11.27.2009

Meet The Mittens

And The Mittens are:

Clemence
Clemence
Photo: Paul Hackmann

Elvire
Elvire
Photo: Paul Hackmann

Sylvie
Sylvie
Photo: Paul Hackmann

Vick
Vick
Photo: Paul Hackmann

Âge : 110 ans
Poids : 212 kg
Taille : 6m 72
Mensuration : 360 240 360
Q.I. : 480
Langues parlées : argot, portugais du ghetto et de la haute, espagnol, anglais, allemand (ein bischen), québécois, français…

La Rencontre :
à la fin d’un ride parisien, nous nous sommes retrouvées autour d’un verre. Frustrées d’avoir peu roulé, la conclusion était évidente : organisons nous!
De là notre première sortie, en peloton réduit : la vallée de Chevreuse… Yiiiihhhhhaaaaa!!!

Ce qui nous rassemble : nous chaussons toutes du 39.
Excepté cet important détail, notre souhait premier, sortir des sentiers battus!
Ne pas nous cantonner à nos trajets quotidiens, partir sillonner les régions alentour et plus si affinités.

Ce qui nous unit : le plaisir de l’effort, une vitesse commune (118km/h de moyenne en cote, le vent de face) et évidemment une indéfectible amitié!



Age : 110 years old
Weight : 212 kg
Height : 6m72
Measurements : 360 240 360
IQ : 480
Languages spoken : slang, ghetto and upper class portuguese, spanish, english, german (ein bischen…), french canadian, french…

How we met : After an urban ride around Paris, we met up for drinks. Frustrated after having ridden so little, only one idea seemed clear : LETS GET ORGANIZED !
From there came our first outing with a slimmed down peloton, in the Chevreuse Vally, yiiihaaaaahhhh !

What brings us together : we’re all a size 6,5 shoe
Apart from this important detail, what we want the most : get out on the open road !
Never be trapped by our daily routes through the city, but to go and discover other regions and more !

What unites us : the pleasure of pushing ourselves, the fact that we all ride at the same speed (118km/h average, uphill, with oncoming wind), and of course an unbeatable friendship!


Brilliant portraiture by Paul Hackmann

Words from The Mittens.

11.26.2009

Thank You

So many photos, so many bicycles, so much style - but what motivates and inspires me most to continue this blog, is the growing number of amazing people I get to interact with from all over the globe.
mikael ferry building

New photos of people who love velo appear in our photo pool daily. It's like getting a postcard from another part of the world.

Lay-Luh, Portland

Pink Bigfish in London
BigFish Folding Bike, London

5964 look away..that way..
Xander N'Dante, Toronto 416 Cycle Style

Sometimes I even get to meet these faces in person and be inspired time and time again.
meli's smile
nicegloves

So today I would like to give thanks to you - my readers, collaborators and friends - who keep the movement rolling forward at a steady and strong pace.

Thank you from the bottom of my innertube. :-)

11.25.2009

a bizarre ride to the pharcyde

scary pedicab
Where else but in SF can you take a bicitaxi to the dark side?

I can't get enough of meeting fun people when riding my bike around town.

11.24.2009

fairy bikemother

fairymom
If only I could click my heels three times, I would wish to see many more cool bike moms (and dads) out on SF's streets with their kids in tow (or riding the handlebars), let alone riding Critical Mass!

Oh - and hello... rockin' white boots, girlfriend!

11.23.2009

sf cycle moment: bike shadows

shadows @ java beach 3
Fall season leaves long shadows.

shadows @ java beach 2
Bike shadows make our concrete jungle beautiful.

11.22.2009

bicycle samba


At the end of December, I'm going to be taking off for a month to Brazil (yes, you can hate me now). This bicycle samba that I noticed on Curitiba Cycle Chic is helping me count down the days until Reveillon in Copacabana.

I heard there was a huge Tuesday night bike ride (bikers by the thousands) in Rio, so if anyone out there has any idea how and where to join in, let me know!

11.21.2009

Bike Expo/Fashion Show


Have you noticed how well-dressed San Francisco bicyclists are? The bike lanes on Market Street are full of dapper cyclists showing that you can ride your bike for transportation and look stylish doing it. Who says you can't have it all?

Read on! (from article: by Deb Greco, Stylish bicyclists: layering, new fabrics key)

BikeStyle Fashion Show starts at 5 p.m. Sat. The Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva Ave., Daly City.


SF Bike Expo/BikeStyle

11.20.2009

american legends

the_count
Anyone who grew up in this country must have learned to COUNT with this muppetman. And look - he rides a sexy royal blue bike! (I kinda have a thing for vampires.)

pumpkinhead
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow has traded his horse for a bike!

fred
Yabbadabbadoo! Fred rides too!

11.19.2009

Mixed Pairs (or not)


his & his


his & hers

bike chic special $2.29 a lb


sometimes "pair" means "three"

11.18.2009

VV Profile: Ramona Wheelright

ramona wheelright gg park circa 2001
Occupation: environmental consultant
Hometown: sad diego (so sad that such a beautiful place was designed for cars instead of people)
SF neighborhood: mission dolores
Helmet or no helmet: helmet (i'd prefer none, but this is san francisco where cars and people and bikes collide)
Type of bike: soma mixte- custom touring build by ramona
Describe what you like best about your bike: the juxtaposition of her efficiency and beauty. she looks like a 70's road bike but she's a 2009 urban/touring champ.
lit lily
Describe your cycling experience in SF: I wouldn't exist in SF without a cycle. It's a symbiotic relationship between, me, my bike and the city.
Favorite time or place to ride: in SF at night
Favorite color: rouge
trying to be like marielle
Artist most commonly played on iPod at the moment: itunes is always on shuffle, M.I.A. Mango Pickle Down River is currently playing.
Describe your personal style: modern vintage
Vélo Vogue tip of the day: going fast is fun, but you see more when you slow your roll
sunday streets

Miss Ramona is also the prolific author of a beautiful bike blog, Wheelright. So check her out!

11.16.2009

my sunday bike date

Meet Carlos. He's got a few tricks up his sleeve.
look ma no hands
We went on a bike date on Sunday morning down to Java Beach and back. It was all his idea.

kt tongue
I was so happy.

smiley sunday
Sometimes when life gives you surprises, you just gotta roll with it.

hot halloween

fishnetskiosk

sexygold
Two great reasons why you should ride in Critical Mass.

11.13.2009

Brüno

bruno
It's Brüno, the biggest Austrian celebrity since Hitler!

P1060578
I hope that outfit proved to be a real [ahem] magnet for him!

11.12.2009

my new boyfriend

new boyfriend
Well, he could have been, if Adrienne and Mikael hadn't told me that I was carelessly riding down a path that had clearly been marked NO BICYCLES. What up with that? Clearly when there are hot dudes riding around, I heed no warning signs.

He told me before we parted our ways that he just moved to SF from Chicago. Welcome, newcomer! See you on the bike lanes... or off!

11.10.2009

[Cameron Adams] Stylish Riding


Stylish Riding, originally uploaded by Cameron Adams.

Cameron Adams of street fashion blog The Chattanoogan shared this shot of cycle chic happening in his fun city.

Keeping warm in Chattanooga is a breeze in a coat that she acquired while visiting St. Petersburg.

So much has been said about style vs safety that this second photo is included to demonstrate that she takes precautions for both her arrival and departure.


pushbike style ride this Sunday

Last week on my way back from my accordion lesson, I saw the Pushbike storefront for the first time and was very curious... and now here's the perfect opportunity to get to know them up close and personal, avec beer.


Show your style this weekend! There is no theme. Wear what you like, dress to impress! Start at Pushbike. Check out new styles from Performance Couture. We will leisurely ride to the beach. Drinks and Prizes at the Riptide on Taraval. Warm up for next week’s Bike Style Fashion Show at SF Bike Expo.

Thanks to Meli for forwarding.

11.09.2009

trouble in paradise

Although my friend Sarah sent me this link about the decline of Vélib', the ever-popular, transormative bike-share program of the City of Light, mon amie Audrey still seems to be fabulously enjoying the bikes.


Vive le Vélib'! Vive la République du Chic!

11.08.2009

trix are for kids

trickstershadow2
Hey there, hottie, howz trix?

impressive
This one spectator is so impressed he's got to watch in salute, hand over his heart.

trix3
And no, I wasn't the ONLY blogger documenting these amazing maneuvers. Of course, we already know Adrienne was snapping away.

trix2
Even Mikael had to record a few for posterity. In his words, sometimes subculture can be cool.

Yeah, sometimes it can. ;-)

miketrix2
So Mikael went on to try to impress the ladies by busting out his Danish trickster moves. (And for his next trick, it looks like he's about to be beamed up by aliens.)

miketrix1
Though it seemed Mikey's skillz were limited to one.

my_bike_will_go_oooooon
Near... far... wherever you are... Le Chic will go on and on!