La Double Vie de Verychic

Girlfriends riding together on the bike lanes of Copenhagen. Sociable, sustainable, fashionable. [Confused about the blog title?]

Girlfriends continuing their chat at a red light. The one on the right practices the old school red light posture. Getting right off the bike and waiting for green. Style over speed indeed. Maybe it goes with being a violin player. Or just being a Copenhagener. Or both.


And on some stretches, there's room for three [or more] friends to ride astride and chat on the bike lanes.

The Five Cycling Senses - Taste

In a way I covered Taste in an earlier post about Eating and Drinking on Your Bike. All manner of snacks or beverages can be enjoyed while cycling through the urban landscape. Nothing like sipping a hot coffee on your way to work or crunching your way through an apple in the afternoon. So apart from this addition - a very important aspect of life in Copenhagen... beer:

... I'll get all philosophical on your asses.

Felix, in the photo at the top, is tasting snowflakes while cyclists plow through the snow behind him. Which made me think... can we taste the weather on our bicycles?


On a below zero morning, the cold winter air catches in our throats and chills our lungs. I love it. Getting to the throat and the lungs, the air has to pass the tongue. I am quite convinced that I can taste the cold air - crisp and sweet all at once.


And what of the morning light? Does it not possess a taste all it's own? I don't think I can HEAR the light, but tasting it... oh yes. What does it taste like to you? A peach? A freshly baked roll from the oven?


Or the low, melancholy light of evening, for that matter?


I was reminded of one sure taste experience. Riding home from the beach on a hot summer's day you may catch yourself licking your lips and tasting the salt of the sea after a swim.


And the sweetest taste of all. A kiss. Can't forget that one.

Taste is a tricky one. Feel free to contribute your thoughts in the Comments section.

Encroaching Darkness

The days are getter shorter and cooler. Today the day is 7 hours and 5 minutes shorter than on the summer solstice - 21 June. No wonder Danes buy more candles than any other nation. Keeping the winter evenings and nights cosy.

Despite the fading light, the bicycles continue to roll. Like the Copenhagener above. She just commenced off the light. Hasn't rolled more than 5 cm. but she is in motion.

The short winter days make the appearance of brilliant sunshine all the more spectacular, especially when riding to work in the morning. You cherish it.


Been a while since The Sartorialist has posted a bicycle shot but here's a fresh one from Milano.

Copenhagen Dreaming

Here's today's humble offerings from the bike culture of Copenhagen.

Balancing act on the median in classic Copenhagen cycling wear.


Reducing urban cycling to dreamlike forms and moods on the City Hall Square.


We're trying to jinx winter by posting this shot from a couple of months back. Springtime is here and let's move on. No more snow. Please. It's time for bare legs and skirts.


Wifealiciousness and I were trying out the new Mobiky Genius in the backyard. A cool folding bike that rides like a dream. It also is an interesting addition to our interior design concept:


Here's wishing everyone a lovely weekend.

Sleeting Moments

Symphony of Movement

The City Hall Square is a symphony of urban movement.

A chic cyclist, with a bit of bike infrastructure thrown in.

Yet another basket adorned with flowers.

The best way to go down a one way street is on a bike.

Daily Dosage

I find it charming when people smile to themselves.

Style Over Speed. Forever.

Snowfall & Ponytail

A quiet moment in a quiet snowfall on a quiet street in Copenhagen.

Copenhagen Snow

We awoke to a bit of snow this morning. 10 cm or so. Not unusual in March, but it feels strange since easter is early this year.

Guest Photo: Banff - Rocky Mountain Cycle Chic

Town Bikes of Banff, originally uploaded by Banff Lake Louise.

Steve sent us the link to this cool photo from the winter wonderland of Banff, Canada. I spent many years growing up nearby and I know the secret to every black diamond piste within 100 km of the town centre... :-)

Steve tells us how bike culture is blossoming in the Canadian Rockies:

"Thought you might be interested to know that Copenhagen's influence has spread to Banff, Alberta, Canada: the local municipal government offers interest-free loans to city staff who buy bikes to commute to work. It only makes sense in a town that exists in the middle of one of Canada's original National Parks.

Banff and Lake Louise are famous for their mountain biking, but you'll see locals riding to work and touring Banff Avenue on their high-end "town bikes."

Costing as much as several thousand dollars, the town bikes are mountain style at its finest."

Brilliant news and a fantastic initiative, Steve! Those bikes are coolliciousness. It's Cycle Chic, sure - but you guys make it all your own.

We just coined the phrase... everybody has their own angle and Banff has theirs hammered down.

See more cool bikes and photos on Banff-Lake Louise's Flickr photostream.

Sure Sign of Spring

Sure Sign of Spring, originally uploaded by [Zakkaliciousness].

Fair enough, the stockings are still on, but a white skirt is a sure sign of seasonal change.

And here's another Great Moment in Cycling:

Red Ride in Hood

Red Ride in Hood, originally uploaded by [Zakkaliciousness].

Geddit?
You can't see the snow in the above shot but...

Here's the Boy Wonder on the pavement, with cyclists riding past.

I'm sure there is a statistic fall in the number of cyclists on the bike lanes in Copenhagen when it snowstorms, but there were still loads and loads of bikes heading home in the evening.

A little snow doesn't stop very many people. The snowstorm was sudden and unexpected so our bike lane snowploughs weren't out yet, but all you have to do is ride straight, anyway, which is easy even in the snow. You just slow down and take it easy when turning and approaching intersections, but there really isn't any good excuse for not riding.

The Boy went to bed with fingers crossed for snow enough to go sledding tomorrow.

Rainy Season

I was on my way to the post office yesterday and saw yet another funky, colourful raincoat brightening up the wet bike lane. Complete with a bandana as a scarf. Has the peasant chic look returned?


She walked a bit, then stopped to chat. Walked on a bit, stopped again. Must have been a good conversation.

I was heading to the library that day. It may be interesting to know that an important part of our concept with this blog is that we only take photos when we ourselves are heading somewhere on our bikes. Virtually every shot is taken while we are going to work, the supermarket, the post office, a bar, what have you. We don't make any effort to go out looking for shots. This serves to underline how chictastic the bike lanes of Copenhagen are, as well as how many bikes there are here.

If you know Copenhagen, you can almost figure out where I go for meetings or which route Aaron takes to work.


Some of you may have noticed we have set up an online boutique. So many of you have asked for t-shirts, posters of some of the photos and stickers that we whipped up some designs.

We chose Café Press because they have a bigger selection of goods but also because they are located in the States. Most of our readers are from 'over there' so it is easier for them to order stuff. And for our readers in the EU the dollar is so fantastically low that the prices are lower than if we opened an online boutique 'over here'. The low dollar also means we don't earn that much but if it buys us a café latte once in a while, we're happy.

For those of you who have ordered stickers, we would LOVE to see photos of them on your bikes or your lamppost or wherever you stick them. Photos of cycle chic t-shirts, too!

If you have any requests for prints/posters or would like a certain design on a t-shirt not in the boutique, we're happy to take requests.


A sudden and intense hail slash sleet storm swept through town yesterday. Here's some Copenhagen cyclists just getting on with it.


And when the wind chill takes the temperature down to freezing, it's important to dress warmly. Like this Copenhagener. She's wearing gloves.