Out of an interest for leisure, health, sport or to save time, cycling (biking) is emerging as a growing culture on the streets of the IT Hub. The city that has provided space not just for tech giants but embraced the various forms of art and artists, constantly cultivating a room for various cultures to exist is now have bicycles thriving on its roads. Cycling groups of riders making rounds in the city on night rides have been turning the inquisitive heads of the citizens.
It might not be the first bike store in the city but from delivering to designing; from sales to servicing and from rents to rides, this 10-months old group is doing anything and everything that can possibly be thought of around biking and cycling. Life Behind Bars (LBB) bicycles that promises to help you build your dream ride has a lot more to offer you than just that.
Making waves across this city through their delivery deeds, these Bengalurean lads surfaced breads around Indiranagar and Ulsoor tackling the traffic menace and allowing you to have your fresh Sunday breakfast from the French bread loafs at your doorstep through ‘Take It And Go’ (TIAG), their bicycle delivery service in town or rather a silver lining in the stressful struggle of traffic in the town. Not just breads though, they plan to be your saviour for your delivery dooms ranging from packages to food eventually. However that will take a little while to come around considering the man power, planning and logistics in mind.
“Biking or bicycling has always been there in various forms but it was somewhere being lost. We are trying to build a community for bikers specifically and artists at large to let people see biking beyond and adventure sport once in a while or a fitness way out,” said Shashank CK one of the partners in LLB who has spent most of his life over and behind the cycle wheels. A mountain biker and bicycle mechanic who holds years of experience with bicycles having worked at different established bike stores around the city.
LBB that was co found by Shariq Rahman and Ben Joseph was born out of their pure love for bikes since the time they remember. “The idea was always there in our heads and we knew we would do it, we were maybe not so sure when would that be. We were probably just waiting for a chance that came by us last year and things started to fall into place,” said Shariq who is a product designer by education and a fixed gear enthusiast, putting his designing education to complete usage with LBB bicycles. As for Ben (Benny as he is called), he is a core biker, touring around fixed gear bikes through mountains and varied terrains, alongside ‘vloging’ (video blogging) his insights on his YouTube channel.
“We are trying to make biking more approachable, affordable and known among people irrespective of their age, profession or interest. If you want to know anything about a bike, if you want to own a bicycle, if you want to go bicycling in up hills, if you want to rent a bike and go around or if you want your bike to be customised the way you want, we will do it for you,” added Shariq who ensured that once you get your bike to LBB, you will get to own it back as an entirely new one.
LBB is very soon starting its clothing line as well and has been making continued efforts in nurturing a space for bikers, bike admirers, cyclists and whoever wants to join their troop and enjoy a ride within or outside the city. They host Thursday night rides from their outlet in Indiranagar up to MG Road, Hard cafe where they claim to have ‘sticker-bombed’ the entire lamp post. They organise weekend morning rides as well as rides all the way till Nandi. They also plan regular music night and movie nights at their store showcasing bike centric movies and documentaries to inculcate the biking charm. From a list of events that LBB has planned over the months to come, an interesting FLEA market is lined up for this Sunday. What started as an idea to sell bike parts and bicycle accessories has now turned into a space where various artists are putting up their stall with entities ranging from photographs, art works, paintings, hand-picked ‘vintage’ clothes and of course a lot of BIKE PARTS and ART. They promise a Sunday evening with interesting stuff for you to buy accompanied with lively music.
Since they will be racing at the Bangalore Amateur racing during the early morning hours on Sunday, they start in the afternoon that will develop into an evening where artists have gathered to sell anything ‘except pets, WMD’s, or any sort of narcotics.’
With four custom bike builds, over 60 bikes serviced and refurbished and several gatherings of bike enthusiasts across their initial eight months, this bike store is now bringing for you alluring five hours to get the best deals on BIKE parts, art, clothes and food.
What: Flea Market
Where: Life Behind Bars, Indiranagar
When: April 8, Sunday, 2 pm to 7 pm
