Steel Town Cycle Chic & NY Times Article

One simple and yet brilliant guest photo today, from Larry Strung in Hamilton, Canada. Larry is a photographer with a wonderful photo series called Hamilton365. Here's what Larry says about why he took this photo and why his project is important:

Hamilton is mostly a "blue-collar" town, which means working class people that for the most part have been employed in the steel industry. That industry is in decline, so there is quite a bit of poverty while the city changes its economic direction. It has so much potential, but the biggest difficulty is changing attitudes. The really poor ride bicycles (if they are fit enough) because they can't afford a car. The new "industry" in the city is centered around a very good university that has it's most recognition from work in the health care field - so there is lots of new work related to this in local hospitals as well. The university and health-care people are the ones interested in using and promoting cycling. The former steel workers cannot get employment in this new industry, so there is a resentment present. The bulk of the population relate riding bikes to either the new "white collar" workers who are displacing them, or people so poor that they cannot afford a car. So they tend to be aggressive towards cyclist when driving in their cars...

My project, www.hamilton365.com , is an attempt to change the attitudes about the people of Hamilton. From the outside, Hamilton has always had a reputation of a "tough" town - something to be avoided. Even from within, people have a poor attitude about themselves. I have found that if you can get beyond the outside appearance, in most cases the people have a very warm and open heart. So the goal is to change the perception of being a city full of threatening people, to a city full of "people of character". When the perception is that people are full of character, they become interesting to get to know instead of to be avoided.

For cycling, the city is just about perfect. It is a harbour city - on Lake Ontario. In an east-west direction the city is perfectly flat. In a north-south direction, the city is bisected by a "mountain" - it's actually just a big hill. We have a land form here that is referred to as an escarpment - a single hill that goes for hundreds of kilometers. It's the same land form that Niagara Falls goes over. So we can practice our hill-climbing skills on this escarpment, and commute to work along the flat without building up a sweat. The World Cycling Championships were held here in 2003.

I think that Hamilton will come around in terms of being a cycling city, but it will take a few more years and a few more confrontations yet.

One little note from me: There is a great opinion piece by Thomas L. Friedman in the New York Times today, about Denmark and the things we do which can inspire others. Have a read.

Guest Photo Saturday

As always, thanks to everyone who sends guest photos in to Copenhagen Cycle Chic. It's wonderful to see images from around the world. We've had a bit of a backlog so we made a little montage du monde.

But first, above, a smashing image of Ottawa Cycle Chic, from Rachelle and her fiancé. Wonderful stuff!


The latest installment in the Copenhagen Cycle Chic Goes Global series. Nigel and his kids slapped a sticker on a lamppost near the Bishop's Palace in the City of Wells - England's smallest city. Thanks, Nigel!


A bevy of global cycle chic images, in one easy png file! Thanks to everyone!

And a bit of Eurofunkaliciousness from Milo in Vienna to wrap up the proceedings.

Sunday Guest Photos - Geneva, Roma, Vancouver, Barcelona

Cool shot from Geneva by Zara.


Cycloromantica from Roma by Fotorita.


Waxy from Vancouver captured a little street corner slice of life.


Rodolfoto from Barcelona with a great shot of happy cyclists.

Cycle Chic in Calgary & Geneva

Vic from The Lazy Randonneur blog sent us this great shot of Cycle Chic in Calgary, Canada.

"Here's a picture of my friend Sarah test riding Dahon folding bikes in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She bought the pea green Dahon D7 and rides it fashionably around downtown getting to and from one fabulous moment after another. I enjoy your blog - keep up the good work... Vic"

Thanks, Vic. What a great photo of Cowtown Chic. We like Calgary. They have the legendary Danish-Canadian Club on 11th Ave. Some of the best Danish food outside of the Kingdom. You have to be a member, but that just means you have to meet a Dane [and get them to buy you lunch...]


Here's a little taste of Cycle Chic in Basel, Switzerland, by nchenga at Flickr. Basel is a great cycling city. Built on the steep banks of the Rhine it's more than hilly and yet 23% of all trips are made by bike, on a well-developed network of bike lanes. Just one of many cycling cities that disprove the "you only ride alot in Copenhagen 'cause it's flat..." myth.

And this little pearl below is a great photo from Geneva, taken by Stephen. Personalising your bike in creative ways is the best part of bike culture.


[I feel a Swiss theme coming up... stay tuned]

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.

Guest Photos: From Everywhere.

This whole guest photo thing is really snowballing. It's wonderful to recieve so many photos from around the world. Thanks to everyone who thinks of us and sends them along.
For those of you out there who use Flickr, I've started a group - Cycle Chic Global Pool - to which you can add your photos. That makes it easier for me to blog them. Don't despair if you don't use Flickr, just mail them along to us. Right then. Here goes. A super slough of global cycle chic:


Like so many others, I turn frequently to your blog to see the latest of your inevitably smile-inducing pictures and commentaries on Copenhagen's chic and sane cycling culture. Thank you for sharing the simple joys of daily life on your city's streets and beautiful blue bike paths.
Tom [in Tuscon, USA]


From Lisbon, passing thru London on her way to happiness. The only thing comparable to cycling is watching a girl on a bicycle. Isn't it? Thanks for the photos you give us all. Best regards, Humberto.


Dear Chic Copenhagen Cyclists: Here is a picture of my freind Gypsie, who works at Aaron's Bicycle Repair, in Seattle. She usually rides a beautifully customized all red XtraCycle, but here she shows how a European bag and bike can add some style to an already enchanting ensemble. February in Seattle is treating us pretty well. Val.


Here come some cycle men from Japan! Picture is taken in April 2007.
With best regards, Alo, Estonia.


I must say the site is absolutely astounding. I was in Copenhagen in November and absolutely fell in love with the city because of the people and the mass bike culture. This is a picture of my wife who cycles with me pretty much everywhere. The picture was taken in October, there is snow everywhere now. Edmonton has a wonderful network of MUPs that follow the river valley that twists through the city itself. It makes it quick to travel from residential areas to the University or Downtown core by bike. It also connects to the velodrome! My commute is significantly quicker by bike than car, even in -25C weather.

Keep the information and great pictures coming, it is starting to be seen in the student population at the University. Fixies are disappearing and lovely girls and boys are seen dressed nicely on useful city bikes.
Cheers! Samuel


Another piece on cycling in India - Read Parimal's first one here.
Dear Sir,
I recently drew an illustration for a competition, showing an Indian woman riding a bicycle with her daughter in front. This is a common sight here on the streets. I didn't win a prize, but I feel you may like the picture.

The standard ladies loop frame is common enough in India even today. This kind of frame is preferred by most ladies as it is sturdier, and provides enough clearance for the flowing 'sarees' we wear. I love straddling a loop frame : it makes me feel so womanly. Someone even once told me that a lady riding a loop frame is a romantic sight!

Despite the growing band of women who have taken to the scooterette, I prefer to stay with those faithful sisters who find their greatest pleasure in jumping onto a saddle and riding away lustily.
Best regards, Parimal.

Guest Photo: Victoria, Canada

This just popped into our inbox. Ferried by bits and bytes through cyberspace all the way from Victoria, Canada. Thanks very much to Ariella for sending this wonderful photo of her good friend riding her lovely old Phillips cruiser bike on a splendid fall day.

"I recently read about your blog in a copy of Momentum that I picked up in Victoria, BC, and have been reading it ever since! It's fantastic! I've also been reading Cycleliciousness which is also awesome.

"I don't even think about biking as something I do, it just IS something I do. Reading about your bike culture has been quite inspiring to me and encourages me to keep on doing what I do, just living and biking daily, in stylish clothes and all."

More power to you, Ariella. You're just out there doin' it. Getting it done. (which is really the point of our controversial Critical Mass or Critical Miss? post). You have our utmost respect and we are thrilled to include your photo here in the growing Guest Photo category. Thanks for thinking of us and feel free to send more photographic gems!