A Joe Appaloosa on Milwaukee Avenue
By Luke Batten
Photos by Carolina Gil
I was riding north up Milwaukee Avenue a couple weeks ago and if you have ever been to Chicago, this is one of the main bike commuting corridors from the Northwest side of Chicago to the Loop. It is not unusual to see hundreds of commuters lined-out as this thoroughfare connects the center of Chicago to the neighborhoods of Wicker Park, Bucktown, Logan Square, Avondale etc. As I passed through Grand Avenue I spotted a Rivendell Touring Bike (Not the typical Milwaukee Ave commuter) fully decked out with Velo Orange racks for touring bags.
I pedaled quickly to introduced myself to the owner which was no easy feat as I was riding a dutch made Workcycles Fr8 with two kids seats and a basket. The owner is Raheem Uqdah and within the few blocks we rode together we made plans to meet up at the TSH studio for a photo session to capture his Rivendell Joe Appaloosa. Raheem built the the bike from the frame and every bit is meticulously maintained but also weathered from long rides and constant commuting. It was great to talk about a bike well loved with some dirt and stories. Sometimes it feels like social media is so full of #newbikeday and N+1 moments that bikes and technology feel shockingly disposable. Thanks to Raheem for sharing the long journey with a well loved bike made to last more than a few seasons.
Rivendell Joe Appaloosa
