Soak Up the Sunshine

It's a gorgeous day here in Cambridge (finally!) and we're all out on bikes, soaking up the wonderful sunshine. It feels so good!

Winter Light

First thing I noticed was the drape of her skirt against her dark leg, then the grey mittened hands she was trying to keep warm.

When I spoke with her she graciously let me take her picture and I can show you her cute shoes, purple tights, and the lightness of the skirt which somehow makes this cold weather less horrible.

This morning's temperature 27 degrees "Feels like 16 degrees", winds from WNW at 15 mph, gusting to 20 mph (-5 degrees C, winds 26 km/h).

Look Before Crossing

It's getting chilly for bare legs, she was moving briskly. I'm definitely enjoying the navy blue this season.

After the rain

We had a nice rain last night and today is the perfect day - crisp and autumnal but with a warm breeze. I should play hooky today!

Playful Polkadots

Boston isn't the easiest city in which to cycle, yet this lady was happily flying down Mass Ave on her three speed. I'm guessing that's her lunch in the pannier, she clearly doesn't need to change her clothes when she gets to the office.

Blue Helmet and Big Shades

On to happier thoughts: What a cute little mixte!

Shades of Blue

Blue bike, blue bag, blue jean skirt, blue top, and you can't see it but blue eyes too.

Love the kitten heels!

Racing Stripes

Racing stripes on red make you seem like you're going a lot faster than you are.

Elegant Summer

I saw her pedaling sedately in our scorching heat and was captivated with her ensemble: note how her bag coordinates with her outfit, they're hard to see but her earrings and bracelets do too. While we were chatting she told me that her children have their own bikes and she gets many compliments during family outings, riding calmly together.

She feels no need for speed. She gets there in her own time, gracefully.

As I rode away I tried to think of words to describe the encounter. "Gracious" and "regal" were the ones which came to mind. She made my day more beautiful. That's the definition of cycle chic.

Summertime: patterned skirt and flip flops

Miss Massachusetts Avenue

A girl as lovely as this, enjoying one of the first warm days of summer? That's cycle chic!

Continuing today's pink theme

Custom-made tiny bike with pink ano componentry.
She is 5'2" so finding a small enough bike is a challenge. She told me that the daughter of the Iro builder complained to dad "You never make bikes small enough for me!" He immediately made the Heidi, designed for women under 5'3". Hurray!

(I like the blue tights and the raw turquoise necklace too)

Chic cyclist in the urban landscape

I saw her on her way home in the South End this evening. I'm not much of a photographer but I hope you get the idea anyway.

Another bicycle commute

"City riding is a continual lesson in feminine principles, in particular the art of being vulnerable. A confrontational, macho aesthetic spells calamity. You must learn to yield, to dodge, to seek harmony. You are obliged to mind the web of interrelations, that complicated mesh of interests, conflicts, and intentions."

- Chip Brown, essayist, and author of "A Bike and a Prayer"


Photo by Bicycles Only

Strong women ride bikes

"I'll tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than any one thing in the world. I rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a bike. It gives her a feeling of self-reliance and independence the moment she takes her seat; and away she goes, the picture of untrammelled womanhood."

- Susan B. Anthony 1896

Photo by sr formica

It's good to be a girl!

Today is really spring. The birds are singing and the air feels warm. It was time to pull out a skirt. It was a delight to ride into work, the godets of my skirt fluttering around me.

My fellow-cyclist Dutch colleague complimented me on my skirt and remarked "Isn't it interesting how the cars are nicer to you when you wear a skirt? It's true in the Netherlands too."

I hadn't thought of it but yes, the cars were more accommodating today. I'm going to wear a skirt while cycling more often! It's good to be a girl.

Cycling Skirts 2008

It is a fact of cycling that for a given distance it is more comfortable with the chamois found in padded shorts. I don't think there is any way around that. That said, padded shorts look ok on men, but they don't do women any favors. The visible maxi-pad look is one we've feared since middle school.

My solution has been bike shorts with a skirt over them. This can be an ordinary skirt, or one of the many reasonably cute skorts now available. Here are some options for Spring 2008:

Pearl Izumi makes a classic - I have a previous version of this skirt which has been complimented worldwide (well, in Paris and Connecticut). The fun part is the two zippers which make it sexier or more straight-laced (not that anything more is on display)

I am very interested in the yoga waistband on these shorts from REI. I think this skirt has potential and I look forward to trying it on in person.

The lightness of the fabric for these Sugoi Technifino shorts seems more wearable to me than the more obviously "sport" fabrics. Plus they're on sale! There are other options at Team Estrogen, some more or less sporty.

LLBean now sells cycling skorts! I never would have guessed that. I particularly like the Shebeast skirt.

I don't usually gravitate to the Terry products, but they are a resource.

Spotted Today: Cute Boots

This cyclist was passing MIT on a rainy March afternoon. She gets full marks for just being out on her bike, and she definitely gets extra credit for those cute boots.

The black helmet isn't terribly visible to cars, but it also blends nicely with her hair, I don't find it distracting at all. She did a good job with a necessary evil, well done!