SCUL

The Subversive Choppers Urban Legion (SCUL) is a Boston based bicycle gang that builds and rides mutant bicycles, choppers and tall bikes. It is composed of three divisions. The Metro Alpha Division (MAD) is based in Boston or possibly a nearby town, the Rural Combat Division (RCD) is based in Maine and the Southern Beta Division (SBD) is based in Providence, Rhode Island.

SCUL is organized in a paramilitary fashion with a hierarchical ranking structure, distinct naval/space terminology and a sci-fi atmosphere.

SCUL conducts "missions" every Saturday night from April Fool's until Halloween. A typical mission involves routine patrolling of the local "star-systems" (cities), getting high-fives from civilians they pass and crushing discarded soda cups on the street. Occasionally, they will stop to hone their flight skills with some friendly bicycle derby. Centuries (100-mile rides), Intergalactic and Interuniversal Missions (across state or country borders) have also been completed.

SCUL was founded by an individual who goes by the alias Skunk who collected a number of bicycles and 'chopped' or altered them. Information provided on the web site of SCUL indicates that they have been active since 1996.

In October 2000 the Boston Phoenix published an article [http://72.166.46.24//archive/features/00/10/19/SCUL.html] on SCUL. This article indicates that SCUL has been active since 1995, they split off from the Flying Donuts, they are based in Somerville and that they are abusive [http://www.scul.org/SCUL/Missions/Mission_Images/P1010110santa.jpg] to the plastic blow-molded symbols of Christmas and other readily trashpicked lawn decorations. The article also indicates that in 2000, there were 78 members of SCUL. As of December 2005 SCUL's web site indicates that 464 members (136 active in that year) and 233 bikes/choppers.

On August 25, 2005, the Coolidge Corner Theate premiered the SCUL movie "Operation, Super Posi".
They also recently made a television appearance on the PBS show [http://pbskids.org/designsquad/episodes/s1_ep3.html Design Squad] .

SCUL is loosely allied with the Rat Patrol and similar in many ways to other bike gangs such as [http://www.dclxvi.org/chunk/index.html C.h.u.n.k. 666] and the Black Label Bike Club.

External links

* [http://www.scul.org SCUL website]
* [http://www.ghostride.org/ SCUL's Ghostride Magazine]
* [http://www.wbur.org/news/2006/59549_20060720.asp NPR NPR report on SCUL]