Ace Hotel

March 28th, 2013

Thomas Callahan of Horse Cycles built the bicycle fleet that docks at Ace Hotel New York. You can take one for a spin when you stay with us or get your own. Thomas crafts these two-wheeled vessels from durable lugged steel with his own two hands and other tools in his Williamsburg, Brooklyn shop. He’s the kind of self-taught artisan born with the itch to build beautiful things that fetch you over bridges and down rush hour streams through ravines of office tower and tenement as you peddle your way, wind-in-your-hair and glad. We’re glad each time we set eyes or ass upon any of the fine steeds in our fleet.  Thomas’s latest venture is the Urban Tour Project, a new production line of wheel-to-frame-to-wheel all made in America bikes, because eventually we might need to get back to making things. He’s trying to get the training wheels off this new line with a Kickstarter. That’s something we can pledge allegiance to, and a couple duckets.

Thomas Callahan of Horse Cycles built the bicycle fleet that docks at Ace Hotel New York. You can take one for a spin when you stay with us or get your own. Thomas crafts these two-wheeled vessels from durable lugged steel with his own two hands and other tools in his Williamsburg, Brooklyn shop.

He’s the kind of self-taught artisan born with the itch to build beautiful things that fetch you over bridges and down rush hour streams through ravines of office tower and tenement as you peddle your way, wind-in-your-hair and glad. We’re glad each time we set eyes or ass upon any of the fine steeds in our fleet. 

Thomas’s latest venture is the Urban Tour Project, a new production line of wheel-to-frame-to-wheel all made in America bikes, because eventually we might need to get back to making things. He’s trying to get the training wheels off this new line with a Kickstarter. That’s something we can pledge allegiance to, and a couple duckets.


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December 18th, 2012

Jordan Hufnagel is not only our friend and one of the raddest people on the globe, he is also a top shelf bicycle crafter. Before setting off on a homemade motorcycle toward South America this summer with no possessions and no plans, he made a fleet of four beautiful Hufnagel Cycles for Ace Hotel Portland with his bare hands. We caught the process on film, and rode them all over to the hotel from his workshop in SE one late summer’s eve. Along the way, we met cop horses, innocent standers-by and a long-lost part of ourselves, it seems.

When you’re staying with us in Portland, you can rent one for the day and roll in style. They have a nice rack on the front (not that kind!) so you can pick up loot and local goods along the way.


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August 10th, 2012

Jordan Hufnagel made these bikes for Ace Hotel Portland with his own two hands as part of a project with Levi’s. They’re so beautiful, it brings a grease-tinged tear your eye. We rode them from Jordan’s SE Portland workshop to Ace at sundown, watching all the new shiny parts glisten like gold teeth in the waning afternoon rays, and ringing our sparkly bells annoyingly often at all whom we passed, including a troupe of mounted officers watering their fawns under the iconic Thompson Elk. These are the last four bicycles Jordan, who’s been making bikes for half a decade, might ever build; he’s selling everything he owns except a motorcycle and some basic necessities and riding off into the West American sunset in a couple months with no plan, no route and one really good friend. He’s giving us very, very tempting ideas. The operation of this very blog may be in danger! But for now, a swing around the Park Blocks on these hot rods will thoroughly suffice. Try them out when you’re staying in town with us.

Jordan Hufnagel made these bikes for Ace Hotel Portland with his own two hands as part of a project with Levi’s. They’re so beautiful, it brings a grease-tinged tear your eye. We rode them from Jordan’s SE Portland workshop to Ace at sundown, watching all the new shiny parts glisten like gold teeth in the waning afternoon rays, and ringing our sparkly bells annoyingly often at all whom we passed, including a troupe of mounted officers watering their fawns under the iconic Thompson Elk.

These are the last four bicycles Jordan, who’s been making bikes for half a decade, might ever build; he’s selling everything he owns except a motorcycle and some basic necessities and riding off into the West American sunset in a couple months with no plan, no route and one really good friend. He’s giving us very, very tempting ideas. The operation of this very blog may be in danger! But for now, a swing around the Park Blocks on these hot rods will thoroughly suffice. Try them out when you’re staying in town with us.


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March 7th, 2012

Taken by our pal Jeremy Dunn of Rapha at Ace Hotel Portland.

Taken by our pal Jeremy Dunn of Rapha at Ace Hotel Portland.


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November 6th, 2011

Horse Cycles has built a fleet of hand-made bicycles for Ace Hotel New York, and filmmaker Matt McClain spun this portrait of the man responsible, Thomas Callahan, at his shop in Brooklyn. You can borrow one when you’re in town.


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September 23rd, 2011

Back in August we hosted Get in the Saddle with Levi’s and Urban Outfitters at Ace Hotel New York — the mobile bike shop is part of a celebration for the release of the 511 Commuter. This cross-country journey is now culminating in Portland at the Oregon Manifest, an organization and celebration that believes bikes make the world a better place for everyone. We feel the same way.

Oregon Manifest is celebrating their challenge this weekend September 23 & 24 with a competition to design and build the ultimate utility bike. They are a pretty amazing organization — “We exist to celebrate and amplify bike craft, design and innovation. We believe that real innovation happens in workshops, garages, design houses and schools. We value the process of making, the spirit of ingenuity and the passion of brave undertakings.”

Keep an eye out for our friend Jordan Hufnagel’s creation. He’ll also be making a few custom bikes for Ace Portland with the help from our friends at Levi’s. Stay posted for that unveiling soon.

You can find the Levi’s x UO Bike shop around Portland throughout the weekend — on Friday at PNCA from 4-8pm and at the Chris King manufactory Saturday from 2:30-6pm.


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August 22nd, 2011

A gaggle of handsome creatures: Donovan, front desk heartthrob at Ace Hotel Portland, and our fleet of guns for hire — guests can borrow these sweet bikes at will and enjoy all this anomalous Northwest sunshine. Photo posted to Twitter by We’re Kinda Fancy

A gaggle of handsome creatures: Donovan, front desk heartthrob at Ace Hotel Portland, and our fleet of guns for hire — guests can borrow these sweet bikes at will and enjoy all this anomalous Northwest sunshine.



Photo posted to Twitter by We’re Kinda Fancy


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August 15th, 2011

Get in the Saddle happened at Ace Hotel New York — Levi’s and Urban Outfitters traveling bicycle bonanza. Here are some moments from the ground, including an inventory of steep prices for repair work and replacement parts. Photos from Smith & Ratliff and VeloJoy.

Get in the Saddle happened at Ace Hotel New York — Levi’s and Urban Outfitters traveling bicycle bonanza. Here are some moments from the ground, including an inventory of steep prices for repair work and replacement parts.

Photos from Smith & Ratliff and VeloJoy.


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August 3rd, 2011

Levi’s and Urban Outfitters present shorts from the Bicycle Film Festival, as curated by festival founder and director, Brendt Barbur, this Sunday at Ace Hotel New York. After being hit by a bus while riding his bike in NYC, Brendt felt compelled to start the festival as a platform to celebrate bicycles through music, art and film. He’ll be at the screening and staying after for a Q&A.

The screening is part of a whole weekend celebrating the saddle and wheel at Ace New York, and a larger cross-country tour with Levi’s beginning at Ace NYC and ending at Ace Portland, including a mobile, pop-up bike shop where you can tune up your bike with the best of them — the shop appears at Ace NYC this weekend on Friday and Sunday.

While you’re here, check out our gallery show with New York-based artist Michael Kim, Bicycles, up today through August 9, presented by Levi’s. For several years, Michael has collected photographs of bicycles from daily newspapers around the world being put to use for work and play by everybody under the sun. The images remind us that bicycles are inextricably part of our daily lives — pulled out of context, they’re highlighted as almost extra appendages in the machinations of our lives, and as a symbol of commonality among all people.

As part of the project, we’re happy to announce that Ace NYC and Ace PDX will be receiving four custom, hand-built bikes by Thomas Callahan of Brooklyn’s Horse Cycles and Jordan Hufnagel of Portland’s Hufnagel Cycles, respectively. These fine steeds are being crafted exclusively for Ace and will be available for guests to use. Stay tuned for more.



All images collected in Michael Kim’s Bicycles exhibition in our gallery.


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August 5th, 2010

Handmade Bicycle Builders at Rapha Pop Up Shop

The Rapha Cycle Club on Bowery is hosting an exhibition tonight showcasing the handmade bicycles from the Rapha Continental, and the bicycle builders who built them will be in attendance to talk about their trade. The show also features photography from Daniel Sharp and Chris Milliman, as well as drawings from Continental rider Peter Rubijono. Everybody’s welcome — champagne and beer are on the house. Look for this guy if you go.


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