citizen cyclists making urban spaces liveable

05 October 2010

Cycle Chic Sundays Competition - the Search for Chic

Welcome to our first fabulous Cycle Chic competition!!
We had a hilarious photoshoot the other day after our picnic - thanks to everyone for being such willing subjects :-)
So now it's over to you - who do you think sums up Cycle Chicness ?

Bear in mind if you will these points from the Cycle Chic Manifesto:
- I embrace my responsibility to contribute visually to a more aesthetically pleasing urban landscape.
- I am aware that my mere prescence in said urban landscape will inspire others without me being labelled as a 'bicycle activist'.
- I will choose a bicycle that reflects my personality and style.
- I will, however, regard my bicycle as transport and as a mere supplement to my own personal style. Allowing my bike to upstage me is unacceptable.
- I will endeavour to ensure that the total value of my clothes always exceeds that of my bicycle.
- I will refrain from wearing and owning any form of 'cycle wear'. The only exception being a bicycle helmet - if I choose to exercise my freedom of personal choice and wear one.

The winner will receive one of these gorgeous Basil panniers thanks to our new supporters Gazelle Australia.

Voting is easy - just click the box next to the name in the poll on the right hand column of this page.  You can even vote for more than one chicster and yes, even for yourself!

All a bit of fun, we really don't take ourselves TOO seriously.....
Voting is open now and closes at 8pm on Saturday 9 October.  Easy.  And in no particular order, here are the finalists.
Bonne chance a tous!

growers market pinups!
1 - Margeret

growers market pinups!
2 - Alacoque

growers market pinups!
3 - Sonja

growers market pinups!
4 - Madeleine

growers market pinups!
5 - Katie

growers market pinups!
6 - Tanja

growers market pinups!
7 - Kathi

growers market pinups!
8 - William

growers market pinups!
9 - Michael

growers market pinups!
10 - Grant

growers market pinups!
11 - Garry

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

One vote for Garry's bow tie - and a bonus vote for the daffodils;

One vote for the beautiful colour of Grant's awesome Italian bike;

One vote for William's too-big-for-a-helmet hair;

One vote for the witch-figurehead on Kathi's bike. Bonus vote for the crochet work too.

One vote for Tanja's vegetables.

One vote for Katie's super compact ride with a bonus vote for the Sushi Train tie in. Extra bonus point for the DIY rear basket.

One vote for Madeleine's always stylish Tokyo Bike with basket that has its own handle.

One vote for Sonja's cheeses.

And one vote each for Alacoque and Margaret's entirely appropriate heels. Bonus point for Alacoque's bright red nails for easy to see turn signalling.

- Michael

Anonymous said...

one vote for sonja's cheezy grin

K-star said...

One vote for Sonja being one hot mama!!

One vote for Will because he owns a hot glue gun!

One vote for Michael for the lovely comments on everyone. Oh sigh we have the nicest group of cyclists around.

There is only one thing that I don't agree with in the cycle chic manifesto...

I am an op-shopper fanatic and as such while I may outstyle my bike I will never be wearing anything more costly than it.

Except if you put a price on style... hmmm. Tongue in chic (why didn't you think of that Saskia?) :)

J-bot said...

Hey saskia, so bummed i couldn't make it to this ride. sounds like everyone had a lovely time.

Kathi i obviously agree with you on the cost thing. Imagine how many $5 stall items i'd have to wear... I'd be a moving mountain of clothing, on wheels :)

jai. xoxo

saskia said...

Ah but Jai & Kathi - vintage is priceless innit so you'll always outcost your bike ;-)
Nice coments people x

Anonymous said...

So hard to choose:
My vote goes to Alacoque (with Grant a close 2nd)

Paul Martin
Brisbane

Alacoque said...

How lovely are all these comments! Cycle folk are simply the best kind of folk!

It's amazing how much detail there are in these photos. You can pour over them and still miss little things. Michael gets bonus point for being so observant (can't believe you noticed my nail polish!)! Thanks to him I get to enjoy lots of glorious cycle quirks I would have otherwise missed (how did I not notice Kathi's witch on the day? Simply great!).

I keep getting drawn back to Grant's Abici bike. I fall in love with it a little bit more each time I look at it! I want to swim in that blue. Superb!

Extra bonus points for Saskia's photography and chic organising skills! It's so great to meet other like-minded people (and their bikes)!

Alacoque said...

Oh and I second Saskia's 'vintage is priceless' comment! I'm wearing a second-hand dress in this photo too! Vintage power!

Anonymous said...

Alacoque :)

ian_rm27 said...

Boys:Garry gets my vote for the matching bow tie and vest.

Girls: Katie for the matching scarf and lovely fold up bike.

regards,

Ian

saskia said...

Lovely comments guys ! This competition has been a winner - many more to come ;-)
Alacoque you're going to score extra points for all your beautiful comments I reckon....
And you're right, bike people are the best people ;-)

Anonymous said...

But... where are the helmets?

Grant said...

Hello everyone it's Grant here - owner of the blue Abici which has apparently upstaged me in the 'chic' stakes thus breaking one of the manifesto's cardinal rules. :) I must admit that despite already owning a bike I found it hard to ignore the little Italian bike's charms.

Thank you Saskia for organising such a splendid outing and thank you to everyone there for making it such an enjoyable esperiences - it was truly wonderful to meet you all.

As an Australian expat spoilt by the comparatively excellent conditions for cyclists in Oslo I greatly admire each of you for flying the flag for urban cycling in this sometimes harsh, take-no-prisoners city not through activism but through patience and perseverence and through a love of all things 'cycling'. You are at the vanguard of this transition to a healthier, happier city and for that as well as for being such a lovely group of people I consider you all to be worthy winners.

One last point. I agree with K-star concerning the clause in the manifesto which states that our clothing should always cost more than our bikes. Surely hard to achieve on our Velorbii, Electras, Gazelles and Abicis? Jeans, runners and a t-shirt typically suffice for me and over-dressing just to cycle skirts with fetishising urban cycling just a wee bit. I guess this clause is a dig at those getting around on $10000 Cevelos, Colnagos and Pinarellos as if they're off to participate in a triathalon.

Let's enjoy cycling in all it's forms but quietly advocate through action that sit-up style, slow-life, urban cycling exists for all those put-off by all the lycra, machismo and speed. You guys are changing perceptions here. Coming baclk periodically I can see it happening before my eyes.

Keep up the great work guys and I hope to see you all again soon!

@Anonymous. Many people brought their helmets with them but I think i speak for everyone when I say we hope that Australian law will ultimately be brought into line with the common sense policies of virtually every other country on the planet. For cycling to successfully become normalising, this regressive and counterproductive legislation needs to be overturned someday. Wear a helmet if you so choose.

saskia said...

Grant I can't possibly add anything to that !
Wonderful comment and spot on ;-)
Sounds like you're heading back to Oslo soon so keep in touch and hopefully we'll see you again - exciting to think what sort of cycling city Sydney will be the next time you visit !!??!
If you're still around this weekend, might see you at Keep It Wheel ??

Astrid said...

They are all great, gives me even more push to get on my bike this summer. Although I'm sure I won't look as stylish!

Grant said...

No problems Saskia. I look forward to seeing you all again soon, perhaps both with my Abici and my gentle giant, the Swedish Pilen SuperLyx next time: http://www.pilencykel.se/site/en/superlyx

Apologies for all the typo's in my previous post. As to Sunday rgrettably due to family commitments I'll be unable to make it but I look forward to reading all about it. Have fun!

saskia said...

grant - any bike site that has a tab entitled "merry pilen bikers" is ok with me !
gorgeous - you must bring it for a viewing next time :-)

astrid - i have no doubt you will look just fine :-)
the important thing is being on your bike after all, not how you look...are you in sydney ? Come and join us if you are ?