Crazy question for you all

I got this email from a friend of mine, and am stumped by the "under bike shorts" part of it. I don't usually think of wearing underwear with bike shorts:

I have a very crazy question for you. My dad has decided that he is going to do the cross-country bike ride starting in March, and he was just over here asking my husband a lot of questions about gear etc.  Dad mentioned that a few years ago my mom gave him some underwear that had a leather insert and those were the most comfortable underwear he ever had for wearing under bike shorts. He said they were like the same kind of underwear that horse jockeys wear or something.  We had no idea what he was talking about, and I'm sure you can imagine what came up when I googled "leather underwear" and the results actually got worse when I added "horse jockey" to the search terms.

Of all the people in the world that might have an idea of this product that my dad is talking about which lives in the intersection of the Venn diagram for cycling, horse riding, and appropriate undergarments for all activities, you have to be one of the best :).  So - any idea what he's thinking of?

So my cycling friends, any thoughts? Is Dad thinking of just old-school chamois or is there some other garment out there, hidden behind all those photos we don't really want to look at?

Thank you for any leads!

Reflections: Preparing for Darkness

Here is a test photo of my nighttime reflectiveness, as imperfectly demonstrated by a camera flash (rather than a car's headlights). It's easy to see that the wide strips of 3M Scotchlite on my Carradice bag and coat are much more effective than the smaller reflections created by my gloves and the sidewalls of my tires (though those certainly help in correctly identifying my bicycle as such). When riding long distance I add reflective ankle bands, but I usually forget when riding a couple of blocks in town.

Far more effective than reflectiveness is my own light source and you can clearly see that with my unbelievably bright Planet Bike Superflash. They say it can light up a small town. Seriously, this tail light is so bright my husband doesn't like to ride directly behind me. There are two other tail lights in this photo but you're unlikely to notice them. I have the main light and the helmet light blinking (when I'm riding in town) and leave the light on my fender on steadily, just for a change (and because it uses batteries less quickly than the brighter lights).

The clocks fall back this weekend, let's all be ready for the darkness!

Springtime Helmet

OK, it is probably not truly chic but it makes me smile.

Here's my helmet on the shelf in my office after our ride in today. I was inspired by the toddler's helmet cover but the flower is a $5 corsage from H&M. It is placed on the left so the drivers of cars can see it. They were a lot friendlier today, many more smiles and waves. I may have to leave the flower on!

Practical Schwinn

I love the rear view mirror on this bike! The permanent baskets are also very practical.

Vélo Mademoiselle

Because it's dark before I leave the office I don't get to take as many photos of cyclists. I still see interesting bikes. This bike is tiny and locked to a railing in front of her house. It has a little bit of a little Chanel thing going on with those pearls. I find the pink accents darling and it's hard to see but there is a little monster on her stem.

Happy Friday!

Today is definitely a happy Friday!

I made a new friend today when I saw the pretty commuter from More Autumn and stopped her to ask on behalf of SunnyS where she got her helmet. Turns out it's a Bell Faction in Burnt Orange, with the Bell sticker removed, and that E is just charming. I look forward to continuing to see her on our commutes. E, I'll wave to you!


She wasn't feeling too chic when I took her photo, but on a drizzly autumn Friday I think the purple, gold, and orange are perfect.

She's a bit like Snow White, you can see that darling little birdies follow her wherever she goes:

Bikes as Personal Statements

Inevitably a truly customized bike will become a personal statement. I am certain that this bike is intended as an artistic comment on our world - and what a comment it is!


The tinfoil on the seat is the most intriguing.

Bicycles as rolling art are yet another way that they enrich our lives. There is high art and more kitschy art, but it's all antidote to the blandness that we're being spoon fed... (and I better get off this soapbox before I fall off!)

I hope this bike today made you smile.

Bike Corsage

Like a lovely lady, this bike was sporting a small corsage made of tiny silk flowers. It somehow seems a bit ironic (in a good way) on a bike for sport and reasonable speed, though it would also be beautiful on slower bikes around town.

I wanted to save this post for Mother's Day, but I knew I couldn't wait. Remember this, though, for a novel way to give your mother a corsage next May.

I think my road bike may need a little accessorizing!

Cargo wine box

Here's a wine box in use on an extracycle. That's even more darling than my wine box for shopping. Other photos in the flickr stream show that there's even a nametag for the little pooch.

Photo by jithas