Cycle what?

[gurdymonkey]

Since baronalejandro  brought it up, and since the air quality this afternoon has been such that getting a couple miles in on the bike is probably worth skipping, let's devote a moment to the concept of "cycle chic." http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com/ is supposedly the site that coined the term.

Basically it's supposed to refer to people who ride their bikes in regular clothes, as opposed to riding their bikes in cycling clothes. "Chic," I guess,  is a relative term, because none of the women's outfits made me think, "Hey, I'd like to wear that," and none of the men's pictured made me think, "Hey, I'd like to wear him." Just everyday folks, wearing what they'd wear anyway. On their bikes going wherever it is they have to go.

It would appear that in Copenhagen, nobody above the age of two wears helmets. And there's the woman sprouting ear buds. Maybe Denmark has a low rate of bicycle fatalities, but I don't ride in Denmark. I ride here. Among people who drive while Californian. I'll take the helmet hair if it means I get to keep my marbles more or less operational.

So I Googled "cycle chic san francisco" and I found Riding Pretty,  where no one is old (except the some of the bicycles), or fat, or slow. Where wrapping the existing strap of a handbag you found in the back of your closet around your handlebars constitutes DIY. And where nobody wears a helmet unless it's got a fake fur tea cozy on it. 

Then there's the Tweed Rides, which sounds like a bunch of people pretending to be British, and protesting spandex with Good English Wool!. (I'm looking at YOU, kass_rants .)  No weirder than the SCA and actually makes sense for San Francisco. Sacramento, not so much.

(Which reminds me, I saw a sweet 3 speed ladies' bike locked in the rack at Alameda Towne Centre on Friday night, British racing green, original Sturmey Archer gear shifter, original Brooks leather saddle, Raleigh logo on the rear fender, probably around Mimi's age, if I had to guess....)

So I guess whatever I end up biking to class in tomorrow night is "cycle chic." Where's a papparazzo when I need one?

Comments

[kass-rants.livejournal.com]

Heh. And here I am, just about to send Bob's measurements to our talior for a nice pair of plus fours.

There's a thing in London in the Spring where everyone dresses in vintage clothing and goes for a bike ride. I completely forget what it's called, but my friend's brother and sister-in-law do it every year (they live there).

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

Bob. Plus fours. This surprises me not.

Hm, need to watch for Tweed rides next spring. (Looks like the Berkeley one was only six miles or so). I'd probably have to come up with a Carnaby Street angle, my bike being what she is.

[kass-rants.livejournal.com]

Found it: http://tweedrun.com/

[baronalejandro.livejournal.com]

If I agree to do a tweed run or ride, could I get RH as a sponsor? :D

[baronalejandro.livejournal.com]

At the very least, some of these trends can present you with some good options for ride-wear/what have you.

[baronalejandro.livejournal.com]

PS. You need to read;

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/

[xrian.livejournal.com]

And where nobody wears a helmet unless it's got a fake fur tea cozy on it.

I was going to say "Surely you jest," but apparently you don't. ;)

[erink.livejournal.com]

I've recently re-engaged with cycling culture in my home town, and there are exactly two types of riders now. One uniform involves padded lycra shorts and the other uniform involves underwashed skinny jeans. (Sure, you get the occasional sweat pants shorts and t-shirt type, but we all know they're just a larval stage.)

Personally, I'm in the lycra shorts camp, because riding in jeans sucks, and any time I wear cotton I sweat through it in about 3 minutes so traveling to a nightclub in a vintage button-down shirt is not really going to work for me. But I do have some skirts I can slip on easily over the shorts, and some very civilized technical-fabric shirts.

Luckily, we all seem to get along.

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

Rode in jeans for years, but that was before "Breaking Away had even been made." Was I in - no, I had on cargo pants the other night and did 8 miles with no issues.

Eyeing Weather.com and wondering if I have it in me to bike to taiko tonight, given that the current temperature on Alameda Point is 92 degrees, and the O Club has no AC.