Cycle chic according to the NY Times

[sempronialou]

I feel a little insulted by the tone of those women and Mr. Bliss. But then being raised on the west coast, I guess my style ideas, or lack there of, are a bit different than the east coast. Why does riding a bike have to be a fashion statement. I just don't get it!

I should send them a photo of my helmet, with it's four big crack, after a recent fall. A sobering reminder of why I always wear a helmet. bikerHen

I live in the Midwest where apparently we have no fashion sense according to the media. I like the idea of sending the helmet photo.

When I cycle, I mean business. I sweat, and I like to keep my head intact. Even if I take a quick jaunt to the post office, I'm not there to make a fashion statement, but again I'm not in New York so maybe it's different there.

[zoom-zoom]

I live in the Midwest where apparently we have no fashion sense according to the media. I like the idea of sending the helmet photo.

When I cycle, I mean business. I sweat, and I like to keep my head intact. Even if I take a quick jaunt to the post office, I'm not there to make a fashion statement, but again I'm not in New York so maybe it's different there.

Hello, from a fellow Michigander with no fashion sense and no urge to find any.

[sempronialou]

Hello, from a fellow Michigander with no fashion sense and no urge to find any.

Hello to you too from the east side of the state. I grew up on the west side of the state and still visit there often.

[withm]

Hello to you too from the east side of the state. I grew up on the west side of the state and still visit there often.

Where on the east side? north? south? knuckle?

[channlluv]

Oh my stars. How obnoxious. I wonder what they'll do with all those accessory bikes when the trend moves on to something else. Like, remember when Paris had that little yap-yap in a shoulder bag and everyone (present company excluded) had to have one? I wonder how many of those little dogs have been abandoned. Is there a Human Society equivalent for bikes that just aren't stylish enough anymore?

What the heck are kitten heels?

Roxy

[Selkie]

What the heck are kitten heels?

Roxy

They are shoes for catty chicks!

Each to her own. I'm not into being stylish on or off the bike, but if it makes someone happy to buy this stuff, more power to them. As for the no-helmet thing, that's just poor judgement but I see a lot of non-fashionistas riding around w/out helmets. I'm with Pam--these pieces are hilarious. I love the NYT.

There seems to be a "triathlon" trend here in DC.....can't wait until it dies because these people (mostly posers) make it more crowded at the pool and on the MUTs (most don't take the time to learn proper etiquette for either cycling or swimming---so they are a safety hazard and annoying--which is my beef w/them).

[Crankin]

Kitten heels are low (maybe .5-1 inch) heels that are shaped so they are little on the bottom, like regular high heels, but get wider as they approach the bottom of the shoe. Not a good description, but they are basically low heeled dress shoes, with a somewhat different shape. They first were popular in the forties. I love them, because as a short person, I don't look very good in flats with dress clothes, but these heels are low enough to be comfortable.
I am really surprised at the level of animosity toward "fashion." While I wouldn't ride in the clothes described in the article, so what if someone does? I love fashion, clothes, etc. It doesn't mean I don't also like working hard on my bike and getting sweaty and dirty.

[Selkie]

Crankin -- You definitely can carry off a look and have good taste (from your pictures). I enjoy fashion, particularly something well crafted & designed. I'm more of a spectator than participant, though. I have a few nice pieces for briefings, meetings, etc., but the bulk of my work wardrobe is more along the lines of Patagonia dresses & skirts.

[Crankin]

I would wear Patagonia dresses all of the time, if they made them for short people!!! Seriously, I have started buying Athleta's dresses because they are moe "sporty" and they have my size. The down side is that I have to judge by looking at pic on the Internet or catalog and sometimes it just doesn't work out.
Got the Title 9 catalog yesterday. They *never* show people on bikes wearing a helmet. Plus, they had tons of nice stuff I could wear to work, but, nope they also have very few petites.

[pll]

I am really surprised at the level of animosity toward "fashion." While I wouldn't ride in the clothes described in the article, so what if someone does? I love fashion, clothes, etc. It doesn't mean I don't also like working hard on my bike and getting sweaty and dirty.

There are judgmental attitudes on both sides. Part of the article implied that some people look down on lycra-clad cyclists, or consider them aggressive ('the adult cyclist as infantry soldier'). To some extent, I can relate to that feeling when I think of the groups of motorcyclists I see on occasion.

What I find most annoying about the article is that it implies riding on the sidewalk is OK:

Ms. Page-Green, who likes to speed around on the sidewalk, has encountered hostility. “When you’re going too fast, people get mad at you,” she said.

People may prefer to ride in regular clothes for short commutes, wear no helmet, etc, but they be civil and obey traffic laws. Speeding on the sidewalk or riding against traffic is not acceptable. If someone can ride comfortably in heels, more power to them.

[PamNY]

Even if I take a quick jaunt to the post office, I'm not there to make a fashion statement, but again I'm not in New York so maybe it's different there.

No, no, it's the opposite, I think. I see bikers in regular clothes most of the time. I was really surprised at some of the stuff TE sells -- not that it's bad, just not part of the world as I know it.

The joke about "trend" stories is that they aren't trends at all. The Times, as it often does, has just gotten all breathless about a very few people in a very few neighborhoods.

[shootingstar]

Well, the journalists have to find a way to draw readers...

Copenhagen chic by the way, in my opinion, is just daily wear most of the time. Really that's what the website covers. It just somehow has spun into something bigger than what it is when..one visits there.

It will be interesting over time, what, if any cycling-intensive European country, can learn from North America in terms of cycling infrastructure, culture.. that they might want to borrow.

[jelee1311]

Wow I'm so tragically unhip and unfashionable that I can honestly say I've never entertained the idea of actually wearing a dress or heels(kitten or otherwise) when I go ride. Its all I could do to get into bike shorts, and if road shoes and a helmet are a faux pas count me in

[Crankin]

The article is kind of stupid, but accurately reflects how some people think /feel/act about cycling. One part of me wants to say, great, they are riding and saving gas, but the other part wants to scream, "get a helmet." But, you can't argue with people like that. I have tried.
I'm not embarrassed to say that I love fashion. But, even when I do errands on my Jamis, I wear cycling clothes. I've acquired a "casual" cycling wardrobe that looks different than my spandex (even though most pieces have some lycra or spandex in them) for this type of riding. I just cannot ride in my regular clothes. Like others said, I sweat, no matter what, even toodling along at 10-12 mph. And, like Zen, I get treated much more nicely by motorists when I am on the flat bar bike, dressed slightly differently. I love some of the "fashion oriented" cycling clothes that TE carries, although I don't have a lot of them, I would wear most of that stuff in "regular" situations. I guess my clothes buying habit has been mostly supplanted by buying athletic type clothing. I haven't tried riding in a skirt recently, though. My skirts are short, which would not work.
I have hazy memories of riding my 10 speed UniVega to summer school classes at ASU, in a sundress, with a Sparky backpack, in 112 degree sunshine. No helmet, of course.

[sarahkonamojo]

There will be an article next summer about an elderly woman killed by a sidewalk riding fashionista. The fashionista will complain about sidewalk rash and take up scootering.
But the woman with the trike! Her skirt length surely draws attention. Her dog was safe and happy in his throne.
Gotta go put my latex shorts on, get aggressive in my fervor and mow down a fashionista.
Sarah