new caps on the way! |
i have been working with caroline over at little package to make a new and improved batch of caps that should be ready in a month or so. up until now i have silk screened every cap that has left the shop but as much as i love the “everyone is done on my kitchen table” style, i need to streamline the process to make more time behind the workbench in the workshop. in addition to batching them out and having a local shop screen the panels, the graphics are more detailed, a little bolder and look classy. the new caps will still be black with a white stripe and white ink. $40 will still get you the best cycling cap you will ever buy but it will be a little sportier.
this whole streamlining idea is part of the “2010: working smarter, not harder” concept that i have been striving towards since late last year. ironically, it seems that one has to work much harder to get the point where one can work smarter. shop efficiency, work flow and keeping regular hours in the shop are all parts of the greater goal to making beautiful bikes a little smoother. honestly, i am not a factory worker by nature so i love letting myself go and sculpting lugs to a razor-sharp edge. having a schedule, a dedicated order process and keeping track of hours doesn’t come naturally but it makes for a better bike in the end. while every ira ryan bicycle has a consistent style, no two bikes are the same. when i started building bicycles, i was impressed with the artisan craft but as i have continued to build bikes, the process of building beautiful machines efficiently has moved to the focus of my time in the shop.
i still have a couple caps left in the old style that are for sale. cheers.
