simple is beautiful
Copenhagen Cycle Chic - Streetstyle and Bike Advoc: January 2008
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Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Bike lane moments


There is not a lot of time at junctions. A brief pause, the traffic flows, you carry on.

- - -

I'm off to Dubai with work later today and with Mikael in Egypt a while longer, there might be a bit of a lull in posts. But hang tight. We'll both be back snapping before you know it, refreshed and ready to go.

Monday, January 28, 2008

Correct crossing


Most riders don't bother dismounting when using the zebra crossings, but this girl is obeying the letter of the law. It's risky though as the police like nothing better than handing out 500DKK fines (about 100USD) if they catch you. Unless you're my girlfriend that is. She always manages to talk her way out of it somehow.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

What I Dream At Night

What I Dream At Night (by [Zakkaliciousness])
Hazy, dreamy images involving backlight, bikes and creatures of the female persuasion on two wheels.

Yes, my wife knows all about it.

[STill on holiday. I can see that Aaron is still documenting Copenhagen Cycle Chic. Nice one, mate]

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Veninder


This is a pretty common sight. Two girlfriends (veninder in Danish) enjoying a Sunday stroll along the lakes; on their way to brunch maybe. There's plenty of reasons why the girl on the left doesn't have her bike with her. It could be at the workshop, or she could have left it last night's party, or she might just have preferred to take a walk instead.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Caped composure


P1090002, originally uploaded by Aaron78.

Walking along Copenhagen's walking street, Stroget. Biking is not permitted here so she's being a good law-abiding citizen. Plenty of people do though, especially once the bars and cafes close on a cold winter's night.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Winter Is No Excuse for Not Riding

Wheel.Heel.Bike.Snow. (by [Zakkaliciousness])
I thought this photo from last winter appropriate, seeing as how I'm currently soaking up the sun on the Red Sea in Egypt for two weeks.

Snow is no reason to stop the bikes. We have funky little snowploughs designed exclusively for our bike lanes and they are frightfully effective.

And we are good to our vegetation. I'm sure this is a feature in other cities, too, but at the onset of winter all trees and bushes in the city that line streets or bike lanes are shielded from slush and salt. They're removed again in the spring. Note the black shield on the right. In other places they use woven bamboo or sticks.

Winter? Bring it on.

The beach on the Red Sea? I'm on it.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Pink Push


Pink Push, originally uploaded by [Zakkaliciousness].

Another capture of that magical moment when the bike is propelled forward.

Not a helmet fan myself, but that is a good example of the next generation of helmets on the market over here. Stylish, fashionable, modern. None of that racing gear look.

Wouldn't dream of telling anyone to wear a helmet. It's a personal choice and hearing pro-helmet advocates yapping on about it is like listening to right-wing fundamentalists yapping on about whatever it is they yap on about.

Wear one or don't. It's your choice. Nobody should have an opinion about what you do.

But if your helmet is lovely, I'll tell you so.

Galoshes, b'gosh!


The whole point of this blog is to show how cycling and bike culture can be effortless. Just wear your regular clothes and slow down if you start to sweat.

If it snows and the slush on the bike lanes is a tad too harsh on our lovely [pricey] shoes, we opt for a pair of Swims. A modern twist on a pair of tradtional galoshes, Swims protect our bespoke footwear with style.

They come in a variety of groovy colours so it won't be a tiring task to find a pair to match your wardrobe or, more importantly, your bike.

Prices start at £60 for the models pictured and £80 for the Mobster, a model providing more ankle protection if you're particularly fond of your stockings or trouser legs.

All this and more on their website: SWIMS

Danish Colours

Rêve Rouge (by [Zakkaliciousness])
We see a theme here. Two cyclists, two locations, both with a red coat and white hat. The colours of the Danish flag, of course [cue boring info: the oldest national flag in the world] but we doubt that was the fashion motivation. Perhaps it was just a desire to splash some warm colour on the wintry streets of the capital.
Red Speed (by [Zakkaliciousness])

Monday, January 14, 2008

Green Flyer


Green, originally uploaded by [Zakkaliciousness].

Nothing like a spot of speed, a sense of motion, on the bike lanes.

Going, going, gone!


Going . . .

. . . going

. . . gone!

Life's a blur


P1080867, originally uploaded by Aaron78.

I was out for a walk Saturday morning and saw her out of the corner of my eye. I was a bit hungover (and a bit slow as a result) but luckily she wasn't in any hurry. She just glided across the street and then continued on her way at a gentle pace.

Guest Photos: Miami, Mexico, Amsterdam

Untitled (by miami fever)
Miami, USA.
Untitled - by miami fever.

Untitled (by ***anahita)
Mexico
Untitled - by anahita

Amsterdam (by Alio ®)
Amsterdam
by Alio

Winter Morning


Winter Morning, originally uploaded by [Zakkaliciousness].

Backlightaciousness on the bike lanes of Copenhagen as locals commute to work.

In Copenhagen you live with the rain in the winter, and the occasional snow. But after the rain comes the sun. Invariably so.

And sometimes the rising sun is just a tad bit lovelier than you ever remembered.

The bike lane here is wider than average. It merges with a turning lane for cars but still provides cyclists with ample space.

A good thing, too, as this stretch features over 25,000 cyclists each day.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Another Great Moment in Cycling

After our previous post featuring a great moment in cycling we figured we'd feature another great one.

Like most great moments in Copenhagen it involves simplicity. This time a cyclist causually raises her right hand, glances non-chalantly to the right and begins a right turn towards the pavement, when she hopped off her bike with an effortless and graceful movement.

Red as a Porsche


Red as a Porsche, originally uploaded by [Zakkaliciousness].

She rummaged through her bag, constantly checking the light. At the last moment she flipped the straps back onto the handlebars of her old, reliable Raleigh and was off in a flash.

Right to Left


Right to Left, originally uploaded by [Zakkaliciousness].

The pedestrian streets in the centre city still feature bikes, of course.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Great Moments in Cycling


Left Turn Soon, originally uploaded by [Zakkaliciousness].

For some, elsewhere on the planet, a great moment in cycling is breaking several personal bests on the commute to work: fastest time, number of fuck fingers given to those morons in cars, liters of sweat produced, curbs hopped, and so on.

Here in Copenhagen it is a cyclist on a quiet, drizzly day about to navigate a gentle left turn.

Wind Chill -5


Wind Chill -5, originally uploaded by [Zakkaliciousness].

No problem for a Copenhagen cyclist. The drizzle started to intensify so she just enabled her hood mechanism while waiting for the light., after which she tugged down on her skirt, ready to cycle off home.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Guest Photo: Durham, USA

crossing the street (by sleepyneko)
Thanks to Eunice Chang, one of our fine friends from Durham, USA, who sent us this wonderful guest photo of herself on the streets of her city.

Looking sharp, looking chic. Well done! In her own words:

"The forces of weather and camera finally converged and as promised, pictures of me with my bike and boots. i hadn't realized i color-coordinated them, but it works. :) my take on copenhagen chic, if you will".

See more of Eunice's photos on her Flickr photostream.

Cargo Bike Mum

Trio and Heels (by [Zakkaliciousness])
Classic Copenhagen supermum on a classic Danish cargo bike. [although my wife is the superest of supermums...] - The Triobike. Three in one. You can ride as seen above, you can detach the bike and push it like a stroller or you can pop a front wheel on the bike part and use it as a regular bike.

Just be sure that you're looking frightfully stylish while you ride.

I've heard the Dutch have started making cargo bikes lately. Which is nice, of course. The more the merrier. [yes, we're teasing you Henry!]

Because we horribly biased towards Danish brands, we're always keen to point out that Denmark is the spiritual home of the cargo bike. Over 70 years ago the Long John was being used to transport goods around the cities.

The number of brands and makes has only increased through the years. The Short John, the Christiania Bike, the Sorte Jernhest, the Nihola, the Trio, the Kangaroo and so on.

The cargo bike is enjoying a massive revival these days as opt for one to transport their kids around town and to carry the groceries home.

Over at our sister blog - The Copenhagen Bike Culture Blog - we have numerous posts about cargo bikes.
- You can check out our blog posts with the Cargo Bike label.
- Read a consumer test of five cargo bike brands.
- Read about the award-winning Nihola cargo bike.
- Read about other Danish cargo bikes.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Retro Feel


Retro Feel, originally uploaded by [Zakkaliciousness].

Style over speed.
End of discussion.

Bikes are Vogue


Yet another little post wherein we highlight the fact that it's not just us.

Not just us who are fascinated by cycle chic in all its manifestations. We just happen to live in a city that excels at it.

Here's something from an issue of Vogue from back in '06 where they show how bikes have been used in their photoshoots for decades.

Fashion Accessories for Bikes, or Bikes as Fashion Accessories?

Red Light Waiting (by [Zakkaliciousness])
A quiet moment at a red light. Made all the better by the prescence of a red bike. And she had red gloves to match her bike, too.

The temperature was hovering around 0 C but that's no excuse for not looking fashionable. Style over speed. Style over freeze.

We had an email from a student in London asking for thoughts about bicycles and fashion and whether bikes are fashion accessories. An interesting question. Made me think.

In countries that only have emerging bicycle culture, bikes are sometimes seen as fashion accessories. Recent articles about celebrities on bikes attests to that.

However, in places that have established bike culture like in Copenhagen and Amsterdam, bikes are transport. Period. They get you from A to B and back again. If your bike gets stolen, you are paralysed and you don't rest until you get a hold of a new one.

For many years, the bikes in Amsterdam and Copenhagen were, by and large, cheap, old or both. Mainly because the risk of theft was/is high. Why invest in a flash bike when you might end up getting it stolen?

In the States and Britain, most cyclists on the streets are hardcore hobby cyclists with fancy gear. This is changing, we know, but generally the perception is that cycling is a sport, not a transport option.

We wrote a blogpost about this teapot bike bell:
Teapot Bike Bell (by [Zakkaliciousness])
and when someone asked where they could get one we found them on kid's bike websites in Canada and the US. In Copenhagen it's an adult accessory. A fashionable style choice aimed at personalising the bike that you sit on day in, day out.

Sights like this:
Personalised Bikeness (by [Zakkaliciousness]) personal style (by [Zakkaliciousness]) I Heart Copenhagen (by [Zakkaliciousness]) Bikeshop Rainbow (by [Zakkaliciousness])
are also a clear indication that bike accessories are also fashion accessories.

With that said I have noticed, however, that more and more cool bikes are on the market. It's as though a century of black bikes is over and colours are splashing out onto the streets.
Sights like this: [click to see them larger at Flickr]
Bike and Fashion Match (by [Zakkaliciousness]) Fashion Match (by [Zakkaliciousness]) Fashion Match (by [Zakkaliciousness]) Pinkaciousness (by [Zakkaliciousness])
are more and more commonplace. Fashion accesories and clothing are being chosen to match the bike. It's cheaper to buy a scarf or gloves or blouse to match your bike that to buy a new bike to match your clothes...:-)

Colours are not necessarily the only fashion matching issue. There is, of course, the question of whether the bike matches your personality. And what your bike says about who you are, fashion-wise.

Do you prefer a beat-up old Raleigh or a stylish new Velorbis or Batavus Diva? It's a pressing question for any Copenhagener.

These are good examples of how a style of bike is reflected in the style of the cyclist: [click to see them larger at Flickr]
Orange, Pink and Blue * (by [Zakkaliciousness]) Adverts * (by [Zakkaliciousness]) Flower Box (by [Zakkaliciousness]) Waiting * (by [Zakkaliciousness])

A trend is underway in Copenhagen, after more than a century of bike culture. We welcome it. More fashion consciousness on the bike lanes.

Style over speed.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Red Bikealiciousness

Red Bikealiciousness (by [Zakkaliciousness])
Had a request for shots of folding bikes from a chap with this site: www.bikesthatfold.com
So we dug into the archives and found one taken on the King's New Square [Kongens Nytorv]. We're not experts but we're hoping this is a folding bike.

Bike Path Red


Bike Path Red, originally uploaded by [Zakkaliciousness].

Sunshine illuminating redness on a gloriously wide Copenhagen bike path.

This is how bike lanes should be everywhere. Wide and smooth and, if you look up ahead of the cyclist, the lane splits. One lane for continuing straight on, another for turning right. Not to mention dedicated traffic lights for bikes.

Oh, and lovely cyclists in red should be a prerequisite on any bike lane, too.

The bike lane in this shot is wider than the Copenhagen average. Looks to be over three metres. The average width in Copenhagen is 2.2 metres [increasing to 2.5 metres by 2010].

It's wider because this is one of the main arteries into Copenhagen. Over 20,000 cyclists will use this stretch each day. That creates the need for bike lanes with dedicated traffic lights and turning lanes.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Pause


Pause, originally uploaded by [Zakkaliciousness].

Splashes of pink and blue and green are a sure sign of spring.
Yes, we're optimists.

If you're a new visitor to this blog perhaps you'd like to read a bit more about the idea behind it. Momentum bike magazine out of Vancouver did an interview with us a while back. You can read it here. Thanks for stopping by!

Posting


Posting, originally uploaded by [Zakkaliciousness].

She was posting a letter or document into the City Hall's post box.

The placement of this box makes it tricky to do a classic Copenhagen move. Namely staying on your bike while posting letters, withdrawing money from cashpoint machines, ordering coffee to go, etc. Just wheeling up and either leaning against the wall with your leg and shoulder, or just supporting yourself with one hand.

We'll keep a lookout for a shot like that.

Patience


Patience, originally uploaded by [Zakkaliciousness].

While many cyclists jockey for a front position off the line when the light changes, there are some more sophisticated creatures who are content with their position at the back of the pack.

There is something inherently lovely about bikes and umbrellas. And biking with umbrellas is not as rare a sight in Copenhagen as one may think. I have a number of other shots over at Flickr.
Bikebrolley (by [Zakkaliciousness]) Red and Blue and Rain (by [Zakkaliciousness]) Rainy Day Mates (by [Zakkaliciousness]) Bikebrolley Chaos (by [Zakkaliciousness]) Umbrella Bike (by [Zakkaliciousness])
Or just click here to see them all.

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