive, that means dry chains. You see, wet roads create dry chains, as rain water strips the lubricant right off.

We've got a solution for your bike and the earth. Orontas high performance chain lubricant is 100% biodegradable, sustainable, and petroleum free. It's made with care and wind in Canada, and available in the United States exclusively at Mission Bicycle.

Every time you ride, you support a more sustainable and petroleum independent city. With our plant based lubricant, you can continue that support as you care for your bike.

Want to try it out for free?

We're offering a free sample with all online orders between now and February 1st. Just place an order and we'll throw it in, on the house.

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Announcing Our 2012 subMission Winning Photo

January 14, 2013

Announcing Our 2012 subMission Winning Photo

Maybe it's because the temperature keeps dipping below 40˚ F here, and the sand and sun flare look so damn nice.

Or maybe it's because this shot tells such a great story that anyone can crawl into for a little while.

Or maybe, just maybe, it's because we've got a soft spot for matte black Valencias.

In any case, congratulations to Brooks, the lucky owner, rider and photographer. Great shot, nice feet.

Details: 56cm matte black Valencia with an electric blue Copenhagen Porter, shot on the fine sand of Ocean Beach, here in San Francisco, CA.

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Trust the Source, Not the Reflection

January 7, 2013

Most bikes from most bike stores come with reflectors everywhere. Even though they are mostly useless.

The problem with reflectors is they only work in a very particular configuration. For you to see a reflector at night, your eye, the light source, and the reflector have to be perfectly aligned. As soon as any one of those three elements moves out of that line, the effect is lost.

The concern is some riders forgo blinky lights thinking with reflectors alone, they're all set.

If you want to keep your reflectors in addition to lights, great, go for it. If you want to remove the reflectors in a beautification process, we can help. I mean, we can't help. That would be irresponsible.

How NOT To Remove Your Reflectors

You won't need two hands, a screwdriver, or a garbage can.

Don't unscrew the cheap mounting bracket from your seatpost, bars, pedals and/or spokes. Don't worry if it brakes, cause it likely will.
Don't promptly throw them away in the nearest garbage can, or if applicable, recycling container.
Do consider blinky lights as an alternative. If you need some, we've got animated wheel lights, innovative smart lights, and even lights with music.

The next time you're in a car, at night, around cyclists - see for yourself. Reflectors rarely funtion the way we all wish they would. We think you're much better off with an actual electrified illuminated blinky light.

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Year In Photos 2012

December 31, 2012

The Mayans were wrong, we're all still here, and another great year has drawn to a close.

We built hundreds of bikes, took thousands of pictures, received countless smiles and watched our community of riders grow. We launched a whole new bicycle, the Sutro, made a few more videos and 43,000 new friends on Instagram (thanks). Our humble staff, our biggest group ever at 11, are tired and excited for more.

Thanks for all your support in 2012, best wishes for 2013.

Ok. Not exactly a photo. But one of our favorite images of the year. Our friend Payam made this city-sized heart on his Mission Bicycle for his girlfriend on Valentines day.

We launched the Sutro, an internally geared bike uniquely designed for city riding. That's Jessie, above, with Sutro #1. Above him is the Sutro prototype with Sutro tower in the background. That one was shot by our good friend Luis Pena.

After a few years of running into each other we finally made the big move for more space. Our workshop is now all the way... across the street from our retail shop. Our mechanic James transports tires.

Our beautiful city continues to provide amazing places to ride and shoot.

We got in the Olympic spirit with our Velocity Deep V ring display. The image fell on interested eyes as it quickly spread all over the internet.

We launched an Instagram profile to share beautiful bicycle shots and the response was enormous. 43,000 followers and counting.

Our staffer David hand painted this Mission Bicycle for Dia de Los Muertos. This bike now lives with its happy new owner in Australia.

We were able to source immaculate and affordable chroming to produce the most decadent bicycles possible.

We led another Midnight Mystery Ride. Attendees were treated to a silent film with live musical accompaniment, popcorn, candy, and zero cops.

We stayed out late and made blinky light paintings. Happy 2013.

P.S. Our 2nd Annual subMission Photo Contest is underway. If you've got a great photo you can still enter on Instagram.

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Long Exposure Blinky Light Painting

December 18, 2012

It gets dark now, early. Real early.

You're already armed with blinky lights, why not make something out of it? Grab a camera and a tripod and we'll show you how to capture long exposure light paintings.

1. Find the Right Spot

The darker the better. You can do this in the open air but using a wall for reference can make complicated drawings a snap.

2. Set Your Shutter Speed to Slow

Like real slow. Like anywhere from 10 - 30 seconds. The longer your shutter the more time you'll have to create your painting, but also the more light the camera will capture. Experiment to find the right balance. And don't forget, a tripod or stationary support is a must.

Got an iPhone instead of a DSLR? No worries, there's an app for that. Check out Slow Shutter, only $2 from the App Store.

3. Get to it

This is the fun part, but expect that it's going to take a few attempts. They more you experiment the better you'll get. Set your light to blinky mode to add some sparkle.

For our photo we chose a multi-step image to animate, but yours can be captured in a single exposure like this one we produced last year. If you want to make an animated GIF as well, this site works the magic for your, for free.

Once your fingers and toes are sufficiently cold, head inside to see what you've got. We'd also love to see your best shots. Please send them to info[at]missionbicycle.com.

Attention Mission Bicycle owners: It's time for the 2nd Annual Customer subMission Photo Contest. Rules are simple, prizes are made of cash. Enter on Facebook or Instagram, click here for full details.

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2nd Annual Customer subMission Photo Contest

December 17, 2012

2nd Annual Customer subMission Photo Contest

Mission Bicycle

Last years winning photo... seriously.

We love to look at beautiful shots of beautiful bikes, so please share yours. If you've got a great picture of your Mission Bicycle you could win a $100 gift card towards anything in our store. If you don't have a great shot, why not get out and take one?

Follow us on Instagram, post your photo to your feed and tag it #missionbicycle and #20mission12. Competition closes on 1/14, winner announced 1/15.

Enter as many times as you'd like. The winning photos will be shared with our online community of over 75,000 fans.

Last years winner spent all his winnings on bicycle mustaches. What would you get?

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Stocked Up On Gold, Frankincense, and Dreidels? Here's Our Last Minute Gift Guide

December 10, 2012

Turn every ride into a parade with Monkeylectric wheel lights. Waterproof LED's provide dozens of unique images and patterns that animate as you ride. Check them out in video here.

Levi's did their homework with the new Commuter Series. Smart and sexy, these jeans are built for cyclists with a host of cool features like water resistance, integrated U-lock holster and reflective cuffs to keep you looking good and feeling great, on and off the bike.

This 3-in-1 MP3 Player / Speaker / Light will keep your nights bright and your ears happy. Enjoy your favorite music untethered from cables and headphones.

Don't see the perfect gift? Don't worry, we've got you covered. Gift cards are available for shirts and accessories here, and complete bikes here.

Check the table above to make sure your gear arrives on time, and check out our whole catalogue here for great gifts ideas. Happy holidays.

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The Ride: 200 Glorious Pages

November 29, 2012

This stunning 200+ page journal is devoted to sharing the stories and passions of cyclists. No race results, no gear reviews, just people.

Loaded with original art, illustration, photography and great writing, The Ride is a compendium on the most beautiful bicycle themed images and stories. As if that wasn't enough, all publisher profits are donated to charity, and all contributors and editors are volunteer.

Clear a space on the coffee table, because this one is going to be around a long time.

We've got a limited number of copies left, get yours here now.

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It's The Thought That Counts

November 26, 2012

The holidays are here again, and we all agree, it's the thought that counts. So think about yourself.

You deserve the most thoughtfully designed gear around. We've got exciting new items to make cycling easier, safer, and more enjoyable. Check them out.

Quick and easy mounting allows for hands-free riding. Safely secure a smartphone or GPS to your bike to display a map, track your route, play music - or for the documentarian - even video your ride.

Set the mood, and do it sustainably, with these recycled bike chain tealight holders.

This form-fitting wool long sleeve is the perfect baselayer for early mornings, late evenings and cool afternoons in between. Wool manages temperature better than synthetic materials, even when wet, allowing for comfortable riding in any cool condition.

The worlds most intuitive and effortless bike light is here. Simply slide onto your seatpost and ride, Blink/Steady does the rest.

Using an accelerometer and a light sensor, Blink/Steady knows to turn on automatically whenever your ride in low light, and turn off automatically when you arrive.

Don't see the perfect gift?

Ditch the guesswork with a gift certificate. Available in denominations of $25 up through a complete custom Mission Bicycle.

Happy holidays.

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