The Neighborhood Series

Stoker’s Studio is quickly approaching one year in business at 170 Broadway St. and every day I feel fortunate to be here. I joined a block of one-of-a-kind businesses, and to celebrate them, I am starting a photo and blog series. I’ll be taking a bike that comes out of Stoker’s Studio and putting it in a setting you typically wouldn’t find it, making the bikes come to life in the beautiful spaces that surround me. So here is the first bike of the series, the Parlee Ouray, and here is the first location: Atomic Furnishing & Design.

Atomic Furnishing & Design: 178 Broadway St.

Atomic is just two doors down from me on Broadway, and though we joined the block around the same time, they've been in business for over a decade. Their focus is mid-century modern furniture, restored and reupholstered by their own hands, and I’m lucky to say that one of their couches is in my home. They're also home to over 30 vendors. Walk through their space, and you’ll find vinyl, local artwork, woodworking, NA spirits, plants, and who knows what else. It's the perfect place for a weekend wander, and the bright colors and striking shapes made it an obvious choice for a photoshoot.

When we arrived with the bike, we were lucky to catch Megan and Todd, the owners of Atomic, still in the shop. Todd was spinning records up in his booth, setting the tone for the whole shoot, while Megan helped a customer load a new chair. They’re an inspirational pair, especially for a new business owner like myself. Next time you stop by Stoker's Studio, leave a little extra time to walk through Atomic. You're guaranteed to fall in love with something.

Here is Atomic’s website, their Instagram, and you can sign up for the newsletter here.

Ian’s Parlee Ouray

The Ouray, by Parlee Cycles, is their endurance offering. Designed in Massachusetts and fabricated entirely in one piece in Portugal, there are no seams or joints to hide. This one was left completely raw, so you can see the carbon fiber unadulterated. I find those fibers are reminiscent of wood grain, and it’s that similarity that originally inspired the neighborhood series. I was thinking of all the gorgeous tables, chairs, and credenzas that were under Atomic’s roof, and knew that this bike would look incredible in their space.

The new owner of this bike happened to be in Asheville for the weekend for a concert and came into the shop to talk about Parlee. We spoke about their design philosophy, and I shared how much I’ve enjoyed riding my own. On his way out of the shop, he took note of the hand-built wheelset I had on display. We connected later over email, he wanted to pull the trigger on an Ouray, and he wanted it to have the wheels that had caught his eye. These were a set I had built the night before my grand opening, composed of Chris King hubs, CX-Ray spokes, and Enve 4.5 rims. Components picked like I was going to be the one riding them: performance-oriented, but with durability in mind. This was a sentimental pair of wheels, and to finally test ride them almost a year after I’d assembled them was an experience. I’m glad to see them going to a good home on a great bike.

Parlee’s bikes are not mass-produced. They are made in small batches, with Parlee ensuring that every one of them is fit to their rider. Every client gets an individualized build sheet, mapping their fit to the frame. Selecting seatpost setback, stem length, bar width, and crank length to a customer’s spec makes for a bike that feels better than the sum of its parts. That fit matters on a bike like the Ouray, which is meant to be ridden fast all day, over a variety of terrain. We built this one with Shimano’s Ultegra groupset. The shifts are incredibly fast and smooth, and the hoods feel right at home on the Deda one-piece cockpit, which itself looks specifically made for the Ouray with matching lines and texture.

Ian and I were able to sneak in a ride before he took it home, not something I’m typically able to do. It’s a special feeling to see a machine you spent so much time putting together out on the road. I’m proud to have this bike leaving Stoker’s Studio, and so happy to be able to showcase it in Atomic, just a couple of doors down from the shop.

Thank you to Austin Noyes for all the photography work, and thank you to Atomic Furnishing & Design for hosting!

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