Simply This

Father and son in the evening light on their Short John.


Copenhagener pedalling casually over Knippels Bridge.

Cycling to the Vineyard in Portugal

A lovely guest photo from Portugal today. Milton sent in a photo he titled, "Mum and son at the vineyard", from a trip out the vines to check the ripeness of their grapes.

Milton writes:
"Although biking is mainly an urban phenomenon, it can exist and flourish in small villages, too. The bike is our means of transportation on our local trips, which includes trips to my hobby, the vineyard, near Aveiro, Portugal."

It's harvest time for Milton and his family. Follow his wine journey on his blog. Gets me all sentimental for the autumns I've spent picking grapes in France...

Here's wishing you a fruitful harvest, Milton.


And here's a photo from Budapest, sent it by a reader. It's from a ride on Earth Day 2008. Ahh. What a sight.

Flying Dane, Cargo Bike Training and Awards Not Won

Flying Cycle Chic in Heels along the City Hall Square on an Autumn Day.


The school which my son attends have an armada of bikes in all different styles for the kids to play on. Here's two kids practicing that all important "Cargo Bike Training" for when they get bigger and have kids of their own to move around.


Just like grown-up Copenhageners.

Copenhagen Cycle Chic and Copenhagenize.com were, surprisingly, nominated for the Copenhagen Environment Award 2008. One of our readers in Copenhagen surprised us by sending in a nomination. Thanks, Claus! We didn't win - a small environmental intiative called Vestergror did, but the jury had only nice things to say. They wished they could have seen stats about whether or not the blogs have encouraged more people to ride their bikes in urban settings.

So, here's a poll, so we can win the facker next year:

Felix Cycle Chic

The Boy Wonder and I heading to weekly football practice. Often we both ride our bikes, but now A. He just started a new, exhausting life in school and is more cream-crackered [knackered] than usual and B. Daddy's got a new Long John from Velorbis with a box the Boy Wonder helped build.

So he relaxes with a book [The Billy Goats' Gruff]as we zip along to Frederiksberg Boldklub where Daddy morphs into a merciless Coach for 11 bundles of boy energy. Football shirts are hardly chic anywhere on the planet except for at a football stadium, but when it's your own six year old, he's adorable.


The other day Boy Wonder and I went to buy some wood to make a new desk for his bedroom. Long John came along.

The Long John with the new cargo box with the kids' names on the sides.

Montage

The heart of the city we love so much.


A happy marriage of Dutch and Danish. Bike from the Netherlands. Citizens of Denmark.


Business suit on the way to work. Complete with a coffee holder on the handlebars for her latte.



Evening couples using the bicycle as a means of transport and togetherness.

Two Sunday Photos & A Stolen Bike

In the morning traffic she rode along sipping a chocolate milk.

There is nothing quite so wonderful to see as cyclists who feel secure on the bike lanes of Copenhagen. Indeed, a majority of Copenhageners say, when polled, that they feel safe in the traffic on their bikes.

Our mate Nikolas, in Washington D.C. sent us this story from the local news. The management at the city's Union Station removed a woman's bicycle because it was ugly and they thought it was abandoned. Here's the link - watch the video on the right column.

Nikolas asked if our authorities have ever confiscated a working bicycle just because it was ugly and rusty.

Firstly, well over half the bikes in Copenhagen are ugly and rusty. They are mere workhorses. Nobody would dream of removing it for this reason. With that said, there are thousands of bikes that are gathered up each year, but not unless they are absolutley sure they are abandoned.

Rusty, clunky old bikes are the standard here. There is something aesthetically pleasing about rusty old bikes.



Indeed, if you forgot your bike somewhere, you can count on nature taking it back.

Nikolas said, "This begs the question, can one be Cycle Chic with an ugly bicycle?"

Absolutely, we say. We have earlier tracked a Copenhagen trend concering old bikes. For some reason, women who wear shoes by Louboutin often ride an old, beat up Raleigh. These old bikes are an integral part of our bike culture and they're not going away anytime soon.

Old People, Animals and Children

We have a rule in the film industry that one should always avoid working with old people, animals and children. Fortunately, this unwritten rule does not apply to a true bicycle culture.


Au contraire. The very prescence of old people, animals and children on the bike lanes is the surest sign that you are doing something right.


Found this half-forgotten photo of Felix from a holiday a couple of years ago on the brilliant Île de Ré off the west coast of France. The island's best beach was 10 km from our house and we made the trip on rented bikes each day. On the way home, the Boy Wonder invariably fell asleep on his kid's seat on the back of my bike - in the 35 degree heat with headphones playing his favourite music.

Beach Culture and 'Tryghed'

It always amazes me how, when the weather is hot, you see so many people on weekday afternoons with blankets or towels on their bikes - having popped down to the beach for a swim or having relaxed in a park.

You're never far from the beach in The Copenhagen Summer.


And you're never far from the ice cream shop, either. We're loving the new Long John and we've a habit of riding down to the local Paradis ice cream shop - me on the pedals and la famiglia down below.

Two tired kids after a trip to said ice cream shop and three hours at the local outdoor wading pool. It's so lovely to ride like this in the evening. It's wonderful how everyone smiles at us as we pass by. Most Danes have an inherent appreciation of a good old fashioned bike ride and, like our family, most Copenhageners and Danes feel secure when riding on the bike lanes.

Wifealiciousness and I discussed the Danish word "tryg" relating to bicycling today. Every two years the City of Copenhagen publishes a Bicycle Account and one of the questions they ask is "Do you feel 'tryg' on your bike in the city?"

'Tryg' means 'safe' but also 'comfortable' in a peace-of-mind kind of way. We agreed that we feel safe when riding in our city, as do most people we know - and a majority of Copenhageners answer 'yes' when asked. There is still a group of people who feel 'utryg' or 'insecure/unsafe' and they are an important group. We have to find out how to make them feel less insecure. Some of these insecure cyclists find that a bike helmet offers them a bit of security - and that is their personal choice, which is great. Unfortunately, many of these insecure cyclists wrongly believe that a helmet will actually protect them from death or brain damage, which is a dangerous societal development.

This is part of the reason why the concept of 'tryg' is a bit of a buzzword. Consultants are being hired to try and get to the bottom of what it actually means to an individual and to a society. How do you define it? I feel safe and secure on my bike anywhere in Denmark, like most Danes - but that doesn't mean I close my eyes and happily whistle show tunes while riding through intersections. I just ride carefully, trusting in my own abilities.

Getting to the bottom of the concept of 'tryg' will help us help the little group of insecure cyclists so that they will take to their bikes more often. The World Health Organisation, the European Cyclists' Federation and the EU are all vocal about how we have to improve cycling and pedestrian conditions in Europe WITHOUT promoting or legislating bike helmets. There is a lot of good energy and good publications from a lot of heavy hitters, which encourages Marie and I and others who are working towards strengthening Danish bicycle culture.

Meanwhile, back at the cargo bike...

The great thing about a cargo bike is that you can actually use it as a work table while building a cargo box!

A cool post from our mate Marc at Amsterdamize, about Normalcy in Cycling. Marie is in Amsterdam today and is going to meet with Marc and drink him under the table.

A Hub of Cyclists

A school of fish, a memory of elephants, a murder of crows - why not a Hub of Chic Copenhagen Cyclists? There. We just coined the phrase.

Stripes, tights and heels. All hail the Copenhagen Cycle Summer.

Cycling is Copenhagen is a mixture of ease, grace, beauty and a casual, relaxed attitude.

More Long John shots. The kids had so much fun that I had to try it myself. Here's Jeppe doing the hard work with me in the cargo box. And another shot of the kids.


My friends at Momemtum Magazine in Vancouver sent me this link of a recent bicycle fashion show they put on. It's great to see. Just think... a year ago, when we started this blog, there were hardly any Cycle Chic sites or blogs out there. Now the net is swimming in them. Yes, we're responsible. Yes, we're pleased. :-) Seriously, it is really great to see people taking back the bike culture.

We've had a couple of write ups on cool French bicycle blogs this past week. Vocivelo and Weelz.

Carry On, Copenhagen

A little batch of Copenhagen Cargo Bike Supermum photos from last week. Coincedentally, four of them riding Christiania Bikes. Above, a crossing moment on the King's New Square under moody clouds. The canopy helps in the event of rain.

Waiting for the light to change. The two kids in the box were sitting on their bench reading library books. How lovely is that?

Another classic Copenhagen transport shot.

A family out for a ride. I suspect they might be tourists, but that is wonderful that they are seeing the city in a Copenhagenized state.

And here's a Nihola bike with camoflage canopy outside Europe's oldest tea shop, A.C. Perch's Thehandel. My friend Christian's family have been running the shop for generations. They've just opened a tea salon upstairs. Even if you don't drink tea, pop inside for an aromatic experience. They do a great online sales service as well, shipping to tea lovers all over the world.


We're pleased that our Cycle Chic message is spreading. One of our readers, Lisa, sent us this link from the Canadian newspaper The Globe & Mail. Copenhagen Cycle Chic Goes To Canada.

Based on the tone of the article, it's as though the journalist JUST realised that it is possible to ride in style and in heels. It's a bit corny the way she explains things, but hey, it's all good news for Cycle Chic.

Great Moments in Cycling

An average Copenhagen corner made brilliant by prescence of self-propelled Copenhagener.

Creative use of a Short John delivery bike and a wooden crate, as they ride along The Lakes in the heart of Copenhagen.

He reached over and caressed her cheek ever so tenderly before the light changed and they rode off together towards the rest of their lives.

Copenhagen Skies

One of the primary joys of urban cycling is that your view is not restricted. You move along under the open skies. Wind in your hair, squinting into the sun or the rain, unconstrained by a roof, windows or doors.

Racing the storm clouds.

Up front and personal is the best way to ride.

Age and grace with a spot of funk.

Skirting the Issue

Springtime is chic cycling time in Copenhagen and our Copenhagen supermums are on the front lines of chic.

The bike is a Christiania Bike and, like so many Copenhageners, it is personalised in a cosy, personal way, no doubt by the kids who use it. Many people just paint the cargo box themselves, but one of the many cargo bike companies here - Bellabike - have taken graphics to a new level with their customised folie design. See their website for inspiration - it's in Danish but photos speak volumes.

This Copenhagener is waiting in the left turn lane on the segregated bike lane and hopped off to chat with her child in the cargo box. She is checking for traffic before hopping back up onto the seat. Note the bike traffic light for bikes turning left.


Springtime is also colourtime. Pink and green must be seen. I can't actually see what brand the bike is. It looks a bit worn so it might be an older model, probably one of the many generic brands. She has however, smashing Reelights on the wheels. A pleasant mix of old and new.

With Child

I've posted the above photo before, of Wifealiciousness, my son and our daughter, in the womb. Here it is again, together with other photos of women cycling with child.

As one might expect, there are few things that stop you riding your bike in Copenhagen. A normal pregnancy certainly isn't any reason to stop. You still have to get around town - to work or on errands - and exercise is important when pregnant.

We live across the street from a midwives office - almost all births in Denmark are done by midwives - and you see pregnant women cycling to and fro on a daily basis.