Map Bike - "Psycho Cycles"

I've been looking for this article for a good bit. These pictures are from an old issue of MBA, 1995, and the reason I've been rooting around for them is to get a scale reference for how intricate to paint the topographic map details on my own map-bike project, based on my Yokota frame. Now, with these images in hand, I can tell that the topo idea can be pulled off with not too much focus on details, and that I probably won't have to airbrush the map features, rather I can do them up freehand. I'm excited!

To bad I can't do much until the humidity levels here in Florida drop a bit. Enamel and acrylic do funny things in high moisture environments. *gloop gloop!*

The Full bike pic, showing the frame... notice also, the Keith Haring-ish "Radiant Baby on a Bicycle" showing through the scan from the backside of this pic. Cool. Haring is one of my favorite artists, so maybe we've got some good karma for the project.

Chainstay yoke details...

Psycho Cycles used yellow back in the day, but I'll be basing my topo effect on a tricolor fade, green in the front, white in the middle, and blue in the back...all lighter pastel tones, indicative of USGS topo sheets. I make real maps for a living, so why not paint fake maps on bikes for fun!

Psycho also used to sell these wonky eyeball cable hangers. I won't be making any of these dorky things.

Props to MBA, they wrote the article and should get the credit. I won't reproduce the whole thing here, but if you want to read about Psycho Cycles, or the topo bike, you're looking for the MBA April 1995 issue.

And this is the old girl who'll get the topo treatment.

And this is the topo treatment

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