Daring Jobs Episode 4: Perfect Line

There are nearly 10,000 km of streets on the island of Manhattan alone, connecting more than 45,000 buildings and millions of people all trying to go about their frantic lives in one of the world’s most dynamic cities. But gridlock traffic and crowded sidewalks mean the simple act of getting a parcel from SoHo to Midtown can feel like trying to mail a package to the Moon.

Unless you’ve entrusted the task to one of New York’s daring bicycle messengers, that is. They’ve been zipping around the city’s byways for over 100 years, though the daredevils that cruise around today on their high-tech bikes bear little resemblance to those original telegram workers with their penny farthings and flat-caps.

There’s a purity and minimalism to the bike messenger’s mission: Deliver a package from Point A to Point B as quickly as possible, without damage to the package – and without endangering himself. But there’s an art to it, too. Finding that elusive perfect route is a pursuit that motivates a good messenger each day, from sunrise to sunset, as they continue to explore and discover new paths throughout their home city. Shaving off a few seconds or a couple of blocks can be the difference between “mission accomplished” and “better luck next time.”

Simple tools are the most crucial and there’s no extra room for anything superfluous. A pared-down fixed gear bike is the most important, no brakes required. The bike becomes an extension of the rider, and he’s able to seamlessly slip through traffic, as taxi cabs dart to avoid red lights and pedestrians wander onto broad avenues without looking. After all you don’t really need brakes if you’re always in motion.

Pairing perfectly with this approach is the TUDOR Ranger. The 39mm stainless steel case can take a beating and the domed dial, with bold luminous numerals and hands, make for easy on-the-go reading. You don’t want to be caught staring down at your handle bars for too long when you’re pushing 40 km/h down Fifth Avenue splitting lanes of traffic.

The MT5402 movement – like the drivetrain of the bike itself – is built with reliability in mind, always coming through in a pinch. It has a 70-hour power reserve and bidirectional automatic winding, so it won’t miss a beat on those long shifts that start before sunrise and end after sunset, with the city’s vibrant lights guiding the way.

But this commitment to performance doesn’t mean sacrificing on style – for the Ranger or the bike messengers. New York has always been a pioneering city in the realms of fashion and design, weaving together influences from the many cultures that make up its urban fabric. The city’s bike messengers embody this, bringing their own cultures, their own styles, and their own understandings of the city’s make-up to their ever-demanding job.