“We wanted to let people know that we were a reputable force.”
- Phil Rinthalukay
Richmond – It’s a chilly afternoon on Hull and 3rd Street. 24-year-old Phil Rinthalukay is expecting some packages. He first started cycling when he came to VCU back in 2003 and now he’s in the middle of relocating to the bigger building next door. Construction workers are in and out of the two buildings, adjusting wiring and remodeling the wall structures.
“ It’s a Nemesis Project …this model runs for about a g,” says Rinthalukay.
He’s putting together the saddle (seat) and handlebar grips for a freestyle fixed gear bike when a deliveryman comes to the door.
Rinthalukay is the co-owner of ShopCultur.com, an online-based bike shop that is quickly making a name for itself across the globe. The idea for the site came from an online bike forum that he also had a hand it creating named Trick Track.
After a monumental road trip this past summer from Austin, Texas to New York City, the brand has made some new friends and established key connections with several top-selling companies such as Mishka, Velocity and SE Bikes. With new possibilities being more accessible than ever, Cultur is opening its first location in the Richmond area and it may well be the first of its kind.
What made the Cultur summer road trip such a big moment was the story behind it. Rinthalukay says that the ShopCultur.com site had not been up and running for more than two days when they got the idea for the trip. They put together a team and the initial plan was for him and his friends to fly out to Austin, ride around the area, party hard and shoot film. They followed this process from Austin, Tx to Baton Rouge, La to Atlanta, Ga. to Baltimore to Philadelphia and finally to New York City.
Along the way many people found out what Cultur was about and joined them on their journey. Rinthalukay and his friends paid for the trip completely out of pocket and it cost them close to $5,000. When asked if Rinthalukay thought the trip was worth the cost he simply answered, “Yes.” It gave them the opportunity to meet a lot of good cyclists and it put them on the map with a lot of major companies.
If you’ve ever visited the city of Richmond there’s a good chance you’ve spotted cyclists. For many residents bicycling is a means of transportation, but a closer look unlocks a subculture of bike enthusiasts.
Common Bike Types
Mountain Bikes are designed of "off road" riding and are great for use on back country trails, hills and ravines. Mountain bikes are also popular as all purpose bikes for use on roads, paved and crushed stone trails as well as rugged trails due to their durability.
One of the more important considerations when choosing a mountain bike is the type of suspension that is best for your needs. There are rigid mountain bikes which have no suspension, hard tail mountain bikes which have front suspension but no rear suspension and full suspension models.
Road Bikes are designed for use on roads, tracks and well maintained bike trails. For many years this category was referred to as 10 speed bikes. Today most of these bikes have 3 sprockets in front and multiple sprockets in back so they normally have more than 10 speeds. There are also a number of different types (or sub categories) of road bikes such as Racing Bikes, Touring Bikes and Sport Bikes.
Hybrid Bicycles are a cross between different bicycle types. The most common reference is usually the cross between a mountain bike and a road bike. These bikes usually have tires that are thinner than a mountain bike but wider than a typical road bike (700x35c is common), the handle bars are more like a mountain bike and you sit up straighter than on a road bike. Some hybrid bikes are designed for comfort and all purpose use and many come with shock absorbers (front and/or under the seat) and comfortable seats.
Recumbent Bicycles (also referred to as bents) take advantage of reduced wind resistance, and are fast and comfortable. Recumbent riders sit in a reclined position as opposed to the upright or forward leaning positions of more traditional bikes. Bents are becoming much more popular than in the past and are suited well for touring, bike trails (not rugged mountain trails) and roads.
There are many different configurations of recumbent bikes. There are Short Wheel Base (SWB) where the pedals are above the front wheel, Long Wheel Base (LWB) where the pedals are behind the front wheel, Above Seat Steering (ASS) where the handlebars are usually about chest high, and Under Seat Steering (USS) where the steering is under the riders seat (less common). There are also tandem recumbents in addition to recumbent trikes with the double wheels in front or in back.
BMX & Freestyle Bikes BMX bikes are designed for off road racing on dirt tracks, Freestyle and Jump Bikes (in the same general category) are designed for performing stunts and tricks and jumping ramps. These are usually (but not always) 20 inch bikes with upright handlebars, knobby tires, rear hand brakes and, in some cases, additional front brakes and pegs for stunts.
Cruiser Bicycles (or beach cruisers) are the old style or classic bikes with balloon tires and upright seating position that were popular in the US until around the late 50s. These bikes are comfortable, sturdy, durable and can handle a variety of different terrains. Most cruisers are heavy and usually have just one speed (the downside to their durability).
What sets Cultur apart from other bike shops is the fact that it caters specifically (but not solely) to the emerging scene of fixed gear freestyle bicycling--a mash up between track bike riding and freestyle BMX. Their company has a grassroots foundation and the cycling community respects it.
Rinthalukay and Kyle McConnell run the shop with some help from their fellow riders, family and friends. They will be sponsoring a Goldsprints event with prizes this Saturday at Belly Timber Tavern.
A Cultur Summer Road Trip
SOURCES
Phil Rinthalukay
804-549-6576
ShopCultur TrickTrack
John Emanuel
jemanuel@vcu.edu
Ernest Gamboa
757-201-2850
http://www.watchcultur.com/
http://www.mishkanyc.com/home
http://www.sebikes.com/
http://www.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://www.about-bicycles.com/Bike-Articles.html
http://bellytimbertavern.com/
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