pretty colors

public circle

it’s been a long while since i’ve written a cycle chic post here! part of this has to do with the fact that i started a new blog called bikes + babes. if you haven’t checked it out, then you should definitely take a peek at all of the pictures i’ve been collecting of bikes and babes.

having said that, i’m still excited to share some bike fun with you here today! public bikes had just introduced a new set of limited edition colors for their popular C7 and V7 bikes. they already come in a beautiful selection of colors (i personally own an M8 in powder blue), but for the holiday season, they’ve introduced a sleu of new ice cream-inspired colors to choose from including pistachio, blueberry, grapefruit, salted caramel, and lemon drop. they’ve made only 10 of each, so once they’re gone, they’re gone!

and if you need a little push in the right direction, you might like to know that they are offering free shipping with code “FREESHIP “ now through 12/11.

filming a bike video

if you follow me on twitter or tumblr, you may have seen me posting about a bike video shoot yesterday. basically, i rode around oakland on my bike all day long getting footage for said video. we still have another day of shooting to go, but i’m pretty excited about what we came up with so far. especially since my pal, jon brown, who is filming and editing the video, decided that the best way to film a bike video would be to ride along with me and shoot in motion. the only catch is that you can’t ride and shoot at the same time. his solution came in the form of an xtracycle, which is illustrated in the photo below. he hitched a ride on the back of a bike while my partner, brendan, rode along with me. it must have been a pretty silly sight if you happened to see us ride past!

i have more photos and things to share, but for now i thought i would just show you this teeny tiny sneak peek!

bikes and babes

bikes and babes 1

it’s been a very long while since i did my first bikes and babes post, so today i thought i would share some of my favorites that i’ve accumulated over the past year or so! i actually have enough photos of girls riding bikes that i should probably start another tumblr…

above, claire cottrell shot by jeanna sohn of closet visit for lucky magazine, elizabeth kehl shot by mr newton for elle magazine, and nancy rosenbloom shot for citizen couture.

bikes and babes 3

above, veronika bjarsh shot by mr newton for elle magazine, adrianna shot by vanessa jackman, and milk teeths.

bikes and babes 2

altamira, cecilia stucker shot by mr newton for elle magazine, and sophie assa shot for closet visit.

new bike

calivintage: new bike

guess what, you guys?! i got a new bike! i went to pick up this lovely 8 speed mixte from public bikes on friday afternoon and was so excited i could hardly contain myself. i was all amped up and ready to go for a spin, but unfortunately, the weather disagreed with a forecast of about 2 inches of rain for the weekend. i stayed indoors for most of the weekend, but low and behold, on sunday afternoon, the grey skies held the water in just long enough for me to go on a little test ride.

yep, she’s my new baby. rides like a breeze with a snazzy 8 speed internal hub so i can tackle my hilly neighborhood. and of course, it’s got upright geometry meaning i don’t have to change into high rise pants (or spandex) before i hop on because i can sit up straight while i ride. and, being the design-minded person that i am, the beautiful baby blue paint job and classy mixte frame appeal to my eye. it’s gonna be a fun summer!

shirt: j.crew silk sophie blouse
sweater: vintage cashmere sweater
dress: vintage polka dot dress
shoes: vintage salvatore ferragamo flats
bag: j.w. hulme mini legacy bag
sunglasses: karen walker number six
lipstick: ysl rouge pur in le rouge
bike: m8 courtesy of public bikes

calivintage: new bike
calivintage: new bike
calivintage: new bike
calivintage: new bike
calivintage: new bike
calivintage: new bike

cycle chic sunday: vintage ladies

london college of fashion

today i thought it would be fun to share some vintage cycle chic in the form of these photos i found in the london college of fashion archives. there weren’t any notes about these photos, except that these photos were taken in 1947, so i can only guess that it was a little cycling/sporstwear collection, perhaps a student project? i quite like their short sleeved sweaters, culottes, and little scarves! and of course, it’s always nice to admire some fancy vintage bikes and babes!

london college of fashion

cycle chic sunday: laplander bags

i said cycle chic sundays were coming back, and i’m sticking to my word. today i would like to share some pretty awesome bike bags by the philadelphia based company, laplander bags. they specialize in beautiful handmade cycling bags and panniers made of canvas and leather. i recently sold my vintage raleigh to make room for a fancy new mixte bike (which i will tell you more about later…), and i’ve been on the hunt for the perfect cycling accessories! i especially love the idea of having a nice, sturdy porteur bag to place on a front rack for carrying whatever spoils i find on a weekend ride about town.

seen above: special edition towpath seat duffel and journeyman porteur bag, seen below: standard city panniers and deluxe waxed city panniers. get into it.

cycle chic sunday: bike ride

bike ride

 

 

 

and cycle chic sundays return! this week, i decided to have some fun on polyvore and created two easy outfits for a springtime bike ride around town. i firmly believe that there is no need to wear shorts or pants while riding your bike. just throw on a simple pair of cycle shorts underneath your skirt or dress and you can pretty much wear anything you want!

the first look is decidedly more casual, while the second look is more appropriate if you know you’er going to be hitting a bit more distance around town. my shoe of choice is any pair of flat sandals to keep my feet cool! i also find that it’s helpful to wear a few simple layers, a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes, and to invest in a simple bike basket to hold your purse or bag and whatever other items you might pick up along the way! if you’re planning a more intense ride, you can check out what i wore on my last bike tour.

p.s. you can click through to shop the looks seen above.

p.p.s. in other news, i’m selling my vintage raleigh 3-speed to make room in my apartment for a new bike. if you’re in the bay area, let me know if you’re interested!

cycle chic sunday: collina strada spring 2011

a little while back, i discovered the collina strada spring 2011 look book while browsing around on tumblr. what struck me the most were the beautiful images, but on second look, i noticed that she’s got a couple of really awesome bike bags! they snap into place on your headset or seat post, but are also easily removed to carry as a little tote bag. there are two styles up for sale at need supply in leather or canvas. definitely a fashionable and functional purchase.

cycle chic sunday: sweet setup

after recently going on a short weekend bike ride from pleasanton to sacramento along the river delta, i started thinking about the ideal way to set up my bike to carry the few items of food and clothing that i would need for an overnight camping trip. when i went on the bike tour along the california coast, i knew that i would need to be fully loaded with huge panniers and tons of supplies. but when you’re doing a very light trip, it’s best to keep things as small and light as possible. so i imagined up a set of smaller, more lightweight panniers and decided that a front basket would be nice for keeping a tote bag full of items for easy access: camera, ipad, snacks, a beer.
one quick internet search later and i found my ideal setup! brooks happens to make the perfect matching set of waxed canvas roll up panniers along with a classy wire basket and a tote bag that fits perfectly inside. (though i would definitely put these on my road bike rather than my cruiser so i could actually conquer the hills!) better start saving up my pennies for the next ride!