Cycle Chic Sundays Does Surry Hills!

Fast becoming my favorite 'hood, Surry Hills is home to a ridiculous amount of cafes, restaurants and bars.  It's also home to two of my favorite bike hangouts - Tokyo Bike and Remy & Lees Cafe.

With the (slowly) emerging cycle way down Bourke Street it's becoming somewhat of a bicycle mecca so Cycle Chic Sundays feels the need to ride.  It's time to show the anti-cycle ways brigade that we not only mean business but we are good for business, dammit!  Please show your support and JOIN US.

We will be starting at Tokyo Bike who will be riding with us and also have their resident mechanic on site to give advice and simple maintenance.  There will be plenty of time to take a test ride or get your tires pumped and if you're new to Tokyo Bike, have a look at their site - they totally rock Japanese cycle chic.
From there we will cruise slowly down to Remy & Lees for a coffee and cake pit stop and then do a nice leisurely loop around to Crown Street finishing up with beers at the Beresford Hotel.

This is not a long ride and we have one simple aim - to be slow, be stylish and be seen.
So frock UP, bring your friends and let the good times roll.

WHAT: A leisurely ride through Surry Hills with eating, drinking and shopping en route.

WHO: Anyone who favours style over speed.  

WHERE: Meet at Tokyo Bike at 1 Mary's Place at 1pm, finishing at the Beresford Hotel

WHEN: Saturday September 11 from 1 to 3pm and on.......

Please RSVP your interest/attendance by leaving a message here or head to our Facebook page.  Cheers

Wonderful Ferry Cycle Chic

I love being surprised by a little commuter cycle chic first thing in the morning.  That aqua Gary Fisher bike with Thea's purple shoes - chicalicious.  Hope you come ride with us Thea !

Watch This - Beauty and the Bike Short Film

If I am ever in any doubt as to why I started this blog and why the bicycle movement is so damn important I will watch this and remember.

I grew up in northern England so it's even more poignant for me. These girls are wonderful and to hear them talk and watch their faces light up when they ride is beyond inspiring.  The two girls discussing what they will wear is wonderful.
Love it.

Nice Bikes In Sydney This Week

Everywhere I turn this week I see bicycles - am I just tuned in more or is Sydney going bicycle mad ??

Spotted this beautiful Electra on Bourke St today - nicely pimped up and that skirt guard is cute as hell.  Hoping the owner gets in touch, we need you and your beautiful bike on a Cycle Chic ride !

And I see this Electra often down at the ferry.  Classic.

Be Inspired - Jorg&Olif

I came across this site a while back and it has fast become one of my most visited and continually inspiring sites. Anyone who rides a bicycle for pleasure will understand the slow life but it's more than that, bicycles are just the start.  Be inspired.

I particularly love their recent post featuring the beautiful wall art of Russian designer Jane Molinina.

Bring a little bicycle love into your home.

" Jorg&Olif is The Slow Life Company – a bicycle inspired lifestyle brand representing the Slow Life movement globally.

Originally a bicycle company set up in Vancouver by two local entrepreneurs in 2006, the bicycle is the ultimate symbol for the Slow Life.

The bike represents the leisurely pace through which we can live our lives and it also demonstrates the sensibility we need to have towards mobility.

Everything around us is becoming more mobile and transient, and as the world’s major cities increase in population, creative urban professionals are seeking more balance in their daily lives.

Here at Jorg&Olif, we are creating the new look of urban mobility through sophisticated and design-driven products that celebrates individuality, good living and fashion.

The Slow Life Company ™ is:

Health and wellbeing without the spandex

Design and culture without pretentiousness

Eco-consciousness without extensive activism

Through our commitment; a Jorg&Olif lifestyle is about experiencing the world in a conscious way – focusing on quality, authenticity and style!

What Is Slow Life ?

The world is becoming increasingly faster. Food, fashion, technology and information are increasingly disposable and created in haste.

The Slow Life is a global movement that redefines quality, authenticity, exclusivity and luxury in a modern and personal way. It counters the rapid pace of life and urbanization and represents a balanced way of living that is about quality over quantity.

The Slow Life focuses on authenticity – a new level of consciousness and appreciation to things around us.

It is not about sparing luxury or intense economizing, nor is it purely about doing good environmental deeds or consuming organic goods. It is about applying a new set of values for the modern generation.

It encourages us to enjoy living in the present with friends and family, to belong to a community of erudite global citizens and to appreciate what’s easily neglected. Living the Slow Life is not about finding methods to save time, it is about discovering new ways to appreciate and enjoy time.

It aims to slow down the way we commute from point A to B. Most importantly, the Slow Life inspires us to see, not just look. "

Snapped - running with dogs

walking the dog Bondi style.

Cycle Chic Sundays Sydney - to market to market

Well we experienced almost all four seasons in one day last Sunday for our Cycle Chic Sunday ride.
What's up with that ??

The day started with what we optimistically assumed was the first day of springtime so we made our way up to Jeds cafe for some brunch, popping in to say hi to Alex at Miljo en route.  The lovely Clare from Trails of Two Cities met us there for a final ride before she heads off to NYC for adventure ! Great to finally meet her, check out her cool blog.

We barely had time to cram in a latte and a berry muffin before the sky turned deep grey and just made it to the market in time amidst a sand storm and gusting winds as the rain started.  I've never seen so many people running in the opposite direction - like a bad disaster movie....

We hid out undercover near the sausage sizzle until it stopped then managed to cram in a bit of stall browsing before the rain started again.

By the time it had cleared we had disbanded, soggy and vintage free.  Sadly not so chic this Sunday...
roll on Summer !!!!

     

     

     

[Miss Clare, Miss Allana, Miss Annalouise and Miss Kerry]

My solo ride home, however, was one of those perfect rides, just me, my bike, late afternoon dappled sunshine and no-one to hear me sing out loud to the tunes on my iPod.  Good times.
I never get tired of shots like these.

    

Pimp Your Ride #1 - the road popper

I thought I'd start a little regular feature and share some ideas with you for "pimping" your ride.

To start the ball rolling is this - so perfect as we head in to the long lazy summer months....

     

Featured on Design Boom, the road popper is a bike-mounted bottle opener designed by the Canadian design duo Chromoly.  Designers Jonathan Sabine and Adam Pickard originally developed the design for their own use but decided (hurrah) to share it.  
It attaches directly to the rails on the underside of the saddle, keeping out of sight and is produced on demand using the rapid prototyping services of shapeways in bronze infused stainless steel.
Love it.

Snapped - Amity on train

  

This is a common image in many cities but here in Sydney, on a busy train commute at the end of a long day seeing a little cycle chic is like a breath of fresh air !

Cargo Bike Fiesta!

Ok so fiesta may be a slight exaggeration but within a few days I have seen more cargo bikes than I can poke a stick at!
Sydney has not fully embraced the cargo or freight bike yet but slowly, as with our developing bicycle culture, times are changing.

First there was this beautiful white Bullitt cargo bike up in Bondi, my sources say it's been seen around a lot lately so I'm hoping for a glimpse of the owner soon.

This weekend also sees the end of the two week long Sydney Design Festival and incorporated into that was the Live Futures 2020 Festival, a curated weekend of events and workshops aimed at opening discussions and changing the way we live.

Those forward thinking folks at sustainability resource centre The Watershed in Newtown were there to lend a hand by schlepping equipment around in their two freight bikes.  Their Gazelle Cabby and Xtracycle will form part of the proposed "library" of transport bikes due to open for public use in the next few months.
The Watershed is a joint initiative of the City of Sydney and Marrickville Councils and is yet another great way that Sydney is supporting sustainable environments within the urban community.

I caught up with Mithra and Andrew from The Watershed as they took the Gazelle for a spin - oh and my Felix is also a BIG fan....

     

     

That Gorgeous Gorman Bicycle

It's not surprising that hip eco-conscious Australian label Gorman has decided to produce a limited edition of bicycles.

Founder, designer and environmentalist Lisa Gorman rides her own bike everywhere and has said of the Gorman team that they are all "extremely fond of the bicycle, both as a mode of transport and as your most important fashion accessory".

In 2008 they even took up home in a recycled shipping container at Federation Square in Melbourne during the Bike Film Festival, designing the logo for the festival t-shirt and giving the BFF audience discount on their clothing range. 

These beautiful red and white polkadot bikes are a remake of a vintage style and come complete with basket (but not Scotty dog...).  They are currently available in all Melbourne stores and Paddington and Bondi stores in Sydney with plans for more colours if this initial run is a success.

Retailing at AUD$499 I'd say they are the perfect addition to any cycle chicas ensemble and a great way to head in to our summer months!

Sydney's Vision

Sydney's Cycleways Campaign has been getting much attention lately not just in Sydney but globally.  (See todays post on Copenhagenize)
The City of Sydney's Lord Mayor Clover Moore has been described as many things and yet while her campaign has been met with strong opposition from some, her vision for a more "user-friendly" city can only be applauded.
Personally I think it's visionary and these are exciting times in what has been until recently, a city fearful of change.  If Sydney is to become a truly respected citizen-friendly city then we need to embrace change not fight it.  Be informed here.

Snapped !

Finally some happy stylish people with their vintage bikes.  Here's Tori and Hamish heading where we all like to go in Sydney on a sunny Sunday afternoon.....

Cycle Chic™ Sundays Sydney Rides Again

WHAT: An afternoon in Bondi with cafe/bar hopping and a spot of vintage market shopping

WHO: Anyone who favours style over speed

WHERE: Meet at Rose Bay Ferry Wharf at 11am or en route (email me !)

WHEN: Sunday August 15 from 11am

STOP PRESS STOP PRESS - Sydney Cycle Chic launched!

I'm very pleased to announce that we are now up and running.  Big thanks to Mikael at Copenhagen Cycle Chic for the gorgeous new logo :-)

I decided to migrate all cycle related stuff (including Cycle Chic Sundays Sydney) from my other site A Spirit of Place so that I can retain that one for it's original photographic related intention....and so far the migration has been (almost) glitch free.

Of course a new site comes with a new facebook page and twitter account - so please make sure you update your contacts !

Lots of good cycle business this weekend which I'll post as soon as I know this migration has worked.....