The pair I got are the Solo Sahara Snow… they sure are purdy. I know, I know, white sunglass are so last year… which is probably why I like them so much. Folks from Native have been going on the Denver our cruiser rides, what’s super cool is that they are coming to the weekly cruiser rides, with a customized Giant Simple cruiser!

Rock on. Protect your eyes this summer kids, you’ll need them! (your eyes)

Rock on, Native Eyewear totally gets it!

Kickstand Staff gets rocked out with Native sunglasses

Enter the era of the electric cruiser. So called “e-bikes” are a sweet way to say goodbye to sweet crude. They might cost a little more, but they’ll keep you from jumping in the car to get groceries.

At a recent bike show there were at least a dozen companies with strong offerings in the electric bicycle category. There was even an electric unicycle with a very nervous product tester perched on top. But it was the Kilowatt Electric Cruisers that stole the show. Kilowatt is a wonderful example of an emerging trend that has both style and quality. Gone are the days of the awkward looking electric bike; Kilowatt has incorporated a unique frame, a bitchin’ triple-tree fork (to handle the extra torque) and a paint job that has to be seen in person to be believed.

As if cruising wasn’t chill to begin with, add a motor and some juice and you might consider losing the car all together. Just flip a switch, push a button and you’re up and moving. Within a few seconds you’re riding along at 20 mph. Depending on the terrain, your stature and your fondness for burnouts, expect to squeeze 30-50 miles out of one complete charge. And the battery should last for 1,500 charges, or about 5 years, before it needs to be replaced.

Richard Kraatz, Kilowatt Bikes Owner/Founder, talks about the inspiration that led to its current lineup: “It’s a fun way to get cars off the road.” Kraatz saw that the booming e-bike market in Europe was lacking in style. “They were all grey step-through models.” Kilowatt Bikes adds some much-needed styling into the e-bike scene with its cruiser line.

The Kilowatt Cruiser offers a smooth ride with a quiet motor that has the guts to get you up steep hills without breaking a sweat. As gas prices bounce back up, electric bicycles are going to move from novelty to necessity. Not to mention, they’re a blast to ride.

Safety Seat by iBert

Kid-Tough Digital Camera by Fisher-Price

Blowout Wallet by Green Guru

Paul Frank Skurvy Headphones by Skull Candy

Money Clip by Tiffany

Rumble 29er Cruiser by Phat

Frank Dog Bag by Knog

This bag features a laptop sleeve and a reversible strap for lefties. It’s a stylish way for him to take his office on the road and it can’t be mistaken for a “murse.” $199 • knog.com.au

BUT what we really like about it? There are so many booths filled with classic bikes of all shapes, sizes and conditions. Looking for a perfectly restored Schwinn Areocycle? If someone was willing to part with one you’d probably find it here. Looking for a rusty old Murray Fleetwood? This is the only place where the bike will come to you. Why spend all next year hunting on Craigslist, hopping from garage sale to garage sale or dropping into the corner thrift store hoping to get lucky. At VeloSwap you’re sure to score.

When you go to VeloSwap make sure you bring cash as many vendors don’t have card machines and there’s always a line at the ATM (until it runs out of cash.) You’ll also want to put yer haggling boots on because trading is part of the fun too. Heck, why not bring that old Western Flyer down and see what you can get.

Visit their site for detailed information. Follow them on Twitter for regular updates. Check out their Facebook site too while you’re at it. Don’t forget to stop by the Kickstand Magazine booth for a little fun and relaxation while you’re there. And while we’re bossing you around, don’t forget to subscribe to Kickstand Magazine!

TEST RIDE

Not many bikes get this much attention, good and bad. Our lawyers made us say this: “We are in no way condoning the use of marijuana” by promoting the Irie beach cruiser, nor is its manufacturer, America’s Bike Co.”
That said, we think you’ll have a whole lot of fun on this comfortable and colorful, three-toned cruiser with “oak” leaves painted on it. And it just happens to be the cruiser featured on Showtime’s hit sitcom “Weeds” this summer, so this bicycle has that ‘15 minutes of fame’ thing going for
it (we had the privilege of testing one of the eight used in the actual “Weeds” filming). Kind bud pedigree aside, this cruiser is just plain fun.

PROPS:

This is a statement cruiser as the Irie has the classic, sleek lines you’d expect of a great retro bicycle, not to mention it really stands out with its Rastafarian-inspired paint job.

SHLOPS:

The ride is a bit stiff so you’re going to feel every bump and pebble in the road. Basic upgrades to the base components wouldn’t hurt either (a quick-release seat post and a more durable stem would be worth the extra couple of bucks).

BOTTOM LINE:

A great ride if you want to get noticed, but realize that you’re buying into the affordable category, so durability may be an issue in aggressive skid contests.

THE SPECS

Sizes: Men’s 19”

Frame: Steel

Fork: Tensile steel

Seat: Padded Dual
Spring Saddle

Brakes: Coaster

Tires: Kenda 26”

Components:
Optional Fenders; $20 for the set, alloy crank and fenders, bullhorn style handlebars.

MSRP: $250

americasbikecompany.com

QUOTABLES

The Techie: “The kind of bike that gets noticed in the, ‘I like your bike so I’m going to take it’ kind of way, which actually happened.”

The Publisher: “Everybody’s got
something to say about it.”

The Random Rastafarian: “Nice
bike, mon” — (we swear we didn’t make
up this cliché).

The Literate One: “If it’s good enough
for ‘Weeds,’ it’s good enough for us.”

Seeing Eye Editor: “Don’t Bogart
that bike.”

story by JACK JOSTES

She’ll keep your motor runnin’

A florist by day, HotRod Jen is a cruiser-obsessed grease monkey at heart.

With a last name like Skidmore, it’s hard to imagine why an accomplished grease monkey, pinstriper and cruiser bicycle restoration wizard would want to hammer out a fitting nickname from Jennifer. But hey, if the moniker fits.

So on the paychecks at her day job as a florist, it’s Jennifer Skidmore. But to her fellow cruisers, gear heads and classic car and motorcycle fans, it’s HotRod Jen; the same HotRod Jen who leads the Sunday Rockabilly Ride through Lansdale, Pa., on her custom green 1949 Schwinn DX.

It’s the same daily ride she pedals around her nearby hometown of Bath. Most of her friends think she’s a little crazy to be pumping the heavy two-wheeler up hills normally considered the domain of roadies and mountain bikers. Hers, they say, is a bike that belongs on the pancake flat boardwalk of the Jersey Shore.

And it just so happens, that’s where her cruiser obsession started.

She found the classic Schwinn at a garage sale in New Jersey and took it with her when she moved into the Pennsylvania hills six years ago.

“I bought it for 15 bucks,” she says. “I threw it in the back of my Nova and took it home to work on it. It was so well balanced for being so old, and there weren’t any problems with it. I’ve been in love with cruisers ever since.”

The 24-year-old re-covered the seat, found a tank for it and plans to repaint the frame with a bomber theme—but she’s still in search of the right horn.

In addition to the DX, she’s also rebuilding several others: a ’50s vintage Monarch ladies’ cruiser, a ’54 men’s Shelby Flyer, a ’71 Fairlady Schwinn, a custom Schwinn lowrider, and a ‘53 Schwinn Holiday ladies’ 20-inch. She has an old Huffy that she uses for parts.

HotRod Jen’s mechanical prowess doesn’t end at two wheels. She single-handedly keeps her 1972 gas-guzzling, 4-speed Chevy Nova 350 purring. But her true artistic calling is pinstriping any vehicle she can put a brush on.

But whether it’s bicycles, cars, tattoos or art, HotRod Jen has had a passion for the style and culture of ’50s Americana since she was four years old.

“My dad used to take me to drag races when I was still in a stroller,” she says. “I remember seeing my first favorite car—a shiny black and red 1951 Mercury with flames—it’s still my favorite car.”

It was at the track that Jen fell especially hard for custom pinstripes and thus turned to the art of hand painting fine accent lines on hot rods, motorcycles and, naturally, cruiser bicycles.

She begins by taking pictures of cars and making pastel drawings of them. Today, with years of practice behind her, Hotrod Jen’s pinstripe lines have the flawless arc of a breaking wave.

And while her pinstripe prowess has earned her the kudos and respect of her (mostly male) peers whose rides she’s tricked out, Hotrod Jen likes to sport an array of accents of her own.

“I have one leg dedicated to fellow pinstripes and hot rod icons Von Dutch, Ed Roth, Mr. Horsepower and Clay Smith Cams,” she says. “I’ve got flames that go up my leg. At the top, there’s a flying eyeball and pistons for Von Dutch, Mr. Horsepower with drag strips…”

Thanks to the work she’s done, Hotrod Jen is recognized as one of the most badass cruisers in central Pennsylvania. And thanks to the ink she’s had done, it’s easy to spot this tattooed beauty as she’s grinding that classic steel cruiser bike up the steep hills of Bath, Pa.

For more: The Rockabilly Ride starts at 5 p.m. from the Lansdale train station and ends at the Walnut Bar for a rockabilly show. Check out Hotrod Jen’s work: myspace.com/metalhotrodgirl

With a last name like Skidmore, it’s hard to imagine why an accomplished grease monkey, pinstriper and cruiser bicycle restoration wizard would want to hammer out a fitting nickname from Jennifer. But hey, if the moniker fits.

So on the paychecks at her day job as a florist, it’s Jennifer Skidmore. But to her fellow cruisers, gear heads and classic car and motorcycle fans, it’s HotRod Jen; the same HotRod Jen who leads the Sunday Rockabilly Ride through Lansdale, Pa., on her custom green 1949 Schwinn DX.

It’s the same daily ride she pedals around her nearby hometown of Bath. Most of her friends think she’s a little crazy to be pumping the heavy two-wheeler up hills normally considered the domain of roadies and mountain bikers. Hers, they say, is a bike that belongs on the pancake flat boardwalk of the Jersey Shore.

And it just so happens, that’s where her cruiser obsession started.

She found the classic Schwinn at a garage sale in New Jersey and took it with her when she moved into the Pennsylvania hills six years ago.

“I bought it for 15 bucks,” she says. “I threw it in the back of my Nova and took it home to work on it. It was so well balanced for being so old, and there weren’t any problems with it. I’ve been in love with cruisers ever since.”

The 24-year-old re-covered the seat, found a tank for it and plans to repaint the frame with a bomber theme—but she’s still in search of the right horn.

In addition to the DX, she’s also rebuilding several others: a ’50s vintage Monarch ladies’ cruiser, a ’54 men’s Shelby Flyer, a ’71 Fairlady Schwinn, a custom Schwinn lowrider, and a ‘53 Schwinn Holiday ladies’ 20-inch. She has an old Huffy that she uses for parts.

HotRod Jen’s mechanical prowess doesn’t end at two wheels. She single-handedly keeps her 1972 gas-guzzling, 4-speed Chevy Nova 350 purring. But her true artistic calling is pinstriping any vehicle she can put a brush on.

But whether it’s bicycles, cars, tattoos or art, HotRod Jen has had a passion for the style and culture of ’50s Americana since she was four years old.

“My dad used to take me to drag races when I was still in a stroller,” she says. “I remember seeing my first favorite car—a shiny black and red 1951 Mercury with flames—it’s still my favorite car.”

It was at the track that Jen fell especially hard for custom pinstripes and thus turned to the art of hand painting fine accent lines on hot rods, motorcycles and, naturally, cruiser bicycles.

She begins by taking pictures of cars and making pastel drawings of them. Today, with years of practice behind her, Hotrod Jen’s pinstripe lines have the flawless arc of a breaking wave.

And while her pinstripe prowess has earned her the kudos and respect of her (mostly male) peers whose rides she’s tricked out, Hotrod Jen likes to sport an array of accents of her own.

“I have one leg dedicated to fellow pinstripes and hot rod icons Von Dutch, Ed Roth, Mr. Horsepower and Clay Smith Cams,” she says. “I’ve got flames that go up my leg. At the top, there’s a flying eyeball and pistons for Von Dutch, Mr. Horsepower with drag strips…”

Thanks to the work she’s done, Hotrod Jen is recognized as one of the most badass cruisers in central Pennsylvania. And thanks to the ink she’s had done, it’s easy to spot this tattooed beauty as she’s grinding that classic steel cruiser bike up the steep hills of Bath, Pa.

For more: The Rockabilly Ride starts at 5 p.m. from the Lansdale train station and ends at the Walnut Bar for a rockabilly show. Check out Hotrod Jen’s work: myspace.com/metalhotrodgirl