Anyone who’s ever come along for the Friday Night Ride knows it’s no secret. Beer plays as an important part in the activity as the people and the bikes. It’s the perfect lubricant for socializing and creating stimulating conversation.
So when the Beijing-based JingA brewery recently approached us and asked if we would be up for doing a tap takeover we were more than excited. We’re fans of beer, but quality craft brew is a whole other level of awesome. How could we miss the opportunity to introduce to our friends a few new tasty beers to enjoy along with the ride?
Not only will we be offering pints of JingA’s “Mandarin Wheat” and “Koji Red Ale” for ¥30, but we’ll be taking the show on the road. With the ride ending up at The Craft Project, a super rad little space located in Shui Jing Tang, next to Lan Kwai Fong. We’ll have full control of the space where you can expect the same awesome beers on tap. No need to worry about locking up as we’ll be able to bring all our bikes inside!
More exciting is that this next FNR we’ll be working with our buddies in the Big Ten Small Business Salon. What’s this mean? Natooke is an active participant in an events exchange that works to introduce like-minded businesses with other cool companies in Chengdu and sample activities they organize to support their community. In short, expect a whole slew of new faces along for the ride to experience the kind of fun our crew gets into.
We take fun pretty damn seriously and if ever we were fun forecasters we’re confident there’s a 100% chance of a good time. Be sure not to miss this iteration of the FNR, because not every chance do the factors necessary harmonize for such an incredibly fun occasion.
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This coming Wednesday, August 17 we’ll be hosting this month’s movie night. August 17 also coincides with the Chinese Spirit Festival. In the spirit of the holiday, we’ll be showing “Spirited Away” from the esteemed director Hayao Miyazaki.
The story follows a sullen young girl as her family makes a move to the suburbs. Quickly it dives into a strange world of mystery, excitement and adventure as the young girl meets a whole array of new friends. A fantastic coming-of-age story, this visually luscious animated film shows that through hard work, compassion and friendship you can overcome any challenge.
Starting at 8 p.m. we’ll be showing the film at Natooke. Show up early to save a seat!
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Two weeks seem to have come and gone in the blink of an eye. Happy to announce that in fact, yes, this week there is a Friday Night Ride. Don’t miss out on your choice to join in on what’s likely the coolest tour of town.
As usual, expect to listen to some solid tunes, chat with some solid people and have a solid good time. Swing by before 8:00 p.m. and enjoy a happy hour ¥20 pint of Asahi. Take the edge off this summer heat! Read more
Over the course of the summer we’ve led several different countryside rides. Each time they’ve become successively more interesting as we take our friends along to explore more and more unique little pockets of the Sichuan basin.
This time while scouting for routes we found an area that is all but too nice to just spend one day riding around. So, we got to thinking: why not not make for a full weekend of riding?
Here’s the scoop. The ride will be organized in a similar way as our standard single day ride. We’ll plan to meet up at Natooke on Saturday, August 20 at 7:30 a.m. We’ll depart at 8:00 a.m. sharp.
We’ll then drive out to Luojiang, deposit overnight bags at the arranged guesthouse and set out for the first day’s ride, a loop of roughly 70km. During the first loop we’ll stop for a light lunch before finishing up the days ride.
The afternoon we’ll have time to explore the back alleys and parks of the town. This includes taking in the local architecture, tea houses and a rural Sichuan opera house. Dinner will be at the guesthouse before turning in for the evening.
The following morning we’ll offer breakfast before packing our things in and setting out on the second day’s roughly 70km ride. At the end of the ride we’ll have a lunch before packing it all in and heading back to Chengdu.
The total cost is ¥800 and includes transportation to and from, a night’s stay at a lovely guesthouse and the above mentioned meals. To reserve a private room there is an additional ¥60. Bicycles designed for comfortable long-distance rides are available for an additional ¥100.
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August 9th doesn’t appear to be a remarkable date. However according to the lunar calendar, it’s the 7th day of the 7th month. This date holds a special place in that it’s the traditional Chinese Valentine’s. It’s the one day that Zhinü, a heavenly fairy and Niulang, her human husband, can reach one another by crossing a heavenly bridge. Read more
This past June as part of our customer appreciation specials we offered a special maintenance workshop in which we covered the basics on how to keep your bike rolling smooth. Since then we’ve had a number of people follow up asking when the next workshop is going to be. Read more
Friday. Night. Ride. Let the words play again in your head. Friday. Night. Ride. Easily one of Chengdu’s most unique and exciting activities, the FNR does not fail to uphold it’s reputation for bringing unequivocal joy to participants and hapless bystanders alike. With a throng of awesome people to chat with and explore the streets with tasteful musical accompaniment, it’s no wonder the FNR is increasingly off the hook. Get out and have fun. Friday, 8 p.m.
This week we’ll be watching“Pee-wee’s Big Adventure”. The story follow’s Pee-wee, an eccentric man who one day finds his beloved bicycle has been stolen in broad daylight. He then decides to undertake an epic cross-country adventure to track down and retrieve his stolen bicycle.
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We had a busy week last week with our two social rides! On Thursday, we rode through the east side of the Forbidden City, finishing at Nbeer Pub for a drink. On Saturday, Dylan and Abby led the Natooke family on a tour of Beijing’s best landmarks and pubs, and everyone had a great time. We hope to see you on the next Social Ride!
We build really beautiful bikes. No joke! We’re not just trying to toot our own horn here, but one of the things we take greatest pride in is just this. Having a bike isn’t just about having a machine that speaks of quality and utility, but also one that can look damn good doing it. Read more
