Velo Hollandais

Having appreciated, but never desired to own, a traditional "Dutch Bike", I'm all of a sudden obsessed and shopping compulsively. Perhaps it's because I failed to win the antique Hirondelle I'd had my eye on. As so many people start cycling on a bike like this and then move on to "faster" bikes, I feel a bit backwards in my taste, but I must have a bike like this pronto! *Swoon*

To every thing there is a season.

Handsome Doggie Porteur in the 18ème

This is a handsome bike. I think it might be a Pista from before they started clear coating over the labels, so there are no labels. The components are mostly Campy, that saddle is the Brooks with the hammered rivets. Everything about this bike is thoughtful, which is why it is so odd that it hasn't moved from this parking space in three weeks, apparently forgotten. It has rained almost every day, on to that beautiful saddle.

In three weeks no one has even touched this frame pump!

The bag is a Rixen & Kaul doggie bag.

Vanmoof City Bike

We spotted an interesting bike down by the Louvre. I should have gotten full-bike photos, but you can see some of those at the Vanmoof website. 

It looked to me like the headlight was integrated into the top tube, but we can't find a power source, or a switch. 

Taken to remember the manufacturer, you can also see their welds.

I would have expected a red tail light.

From the manufacturer's website they explain:

These LEDS not only charge themselves by sunlight, but in addition you can charge these LED lights with the micro USB cable of your phone. You simply turn the lights on by pushing the small black button on the side of the LED. They only work in the dark so they can never waste energy! These indestructible bulbs are also used for airport landing strips. They are strong and hater-proof. 

OK, that's admittedly pretty cool...

It looks like this bike became available in the States just three days ago, but the price is much better in Europe.

FYI, these are the same folks who make the Strida bikes!

New Mixte on the Block

This mixte has moved into my neighborhood. I'm loving all the chrome, the VO double-hammered fenders in particular, and the stitched leather handgrips. I'm definitely doing that next time I re-wrap my bars.

The cloth tape protection is a nice touch!

I'm tempted to leave a note saying this bike is too sexy to spend the night outside. We've had a lot of bike thefts recently. My husband commented that he hopes it's not another of those "boyfriend builds his girlfriend the perfect bike but she doesn't fully appreciate the effort" stories. Hmmmm.

The Burlington Bike

How awesome is this bike? The owner must have found a stretchy cling map somewhere, I can't figure out how it came to be so perfectly and seamlessly attached to the bike.

Certainly there is some careful application involved.

The lugs are perfect for this sort of treatment.

This was the coolest bicycle we saw in Burlington, outside of the Old Spokes Home. When I was visiting their WONDERFUL museum upstairs in their shop I got a phone call that someone very dear to me had died, so I didn't get you any photos. You'll just have to go up and visit yourselves and I promise it's worth stopping in.

Linus City Bike Spotted

Saw this bike in the South End last week, and the black and white and leather color scheme caught my eye. Linus Bikes are based in Venice, California, but they now have dealers nationwide.

The singlespeed with coaster brake and kickstand seemed quite practical for Boston:

Vu à Amsterdam

My French friend J was just at a conference in Amsterdam and sent this photo for our enjoyment. This is certainly a decked-out and cheerful bike!

Have you seen the Camioncyclette?

What fun, a bicycle where the frame IS the basket, and vice versa:

More photos here and here.

Handsome Bob Jackson

Spotted on Cambridge Street the other night, this Bob Jackson is a beautiful city bike.

A handsome bike, but not one that our non-cyclist friend picked out from the many left casually locked along the street.

The bell is nicely mounted on the stem, the handlebars partially wrapped with ends made from some wine bottle's cork.

That is a well-loved Brooks saddle!

And what pretty lugs and paintwork!

Sweet Bike Spotted at Harvard Med

Just looking at this bike it's clear that a lot of time and love went into its creation.

This photo doesn't capture it so well, but those Sun rims have "facets", much like the Honjo Le Paon fenders. The different faces of the rim catch the light differently.

I'm pretty sure this bike belongs to a taller gentleman.

I love the powder grey cable housing he chose with his powder blue bike. It reminds me of a bike I saw way back on Newbury Street, in more of a ladies' size. I called it "Cloud Bike" I wonder if we could find a way to introduce those two?

Mystery Revealed?

Early one morning I saw this bicycle parked casually, Italian-style, and wondered who would have such a large basket on their bike.

Hours later, and in another part of town, I saw this elegant woman. Only in reviewing my photos later did I start to wonder - I think that's the owner of the interesting bike!

What do you think?

Colnago Townie

It's not everywhere you can see a Colnago townie city bike left casually on the street.

This bell on the Colnago was our first indication that Bianchi is based in Florence:

Overwhelming Numbers of Bikes in Italy

After hearing about our recent vacation a friend sent me the link to today's New York Times article on the Eroica, a vintage, "tweed-ride" style jaunt through Tuscany. I can tell you from experience that the Eroica roads we took on our vacation were among the most beautiful we've ever seen. Someday we'll make it to the main event!

All this made me feel slightly guilty though, because I've been promising you Italian bicycle photos. I confess that the sheer number of photos have overwhelmed me, I've been paralyzed with the prospect of organizing and presenting them all. Just now I've decided to skip the former and just go with the latter.

In no particular order here's a whole lot of Italian bikes!

These bikes were cool because they were free loaners from a hotel.

Don't they look elegant there on the cobblestones?

This art bike was newly-made, there was gold paint on the street a few feet away.

This mixte was more remarkable in person than in the photos, but the blue ano rims match the decals, and even the brake pads match the frame.

This one is for you Cycler!

You might have to enlarge this photo to see the bicycle lurking in the alley.

Florentine bike racks were inevitably full.

I think this is the largest wicker front basket I've ever seen, easily as large as those super-huge Wald baskets.

I love how this lady popped into the store leaving her bike, and umbrella, unguarded.

This must have been some sort of delivery bike in its past, look at all those tubes and oversize platforms for carrying lots of bulky, heavy things.

Headtube indicates that Atala bikes were made in Milan.

I was clearly very taken with this utility bike.

Every single rack outside of the train station in Florence was filled to capacity. While we waited for our train home to Rome we watched cyclist circling for a parking space like mall-shoppers at Christmas time.

This pair of unmarked bicycles lived across the street from our apartment. They never moved, and I was just glad I didn't have to watch it rain on those beautiful new Brooks accessories.

The smaller bike (hers?) even left the Brooks saddlebag unattended for days!

What a simple urban vehicle!

Adore the shaping of the fenders on this bike, and the rod brakes.

Love these loops - a style I've only seen in Italy where the top tube swirls back up to join the seat tube.

Loaded...

Unloaded...

Definitely the strangest frame we saw, though there were quite a few like this in Florence. We think Bianchi went through an experimental stage, they appeared to all be from the same era (based on paint color schemes). I'm glad they've moved on, we're generally fans of the seat stay.

Green with Ivy, patient city bike ready to go.

Electric blue bicycle looks ready to go!

Finally the Sunday before we left the Brooks couple took the bikes away for a while, when they returned his was on the outside. I'm glad they got out for a ride!