Cycling chic & meeting local enthusiast

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=46431

To continue in a different vein of the topic:
Today I met a gal purely by accident at the bike rack in front of a grocery store. As it turns out later in our friendly chat, she was the GF of the owner for a local bike store that markets more for the lifestyle, non-cycling wear bicyclists.

She had her step-through bike,etc. and wonderful shopping bag panniers which is where the conversation started. So I included a photo of her to top off my blog post on not choosing to be cycling chic.

:) It's all good, I just want people to be comfortable when they bike.

It doesn't matter what we wear as we ride. It doesn't matter what kind of bike we ride. As long as we ride.

There's no need to justify one's choices. Just ride.
http://www.bikecommutenews.com/2011/...icycle-to.html

Sure I totally agree. I've never bothered to explain my reasons ..um for last 19 yrs. until now. 'Cause I never really paid attention much to the trends.

Your link bodhi to the proverb...it was also highlighted in one of my blogs a month ago. A great proverb.

I have to admit that I thought you were being facetious when you first wrote about not being "able" to be cycle chic. Sure, it looks civilized and elegant to ride in snazzy clothes, but I'd never heard of anyone feeling inappropriately dressed when wearing specific cycling gear, just the other way round.

But reading your post it sounds like you do feel judged for not wearing chic clothing when cycling. Is that really the case where you live?

I guess I can see someone being judged for wearing hotshot gear like full matching team kit all the time, grocery shopping and running errands, but not just everyday commuter wear like a yellow jacket and standard black shorts. I dunno, I just never viewed the cycling chic movement as judgmental, just a celebration of it being possible to look elegant while riding a bike. I feel I can co-exist with that ideal quite comfortably, grubby commuter clothing and all.

We'll see. No, actually in my area (Calgary) people tend to be more helmet oriented and wear some cycling garment at times. We have lousier cycling infrastructure, compared to Vancouver.

I agree, I've always believed there was peaceful co-existence between cycling gear and cycling chic and everything else in between. But there are some vocal cycling chic folks in some other areas of the world, who keep saying or think that wearing cycling clothing is a bit elitist because it costs money.

That's why I wrote the blog post...to say that how cycling clothing actually saves me money for my whole overall streetwear and business wear wardrobe.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by shootingstar

But there are some vocal cycling chic folks in some other areas of the world, who keep saying or think that wearing cycling clothing is a bit elitist because it costs money.

---

I see, I just never heard that take on it. I have heard at times that cycling can be elitist, but it usually revolves around the price of the bike itself. I'm happy to join you in debunking the idea that cycling for transport is in any way elitist, I just didn't know the cycle chic movement had anything to do with being thrifty.

Isn't "cycle chic" as you describe it in your blog post supposed to be the opposite, I mean don't they just say that you can basically bike in ANY clothes you want to? Just to encourage people to not think about clothing when they want to ride a bike?

I think sport equipment in general can be very expensive, so in a way elitist, but there are always ways to work around this problem. I think a lot of people hestitate to start with exercise in general because they think they need all this expensive gear, but clothes shouldn't stop you from doing anything you want to do. If you do what you love you won't think about how you look anyway :)

Interesting blog post, but the whole clothing issue seems strange to me. I also thought the "elitist" thing had to do with the cost of the bike, not clothing.

Quote:

---

I think a lot of people hestitate to start with exercise in general because they think they need all this expensive gear, but clothes shouldn't stop you from doing anything you want to do. If you do what you love you won't think about how you look anyway

---

I used to wear T-shirts during first 6 years or so of returning to cycling...and I was cycling triple the annual mileage compared to what I've been doing for past 18 months.

Then I got into a jersey and did feel more comfortable. I resisted the longest, because I was afraid of looking like an athlete or similar.

For awhile I only had 2 jerseys, 2 chamois-less cycling shorts and 2 tights. Plus 2 cycling jackets. All purchased over 2-3 years. (I say chamois-less because that's what I wear. It works for me but not for everyone. But they are cheaper.)

No need to break the bank on this. Yup, I hardly buy a new fashion, off-bike item. For some people that would be disasterous. It's ok..if I can buy 1 new off-bike top annually or similar because I've made my bottoms last several years longer, it works for me.

Saves my dress/biz wardrobe. I don't buy the argument fully on "cost", when lots of low-income people own and drive cars daily. THAT is alot more expensive..sometimes well justified, sometimes not.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by shootingstar

I don't buy the argument fully on "cost", when lots of low-income people own and drive cars daily. THAT is alot more expensive..sometimes well justified, sometimes not.

---

I don't think I fully understand what you are saying here. Can you explain a bit more?

Bodi I've been unemployed twice....last time for 18 months.

For certain, I can affirm that I still wore my bike helmet which I already was wearing for last...4 years or so. (I bought it around $55.00CAN at that time.) I had my cycling clothing....accumulated and put to use for past 5 years or even older than some pieces.

During my unemployment I bought a pair of jeans....after looking around for over 3 years. No kiddin', I was ready to give up. But no need to buy any cycling clothing.

Had my business jacket (3 yrs. old), skirt (the black ripped lining one I mention in the blog post that I so desperately want to find a 2nd properly fitted business black skirt) for last 10 yrs. And all my tops from last 3 yrs. so that I could go to job interviews. There is no way if I biked in same business /office clothing in my jobs prior to the unemployment period, I would have had some fresh-looking outfits left to present myself. My taste is "safe", classic styles --to last me for several years. I admit I have some tops over 10 yrs. old and I still wear them...to work.

I biked almost daily for 1-2 hrs. during my unemployment. Yes, well for 18 months, that would have worn down street clothing. :) But I wore my cycling clothing. I'm sure that presented an image of "money".

Being petite or unusually sized does present some challenges, meaning alot less choice. Waiting around for a sale 2-3 months later, often may mean the size will be gone.

My dress pants are $80.00 but I wear them 50% in the office for past 18 months. I could not wear these on bike commuting and afford to wear them out. Yup, I'm boring. I just change my tops for variety, or my ripped lined skirt, black jeans, another pair of casual pants, etc.

My tights that I wear cycling, are cheap, non-chamois tights --polyester, cotton blend. I usually pay under $25.00 per pr. Looks like cycling tights, but they aren't at all! :o The purple and gold-orange winter jacket that you see my cycling on path with snow....is well um....15+ yrs. old. And I've worn it every winter (primarily an off-bike jacket, also for snowshoeing) since and alternating with a wool winter dress coat.

I did a blurb about saving money because of a cycling lifestyle. http://thirdwavecyclingblog.wordpres...nto-my-wallet/ But in retrospect, a cycling lifestyle looks "expensive" to others because of my cycling clothing and helmet. It doesn't need to be if one shops carefully 2-3 choice pieces of clothing that will last.

The caveat to all of the above: I can't gain weight...otherwise I have to buy more new clothes. :)

I was asking about the comment about low income people owning cars.

The ages of clothing we own as adults is pretty universal. Talk to anyone over the age of 20 or so, and they'll have old standbys that have been repaired many times and are classic so they never go out of style. My winter jacket I wear every day is about 18 years old, I have skirts that are 20-25 years old, and only buy a few new things a year. It's a universal experience. We all live it, no need to explain.

What I was confused by was your comment about cars and income and not buying arguments about cost.

Rapha has a really nice photo blog that documents people riding their bikes in different cities. Rapha clothing is very high quality with prices to match, but the blog is not about their clothing. I think it's a fabulous photo blog that shows all kinds of people and all kinds of bikes. It's not about "cycle chic," although quite a few of the people look quite chic on their bikes--why not?

Just people about their business on bikes. Fabulous!

http://www.rapha.cc/survey