(UPDATE — Dec. 3, 2005: SkidStrong name has been changed to FISSO, due to trademark protection action taken by the Lance Armstrong Foundation to protect its LiveStrong brand. Read more about at the Skidmark blog entry “Lancey-Pants.)
Cycles Gaansari has created a new bicycle brand that helps raise money for bike messengers who've been injured on the job.
A portion of the proceeds from the sales of bikes and gear with the company's SkidStrong brand (left) goes to the nonprofit Bicycle Messenger Emergency Fund.
The emergency fund, based in Sarasota, Florida, gets some fast cash out to bicycle messengers who've been knocked out of work (below). According to the website:
“This fund will provide emergency cash for an injured bicycle messenger during the first 24/36 hours of pain from injuries.”
Nobody's getting rich off of this. There have been 16 payouts this year of $300 each. The fund is supported by the International Federation of Bike Messenger Associations.
The SkidStrong brand comes from Cycles Gaansari, a small bike shop and bike building business owned by Gary Boulanger in Dayton, Ohio. Since launching the company in 2002, Boulanger has produced traditional road bikes, as well as fixed gear, randonneuring, and 29-inch wheel off-road styles.
Geared toward bike messengers and those who like their gear, the SkidStrong is a track-style fixed gear bike that can be built for no brakes or front brakes only. The frame is Columbus or Dedacciai heat-treated cromoly steel. Cycles Gaansari sends $30 for each frame and $100 for each built bike to the bike messenger fund.
Helmets, wheelsets, saddles and apparel (even rubber bracelets) with the SkidStrong brand are available.
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