Bam! ...And we're back!
2022 kicked off so full steam for me that it took a few weeks to get back on track with the newsletter. I'm stoked to be working towards 250 issues of this newsletter and stepping up my personal & professional game as (hopefully) the pandemic begins to wane.
Twotone has been kicking off the new year with new clients (hi trail.camp!), projects, rides, and more. Workspace 6 is teeming with new tenants (hi Mel!) and, tomorrow, even new tables for all tenants!
Though, I don't have a personal list of resolutions and/or goals to share (but do you really care? 🙃 I do want to kick off 2022's first issue with some actionable value for you. : )
I first started following V.Vale when Jess from No Fun interviewed him last year and he recently did share his resolutions. I think they're really great, so I picked my fave 10 for you below:
(my comments in parentheses)
- SIMPLIFY LIFE: a) DO MORE by doing LESS! Get rid of conflicts, interruptions, distractions, lesser projects & flaky people b) DO ONE PROJECT AT A TIME. As above. NO multitasking. Don’t text and drive. Don’t walk and chew gum. c) Say NO—A LOT. Your only free will is your power to say NO.
- Settle unpaid obligations to clear your mind of past guilt, which preys on your subconscious and “drags you down”.
- Make a list of goals, post it in plain sight, and keep adding to the list. (I use Workflowy for this and keep it above other windows on my screen)
- Attend as many parties as possible & invite your friends to parties. Remember parties??
- Make a list of your best friends/allies, and focus on having fun with them, regularly. Zen proverb: “Old friends, new clothes—not the reverse!” related: More time with OLDEST FRIENDS – You have to do outreach. They won’t call you!
- Invite friends over for lunch/dinner—or at least tea/snacks. (We've got tri-weekly Lunch at Lester's & got the same going for Workspace 6 & Workcycles – especially nice now that my step-son Brayden & friend Jordan both work there!)
- Mutual aid is the key to surviving the (possibly calamitous) future. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst! (together!)
- Save the first waking hour for yourself. Don’t talk to ANYONE. Stay in bed & write in a paper journal. No computer/cell phone/music. Harvest your dreams & verbal/visual ideas/whatever wells up from your subconscious, before it flies away… (I've gotten back in the groove of waking up early!)
- Before sleeping, ponder a list of problems for your subconscious to “solve”.
- Minimize computer “browsing”/scrolling. Minimize email, social media. Erect your own firewall against the billions of distractions findable on the internet. (for me this is a time limit on insta & using RescueTime)
Great list, right?
Well, one of the things that I do aspire for this year is to have a vision for precision to hit the nail on the head with every issue. If you reach the bottom, (hint) there is a feedback button to click & give me input for improvements!
thank you, as always, for reading & sharing this newsletter,
Jon
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📷 banner image: last Thursday's visit to Rando Rob's workshop
Cycling
When it comes to micromobility, people prefer bikes
Across the globe, hopping on a bike (either electric or traditional) is how most people prefer to get to work. Almost 70 percent of respondents in the recent Mobility Ownership Consumer Survey stated that they were willing to use micromobility vehicles for their commute. The survey included 6,000 respondents from China, France, Germany, Italy, the UK, and the US.
Are you surprised that most people like to bike?
via Azeem Azhar's Exponential View Charts of the Week #60
Become a friend of Mountainbike.nl
Rogier from mountainbike.nl is raising money from readers to support the site. If you ride off-road & read Dutch, you should consider chipping in to keep this radical site rolling for years to come!
Can Cyclists and Animals Coexist?
"Watch and decide for yourself if this is a friend or foe-type situation."
I think Daniel & Kyle are on to something with the World of Bikes series!
Client News
Serial 1 is hiring in Amsterdam and America
The team at Serial 1 is looking for a EU Content Specialist & EU Marketing Manager here in Amsterdam along with marketing & sales roles in the USA.
Check their Instagram & the film above for a feeling about the company. Twotone along, with our partner agency Crank Communication in Berlin, have been earning media attention for Serial 1 for more than a year now in France, Italy, Spain, across DACH, Central Europe, the Nordics, Benelux & the UK. If you're keen to get into the cycling industry with an exciting brand paving the way, I'd suggest checking out these jobs today!
Don't sleep on the Ampler sale!
Save €500 on Ampler's bikes for a limited time.
Book your free test ride at the Twotone office.
Review: Albion Three Season Tights
Albion has been buzzing busily through the winter months.
And it is great to see not only awesome reviews like this one coming through but also new films from them like Dolgoch (about riding in the last wilderness of Wales) & their 2021 in pictures recap!
Perspective
Mythical State Of's Fun Type Chart
I bet most readers haven't been tuning into what Mythical State Of has been putting out but this chart is a great start! Who is planning on some Type 5 fun this summer?
Schwinn's new branding from Manual Creative “avoids nostalgia overload”
My colleague Kike shared this link about Schwinn's recent rebrand that “relives the glory days without getting stuck in the past”, with redrawn logos, updated typography, and new colors and illustrations. Looks great!
RAR's Group Ride Guide
What you need to succeed when facilitating successful, thoughtful, and safe group rides
Radness
Lester Cycles on the Outspoken Cyclist Podcast
Ok, the guy who never does interviews, did one! : )
My good friend Lester Janssen of Lester Cycles spoke with Diane Jenks, the host, and producer of The Outspoken Cyclist Podcast – one of the longest-running and most popular bicycling podcasts in the industry.
They talk about Lester's roots as a bike messenger, finding out there were such things as custom bikes – right here in Amsterdam and never looking looked back since cutting his teeth learning in the RIH workshop.
The convo spans across his story as a framebuilder, through the pandemic and Lester's experiences with supply chain issues and what he sees as his future in the bicycle world.
Proud of you, Lester! Great interview.
Now to get you on the Mechanics of Joy!