Bike vs Bike

Comments

• It's all cycling; it's all good

  I wear Lycra. I wear wool. I wear jeans and Danskos and Bontrager shoes with Keo pedals and sometime flip flops. I love to be on a bike. Sometimes I ride to work in my work clothes. Sometimes I'm in my club kit putting in hills and miles. Sometimes I am downtown on a coffee ride. But no matter, I always have a good time on my bike, and I always seem to enjoy the other people on bikes. It strikes me as silly to try to divide cycling into a right way or a wrong way. There are so many ways to enjoy a bike, and so far, they are all pretty dang fun. So wear what ever strikes you today, and enjoy the ride.

  Posted by Kristie Shaw March 19, 2012 21:37:12

• False dichotomies

  Where is the middle way in this debate? Kristen and Elly both seem to present a false dichotomy: Lycra or hundred-dollar heels.
  
  The cycle chic asthetic (though not the brand) was part of my inspiration to ride more, because I saw that I could wear my ordinary work or "going-out" clothes, rather than believing (as I saw on the streets of my town at the time) that I had to don Lycra or my grubbiest jeans and Ts. Yet I never for a moment thought I had to buy designer dresses or heels or a "chic" bicycle to fit some mold of what a woman cyclist should look like. I wear the same skirts, dresses, and slacks I've owned for years--most purchased at Target or in thrift stores for very cheap.
  
  Some folks, of all genders, always want what's in and what's perceived as stylish. If they weren't spending $1,100 on a loop frame bike, they'd be spending it on a teacup poodle or membership to an oxygen bar. Marketers will market to these folks; nothing we can do about it.
  
  I haven't heard a single woman say that the increase in cycle chic products and marketing has made her feel bad about herself or her body, I *have* heard several women say that it's made them feel more comfortable riding more often--or at all. Even if they never buy a product marketed that way, the fact that we are no longer an invisible demographic helps us feel more welcome all around. And that has to be a plus.

  Posted by Eli Effinger-Weintraub March 06, 2012 08:31:26

• I don't think that Elly quite gets it

  Elly's rebuttal posits a false dilemma: that there is either the "cycle chic" movement for encouraging women to ride, or there is no movement for encouraging women to ride. In fact, there is a multiplicity of such movements to suit the ideology of just about any woman, including dykes, grrrls, whoever. Cycle chic merely suits the sensibilities of one segment of the potential female ridership.
  
  Elly wrote "Cycle chic is tied inextricably to fashion" -- and so to, apparently, are a large percentage of women, riders and not-yet riders. Has Elly considered the possibility that the "cycle chic" subculture may be instrumental in bringing some women to cycling who previously wouldn't have thought it could work with their aesthetic?
  
  She continued "Also problematic is the conflation of marketing with advocacy". I don't know if it's news to Elly, but *cycling* itself is tied to marketing. Even if one were only addressing male cyclists, and even if only those male cyclists who are spreading the gospel of cycling to the masses, marketing looms large. Manufacturers must market to stay alive and produce the bicycles that will (hopefully!) be needed by the growing number of people who transition from cars and taxis to cycles.
  
  So ultimately, Elly has some sound concerns, but they're framed as if they're binary; either "my way" or "no way". That's simply not reflective of the heterodoxal reality in cycling today.

  Posted by Robert December 13, 2011 11:00:02

• sf vs. portland

  That's the difference between San Francisco and Portland right there...

  Posted by francis December 09, 2011 13:51:03

• Small Error

  The Kate Spade bike is a loop frame not a mixte. A few years ago, I wouldn't have known the difference. I started adding more biking to my life when I started biking to work, in my work clothes. I don't feel any more objectified wearing heels on my bike than I do wearing them to my office.

  Posted by Erin B December 03, 2011 20:22:02

• cycle chic without the manifesto & TM

  No one said that anyone was forced to subscribe to the manifesto. What cycle chic did, long before it was trademarked, was inspire many non-cyclist women to think about riding a bike to work, for errands, and to socialize more often than before. That it is a movement that has earned itself recognition with many followers means that it is a movement that is experiencing success among some circles.
  
  With 7 billion people on the planet, no one social movement will speak to every man or woman living on earth. If you don't care for high fashion, then do like me and shop in second hand shops and local artisan shops. If you prefer lycra and the sporty look, then there are lots of people who you can ride around with who feel just like you. But allowing for different niches within a culture is only beneficial, and quite healthy.
  
  For all his eccentricities, the founder of Cycle Chic TM also happens to be a highly intelligent, influential and dedicated bicycle advocate. It is our combined efforts that speak to many cross-sections of humanity that will influence change towards better bike infrastructure and more men and women feeling safer, more comfortable and more at home on two wheels on the streets.
  
  For those of us who admire cycle chic, but do not subscribe to any manifesto, RIDE ON and inspire others to join you! :-D

  Posted by Kristin Tieche November 04, 2011 11:23:56

• Chic Manifesto language is its undoing.

  I was going to defend Cycle Chic, til I read the manifesto!
  I think we have to get folks on bikes however possible, and for different folks this requires different incentives. It also requires not letting the presence of different folks cramp your own style. People out riding in nice clothes certainly will attract the attention and demonstrate the bike transport plausibility to a different demographic: ergo bike advocacy. But some of the language in the Manifesto is divisive. As cyclists we already suffer from being labeled as "other" by those in cars -- we need to stick together! Whether I think you look like a doofus riding in Chanel, or you think I look like a doofus riding a recumbent and wearing a helmet, we all want better cycling infrastructure, safety and respect.

  Posted by Audrey Romaine Wagner October 25, 2011 06:42:57

• just another angle to stir up more cycling interest --great!

  Nothing is wrong about cycling chic and just getting more folks on the bike. As one commenter said earlier in thread, the real test for a chic/fashionable cyclist is whether or not they continue to cycle regularily (ie. several times per wk.) ....when no one else is watching them! (except for drivers..or it's dark, rainy and crappy weather).
  
  The most fashionable thing as a woman that I wear is a occasionally a short lycra black skort. HOnest, I've already invested hundreds of dollars and also sewing effort for dress/business clothing that fits me (I'm a small woman) so just don't feel like shortening the lifespan of these clothes.
  
  So it's cycling wear or walking shorts on bike. First 10 years of returning to cycling, I wore T-shirts because ironically I didn't want to look like a cycling athlete wannabe.
  
  Now I realize am just more comfortable in wickable fabric tops. Shrug.
  Judge me not like a book cover, on my cycling love, cycling commitment and lifestyle, just because I don't wear street clothes hardly at all on bike. After nearly 19 yrs. on bike as a regular commtuer, bike tourer....I think my cycling heart is in the right place.

  Posted by Jean October 23, 2011 19:29:49

• cycle chic debate

  The point that is being missed in the discussion of cycle chic is not that you MUST look chic on the bike, merely that it is an option. In many young western countries (i.e. Australia or USA) for various reasons the initial van guard of cycling has been people who have been either sports orientated or people who have been utilitarian cyclists. The image conveyed by these early adaptors is that cycling is something that is hard but done by very special people (for a very interesting post on competing narratives in cycling have a look at the blog lovely bicycle). However not everyone will adopt cycling with this image for various reasons including the fact that to some people and some demographics (such as women and young girls), will not find this version of cycling attractive. Cycle chic provides an alternative. The more people who are cycling, the more people have an interest in safe cycling infrastructure, the safer it becomes as everyone either knows or is a cyclist in some situations. While it might dilute the credos given to the early adaptors – i.e. there is nothing particularly hard about cycling, so there is nothing particularly special about people who use bicycle for transport – this is what we want isn’t it - Cycling as a pursuit for all ?

  Posted by kerry October 23, 2011 17:03:46

• Something for both . . . but leaning towards Kristin

  Let's go to the source - the Cycle Chic Manifesto (http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com/2008/04/cycle-chic-manifesto.html). I'm not sure I agree with every point, but :
  - I choose to cycle chic and, at every opportunity, I will choose Style over Speed.
  - 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 ride with grace, elegance and dignity.
  - 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 accessorize in accordance with the standards of a bicycle culture and acquire, where possible, a chain guard, kickstand, skirt guard, fenders, bell and basket.
  - I will respect the traffic laws.
  
  - I will refrain from wearing and owning any form of 'cycle wear'.
  

  Posted by Kelly October 23, 2011 05:54:39

• I'm with Elly

  To me this all started because one guy working in the fashion industry liked to photograph lovely Danish women riding bikes. But Denmark is not like Australia (where I live), or America I'd venture. 35% + of commuter trip sin Copenhagen are by bicycle. It's flat. It doesn't get that hot, although it does get very cold. Bicycles are an ingrained part of the culture. I love those photo's and think it's a great website but to me they are photo's of well dressed attractive women first, cyclign second. In Sydney in summer when it's 35c+ and 90% humidity just try riding more then 2-3 k's in your work clothes (especially if you're expected to wear a suit) and your colleagues aren't going to appreciate sitting near you for the rest of the day, let alone customers. Also, 'cycle chic' supporters always, almost without fail, deride those who choose to ride in lycra. I'm a sports cyclist but I also commute. I choose to do it in lycra. I ride to the shops in whatever I have on at the time. I support anybody getting on a bike and it's wonderful to see an increase in commuting and 'local' cyclists but lets not promote one form over another. It's all good. I don't care what you wear and I don't do fashion.

  Posted by Stuart October 23, 2011 02:34:18

• I'm with Kristen

  This debate really baffles me! If you don't care how you look when you leave the house, by all means, wear whatever you want. Don't like make up? Don't where it. I agree with Kristen that the question is divisive. I've always loved fashion and looking nice. When I made the finanically necessary decision to transition to bike commuting Copenhagen Cycle Chic and other style oriented bike blogs helped me do so without compromising attractive and professional dress. Mikael Colville Anderson clearly like women and he lives in a part of the world where they are aplenty. Big deal! He's hardly presenting women as Hooter Girls who there to serve men but as women who appear smart, competent, strong, and yes, attractive. He photographs men and women of all ages, shades of skin and shapes and sizes. I've traveled in Europe a good deal and it's been my observation that Europeans dress up a lot more when they leave the house than do Americans and don't suffer from the level of obesity that we do either so I doubt Mikael has to go out of his way to find good looking people to photograph. I also think it's important to remember that Mikael is selling an idea, a way of living which is a hard sell for many. Let's be honest that most of us want to identify with attractive people; that's the nature of marketing. If focusing on attractive people on bikes helps move people to try bike commuting it shouldn't be a big shock to anyone.

  Posted by Karen October 22, 2011 17:54:38

• One vote for Elly

  I'm with Elly - put more eloquently than I could have done.

  Posted by Ellen October 22, 2011 10:45:01

• cycle chick

  Oh but cycle chic is for men too. Basically compared to "cycle specific" clothing any normal clothing is chick. It's about making cycling cool, sexy and desirable - getting away from the view that cycling is a sport instead of a normal mode of transport. Elly, do forgive me, but a lady in tight lycra outfit would suit your "drooling males" much better. Again - this isn't about limiting the choice rather than normalizing cycling.
  

  Posted by iamnotacyclist October 21, 2011 09:32:31

• CycleChic and CycleNormal

  Marc - Amsterdamize shows normal people, and Copenhagen Cycle Chic shows certain normal people. That's fine -- as long as you know what you are looking at. Being a consumer of clothing or just websites requires a certain level of skill in deconstruction or differentiation.
  

  Posted by Todd Edelman October 21, 2011 06:39:14

• Everyday clothes

  Cycle Chic is nothing more and nothing less than just cycling in your everyday clothes, like James said, for your destination, like you would walking.
  
  As it goes with a label like this, it has been taken literally in many places outside Denmark, the Netherlands and other countries where this is the norm, either giving the impression that you would 'need to dress up' for the ride or that it's *only* a fashion statement. For most of the time this is fine, but the fact that this is debated here & has created some backlash from the cycle community in general, speaks volumes on how this idea is easily misinterpreted.
  
  The message is still good, but sometimes it needs reminding what the merits are.
  
  Cheers,
  Marc

  Posted by Amsterdamize October 21, 2011 00:48:46

• cycle chic

  Cycle chic is fun but I'm with Elly

  Posted by David October 20, 2011 19:42:31

• Women Cycling

  Hi All, I own a bike shop in London and the increase of female cyclists over the past 18 months is great! I agree with the above...whether a girl wants to cycle at 5mph in a skirt to go to the shops to pick up some milk on an elegant drop frame..or dress in lycra and scream down the road on a singlespeed doesn't matter! All that matters is that they are happy and cycling! Cloud 9 Cycles loves cycling and so we love all girls that cycle! Come and see us if you are in London! :) http://www.cloud9cycles.com/

  Posted by Adam Garrett October 20, 2011 16:43:13

• more the merrier

  like it or not, I think people often do things because they think they look good doing it (e.g., driving certain cars) I have been watching the cycle chic world help pull cycling away from a limited "alternative," or sporty/lycra/triathalete obsession, to one that is open to lots of folks, riding lots of different bikes, and wearing all sorts of outfits. and each woman passing through my urban neighborhood in a cute helmet, festive bike, and nice helmet may easily be one less woman in stilettos trying to find parking for her SUV.

  Posted by chicagogal October 20, 2011 10:42:33

• Cart before the horse

  When the average cyclist looks like the average pedestrian, you have a healthy cycling culture.
  
  This is a symptom of good infrastructure and policy, but can also be part of the cause if it helps with advocacy (i.e. encourages pedestrians to see cyclists as normal travellers not sportspeople).
  
  I've always understood "cycle chic" to mean wearing destination clothes (suits, jeans, woolly hats) not special travelling clothes (day-glo, lycra, hardhats). Also sitting up comfortably, as opposed to hunched streamlining.
  
  I'm sure some people fetishize the indicator, like those that want GDP growth without considering quality of life. But we all know they're missing the point.
  
  
  
  

  Posted by James Twowheeler October 20, 2011 10:32:18

• a diversity of images is required!

  I'll chime in as a third wave feminist who was inspired by the cycle chic idea. While I think of the typical Cycle chic photos as eye candy for neat outfits much like I would a glossy mag, I don't feel pressed to look like a scandinavian woman, as a short black woman it ain't gonna happen and I am happy about that. For me- the idea of biking seemed more approachable when I saw images of women wearing regular clothing. I don't wear heels to walk, drive or bike in. But I do enjoy wearing a skirt or cute danskos. Like Kristin mentions, we all ride side by side and I am glad that I am not alone or I would have felt shamed two springs ago on a group House tour by bike in my town. A woman looked at me in my practical but nice knee length shorts, top and strappy danskos and said " you can't bike in those shoes!". I could and I did just fine and because of fellow real women bloggers out there I felt them in my head when I looked at her and smiled and simply said " Oh, they work for me just fine". I was a new rider- it was my first group ride and I could have been shamed off the bike for feeling "silly" or inappropriately dressed. But I didn't. She was comfortable in her black sweats and I personally had come from church- doing the house tour and then going to a party after the house tour- so I was dressed for my day and enjoying being on my bike throughout it all. All in all to say- the more ideas we have about who rides as a woman and what that looks like- the more women may relate to the concept of riding and hop on.

  Posted by suburban bike mama October 20, 2011 10:22:05

• Cycling Women everywhere!

  To be short and sweet (words and posture) - I am just happy to see more women out cycling. I am glad that all of this has turned into a marketing opportunity. It will increase awareness and broaden the opportunity for all types of women to start participating in the sport. We now have many product choices and opportunities to express ourselves in different ways. I remember the days (and it wasn't that long ago) that we had to ride in jerseys and shorts designed for men. Find the type of riding you want to do and flaunt your style ladies!

  Posted by Laura Dunkley Watson October 20, 2011 10:17:53

• Scandi-Women

  I don't think Elly has met too many scandinavian women. They might be beautiful & blond but they are definitely not doing this to please us men.
  
  Cycle chic is simply about being whoever you are on a bike without all the anglo-american accompaniments such as lycra, hi-vis & helmets. Its about the simplicity & purity of the bike as transport which is enhanced by simply dressing for your destination, not your journey.

  Posted by Dave October 19, 2011 15:34:35

• The Question of Chic

  The consensus is that we all want more people on bikes, women in particular. The contention point is always, how to do it? How do we present and represent that choice?
  
  I think Cycle Chic can both encourage and inhibit women to cycle depending on what angle one comes from. From the marketing standpoint, there will always be a point where a certain group is targeted and another excluded. We as the cycling community want to include everyone. The more people who visibly bike, the more people will take up biking, right? Cycle chic has inspired some women to begin cycling and others to continue cycling with more confidence, myself included. It shows a different demographic than just the male, lycra clad racer.
  
  However, people choose the bike they ride due to many factors such as economics, terrain and personal preference. Clothing is no different. We choose what we wear each day depending on mood, weather, destination and personal preference -- and sometimes depending on how much time we left to decide those factors.
  
  Cycle Chic is is historically about getting more people on bicycles through depictions of everyday people on their bicycles and what they wear - their everyday clothing. However, currently, there are many people who also ride their bikes everyday but are not represented in these photos.
  The less 'chic' riders, helmeted* chic and kitted out riders are not represented on these sites. So, eventually, even though the helmet debate goes further into statistics than style, in this arena, it does become about certain tastes and fashion. Even if it is not the intention.
  
  
  It may seem biased that a designer of urban bike wear for women is thinking and debating on this but, actually, if not I and others in the industry like me, then who?
  
  It is up to us, the people who are providing the clothing, information and depictions about who is riding to support and include all the people we can. It is about getting more people on bikes in a safe and comfortable manner, in whatever way they feel safe, functional and yes, for some, stylish.
  
  *riyoko is not on one side or the other of the helmet debate. Rather, we think wearing a helmet is a choice that is individual for each rider. A choice, that we hope is informed.

  Posted by Kristi Woo, designer, riyoko urban bike wear October 19, 2011 13:22:26

• Happy medium

  I'm not super chic, on or off the bike, although I do try and I do like clothes. All of my clothes are a mix of comfort and style and the same goes when I am on my bike. Also, I am plus size which adds a whole new wrinkle since there is very little worthwhile plus size athletic clothing out there. (those few who do have my lifelong loyalty).
  
  I do subscribe to the cycle chic aesthetic when it comes to wearing your "street" clothes while commuting or just doing fun rides around town. I have enough crap to carry around, I don't need a whole wardrobe too. I could see getting some more athletic outfits if I start doing longer recreational rides, but right now I never ride more than about 7-10 miles at a time and it is just not necessary to spend the $. I'm not super athletic (I'm often the slowest person on the trail and sometimes even children pass me) and I don't like the looks of a lot of the athletic clothes out there anyway.
  
  I don't subscribe to the "biking in heels" look because I rarely wear heels off the bike either - I think the people who say they are comfortable are mostly lying, and I think the bike bloggers who go on and on about wearing them on the bike and how great it is are also mostly lying. I have long felt like while heels are very pretty to look at, putting yourself into uncomfortable shoes as a woman is both limiting and sexualizing in a really harmful way. Women should be able to function and get around and not put those limits on themselves. It's ironic to me that the bike movement can be so liberating for women, or anyone really, and some women choose to limit themselves by wearing these silly shoes. That having been said, there are a few cute and comfortable heels and wedges out there, and if you can wear them without causing yourself pain or safety issues, go for it. But I have a hard time believing that's the case most of the time.
  
  Bottom line - as a woman you can't compare yourself to the models in the photos and you have to mix and match style with comfort and function on a daily basis, and biking is no different to me.

  Posted by Angie October 19, 2011 11:45:35

• whatever it takes to get more people on bikes!

  I don't wear high heels, on a bike or otherwise, I stick to my bike shoes. When this Cycle Chic 'movement' started up I felt pretty self conscious. Here I've been riding for years and like my with lyrca when I have a long ride ahead, I would rather have bike shoes and cycling glasses on most days, but now I need to worry about being pretty on my bike?! I started to feel pressure to amp up my cycling wardrobe. Then I decided that anything that gets more people on the road makes me happy. No one is judging the shoes I wear, just like I don't judge them for going half the speed as I do, it's just nice having more company on the road :)

  Posted by Heather October 19, 2011 11:21:24

• Cycle Chic

  Having been a fan of the Cycle Chic movement since Mikael first set up Copenhagen Cycle Chic, I think a lot of people miss the point. It is not solely for or about women. It also includes men and what's more, men of all ages.
  The point about Cycle Chic is that its about using the bike as a means of transport and being able to get about in your normal clothes.
  In Autumn 2009, Sustrans (a UK gvt body which exists and whose name comes from Sustainable Transport e.g. cycling & walking) did a survey which 9000 British women responded to. It transpired that 79% of women in the UK never cycle at all even though the average car journey in this country is 2 miles or less. It is mainly women who are doing the school runs, the shopping on their way home from their part-time jobs (because most part-time jobs are done by women). It is women who need encouraging to cycle more often as cycling in the UK and USA and Australia has been promoted as a mainly male sport since the 1970s (I'm old enough to remember this first-hand!).
  I also know that the fashion industry contributes billions to the UK economy alone on an annual basis so of course there are some who will try to exploit that on the back of Cycle Chic. Take a look at the Copenhagen Cycle Chic website and look at the manifesto - it will disarm all those who react so hostilely to the concept. Investigate before you criticise or reject. Cycle Chic was established to encourage more livable cities, not to objectify women. I'm 52, cycle at least 10 miles a day in Cambridge, UK and have brought up both my son and my daughter to cycle. It's a normal part of our lives and you can be sure we cycle in our normal clothes on our upright bikes. (and by the way, that's my daughter modelling the mauve raincoat and the red reflective on the website of The Cambridge Raincoat Company - she's the only girl I know who cycles to school and then another 5 miles on to her ballet class, after which she cycles the 5 miles home).
  I will also add that upright bikes are much kinder for the back (all that slouching forward can't be good for the spine) and looks dreadful. Furthermore, it gives you the chance to look about and notice what's going on. I also believe it makes the rider more visible and noticeable to drivers when cycling in traffic.
  I think Mikael Colville-Andersen should receive an award for coming up with the concept of Cycle Chic and all those who try to exploit it should be ashamed for trivialising it - and so should those who reject and criticise the concept without fully researching its origins.
  

  Posted by Sally Guyer, The Cambridge Raincoat Company October 19, 2011 09:14:06

• Thanks!

  I appreciate your taking on this topic.

  Posted by Rebecca October 19, 2011 07:23:02

• just cycle, chic or otherwise

  interesting debate. as a middle-aged cycle female rider in sydney, i was delighted to come across something like sydney cycle chic as the majority of cyclists here are lycra-clad guys...i'm not a heels kinda person either but i like the momentum that cycle chic is giving women (and men) to get on their bikes.....let's face it, the males who will 'objectify' women will do it to any woman on a bike whether she's long-legged and in a skirt or whether she's in trousers with one leg rolled up to her knee to avoid getting oil on her trousers....
  the important thing is to get more cyclists....if fashion is a way of doing so, great.
  if it weren't for sydney cycle chic i'd have never known about the various cycling events that are going on in my city like bike rallies or the bicycle film festival and no one should miss out on seeing the documentary on bill cunningham.....so, as a 'normally' dressed cyclist i just like seeing cyclists....if women really are the litmus tests of the ease of cycling in a city, then Go Girl and let's aim to get more families out and about on their bikes too.
  So don't have a sartorial divide.....who cares what people wear as long as more and more people cycle.....etc. etc.

  Posted by pip October 19, 2011 04:25:01

• It's a lot about the bikes,

  The cycle chic 'movement' for me in the UK is not so much about women on bicycles, but about a different way of cycling. In the US and UK sports bikes have dominated the cycle world. The 'sit up and beg' style of bicycle whilst not the sole contributer to cycle chic, are a large part of that, these bicycles equiped with lovely comfortable men and women dressed the way they would normally, (and the upright riding position, covered chain, mudguarded, dress guarded bicycle enables that...) means that the stylish person gains an additional elegance. The idea of the bicycle for transport and not for sport is an essential mesage to get across. cycle chic is a catalyst for change in the way we can think about living locally. i see cycle chic as a great tool for getting people to think about what is possible on a bicycle and a reminder that we don't have to dress down to ride. (weather permitting). People can look lovely on an bicycle ...and how can a that be a bad thing?

  Posted by Rob Bushill October 19, 2011 00:17:37

• As long as it is more cycling

  I think the truth is a distillation of both of these viewpoints.
  
  Not all women who ride bikes in the Cycle ChicTM way are empowered, but also cycling cannot solve objectification. Cycle Chic starts as an exaggeration of just how many women in Copenhagen look a certain way, but it definitely has gotten some people cycling who otherwise may not have. On one hand I think that any woman who rides a bike for daily transportation is defying the dominant paradigm (in Canada and the U.S.), and on the other, well, maybe she is a fascist who likes to ride a bike! As much as I hate fascists, there are probably more female fascists - in all sorts of clothing - riding bikes in Denmark and Amsterdam than in all other Western countries combined.
  
  It is clear that fashionable clothing-originated cycling has increased demand for bike lanes and so on, and that these things are happening at the same time. There is no coincidence. CycleChic - or really, its founder Mikael Colville-Andersen - exaggerate marketing but are right that the "activists" got basically nowhere for years. Also, consider also how "Chic" is the main personality behind the changes in NYC.
  
  Some women will always dress to kill, and if they are on a bike they will find it very hard to kill anyone (but remember that some may be riding to work at arms manufacturers). Let's hope they dress and so on in a way that is inspired by an inner spirit rather than an outer presence. The real test, perhaps, is seeing if all these dressed up women continue to ride bikes for transportation -- and we should actually count how many cyclists of the total number are "Chic".

  Posted by Todd Edelman October 18, 2011 22:21:20