6.26.2014

VV Profile: Caz Nicklin, Author of The Girl's Bicycle Handbook



Name: Caz Nicklin

Occupation: Founder of Cyclechic.co.uk and author of The Girls' Bicycle Handbook

Raison d'etre: Promoting cycling as a desirable, accessible lifestyle choice.

Hometown: Yorkshire, England

Current city: London, England

Favorite city to ride a bike in in the world: Has to be London but San Francisco comes a close second.

Type of bike: I currently ride a Bisou from Tokyobike



Describe what you like best about your bike: It's light and streamlined and feels great to ride and it’s also easy to carry and store inside. It has a steel frame so is strong enough to take my 5 year-old daughter on the back and all our stuff in a basket on the front. It also has swept back handlebars which gives it both a traditional feel and more relaxed riding position. It’s the ideal bike for me at the moment – nippy but strong.



Describe your personal style: Come summer I’m all about floaty floral dresses - they look and feel so good to cycle in. Spring and Autumn my Harris tweed riding jacket comes out teamed with skinny jeans and brogues for a more vintage look.



Helmet or no helmet: Helmet. I don’t believe a helmet is a magic weapon against all injury but, personally, wearing one make me feel more confident when cycling amongst traffic. I always wear my trusty Bern Lenox in Cranberry - Bern helmets were the first product I ever sold when I started my business and we now have the Lenox helmet in Cranberry colour made exclusively for Cyclechic and it is our best-selling product!

Favorite accessory when riding: Second to my helmet I would have to say my pannier. I am currently sporting a summery Basil Bloom Shopper. It either goes on my rack or in my basket and is great for both work and shopping. I also love my Michaux Lightening rucksack, made here in London by a local designer, Rachel Bonney – it’s so elegant.



Favorite time and/or place to ride: First thing in the morning (after a cup of tea, of course) getting up and out on the bike is a great way to start the day and puts me in an optimistic frame of mind. My fave place has to be the backstreets of West London.



Tell me about your new book The Girl's Bicycle Handbook: The Girls Bicycle Handbook is a practical guide for women who want to incorporate cycling into their lives but have questions about how to do it? Advice ranges from; buying a bike, bike maintenance, road safety, accessories, cycling to work and of course cycling in style. The book also celebrates the cycling community with profiles on inspirational bloggers, businesswomen and wonderful female figures from cycling’s past.





What inspired you to write the book? When I first came to cycling as an adult I had tonnes of enthusiasm but no experience so was hungry for advice and info. However most of the advice seemed either sport related or totally outdated and was more of a turn off than encouragement. I wanted to changes that and write a book that would was both pretty to look at but also packed full of useful, relevant advice to really help modern women start cycling and stay cycling.



What will women learn from reading your book? Everything from how to fix an puncture to how to combat helmet hair to what to wear and what to eat for breakfast...



Where can women buy your book? From our website but cheapest and fastest option for US customers is Amazon

How does the book further your vision for Cyclechic.co.uk? My vision for Cyclechic - both the shop and the blog - is to promote cycling as a desirable lifestyle choice to encourage more women to take to two wheels so the book is perfect extension of this mantra. I hope the book will invite women into cycling and give them advice that will make their life by bike easier and more fulfilling.



Vélo Vogue tip of the day: Go for loose fitting dresses that come to around the knee when the hot weather kicks in. They are the comfiest and coolest cycling attire as they let the air circulate and you will look fabulously feminine as you cycle by.

Photos provided by Caz Nicklin

6.18.2014

Jenise from SF Cycle Style

I ran into Jenise of the new SF bike blog, SF Cycle Style, in the Panhandle on my commute home from work last week. I took her picture...

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And she took mine!


Photo by Jenise Breaker

She also wrote this very nice post about Vélo Vogue.

Welcome to the bike blogosphere, Jenise, and I'll see ya in the bike lane!

;-)

6.17.2014

Olé Olé Olé Ola!



Artwork by REYNALDO BERTO

Fun image posted today on ESPN Brasil from Renata Falzoni.

Hey Ho MEXICO!

6.13.2014

Drivers beware!

Please don't yell at me from your car window and tell me to wear a helmet, get off the road, be careful, get a headlight, etc.

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You're not offering "advice." In fact, you're being rude, annoying and you're not paying attention to the road.

Actually, you're being a dangerous driver.

Keep your eyes on the road and keep your opinions to yourself.

We know what we're doing, ok?

6.11.2014

hi ho hi ho and bike to work i go!

I've been working exclusively from home since last August, when suddenly last week I was called to edit on site during regular business hours!

So what did I do? I bike commuted! HOORAY!

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I was excited to join the ranks once again! [Note to self: Need new leggings.]

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And witness the all the gorgeous SF landmarks on my way to work...

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while checking out the San Francisco style.

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It's been a while since I've weathered the shit storm of the morning commute, so it took a little getting used to again.

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Even with all the positive changes to our bike infrastructure in the last few years -

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I'll admit it: I found the experience to be nervewracking and potentially dangerous.

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You still have to have thick skin to be confident enough to bike to work in San Francisco in 2014.

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Still, I made it to my place of work, practicing safety in the form of Style Over Speed.