Crumby Spokes

A collectively-organized* annual tradition

Crumby Spokes combines an abiding affinity for both delicious baked goods and surprise missives with the steadfast belief that community-based art projects play a critical role in localized movements for social and environmental justice. A delightful, collectively-organized, annual tradition begun by a handful of “Crusty Steeds” in 2018, this project takes place on Valentine’s Day, with the lofty goal of at least partially reclaiming the holiday from the corporate forces that seek to define it as a hetero-consumerist orgy of self-loathing. Instead of languishing in that cesspool, the Crumby Spokes-people spend the day baking heart-shaped, chocolate-chip scones and bicycle-delivering them (in costume!) to friends and lovers all over New York City. Each order comes with a screen-printed card featuring an illustrated pun about baked goods and inscribed with a personalized note. Collecting donations for a total of eighty orders annually, we give all the proceeds to small, inspiring organizations doing radical and important work locally.

Since 2018, an eccentric cast of ten to fifteen cyclists has taken to the streets spreading good cheer and tasty treats while donning handmade costumes including a Love Octopus, Love Santa, Self-Love, a Tuff Luvr, a Wizard of Love, a Love Vampire, a Silver Fox, a Love Dragon, a Sexy Fruit, Sweet Tea, a Fountain of Love, a Love Me Knot, Rose Colored Glasses, the Birds and the Bees, and more.

Crumby Spokes descends from a long-standing community project called Bake ‘n Bike, begun by the brilliant Shelly Stern in 2003. Over the years, Bake ‘n Bike’s evolving cohort of devoted volunteers and scone-lovers has made the event into a beloved Charlottesville, VA tradition. In keeping with those roots, we use Shelly’s recipe (adapted from the Earth Heart Cafe in De Pere, WI) to bake all 400+ scones in one oven, with one heart-shaped cookie cutter, beginning at 5 a.m. on Valentine’s Day.

Thanks to our growing Crumby Spokes community, to date, we have given over $13,810 to a growing list of organizations: The Mechanical Gardens Bike Co-op, Picture the Homeless, Bronx Freedom Fund, Claire Randall Fund for Education and Empowerment, New Alternatives, New Sanctuary Coalition, VOCAL-NY, Women’s Prison Association, Frack Outta Brooklyn, COVID Bailout NYC, Black Trans Liberation Kitchen/FIG, Red Hook Art Project, Equality for Flatbush, and Within Our Lifetime.

Thanks to our community sponsors, who graciously donate all the baking ingredients, snacks, and copies we need to make this happen: Baked, Brooklyn Whiskers Bakery, Clementine Bakery, Four & Twenty Blackbirds, Margaret Palca Bakes, Park Slope Copy Plus, Trader Joe’s, Sea and Soil, and Whisk.

*Crumby Spokes’ Crusty Steeds include Lizzie Hurst, Jude Shimer, Dondo Zakheim, Patrick Costello, Annie Dunckel, Mitchell Dose, Alex Nathanson, Calvin Stalvig, Joseph Markell, Ben Simon, Iso Vento, Evelyn Manlove, Meg Frisbie, Jane Buff, Em Hirsch, Dana Bennewitz, Jon Davidow, Trey Hartt, Laura McMillian, Rebecca Baldwin, Mads Moore, Kristina Schmidt, Benni Zaminer, Tanya Azari, HanaKyle Moranz, Monica Hunken, Claire Beaumont, Andrew Otto, Isaac Lalisic, Kira McDonald, Emma Smith, Jessi Li, Larson Harley, Stephanie Cortazzo, Nora Benson, Tracey Hinder, Mad Todd, Beryl Perron-Feller, Rebecca Schoenberg-Jones, Felipe Castillo, Claire Brennan, Josh Bisker, Aida Mas Baghaie, Gabe Gordon, Peter Cevallos, Adam Brody, Phoebe Beck, Kyle Luntz, Katie Walsh, Maggie Sullivan, Agnes Borinsky, Stephen Courtade, Evelyn Guzman, Francesca Piccioni, Phil Shipman, Sarah Lammer, Jessica Tang, Becky Sellinger, Taryn Jones, Patrick Mohundro, Rachel Hillery, Eva Gertz, Ernesto Gomez, Jackie Rivera, Mikey Carolan, Kris Rumman, Ro Dahlin, Xinan Ran, Tiny Pang, Tray Tsui, and many more!