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

VV Profile: Chris Bruntlett of Vancouver Cycle Chic

Name: Chris Bruntlett

Occupation: Residential Designer

Raison d'être: Documenting the mainstreaming of bicycle culture through words, photos, and film

Hometown: Vancouver, BC

Neighborhood: Commercial Drive

Favorite city to ride a bike in in the world: Montreal. On a BIXI. In the summertime. Je t'adore!

Helmet or no helmet: I feel fortunate enough to live in a city where I can get almost anywhere via traffic-calmed bikeway, designated cycle track, or separated seawall. So I feel perfectly safe riding without a helmet.

Type of bike: Linus Dutchi 3

Describe what you like best about your bike: The Dutch-style frame allows me to ride in an upright position, with a straight back, and very little weight on my forearms, wrists, and hands. It's an incredibly comfortable, practical, and enjoyable way to make my slow travels around town.

Describe your personal style: I ride in whatever I happen to be wearing that day: for work, it's typically a dress shirt and slacks. I'll throw on a wool coat in the winter, along with a flat cap, scarf, and gloves. My morning routine and wardrobe selection do not depend on the mode of transport I happen to be choosing that day; whether it be foot, bicycle, bus, train or automobile.

Favorite accessory when riding: I have a small, battery powered speaker that attaches to my iPhone and straps onto my handlebars for longer rides. You can't beat cruising the seawall with the kids in the summertime, music blasting, and the four of us singing along!

Favorite time and/or place to ride: The seawall in the early morning or late evening. At over 30 kilometres of car-free, waterfront goodness, it really is the gem of Vancouver. At that time of day, it's essentially deserted, with the mountains, ocean, and glass towers on display for us to soak up.

Tell me about riding around with your kids/family: We sold our car almost four years ago, and our family now makes the majority of our trips via walking, cycling, bus or train. We have evolved from a double-wide trailer, to a trail-a-bike, to a point now where both of the kids (ages four and seven) are able to ride on their own two wheels from one side of the city to the other. It has been amazing to watch the sense of joy, achievement, and independence as their skill levels increase, and they begin to learn the streets, neighbourhoods and landmarks of Vancouver like the backs of their hands! 

Tell me a funny story that happened to you when you were riding your bike: I have the funniest conversations while riding side-by-side with my children. Whether it's their innocent and unfiltered observations of the buildings and streets around them, or whatever strange idea happens to pop into their head that day, they never cease to amaze and entertain me. In the last couple of weeks, for example, my son has told me that "Cars are stupid", "Riding a bike makes his brain feel good", and people on the Skytrain should be called "Track pedestrians".

Tell me about how you got involved with Vancouver Cycle Chic and your message: Despite a reasonably safe and connected bike network, the culture in Vancouver is still quite militant: with high-viz vests, gore-tex, and helmets very visible on the streets. Even our local government and bike advocacy groups are guilty of dangerizing, politicizing, and overcomplicating the act of citizen cycling. I got involved with Vancouver Cycle Chic because very few people were presenting an alternate vision: that cycling is stylish, safe, simple, and incredibly fun.

Tell me about Cycle Chic Films and the speaking tour you've been doing: David and I decided to expand the photo blog into the world of film after seeing the "Cycling With" film series out of Dublin. After a couple of (failed) attempts, we managed to get our method, style, crew and equipment together in a suitable manner. We completed four short films in the summer, and will have two new ones ready before Christmas. Our intention was to highlight the diversity, creativity, and humanity of two-wheeled transport in Vancouver, and inspire others to consider giving it a try. I have also been presenting the films to city officials, advocacy groups, and film festivals across North America, and talking about promoting cycling more effectively. One of the films: ‘Heart and Soul’, was recently awarded ‘Best Bicycle Short Film’ at the New Urbanism Film Festival in Los Angeles.

Vélo Vogue tip of the day: Dress for the destination. Not the journey.

If you're in San Francisco on December 21st, come meet Chris at Huckleberry Bicycles, have a drink and check out some of his short films.

Photos courtesy of Chris Bruntlett.

VV Profile: La Phoebe

Name: La Phoebe

Occupation: Bike Mechanic at Huckleberry & Martial Arts Instructor



Raison d'être: Ass-Kicking

Current city/Neighborhood: SF/Alamo Square

Favorite city to ride a bike in in the world: Budapest - especially the Pest side. Along the Danube is cool too.

Type of bike: Surly Cross Check

Describe what you like best about your bike: The flipped mustache bars with bar-end shifters!

Describe your personal style: Practical yet stylish - think prêt-à-porter/work & social combined into one.

Favorite accessory when riding: Brass-knuckles come in handy, as does my cozy Chrome hoodie when it's cold in SF.

Favorite time and/or place to ride: Midnight on a moonless night.

Tell us a funny story that happened to you on your bike: When I was training for the Olympics (Tae Kwon Do) in Korea, I was biking along a bridge and couldn't understand the warning sign. I kept speeding along & before I knew it, I flew off the bridge ( it had collapsed in the middle). Luckily, it wasn't too high & I landed in a deep part of a river below. Unfortunately, it ruined my competition but I survived.

Vélo Vogue tip of the day: Don't be a douche!

Bring La Phoebe to life by pledging The Spinster today!

VV Profile: Karla O'Connor

Name: Karla O'Connor

Occupation: Marketing manager for a small fashion company

Raison d'être: Make people look good and feel good, starting with myself

Current city/Neighborhood: SF/Lower Haight

Favorite city to ride a bike in in the world: I love biking in Paris. My best friend Phoebe and I went there a few summers ago and had a blast with the Vélib rentals. So easy and fun. I love Paris for everything. Except I guess vegetarian food.

Helmet or no helmet: Riding around town, I wear a hat with a brim to hold my hair in check and keep the sun out of my eyes.

Type of bike: Civia Twin City

Describe what you like best about your bike: I love the step-through frame: so easy to hop on and off in a skirt. I also love the smooth ride and easy handling. Civia makes solid bikes that look great too.

Describe your personal style: I find that if I wear what I like, people like what I wear.

Favorite accessory when riding: Po Campo purses because they strap right onto the bike - don't have to carry it, don't worry about losing it or someone swiping it.

Favorite time and/or place to ride: I like riding to dinner in the evening, after work, with my husband, Todd.

Tell us a funny story that happened to you on your bike: I met my husband, Todd, online, and our first date was a Critical Mass ride. I was sporting a super cute Nooworks dress with a very flouncy skirt. So flowy in fact that as we were riding along the ridge above Fort Mason a breeze blew it up in my face. Todd still thinks I did it on purpose.

Vélo Vogue tip of the day: Always wear cute unders when biking in a skirt. You never know who might see you -- or what they might see!

Please bring Karla to life by pledging The Spinster today! You could take home the very same Civia Twin City bicycle that she is raving about, plus the satisfaction of supporting an independent bicycle film!

VV Profile: Lygia de Luca

Name: Lygia de Luca



Occupation: Movimento Conviva Blogger and social media content and strategy freelancer

Hometown: São Paulo, Brasil

Current city/Neighborhood: I live in a neighborhood called Saúde in the south of São Paulo.

Raison d'être: I try to make utopias become a reality. If I ever consider something is far from reality - mine, per se - I do everything I can to make what seems utopic come true. It can work for anything in my life... anything.



Favorite city to ride a bike in in the world: So far, the best memories I have sit in Brugge, Belgium; though I had a really good time in San Francisco!

Helmet or no helmet: No helmet for commuting in the city, but surely when I start doing bike trips I will wear one. :)



Type of bike: I have a urban step-through bike. Since I am quite new to commuting by bike, this is my only one - and he's called Bob! And... I confess I do fancy getting a fixie in a near future. :)

Describe what you like best about your bike: It fits all my riding necessities right now, besides looking like the dutch bikes I fell in love with while I was abroad - though my bike is made in Brazil. Besides the design, I love how practical it is to ride it, whether I am wearing pants or a dress, and also the space to carry all the stuff I need - either on the back, inside my retro box, or using my basket up front.



But actually what I love the most about it is the freedom I feel since I started to ride it. :)

Describe your personal style: Most of the time, I want to dress comfortable. Basically I love dresses and skirts - I love high waist style the most. I don't wear super high heels but I do like the mid-term "girly but still possible to run" heels. Besides that, it all depends on my mood - I can go very classic and look nearly as an old lady or just as fun as a colorful teenager. Who knows how I'll feel when I wake up?

Favorite accessory when riding: Bob always wears a scarf around his handlebar and, for the night, a bunch of colorful lights. As for me, nothing but a happiness feeling inside.



Favorite time and/or place to ride: Of course it's much more fun to ride around parks and during weekends, but I love commuting - it's when I ride the most, actually early in the morning and just when the day turns night.

Tell me about how you started to ride in São Paulo: It all started when I came back from a backpacking trip around the world. I spent 9 months on the road and I saw much more cyclists around the city. I asked some friends if it was just me or if there were really more bikes on the streets - they told me it wasn't only me. So once I was delighted to ride a bike as a transport, even in a tourist way, while abroad, and got SO impressed on how the bikers could own their space and the others could respect it, I started thinking about riding a bike here. Also I got a job working for the CicloFaixa, which made me get involved with the movement of cyclist in my city - it was so exciting!



But then I unfortunately fell down - while walking, not biking - and hurt my foot. It took me nearly 1 year to recover. Right after that I started riding short distances during weekends only to find out I was too scared to do it by myself. That's when I called a volunteer from Bike Anjo and tried commuting by bike. We became friends and he showed me, day by day, how fun it is to ride the bike, giving me safety tips and making me feel free.



Tell me about your Bike Anjo (Lygia's volunteer bike companion, pictured above): I asked for a volunteer, as I said above, and got the perfect match: Tiago lives nearby my place and also works quite close to where I work. So our first ride practice happened on a lovely sunny Sunday, using the CicloFaixa, and it was cool and peaceful. He also came for my first official commute day, on Monday, and was very supportive all the time. Every day he would teach me something new and calm me down when I got scared - because it does happen. Even though I love riding in my city, the traffic is bad, without infrastructure for cyclists. We quickly became friends and it's much because of him that I felt so motivated to start cycling - having someone you trust around, to chat on the way and help you when you need make everything feel lighter. As the song said, "with a little help from my friends" - and that's what Bike Anjo means for me. :)



Tell me about your involvement with Movimento Conviva, the blog and your message: "Conviva" means "coexist", and it's about stimulating a peaceful existence between pedestrians, drivers and cyclists. It surged after CicloFaixa - and both go together. Since I worked for CicloFaixa after coming back from my trip, I had already been bitten by the little "biker mosquito". It had total influence over my decision of riding a bike to go to work. I do believe we should ride more, being a mass of people on their bikes to change the city scenario, to soften the traffic, to change the way people see and look at the landscape - and, surely, make a safer commute.

Writing for Conviva only inspires me to open my eyes more wildly, to realize little details in between the lines - and write about them; being curious is a part of me, but while I commute, I have much more to be curious about. Conviva expanded not only my curiosity, but my consciousness about the ways we should work for São Paulo to become a more human city. As little as it may seem, being inspired to ride a bike and doing it everyday to go to work can inspire other people - especially women, who often feel much more insecure to try it. I can't remember how many talks I've had in the past months about people who want to ride a bike but have so many "buts". It's great to let them know there are Bike Anjos around, there are people who were scared like me, and that there is a group of cyclists and active people who are willing to help others to get their asses on their bikes and ride on!

Vélo Vogue tip of the day: If you ride in a big city like me, don't put your guard down - but smile as much as you can while riding your bike (I try to do so!). People need to know it's so much fun to cycle so they'll be jealous and, who knows, one day ride by your side. \o/



Please check out Movimento Conviva today for Lygia's interview with Vélo Vogue's editor, Kristin Tieche.

VV Profile: April Streeter - Author of Women on Wheels

Name: April Streeter

Occupation: TreeHugger blogger, author, freelance writer

Raison d'etre: advocating for bikeworld

Hometown: Hm, that's a hard one. I was the equivalent of an Army brat, born in Waukeegan, Illinois, and lived all over including Piedmont, California, Manila, Philippines, Hong Kong, Honolulu and Madrid. I've lived the longest (11 years) in Portland, Oregon with two stints in Sweden of 2.5 and 4.5 years.

Current city/Neighborhood: Inner southeast Portland, Ladd's Addition

Favorite city to ride a bike in in the world: I have two: Copenhagen, Denmark, especially on a sunny day, and the entire island of Öland, in the Baltic Sea, where I live on my bike. That said, Portland is a fantastic bike city to call home.

Describe your personal style: Short skirts, warm leggings, wild socks. I also spend a lot of effort being warm and dry, as I've been car-free for the last six years, so sometimes warmth trumps style.

Helmet or no helmet: I'm sort of middle-of-the-road on the helmet issue. My research on the issue indicates to me a slight advantage to helmet wearers in terms of avoiding injury, but I think it is by no means conclusive. I love the feeling of not wearing a helmet, but when in the U.S. I generally wear one.

Type of bike(s): Two. Sanyo eneloop pedal-assist, and a Fuji 2012 touring frame, lovingly powdercoated teal blue by my partner.

Describe what you like best about your bike(s): The two bikes I have now cover almost all of my moods. If I'm lazy, afraid of arriving disheveled, or have intense hills ahead of me, I take the pedal assist. For very short or longer recreational rides, I love the way the Fuji feels.

Describe your urban cycling experience: Since I ride everywhere, I spend some thought on always having the means to be warm enough and dry enough. My personal motto is put on rain pants at the first drops.

Favorite time and/or place to ride: Mild sunny cycle cruising after fish tacos and pomegranate margaritas or other food from Portland's fabulous food cars, coasting along with friends by my side. Is there anything better?

Tell me more about your new book - Women on Wheels - your inspiration, how you completed it, where to find it: Two things inspired me - one, the fact that men still outnumber women on the bike lanes by a 3 to 1 margin. And two, that I truly believe biking is the solution to a number of our shared urban woes - our obesity, out-of-control traffic and stress levels, and even our inner-city air pollution.

Well, I guess actually three things - when I was researching bike history and discovered the many unknown heroines of cycling - like Louise Armaindo, the woman cyclist I chronicle in the book who won myriad races riding a high-wheel penny farthing bike (!!!) - I became a bit obsessed. Cycle lore is very male-centric, but women were always playing a role in bike history. Women on Wheels is widely available in Portland at book and bike shops, also on the web at girlsonbikes.org, and coming soon (late September) to a book tour near you!

Where will your bike take you in 2012: So many places - a myriad of Portland Pedalpalooza fun rides throughout June, a great Oregon wine country loop last week of 42 miles that turned into 52 miles when we got lost in the Amity hills, and daily duties on the streets of Portland.

Vélo Vogue tip of the day: The two best words in biking are 'thank you'! It sounds so corny, but I believe women can really soften and civilize city traffic's rougher edges by biking, and looking good while doing so. Thanking drivers for friendly behavior just can't hurt.

VV Profile: Duby

Name: Adam Dubinsky, aka Duby

Occupation: VP of San Francisco Yellow Bike Project, lawyer

Raison d'être: Is there one? I figure I am here, so I'd might as well find some good and useful ways to pass the time. That is my way of the ninja. (But given that: Getting more people on more bikes on the streets of San Francisco. Cycling has been such a wonderful addition to my life that I am motivated by increasing access and reducing barriers to cycling so that more people can enjoy its benefits. Same re access and barriers to legal knowledge and empowerment.)



Hometown: N/A. I moved around too much growing up. Best approximation is Worcester, MA.

Current city/Neighborhood: Western Addition, San Francisco

Favorite city to ride a bike in in the world: San Francisco!

Describe your personal style: "Oh dear." Or "Goofy Goodwill Dapper?" I swing wildly between the extremes of relying on a single, practical, bike friendly outfit to playing dress up with an absurd pastiche of whatever I can find in my closet. But I do love ties and vests (though it's hard to find vests that are both slim and long enough for my lanky, stickly figure), stripes, and fun socks--and fall fashion in general. And I'm almost always wearing my custom "Duby" Nike sneakers. I tend to get infatuated with certain pieces or outfits and then wear he hell out of them for months. I've been so smitten with my Levi's Commuters lately that these days you're most likely to spot me in my Commuter Canadian Tuxedo. Whatever I'm wearing, I try to make sure it's an outfit I'm ready to dance in. In the words of Flynt Flossy, "Did I mention I like to dance?"

Helmet or no helmet: Helmet. I hate riding without one. Plus I think my Bern is damn gorgeous!



Type of bike: Blue 63 cm 1984 Cannondale ST 1400 roadie named Aarigaa, which is Inupiaq for Wow!/Wonderful!/Good! After moving to SF from rural Alaska in 2008, my first adult bike and entry into urban cycling was a Trek hybrid named Kiita, which is Inupiaq for "Let's go!"

Describe what you like best about your bike(s): That it gave me, for the first time in my life, the hint of a butt. (Just kidding. Sort of. Not really.)



Riding a bike has been so wonderful and empowering for me that I don't know that I can narrow down to a singular best. Getting anywhere in the city easily and within 45 minutes? Getting great exercise just by going places? (That one is a big one for me since I have a congenital heart defect and had open heart surgery about a year before moving to San Francisco.) Meeting a wonderful community of diverse and passionate people who have become dear friends and inspirations!

Describe your urban cycling experience: If by experience you mean my urban cycling CV, I started when I moved to SF in 2008. I was so terrified to be riding on city roads that the first time I went out on my bike to meet a friend, I was actually shaking. But he showed me basic urban cycling technique and etiquette on a ride through the Mission, along the wiggle, through the park, to Ocean Beach, and I was hooked. It took me a little while to get over being nervous and hesitant around cars, but I began commuting from Glen Park (where I lived at the time) to SOMA every day for work. Riding a bike turned out to be the quickest and most reliable way to get from point A to point B in SF, so I found myself biking more and more for all sorts of errands and events. I was initially reluctant to consider myself a part of the "cycling community." I was an impostor--I just happened to be a guy who rode a bike.

Calitexican from Change Your Life, Ride A Bike became my first bikey friend, and she's the one who introduced me to the lovable, loving, skilled, talented, diverse, passionate, inspiring, growing group of misfits in our little corner of the bike community. From there, little by little, bit by bit, I started getting more involved. At this point, my bike is my primary interface with the Bay Area, not just in terms of transport, but also fitness, recreation, and social connection.

Favorite time and/or place to ride: I'm not one for favorites--how can I rank in preference all of the wonderful rides, whether biking to shuck-your-own oysters in Drake's Bay, or up Mount Diablo, or up Twin Peaks, or along the Embarcadero, or even the simple joy of riding home with panniers full of groceries. They exist in relation to each other and are all special to me, like the colors across a spectrum.



That said, Wednesday night ButterLap (an 18-ish mile group loop around the city, starting at the Ferry Building) is particularly dear to me. It's moderately hilly, so if you do it regularly enough, it's like training--you're well equipped to handle longer rides outside of San Francisco, and tackling hills on your rides in San Francisco is much easier.



And while Masonic St. is a horrible, dangerous mess for cyclists, coasting down Bush St. from the Masonic intersection late at night is such unadulterated joy. The lights are timed just right!

Tell us a funny story that happened to you on your bike: This didn't happen to me while I was on my bike, but working on my bike. To be honest, it's just the fact that I was working on my bike. I'm the vice president of an infant community bike shop, but I only changed my first bike tire this December! I'm a total bike maintenance novice! To put it in another way, I'm not only a vice president; I'm also a client. You never know where life will take you. I'm grateful for the chance to build up my skills with San Francisco Yellow Bike Project, and I hope we help a lot of people do the same.

Where will your bike take you in 2012: Almost everywhere I go. Hopefully to an operational San Francisco Yellow Bike Project shop! I'd love to bike tour Ukraine (the Dubinsky/Schattner homeland), but that will be another year.



Tell me about your involvement in San Francisco Yellow Bike Project: Nathan Woody and Mary Kay Chin, two of my dear friends, approached me in the fall about helping them get SFYBP rolling. As noted, I'm just starting to learn the ins and outs of bike maintenance, so I thought it would be a great way to continue to develop while also giving back--both to the bike community that has given me so much, and to the community as a whole. What better project than to help share bicycles with more people? And who wouldn't jump at the chance to work with Woody and Mary Kay?

On paper, I'm a Vice President, the Secretary, and Director on the Board, but at this early stage in development, it's all hands on deck. And it has been amazing. We've gotten such wonderful and passionate support from our friends and the bike community. There are a lot of exciting developments in the works right now for SFYBP, so stay tuned. We can't wait to get more people on more bikes. So come be a part!



Vélo Vogue tip of the day: Learn to do basic maintenance and repairs on your bike. Believe me--I know it can be intimidating! I just started! But it's so much easier than you think, and you'll end up saving a lot of time and money (and heartache). You'll build an even closer and more rewarding relationship with your bike. Ask some knowledgeable friends to take you through it, watch the instructional videos on youtube, or find a local community bike shop, like Spokeland, The Bike Kitchen, or San Francisco Yellow Bike Project.

VV Profile: Mikaela Rioux

Name: Mikaela Rioux

Occupation: Office Manager/Bike Partier Extraordinaire

Raison d'etre: I live to bike party!

Hometown: Falmouth, Maine

Current city/Neighborhood: Inner Richmond, SF

Favorite city to ride a bike in in the world: San Francisco! (Black Rock City is a close second)

Describe your personal style: Hipster fashionista on a budget! I love thrift store shopping and I've found amazing pieces at Goodwill. I almost never spend more than 15 bucks on any article of clothing. I buy everything with my bike in mind, so that definitely affects my style (I have 5 pairs of black leggings!), but I do love a good pair of platform heels from time to time, practicality be damned!



Tell me about the pink & black thing: It really started with just my bike. When I bought her she was maroon, gold and silver, and that just wasn't going to fly! I wanted something hot and girly, but with an edge, and I thought black and pink was a great color combination. Now it's sort of become a lifestyle. I am both a femme and a feminist and wearing pink has become a symbol of that for me. Still, it's a process. I aspire to be as punk rock as my bike.

Helmet or no helmet: I am a big fan of helmets, and not a big fan of head injuries, but I am also a big fan of hair styles (I'm currently perfecting the suicide roll). It's a constant dilemma.

Favorite accessory when riding: Right now I'm really stoked on my sigma micro bike lights in pink! I curate the shit out of this bike, trust.

Type of bike: Trek Alpha Series 2200, 47cm (yep, I am that short!) powder coated black.



Describe what you like best about your bike: She's the hottest girl I've ever had and she looks great right between my legs!

Favorite time and/or place to ride: I love riding through the city after midnight. It's enchanting.

Tell us a funny story that happened to you on your bike: Men try to hop on my rear rack and go for a ride, while asking if they can "Holler at me." It's really only funny because it happens all the time. If they only knew how far up the wrong tree they were barking!

What is the Yellow Bike Project and what is your involvement in it? Inspired by the Austin Yellow Bike Project, the San Francisco Yellow Bike Project is a volunteer powered community bike shop that transforms donated bicycles, parts, and other cycling resources into functional bikes for the SF Bay Area. You can check them out here: http://www.sfyellowbike.org/. The founders are 3 of my closest friends, and I try to help them out by volunteering and spreading the good word whenever I can. When my bike was stripped of most of her moving parts last year (damn you, bike thieves!), they rallied behind me in ways that blew my mind. Mary Kay lent me a bike from her fleet and let me ride it for 3 months. Nathan helped me rebuild free of charge and got me rolling again, and Adam was always there for a dance or a laugh when I felt like crying. I am forever in their debt.





Vélo Vogue tip of the day: Just keep pedaling.

VV Profile: Liz Cabrera

 
Name: Liz Cabrera  

Occupation: Producer at Link TV, Documentary Filmmaker  

Raison d'être: I'm really good at giving people a hard time.  

Hometown: Woodland, CA  

Current city/Neighborhood: Mission District, SF!  

Favorite city to ride a bike in in the world: HMM....Portl--I mean SF?  

Helmet or no helmet: Helmet for sure. I feel naked without it.  

Type of bike: Surly Cross-Check

Describe what you like best about your bike: It's sturdy frame can take a beating on these rough San Francisco streets, and can take on some mean dirt trails too.  

Describe your urban cycling experience: I commute daily from my home in the Mission to my office near Telegraph Hill/Embarcadero. I'm on my bike so much that one day my friends were shocked to learn that I have a car.  

Favorite time and/or place to ride: I love riding downhill at dusk. The first time I ever did this in SF was down Post Street headed towards the Kabuki Theatre about 4 years ago... In general, I love the satisfaction that comes with cranking up a really big hill, and then rolling over the crest and letting gravity (and hopefully my brakes) do the rest of the work...  

Tell us a funny story that happened to you on your bike: When I was a student at UC Santa Cruz, I used to ride back to my apartment late at night. It was a beautiful ride! But at night, with no street lights it was pretty dark, and so to avoid being flung over my handlebars by a pothole or ditch I used to wear a headlamp over my helmet. One night, while riding home, enjoying the full moon and the view of the city and ocean below, my headlamp slid off of my helmet and smacked me right between the eyes. Good feeling gone. The headlamp had turned against me.

   

Not funny enough? One time I was riding home from Bi Rite down Guerrero street and this car almost doored me. I stopped and was about to cuss out the driver when I realized it was my friend. We went and grabbed a drink at 500 Club where I lectured her on the importance of looking both ways before opening the driver's side door.  

Describe your personal style: tomboy-chic?...i don't know kristin, i'm short and curvy. i'm finally learning to wear clothes that flatter me as opposed to only wearing clothes that i'm comfortable in...i'm getting better at figuring out what kinds of dresses i can still bike in without having to hold them down in the wind, or worry about them being so tight that i can't move my legs. before, i usually wore jeans and a t-shirt. i guess you could say i'm finally becoming a lady.

 

Tell me more about your film and The Great Grandfather Project: My film, Reunion, documents my search for my great-grandfather, Shigeo Naito. He was a Japanese immigrant to the United States who also spent time farming chili peppers in Ensenada, Mexico. He met my great-grandmother there and they had three kids. He disappeared one day in 1941 and the family never saw him again. So, in 2008 I set out to find out what happened to him, and over the course of 4 years not only do I discover my Japanese heritage, but I develop a deeper sense of my Mexican-American identity.  

The Great-Grandfather Club is a project that I developed with filmmaker Alexi Lacey, who is working on a film called Fiji Time. It's about her mother's return to the island of Fiji, where she uncovers the dark past left by her great-grandfather G.H. Lee.

Since both of us are working on stories about our ancestors, we thought it would be fun to collaborate on a fundraiser, and to help community members capture their own ancestor stories. So in addition to setting up story booths at various events like Oakland Art Murmur and the Mission Arts and Performance Project, we're also planning a huge video installation show called Story Vault. Story Vault will help us raise funds for our films, Reunion, and Fiji Time, respectively. It takes place on June 16th at Wix Lounge SF. For more information, please visit greatgrandfatherclub.com  

Vélo Vogue Tip du Jour: I found one in this month's Tube Times, and I'm passing it on because it's something that will help urban cyclists avoid getting doored! "Bike Sharrows, the white bikes with the arrows on the ground, are placed outside of the door zone. Ride right through the middle of the sharrow and you'll stay safe from any swinging doors." I'll probably still err a little on the left side of the arrow for extra clearance, but still a great tip!