Beasts of Burden - San Francisco Bike Messenger Documentary

[@tranzco1173]

I rode for Western Messenger in SF in 1999-2000 on a fixed gear road bike with no brakes. It was after a ten year road racing career, and I was one of maybe 20-30 messengers who was doing it. Interestingly, the short 1.5 years I did it I learned that the messengers making money weren't fast, or on road bikes at all, but were older folks on beach cruisiers with huge baskets. 90 percent 'of good runs were in the Financial District, which is flat, and it was mostly about being cozy with the dispatchers, good at navigating buildings, and knowing which shortcuts and elevators to take. There was an old lady who always wore pink, on some crazy old 3 speed bike, she was famous and making like 200 bucks a day. It's not anything like the movies. They used to send me out to the stadium and all the long hilly shit runs, because I was fit and fast. Like 30 minutes for a 8 buck run. Sucked. You could make 5 runs downtown in that time. All the dispatchers hated me, except one. The days I got him I made 80-130 a day. There was an angry lesbian who would make me do ridiculous stuff. I make 12 dollars one day. Also - I was drunk on Olde English 800 the ENTIRE time.

[@JAHinHK]

I really enjoyed your post - thanks for sharing those details. I have to say though that I imagine that last line was the salient point.

[@Smason432]

New York is the best place for bike couriering, I used to work in North Dakota and make 80km journeys for $5

[@alexcarter8807]

I'm not a messenger, but I carry a lot of packages on my bike to the post office. I basically live off of my bike, and yeah, I'm 55+, and ride an Electra cruiser because it's the "most bike" you can get for $300, it can take the punishment of horrible Silicon Valley roads, I've got a rack and panniers on it, and can haul 100lbs with my Burley cargo trailer. I rack up a ton of miles on the thing because I'm doing the post office run, the grocery run, etc etc yadda yadda. So far I've worn out one rear wheel and I might get a new front to match it soon. Best way to make money on a bike I've found: Practice trumpet. A lot. For years. Put trumpet in gig bag, folding red cloth "tip box" in bike pannier. Ride to good spot. Play your heart out. Profit.

[@blondemommyvomit]

Militant homosexuals are atrocious.

[@tranzco1173]

@@blondemommyvomit She was kinda legend there, and just hated me because i was a newbie. But I have a story to tell. She was "hazing" me,, like really fucking with me for a whole month, so the other dispatchers were calling her out on it. I would do anything, as fast as anyone and not complain. But I was kinda new. Once she told me to do an "easy" pickup at a fancy restaurant. I thought it was to pick up a package. But it wasn't a package, it was a gigantic FOOD CART, full of fancy ass food,, like literally Russian caviar. I thought it was a joke, and played along. PUSHING that thing to the pyramid towers on Montgomery. To the office of Thomas Weisel. It was NOON, and the streets were full, and I pushed and push, dragged that thing up a service elevator. Security laughed at me, and then like immediately felt sorry for me. 110th floor. They took the cart, blew me off and I went back to the restaurant to get my bike. My bike had been placed out in the ALLEY. No lock. The owner gave zero shits, offered zero tips, and acted like I wasn't there. I went back to that lesbian lady and told her she was a wizard. In my whole life, NOBODY, has ever fucked with me that hard. I also quit and went to work for Legion, a little shop in the Mission. 3 months of that, super fun, and I was done.

[@mountainsparky6031]

Rode for Mobile Messenger, NYC '77. Best gig I've ever had, including getting paid to ski and light rock concerts. Nice flick, captures a bit of the taste of freedom. 64 now and resting a broken rib from going over the handlebars a week ago. You can take the boy out of the city...

[@79DJB]

I worked as bike courier as my summer job between high school and university in 97 in Adelaide, South Australia. I used to shred hard to make 103 drops a day and make 130. Used to hammer all day and get next to bring but loved it. The freedom and adrenalin rush couldn't be beaten. I stopped after getting knocked off twice, once breading my wrist, the next ending up in hospital unconscious where the surgeon said that is I continued is eventually ends up dead, or worse a quadraplegic... I went and did electrical engineering, but still have my crumpler bag and occasionally rude hard in the city through the alleys, but I'm 40 and have a 7 yo.....

[@youssefrochdi1994]

Once shredder , always a shredder. Respect, man, and keep riding.

[@samuraijack9532]

thank you for sharing darryl. hope things are well with you.

[@freddyjisp9420]

I worked for City Mail in Sydney owned and operated by David Roper - This is going back to 1989... We used pagers and Dave dispatched from the office .Will Smith was involved then too (Roper started Crumpler bag in Adelaide - where he started City Mail but had to shut it down as they competed with the post office monopoly - he went legit after that. It was a lot of fun).

[@ronr.53400]

rock on !!! 😁

[@mdj.6179]

Harvey was a Saint. He was in China during WWIi while it was blockaded by Japan. He said he knew what hunger felt like...

[@sunboklee4915]

These guys are what motivated me to get a single speed road bike. I know it's not the same thing, but it's some what difficult. The amount of athletic ability these guys have is amazing.

[@Devonrgn]

I hope that guy got to rode to Mexico

[@pokerchannel6991]

i wish i was that guy . . . that way I could tell you if I did. In reality, though, I would never. Biking to mx is like not a smart thing. and I am smarter than that. I hope that guy was, too.

[@pachucodreams]

This is fucking amazing. I'm writing a character study about a bike messenger and what compels them to be a messenger to begin with. This gives 100 percent context of what I had in mind for my protagonist and confirms what I'd expect: creatives wanting to work on their own dime with flexibility and pursuit of something genuine. While I wish they showed more dispatching and the package end of receiving, this is a beautiful documentary.

[@sirdamned9272]

This is the most 90s documentary I've ever seen. Should be called "Grunge Bicycle Deliverists."

[@StuffOffYouStuff]

the most 90's coloured bicycle bag goes to...

[@JackRussel-e7q]

It's really something man this is pure gold lol

[@Supmouseman]

That guy who holds it down wit the credit in the store tho 💯💯💯

[@tonupboi]

i bet these guys are stoked about the mission bike lane we have now lol cool doc thanks for uploading

[@tsquipnottsquip5128]

Only met Erik a couple times but 30+ years later I still use my Zo Bag.

[@tsquipnottsquip5128]

So many faces / personalities / elevators I remember from the end of the ‘80s and the early ‘90s. Best music scene in the world. And Harvey was just the best human being ever. Now I’m fat (I got sober) and old (1/2 a century and then some) and back east (sadly). This is such a throwback to my early 20s and the best time and place that ever existed.

[@motogp9253]

Those bags are sick! Props to Erik!

[@nathanielyourfather2133]

Legend has it harvy woo is owed millions,and he don't care cause he's helping people.........

[@axnyslie]

There are many days when I would give anything to be messengering in SF 90's again. Such great times.

[@SuperSuperDuperNice]

What do you do now?

[@markzucker3949]

The 2001 fixie flick made me lose my appetite.. This one brings it back. Thanks

[@c-record]

early 90s... those were the days.

[@tsquipnottsquip5128]

Got there in ‘89. Best job I ever had!

[@enolamsamoht]

I was only 3 back then.

[@cereal76]

@9:30 that's the OG inventor of the messenger bag. Timbuk2, Chrome, Rickshaw etc owe it all to that guy.

[@Gabrielishere]

He got it from the actual inventor of the messenger bag: DeMartini of New York City.

[@freddyjisp9420]

@@Gabrielishere Who got it from the postman who got it from the military. Go figure

[@Gabrielishere]

@@freddyjisp9420 No. Each bag you mentioned was "invented" for a specific purpose, and the "OG inventor" of the messenger bag is DeMartini of New York City.

[@CDMX-cdmx1234]

Where’s the love for ZO Bags? Local SF boy. I think predates Timbuk 2 by a year or two.

[@Gabrielishere]

@@CDMX-cdmx1234 Erik Zo is legendary, but I recently saw one of his bags for $800 on ebay... laughable, at best.

[@NicGoldenEddie]

You guys are awesome. Helping each other, living empathy. And still people call you names. Good and bad ones. 💪✨

[@SuperOlds88]

Even though I have been a bike rider all my life I hated messengers when I lived in Portland 30 years ago. This documentary has opened my eyes on the nature of the profession. Very nice video and thanks to whoever put it on here, and who made it. I wouldnt have lasted 5 mins doing this job because of the biking skills needed.

[@Lifesvagabond]

I miss Erik Zo coming by a bicycle Odyssey in sausalito. Super down to earth guy, and always eager to talk bikes!

[@mattsiiteri4366]

"there shouldn't be any cars in the financial district" haha starting to happen after all

[@SolarBlackShine]

I am a car guy but I remember being in the financial district in SF a few years ago and I was like "Why the fuck are cars allowed here?!"

[@WHDRWN]

@@SolarBlackShine yep, the idea of having your own vehicle and travelling on your own accord will soon be illegal.

[@Alkatross]

​@@WHDRWNget out of town

[@seamlessdread]

​@@WHDRWNshut up clown, car centric infrastructure is the opposite of freedom. True freedom is cities where you can walk or bike without risking your life because of assholes in their 5 passenger 3 ton hunk of metal, aka, a car by themselves, taking up immense amounts of space on the road, and running people over. Car brained idiots like you act like cars are the solution to everything and that it's just okay that people die so much from car related accidents.

[@bayleebrown8167]

@@WHDRWNdid you know that you can travel… on a bike? :) sounds like a skill issue to me 😌

[@frock241]

Jason was my first boss as a bike messenger and he was great. Told me i wasnt doing good enough so he pushed me to be better.

[@shastafox6021]

I also worked for Jason. He is a great guy.

[@DonAltopio]

amen .. amen ✌️🥹

[@robertocamboni3799]

I've been a bike messenger for 8 years..... I'm 44 old and I still enjoy it, I would never change it. of course I also have a second night job, but I won't give up on my bike messenger.

[@brentrevallion7895]

I watched this in the 90s, when I was a teenager, it taught me how to cycle in the city.

[@alexcarter8807]

Fun fact: UPS started out as a bike messenger company. I think of that whenever I pass a UPS truck on my bike with a bunch of packages for the USPS and FedEx (we don't use UPS).

[@user-ge2qn6gp4o]

No wonder UPS sucks so bad.

[@RisingDimond]

This is cool. I grew up in the 90's in the Bay Area. This brings back memories. It was a time without social media and cellphones. People were more acutely individual then, I feel.

[@joepitts2570]

One of the most boomer things I've ever read

[@freddyjisp9420]

@@joepitts2570 Even when it's the truth - Nappy Boy proving his point

[@Horus-Lupercal]

Yeah O.K boomer.

[@andmoreagain]

@@Horus-Lupercal seethe cope dilate

[@Hillbilly_and_bike]

25:35 fender Jaguar, I love this guitar. I love my track bike. I love this old video.

[@shoaibmk8578]

Awesome Documentary !! 👏🏼👏🏼👍🏼 Vive la messengers !! They are artists of streets !! 🚲 ❤️Frim Paris (a delivery person)

[@willabee22]

the 90s was the last era to appreciate solid nicknames

[@brandonberry1764]

My Mom worked in an office in the early 2000s, she said these bike messengers were important for expedited documents

[@alexkrasmo8411]

Ah the 90s. So much cooler than today.

[@camerondavisslag]

there are so many of these amazing pockets of content on youtube. i wish there was a way to source this stuff more easily

[@Kevinschart]

you have to attack the algorithms...if you search for the things that interest you and give those videos likes, you will get interesting content like this. really smart folks over there at google.

[@camerondavisslag]

@@Kevinschart do likes and engagement like that actually impact the algo?

[@Kevinschart]

@@camerondavisslag it's definitely part of the equation. It's direct communication between you and google about the content you enjoy. If they intend to keep you in their app for as long as possible it wouldn't make sense to ignore the videos that you smashed like on.

[@Kevinschart]

@@camerondavisslag depends...cameron is both a male and female name. tbd

[@samuraijack9532]

i just hope it works out

[@Sills71]

"I don't crave danger... but it feels really good at the end of the day to come that close to death" MENSA membership NOT required to be a messenger

[@kaleidoscopex7213]

Born in SF. 96’, started fixed gearing w homies9th grade. we need SF back like this or the essence.

[@freddyjisp9420]

That ship has sailed and sunk in the Bay

[@bp6877]

I LOVED this! Fantastic!!!!!! Thank you!!!

[@nanoxia9]

The most fun job and the most fun time of my life.

[@drunkingham138]

Let's play the 'fall down the stairs game'.

[@CrookCountySoftwear]

That tree ride at 27:20 was badass.

[@CDMX-cdmx1234]

I believe that is Craig Grasso. He’s interviewed earlier and is an OG street BMX rider alongside Pete Agustin, etc.

[@ST-kr7hz]

Absolutely incredible place and time that was, SF in the 90s and early 00s

[@enolamsamoht]

Yep

[@SHADETREE666]

Hell yeah, you’re both Real Ones and Toni is a legendary racer. I’ll call off the Yonkers hit squad….for now. 🍀

[@michaelkarpenko2711]

I am planning to visit New York and defiantly going to ride one day with a bike messenger. very excited.

[@kozemchuk]

Awesome! I wasn't there at the time, but this feels so evocative of a time and a place and a subculture.

[@richardtknees]

Good to see Markus again. Miss that guy.

[@skasso12]

4:31 looks like Bill Meir, i've just watched a video about him, RIP Bill Meir

[@ohno1657]

Legend.

[@ohno1657]

4:42 Brook Lopez.

[@Couri3rr]

@@ohno1657 that was Markus Fur Cook

[@Gromitdog1]

Thank god for these historical time capsules!

[@azriel724]

If Craig Grasso would watch this now.... 30 years later, Market Street is car free zone now. Only bus and taxis only.

[@mysteryY2K]

7:45 He'd be surprised to find out SF actually shut down Market St to private vehicles!

[@nickkirschner3719]

Love it when that dude who looked hella up tight said that bike messengers had to be “on of the most skilled athletes know to mankind.” Skilled and useful for sure, way faster than a car in certain situations, but just as fast in other situations. Watch out for those tracks, they’re killers

[@freddyjisp9420]

Much faster downtown, especially in SF -

[@armandoalmanzan8038]

This is awesome!!

[@greasyunionguy7761]

Harvey's place for the win! thanks for all the food Mr woo. I couldn't have done it without you.

[@nickdoubleu5637]

You talkin about Harvey's on 5th St? Yeh.... shoulda waited till Harvey appears!

[@greasyunionguy7761]

@@nickdoubleu5637 what? Harvey gave credit... That allowed me to eat, and drink!

[@singingplaylist7779]

HARVEY WAS A SWEETHEART

[@bubbaslaughter6030]

Cashed my checks at Harvey’s for years!! 5th st.

[@mdj.6179]

Harvey lived through the Japanese occupation of China. He said he knew how hunger felt.

[@singingplaylist7779]

I LOVE THIS VIDEO THANK YOU FOR SHARING AND LETTING ME REMEMBER OLD FRIENDS... SO GOOD!!

[@MouseCIick]

i wanna pay for their tab at that store. these guys deserve more.

[@kevinsmith9836]

I did about 4 years in this job in Victoria BC Canada, 86-90. A much smaller and less crazy place, especially back then, but pretty much all of this resonates. A lot of lifestyle upsides to the job but also dangerous as hell. Finally got out of it mostly because I didn't want to get injured again. The law of averages catches up sooner or later. Just after I left they were bringing in bike cops and making couriers wear ID numbers so they could be busted for doing insane shit instead of just vanishing up a one-way street to avoid pursuit. Don't think they even exist here now. It was a different world then.

[@freddyjisp9420]

It's been plates in Van since 1989 ... I had one of the first ones. I messenger-ed in Van, SF and Sydney OZ. OZ was the best of the three. You had to hustle hard in SF to make money and the money was not that great. The least of the three money-wise

[@forrestcox9756]

hell fuckin yeah! i needed this.my first job was doing bike delivery and found a bike club to ride with.soo much free fun.now im a cook and not so many bikes around.might be time fora change

[@enolamsamoht]

This was San Francisco at least up until 2003.

[@theroadahead415]

Harvey’s the MVP

[@float_sam]

22:23 and one of those guys owns the biggest courier services in SF.... the smirking smiley one... you know the one knowing hes poaching her customers...

[@Brantadot]

for real he does now you mean?

[@dealwithitsf]

loved this thanks for the upload. miss my mess days for sure

[@balrajkullar8296]

Why is this randomly on my feed?

[@trevorohare2735]

I was a messenger in Philly in the 90s into 2000s. I worked some in NYC but mostly Philly. My brother and I we're both Messengers... He moved on to ride in SF for a while. I started at One hour on 2nd st then on to Philly express on 13th . Oh yeah can't forget heaven sent up on 23rd and Washington I think was the cross streets... Been a while.. It was always a party lol..

[@charliethechaplin]

This is amazing. So accurate. I love it

[@bephrem]

great documentary

[@MidgeDiabolik]

A beautiful piece of doc' making about an era and a subculture that's probably had it's day. Those guys are probably all corporate CEOs, mothers or six feet under now. Where did all the time go? :(

[@blockmasterscott]

I apologize for the ignorant question, but I've never been a bike messenger before. Is real life bike messaging a lot different than the movie "premium rush?"

[@freddyjisp9420]

100%

[@dandyfunhouse]

We were young and had a lot of freedom. Extrapolate from there. 😉

[@chrismeissner4713]

1993? I only rode for a short time but remember all of this very well.

[@stillben]

91 was when the gig was shot

[@tranzco1173]

I rode for Western Messenger in 99, and it was before my time. Remember a bar called Zeitgeist I think, I can't remember much, I was drunk on Olde English 800 for 1.5 years straight.

[@freddyjisp9420]

@@tranzco1173 The Zeitgeist was fantastic

[@ebifurai415]

@@tranzco1173 zeitgeist is still there. they still let you wheel a bike in and hang it on the back patio

[@SPARKLEDAZEY]

Watching that psycho rip around the city got me PUMPED UP!

[@davidm6149]

I like it has the same font as the old real world on MTV

[@che_guevara67]

the problem with cops is....friend butts in..they're cops an we're not...lol...

[@thedeadpoet_33]

Ah yep. 🍻

[@jbeatty811]

The dude doing it on the beach cruiser with a giant basket on the front has the biggest nadz for sure!!

[@freddyjisp9420]

That's a company bike that served mostly printing firms. It was an hourly position and they'd provide the bike. The dispatcher (Paul I think his name was), the owner, was a psycho. He'd scream at you over the radio - just lose it. But a great place to start as they'd hire anyone - but the owner was a PSYCHO

[@backtoids]

damn, crazy that kevin from the jonas brothers used to be a bike messenger

[@whyyes6428]

Commenting to appease the algorithm

[@lungnap]

Grasso and I, in early 1990, rode on a team of 4 msgrs for a graphics company shortly after he moved to the City from SoCal and were friends on and off our rides for good and bad for years good and bad. He fell into rough times and don't know what's become of him, but that mufucka could do anyfuckingthing on a bike. The shit we got into.....

[@BEEBEE159]

Cool film. Thanks for uploading.

[@noahfranks984]

I just finished my first day as a bike messenger. This shit is fucking real to me. You spend so much time out there on your bike that it's inevitable that your going to get hit from time to time and one of those time you could just die

[@StuffOffYouStuff]

What an awesome little documentary. Love sub-culture insights. And yeah, i can imagine the misogyny too, read a more recent article about it too. Things haven't moved on that far unfortunately.

[@user-cp8lo5vn3l]

really cool. thanks for uploading

[@presidentinterzone8919]

only erik zo interview ive ever seen

[@erickzooy8545]

bad ass film!! love riding a bike

[@nuckchorris2703]

Priceless!

[@Cotivity]

Let's revisit this crew...See where this path has lead them.

[@extraniceness]

Meth and Fet 😆

[@Monster-gr8on]

Anyone know what tune is @ 5:54 ?

[@dernils6176]

When exactly was this video made? I mean it's clearly somewhere between late 80s to mid 90s, but when exactly?

[@dominicprout1364]

One of the magazines is dated November 1991

[@aflaspina]

I"m pretty sure it was made in '92. Made by Wella Lasola and Seth Weinstein. Won Second Place Documentary award, 1993 College Television Award

[@JacksonTravel]

if you like this youre gonna love carts of darkness

[@alexcarter8807]

This has got to be early 90s at latest. I'm seeing Wyse VT-100 terminals and shit.

[@GamingTaylor]

I feel this way about delivery driving. Lately been doing DoorDash, and its freeing to be able to work when you want anytime. I think some people need the typical 9-5 job where you are scheduled, expected to show up, expected to dress up, expected to do what you are told, expected to produce results, and to stay in line. Sure having a laid back delivery job "generally" makes less money, but it can be enjoyable, and it is rewarding.

[@GamingTaylor]

@ true, or if you just need/want extra money while doing other work or in college

@@MrJimShorts Ah, a booster, eh? I'm not interested in anecdotal evidence. Show me data that the average wage can support a family with a degree of comfort...or shut up.

@@MrJimShorts You're just pulling numbers outya ass. I want average wages. I was a bike messenger for years and I know how people are inclined to treat the top 20% as the norm and not realistically factor in the costs associated with the job. Try again.

[@dandyfunhouse]

NEIL SMITH here. Dispatchers are indeed the lowest form of life (looking at you Ernie), except Cindy at Aero. She was a saint.

[@trentonmarshall3303]

When SF had character ! need to add this to library of congress one time.. very culturally important

[@fondofthebonds4914]

Wow I've been doing doordash on my bicycle for all the reasons these people talk about. I didn't know there was a whole community of riders Damn. Cool I'm not alone in hating typical 9 to 5's.

[@mannyechaluce3814]

A job is a job, everyone is trying to feed their families, drug habit and buying stuff they don't really need

[@freddyjisp9420]

Not if it's an electric bike -

[@paulmcdonough1093]

interesting video watching in the uk

[@juliens3505]

Hey here is something I did not know about Diplo

[@kencarey3477]

These guys are AWESOME

[@robertdore9592]

I was in Frisco last year fro a few Raiders games and didn't once see a messenger...

[@mysteryY2K]

i'm from there and yea they ain't rly much of a thing anymore

[@tlredmatty1396]

1:45 does anyone know what frame this is?

[@benjaminbass2607]

I was born after my time indeed

[@marccawood]

Dogpaw missed is calling as a voice artist (DJ, presenter etc).

[@NowhereFast12]

There is no way of getting something done faster.....

[@kirstenmccord2768]

Wow, I recognize some of those guys! And the ZO Bags (bring them back!!) and the Wall! ha ...I was a bike messenger in the late 80's...since I was a burnout at the time I really didn't know any of my friends real names, or last names...What happened to The Proj (or the band members...)

[@patrickdecambra2219]

I can't find a zo bag but I still ride my motorcycle with a messenger bag. Only now it has my dog in it LOL the wall

[@tmagee27]

I've got a Zo bag and Pouch, should check out what Eric is doing sometime! I miss being a messenger, but there's not been much money in most of it for a long time, unless you got into Cargo Bikes.

[@enolamsamoht]

I wonder how Harvey Woo is doing these days?

[@Brantadot]

21:18 Awesome reason to start a successful company imo XD what a badass

[@teeban3018]

can you try it in the philippines?

[@eddysilva678]

I'm old now, but I regret I didn't do that job. Keep safe guys.

[@dandyhorse1979]

I wanna see a unicycle messenger that would be so badass , also a penny farthing bike messenger