FAQ
CONTENTS
Scroll down or click on the topic for more information.
- My Biking Experience
- About My Bikes
- About my Helmet, Clothes, and More
- My Road Rules
- Image use, Content, and Post Frequency
- Comments & Discussion
- Bikeyface Merchandise
- Interview Requests
- Appearances and Events
- Advertising, Reviews, Product Placement, Endorsements
- Custom Art, Projects, Freelance
- Personal Questions
MY BIKING EXPERIENCE
When did you start biking?
In 2008 I moved to Silverlake area of Los Angeles and worked in Burbank and there was no gym in convenient commute distance (considering traffic.) However there were bike lanes on Sunset Boulevard and it occurred to me that maybe I could bike to work. So I bought an Electra Amsterdam and started bike commuting. 50% by bike on lanes & paths, and 50% was on the subway. While I still had a car, I fell in love with biking and starting doing it more than driving. With experience, I got the courage to expand my biking radius to downtown, Hollywood, and mid-city. In 2009 I changed jobs and moved to Boston to be near family. For a while my commute was 60 miles a day and so biking was left for weekend recreation. This was when I started taking 20+ rides around the burbs of Boston. This is when I upgraded to a hybrid bike with more gears and aggressive posture for the new terrain.
What type of cyclist are you?
I bike for transportation 80% of the time. In the city I am fast, confident and cautious. I signal frequently and try to be aware and considerate of others. But sometimes I get too focused on my destination and forget to smile and look at clouds. I try to fight this and sometimes I force myself to slow down and relax. I don’t race or do serious road cycling. I sometimes do long recreational rides on weekends in good weather ~20-50 miles with an average speed of 12-15mph with several stops for ice cream, coffee, pastries, photos, and farm stands.
MY BIKES
What bikes do you have?
For commuting I ride a 49cm Globe Vienna WSD V2. She is a plain and functional hybrid. She is mostly upright and fast which is what I prefer for city riding. I plan to replace her with something lighter with less gears, but still fast and somewhat upright. But not slow Dutch-bike style upright. I have a Surly Crosscheck in Robins Egg blue, size 42cm. That I use for long distance leisure rides, light touring, and carrying my paints when I go landscape painting. It is set up with drops so I don’t use it as much in city traffic.
What are the names of your bikes?
The Specialized Globe Vienna 2 is called “Tank.” The Surly Crosscheck is called “Marlene Dietrich.”
MY HELMET, CLOTHING, AND MORE
What helmet do you wear in the cartoons?
I wear a Giro Surface in Houndstooth.
What clothes do you wear when you bike?
Just my regular clothes. Anything from professional, casual, and dressy stuff. The only time I wear sporty clothes is on rides longer than ~25 miles. Fun fact: I often draw what I’m wearing that day into my cartoon.
What shoes do you wear when you bike?
Just my regular shoes. If I can walk in it, I can bike in it. However, I can’t really walk in heels so I don’t wear those much. No matter the activity.
Do you shower at work?
Nope. I just get ready at home before I leave.
Are you a “chic cyclist”?
Only when placed next to someone in sportswear. I dress neatly and appropriate to whatever thing I’m heading to, but I’m not a fashionista. But I especially don’t like women to only be represented in terms of fashion in the cycling world. We are multi-dimensional and have much more to offer.
ROAD RULES
Do you stop at stop lights?
Hell yes. And stop signs too.
Do you follow road rules?
As much as I can with the current infrastructure in place and still stay safe.
Do you signal?
Yes.
IMAGE USE, CONTENT, AND POST FREQUENCY
Can I use your images?
I make my comics available online for the sake of spreading information. So please share them for educational, entertainment, non-commercial & non-profit purposes only. Proper credit and link to my site must be included (e.g. artwork via Bikeyface, www.bikeyface.com). Feel free to send me links if you are mentioning my work, I appreciate the courtesy. Please do not modify my images, re-post a significant number of images, or re-post entire blog posts.
Any other use of my art (e.g. hi res print) would have an associated licensing fee & arrangement. Contact me to learn more.
How often do you post?
I usually post weekly but it may vary. This is due to the time it takes to draw the illustrations and write the posts. This is all done in my own free time outside of a full time job. I will occasionally take weeks off to work on other side projects or catch up on stuff. I recommend you subscribe so you don’t miss anything.
Do you create all our own stuff?
All images, opinions, and content are mine alone unless otherwise noted.
How accurate is it?
All characters and stories represented within blog posts, while inspired and informed by my own experiences, are ultimately fictional.
How do you make the illustrations?
Each image is hand drawn in sections and compiled in Photoshop. I finish drawing and touching it up it digitally using a Wacom tablet. Then I hate it and scrap it and draw something completely different at the last minute. Most drawings take an average of 1-4 hours depending on complexity and a post can take up to 10-15 hours to complete.
DISCUSSION
What is your comment policy?
All comments are moderated. Discussion should be polite and productive and differing views are welcome. However, I won’t approve spam, inflammatory, rude, or disrespectful comments.
BIKEYFACE MERCHANDISE
Do you have Bikeyface merchandise for sale?
I am working on this but it’s taking time to set up. I’m hoping to have a few things out for the Christmas 2012 season. It may include T-shirts, cards/prints, maybe a small book.
INTERVIEW REQUESTS
Can I interview you?
I’m flattered to be asked, but I’m not able to accept every interview request. This is entirely dependent on what the interview is for and how much free time I have. Contact me if interested and I’ll let you know. (I also tried to answer some common past interview questions in this FAQ so you can also use it as a reference.)
APPEARANCES AND EVENTS
Do you do events?
Whenever I feel like organizing something fun to meet people.
Do you do appearances?
No, I’m just a person with a blog. I don’t have anything to promote and I don’t do official appearances or events for now. But I sometimes go to events as a regular citizen cyclist. Especially when there is free food.
ADVERTISING, REVIEWS, PRODUCT PLACEMENT
Can you review my product?
Nope. I just do cartoons. But if you want to promote your business you can advertise in the sidebar area. Contact me for more information and rates.
Will you put my product in your cartoons?
Not unless I already use it and like it. My creative process is too cumbersome as it is so I need to keep it protected from outside interests. I reserve full creative control of my post content and will not take payment or requests.
Can I advertise on Bikeyface?
Yes, advertising is available to relevant individual companies. Contact me for more information.
Can you promote/endorse my event/product/site/blog/thingy?
I don’t know. You can send me a link but I only share things that seem relevant to my goals and only on Facebook or Twitter (that’s also the best way to reach me for these things.) However, if you are a business that would like to advertise in the sidebar, please contact me for more information.
CUSTOM ART, PROJECTS, FREELANCE
Can you draw something for me?
I am available for hire for professional freelance work, contact me for more information.
Can I use some your existing artwork in this poster/flyer/booklet/t-shirt I’m making?
Use of existing art (e.g. hi res print) would have an associated licensing fee & arrangement, contact me for more information.
I’m a non-profit. Do you do pro-bono projects?
No, I’m not able to do pro-bono work since the blog itself is already mostly a labor of love so I leave it at that.
Could we collaborate on a project?
Possibly. Contact me to discuss.
PERSONAL QUESTIONS
Where are you from?
I have spent most of my life in New England or Los Angeles, California with some minor stays in other areas of the country & world.
What is your educational background?
I got my BA from Brandeis with a major in Fine Arts (Painting) and a minor in Creative Writing. I have a MFA from the Univerisity of Southern California in Cinema-Television Production.
What do you do for a living?
I currently work full-time at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. In the past I worked as a project manager and production coordinator in advertising illustration, animation/visual effects, and television.
When did you start drawing?
As soon as I could hold a pencil.
When did you start drawing cartoons?
I started drawing comics when I first saw Matt Groening’s Childhood is Hell books when I was in elementary school. After that I found political cartoons. Both were very influential.
What other things do you do?
I paint large oil paintings and have a studio in Somerville, MA. They are nothing like my comics. I’ve also written 3 feature length comedy screenplays which have not been produced. I love indie music and am expert on good Pain au Chocoalat.
Dear Bikeyface – you make me laugh and sing the praises of all the youngsters moving bicycling into the mainstream. I’m almost your mother’s age (59) and have been biking nearly daily since I was 8. After living in Portland OR and DC for years – where biking was easier – moving to Boston in the late 80′s was a culture shock of car hostility. It’s gotten so much better and ever more so with people like you. Thanks for your humor and hopefulness – too often I get into mean bikeyface mode and do a poor job of ambassadorial bike riding to all those stuck car drivers. After laughing at your sweet messages I’m going to work hard on being a sweeter bikeyface.