Since opening our doors in our new space in August, a lot about the Bike Oven has changed. Gone are the days of plastic sheets hung down from my old garage door in the winter. The bathroom breaks around the corner of the building are over and done as well - we have a potty at the new Bike Oven location.

Before I get any angry emails: taking a whizz “en plaine aire” has its merits. However, peeing indoors (and out of sight of the neighbors) has its merits as well (i.e. a sink to wash your hands).

All micturating aside, things have changed course in other ways. Our mission statement (if there ever was one) is now getting written down and voted on by our group of core volunteers. We share the space with Sandpaper Books, an alternative book dealership that inherited the space from an artist’s collective calling itself “Flor Y Canto” - so our cultural bona fides are quickly becoming as established as our bicycle repair abilities are.

Anyway, on to the sign, some pictures, and glory …

As written about a few days ago, our exterior sign had some electrical work done on it (fo’ free, thanks to Eddie), we had a large piece of plexi-glass donated (thank you propmaster Blaze!), and Matt has come up with a lot of free labor and some artistic skills to get some sort electric symbol of the Bike Oven installed.

It took two evenings for Matt to put the finishing touches on his handiwork. A chopped-in-half old Schwinn destined for the garbage dump has been turned into trademark to the neighborhood - we be workin’ on bikes.

My favorite moment was dancing around, talking too loud to everyone about how cool it was that a huge sign with a bicycle roasting inside of an oven was now brightly lighting up our building’s exterior.

I am not sure what Matt’s favorite moment was, but here he is, standing in the middle of Figueroa Blvd., at night, taking in his work.

These pictures don’t really capture the sign that well. My camera sucks, and I am not a skilled photographer. To see this thing in all it’s fluorescent glory, stop by the Bike Oven in the evening some time. We are open Monday through Thursday, from about 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. and on Saturday & Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.