It's been a little while since this last W.A.C.C post, but once again prepare to enter into the world according to me...

 

 

The 'Always Maintain' T-shirt has been a slightly hot topic for those of you initiated, I mentioned Steven's wearing the long sleeve during a set he did in Shanghai...

 

 

Well, I only mentioned him again so I could plug Apron's latest release the 'Apron 35'  - which comes via Molinaro, a London native (like both Steven and I), who delivers us no-nonsense dancefloor business:

 

 

Also gotta thank jyA_me for continuing to represent for us, here she is rocking our Tee on her recent trip stateside...

 

 

 

 

I was recently asked where one can pick up this rare piece, to which my answer, of course, is look to the west where you will find Diner...when I say west, of course I mean WEST-Azabu.

 

 

I always have to shout out our friends over at Hellrazor for this....

 

 

The A/W17 collection is looking slick, and it's clear that Hellrazor is going places, you can keep up to date with their moves via their blog.

 

 

I also have to shout out our friends over at BlackEyePatch and Aoi for this...

 

 

This Sunday I'll be playing tunes along with friends at Oath ...

 

 

Besides friends, we will also be joined by Beluga DJ from the UK, who also played with us at last night's Funktion, and he definitely worked the dancefloor with a nice variety of tunes with international flavors. Check out his last radio set:

 

 

More adventures coming soon!

 

 

 

Last week on our Instagram we showed you how our 'Avenue Lo' when combined with carbon fiber; a material that has proven itself advantageous for many reasons. With our bikes, the material gives us weight reduction while still being a strong and durable material, that plus it's often molded with aerodynamics taken into consideration which gives us improved performance.

 

We put collected some of our favorite custom 'Avenue Lo' to share with you in this blog post:

1)

 

2)

 

3)

 

4)

 

5)

 

6)

 

 

 

However these are not the only carbon fiber parts we have ready for you, we also have our...

 

C.B.3

 

 

 

Diner's original carbon saddle

 

 

Diner's original carbon seat post

 

 

 

I have been riding with some of these parts for years now... 

 

 

Why not see what difference they can make for you?


 

Welcome to the 11th chronicle of our humble club, located here in Nishi-Azabu; and the reason why we call ourselves W.A.C.C (you know already right?).

 

 

Having been silent during the summer, we've recently been on a few nighttime missions, a particularly memorable occasion being our visit to Sancha (Sangenjaya), setting off from Elima, we cut through Hiroo and Ebisu, taking us through to Daikanyama, where we continued onto the better part of 246 - from Roppongi to Ikejiri the 246 can be trying; too many cars, hills, and unkempt tarmac...not the way to go for cyclists.

 

We made it anyway:

 

 

And just a few of us converged...

 

 

The alighting spot being our friends at Wavey Store (quite recently opened - check it out!) 

 

 

Definitely, for the skaters and anyone looking for dope apparel...

 

 

The also had a vintage football shirt pop-up going on, since the manager of the shop used to play and obviously has good sense in sports:

 

 

After finishing at the store we all moved to space orbit, where I had to handle some business of the musical kind, and where I bumped into this chap, reppin' the label he recently released off...

 

 

Which reminds me that I have to say thanks to everyone for showing love to our 'AlWAYS MAINTAIN' L/S  T-shirt, they are selling like hot cakes again, I guess since the weather is cooling down?

 

Thank you, Steven Julien the man behind the Apron...

 

 

Be sure to check his latest Apron show:

 

 

Here reppin' W.A.C.C in Shanghai, where he is currently on tour, I just hope he makes a stopover to visit us here in Tokyo.

 

 

Always big up the YGmane, and old time friend of the road and definitely part of the club...

 

 

Be sure to get your hands on W.A.C.C while stock lasts!!!

 

 

Finally, catch us this Thursday at Trump Tokyo

 


 

Since its release last year the chrome 'Avenue Lo' has proven itself to be a very popular model outside our stable matte colored bikes. 

 

Having been including in our restock, we have been sharing a few custom models on our Instagram during the week, the last post we shared being of this carbon fork edition:

 

 

However, this particular custom features Dia-Compe's 'Grand Compe' wheel and hub set:

 

 

Giving you more spin for the buck as well as having a nice polished finish, contrasting against our original matte black carbon forks:

 

 

For those of you who are looking for performance without compromising the original appearance of the bike, this is definitely the way to go...

 

 

This week we also gathered this buyer's custom from Diner:

 

 

One of the main reasons this custom stood out to us, was the black Factory Five 47' chain ring:

 

 

That this patron has attached to a size 13' cog, I have a size 16' cog with a size 48' crankset, for those of you not initiated to gear ratios this cartel owner is a bit of hard rider...

 

 

He also opted for these drop handlebars which he wrapped up with Fizik's bar tape:

 

 

Maybe he took inspiration from this particular custom we also shared earlier this week...

 

 

Diner's original aluminum drop handlebars:

 

 

You'll also notice the same Factory Five chainring but this time in purple...

However, this one is attached to the mighty Omnium direct drive crankset by SRAM...

Oh as well as Diner's 3 spoke carbon rear wheel...

 

 

With there being so many ways to custom your Cartel bike to your ride, why not customize yours today? 

Or as a first-step pick up  The  Chrome 'Avenue Lo' available now - ¥89,640?

 


 

My idea of bicycle culture - namely the way I have been experiencing life through my cartel bike, which for the most part has fuelled my recent adventures in music, books, films and generally my life here in Japan for the past 10 years.

 

During this journey, I've been blessed enough to meet kindred souls, who I have been able to create and share experiences with; two of them you can see in the following photo - taken while we were shooting Jesse Freeman's debut short film 'vein':

 

 

Vein from Jesse Freeman on Vimeo.

 

It was shot by Alani 'Rathermakeart' Cruz, whose logo used three items, that inspired the following photo (a replica of his logo):

 

 

His mantra was simply "I'd rather be making art right now"...

 

 

His work was last exhibited jointly with Jesse Freeman's, where they created a 'back and forth' dialogue through photos in a series they called "Jordan's and and a Gold chain" - the title revealing much about their socializations on the Eastcoast of the U.S:

 

 

I am sure they were communicating ideas/feelings they both share as artists, I love the dialogue simply because the pictures were born from their actual experiences growing up, as opposed to something voyeuristic and objective:

 

Alani...

 

 

Jesse's response...

 

 

As for me, it was Alani that watched over me like an angel back in 2014, when I fractured my right hip in 3 places, just before joining Cartel bikes...

 

 

Here is a very valuable picture of Alani and I (thank you Eric!!!), just after I had returned my crutches to the hospital and while he was still looking after me, though he himself held back something from the world at large...

 

 

Let me take it back even further though, and share with you something we both created from an experience we shared way back in 2010, where I was invited to DJ in Osaka, a journey he documented (below a sample):

 

 

 

 

The journey we shared resulted in the creation of the following, which I will continue share on this day every year one way or another:

 

Mr.Tikini alongside  Alani ‘Peep Game’ Cruz went to Osaka last year July. Our time there was special to say the least. We were taken to a vintage clothes store, whose owner is a vinyl junkie. Needless to say that vinyl got bought, especially since all the records were just ¥100 yen.

 

To show our appreciation we have put together a little mix of 22 tracks in total (only ¥2,200).

 

Right click and save this image – Which was lovevingly designed by Alani ‘Peep Game’ Cruz

Left click this image to be taken to the download page.

Tikini’s Mix. (click for download)

Alani ‘Peep Games’  Cruz’s Mix. (click for download)

Both mixes are full of snap crackle and pop, which was a bone of contention for us. However these records are old 45’s and the snap, cracle and pop just adds to the effect.

To our friends in Osaka, this one’s for you.

For everyone else enjoy the ride.

 

2010...

 

 


2015...

 

 

Alani, man you saw each of us (who you viewed as your brothers) for who we could be, I've let you down majorly recently, but from here on in I promise to make you smile, since after everything I've been through this year...I too would also rather be making art...

 

Rest in power!