Families on Bikes

January 13, 2012

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Laura Wells and Her Sons Ride Home

Nate Guimont

Laura Wells and her sons take the scenic route home.

Beautiful Biking

By: Laura Wells

I've had such a journey with the cycling. Just a few years ago, the idea that I would become as passionate about cycling as I am now would be simply preposterous. How did I get to this place where I voluntarily ride this crazy-steep hill to work everyday...and I still turn out in the office consistently polished and in a dress, heels, lip gloss and perfume? I am not the type of girl to give up my style. That’s the way I ride!

I just took the boys to their evening Christmas school program last week dressed "fancy" as my first grader advised, in a black satin dress, a marabou vest and over the knee high heeled boots. I’ve also recently stepped out to the theatre in a short, satin cocktail dress. And to the bar in my bandage dress and 4” ankle boots.

And my driver’s license is NOT suspended, thank you. I have a nice Mini Cooper, I’d just rather cycle. It's pure JOY.

How can something so bloody brilliant not be so obvious to us all? How did it take me so long to realize this?

So my little revelation goes: I found myself stressed out to the max with hustling traffic, sitting in another hot California commuter standstill, having a heart attack… again. Watching precious minutes tick by, edging closer and closer to the closing hour of my children’s day care program. I was always the last mom to arrive and I was also flat broke at the time. Watching my fuel indicator plummet was another heartbreak I did not need. And yet another point bearing on me was that our compound at work was experiencing a lot of construction and development and many parking lots were closed. I was now parking 1/3 of a mile away from my office.

I sat there in my car that day, thinking hard and pensively waiting for a traffic signal to turn green for probably the fourth time before I could actually squeeze my Mini Cooper over its gridlocked crosswalk. I began to mentally add time. I imagined sewing together the strings of minutes, into hours, and days and then months, of time spent sitting in my car. Time not spent with my children. Time not spent on my home, with my friends, time not spent taking care of myself. Time lost forever.

The math: I sat in this unhealthy anxious state inside my car for 2-3 hours per day covering a meager total of only 18 miles. I even tracked the time I spent circling, parking, and tramping from my car to my office each day: 45 minutes!

I was too exhausted, too busy to make it to the gym and it was showing. My back hurt. I added up my car payment, my insurance, maintenance and gas and it really dawned on me that my car was not making my life easier.

Then a colleague who is avid road cyclist gave me an abandoned bicycle. And I began to ride.

,

January 13, 2012

Latest Comments

  • high heels

    I am so tired of seeing women on bikes in high heels on the pages of Momentum Magazine. I have been a commuter cyclist in urban centres for 12 years and I have only once seen a woman on a bike riding with high heels.

    It rubs me the wrong way as I find high heels offensive and don't get why women bother. I'm sometimes more tomboy sometimes more femme and I wish Momentum's femme editors would commit to a bit more diversity in the magazine. Where are the images of Blunstone boots riding bikes? Or sneakers or plaid shirt women?

    Posted by cara February 14, 2012 09:52:25

  • Biking in fashion

    We love the concept that woman bike in fashion (such as wearing heels) and actually most of our customers (www.villycustoms.com) get our fashion bicycles because of how fashion oriented they are :)

    Posted by Adelaida January 20, 2012 15:12:38

  • mom bikes in heels

    I'm not a mom but I've been bike commuting in my regular women's clothes, including heels, for four years for pretty much the same reason - saving money and escaping the constraints of being trapped in a car. I usually bike home for lunch or just to visit with the dogs and enjoy that much more exercise in my day. @Mel, it's women who largely determine these days what we wear; I think you might be making an assumption about the author or women who enjoy high heels and fitted jackets have bought into what the patriarchy have determined to be sexy. I dress to please myself; if my husband is please as well then that's great too.

    Posted by Karen Voyer-Caravona January 20, 2012 12:58:31

  • What to wear conundrum

    I highly recommend the polyester jersey wrapdress, which I am wearing in this photo. It is my daily uniform for work, and is appropriate for my profession where more formal business attire is required. This fabric (polyester spandex) acts and feels much like dry-fit perfromance material; It stretches to the extreme, wicks sweat, and dries quickly. Patterns conceal any dirt. The fabric does not wrinkle and can remain in my pannier or desk drawer ready to wear at all times. I do keep Vibrams with me for riding and switch if the ride demands it. I have cycled in all kinds of clothes, and for daily riding this type of dress is flattering to and fits almost all body shapes (I earned those the thunder thighs!) is forgiving, easy to maintain, very durable, comfortable, and super versatile. I strive toward Zero Waste and consider myself a conscious minimalist and have just 7 of these type dresses which comprise my entire business wardrobe. I do not have a closet, just one 36" shelf at home for clothing. Lots of trial and error and study went into the "what to wear" conundrum! :) I like to keep it super simple.

    Posted by Laura Wells January 20, 2012 12:46:14

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