Tip 10: Get involved

When you start cycling in London you have an immediate connection with your fellow cyclists becoming part of a blossoming subculture. Indulge in a little cycle flirting in your everyday riding and perhaps get involved in some of the following

Critical Mass meets at 6.30pm on the last Friday of every month on the South Bank under Waterloo Bridge, by the National Film Theatre. There is no planned route just a whole lot of cyclists cruising around the London streets.

Brick lane bike Polo You can take part yourself or just come and watch… lots of fun and a good chance to meet the right kind of cyclist.

Rolla Paluza... Bicycle racing, DJ’s and beer

After the huge success of last yeas event, Freewheel is back again for 2008. London roads will be closed off to cars and bicycles will reign the streets, put 21st September in your diary now and join the ride

Meandmybicycle.com The social networking site for cyclist.

Join my Cyclechic facebook group and upload photos of yourself looking wonderful on your bicycle.

Tip 9: How to stay fresh as a daisy...

A lot of people think cycling = getting hideously hot and sweaty and having to shower and change when you get to your destination. This need not be the case if you cycle at a leisurely pace and put a little thought in to what you wear.

A few clothing tips for avoiding cycle sweat and remaining fresh as a daisy with minimum hassle

• Use panniers or messenger style bags instead of rucksacks which can result in a rather unpleasant sweaty back. See stylish bags and panniers post

• Get yourself a pair of Green cycling knickers. They have a removable pad for comfort and are made from 70% Bamboo and 30% Organic Cotton ensuring they are breathable, antibacterial and absorbent.

• As summer approaches go for floaty dresses (pictured above), They are perfect for keeping cool on your bike and floral & floaty is very much en vogue this season

• Cycle in a loose fitting top and take a smarter top with you for a quick change when you get to work. Try a nice brightly coloured jersey from American Apparel they look great with skinny jeans.

• Treat yourself to a merino wool top ... "Merino wool is a naturally high performance material, absorbing perspiration and eliminating smells. It keeps your body warm if its cold but is breathable so in warm conditions it keeps you just right too" Designer Alexa Pearson

Lovely picture from The Sartorialist

Please let me know of other cycle friendly clothing that works for you…

Road Sense Sally - Useful exercises

If are just getting back in the saddle this spring and haven’t cycled for a few years here’s a few exercises to do off road to get you ready for the city streets.

Exercise 1) High 5
You will need to Indicate clearly to turn left and right so need to be confident cycling one handed. A good way to get used to this movement is the hi5 exercise pictured above. Entice a friend or boyfriend along to be your high five partner and practice on both hands until you feel full comfortable taking each had off the handle bars while still moving.

Exercise 2) Do look back
Checking traffic behind is an essential part of cycling on the roads. To perfect this skill practice twisting round and looking behind you first keeping both hands on the handlebars and when you feel confident taking one hand off and twisting round a little further. Try this at varying speeds until you feel fully comfortable and balanced.

Exercise 3) Emergency stop
Practice cycling at a reasonable speed and then stopping abruptly at a chosen spot. Use both brakes and push your weight down on the bike whilst stretching your arms out. once you have come to a stop keep your hand on the breaks to secure the bike until you are ready to get going again

All exercises courtesy of Cycle Training UK. Lessons are all one to one and in some London boroughs are completely free!

Stylish Bags & Panniers

Whether it’s just a handbag, a laptop for work, a spot of shopping or an overnight bag, most urban woman have Stuff!
This need not put you off cycling as you can actually carry a lot on a bike with very little stress and strain and it does not mean you have to sport a geeky rucksack. A few Cyclechic recommendations for girls who have stuff…

The Basil Mirte is a bag and pannier in one. It clips easily on to your back rack and when you detach it, transforms in to a wonderful shopping bag, great for everyday bits and pieces. Available from Velorution


The Cyclodelic bra bag designed by cycling fashion guru Amy Fleuriot not only looks fantastic but is highly practical. It either attaches on to your handle bars or goes across your shoulder designed so the bag sits on your back and doesn’t swing forward



This rather delightful famous five style pannier from Bobbin Bicycles is great for everyday urban riding. It’s the perfect size for your lock and your handbag... or for jam sandwiches and ginger beer!


This Ollie&Nic number is a good example of a cycle-friendly designer bag. It has an adjustable long strap so can be worn over one shoulder and fits snugly on the back, it's also a nice bright colour ensuring you are seen on the roads.


The Zwei U12
A stylish and secure bag designed to accommodate a laptop. It can be clippd on to your rack or worn messenger style

Pretty in Pink

Bright colours are in this spring. This is is great news for the stylish cyclist about town who wants to be seen... and seen to look good.
My top 3 cycle-friendly, bright pink coats from designer to high street are...

Chloe’s Bow-Front jacket from Net-a-Porter

Urban Outfitters Full Circle Trench Coat Urbanoutfitters.co.uk

Pink Parker from Topshop

Cycling Celebs

Its good to see that Chloe Sevigny, a woman known for her impeccable style, is also a cycling lady. I also love the fact that her bottle green vintage bike matches her wallpaper. Not too sure about cycling whilst on the phone but think we can let Chloe off for looking so dam cool!

Road Sense Sally - Have a lesson

Last weekend I embarked on a spot of cycle training and what a thoroughly enjoyable and fruitful experience it was. Liz, my local instructor, arranged to meet me at a park a stones throw from my house. She talked to me about my level of cycling and what I wanted to get out of the lesson and proceeded to tailor the 2 hour session to my needs. We started off with some bike control exercises (pictured above the Hi-5) and thanks to Liz, I finally understood how my gears work! (in the past I have been a bit of a girl and just moved them up and down hoping for the best)
As I cycled away after the lesson to meet a friend for coffee I felt noticeably empowered about my right as a cyclist and felt entitled to take more space on the road. It was both an eye opener and a confidence booster and the bill was kindly picked up by Hammersmith and Fulham, who fund all the cycle training in the borough.
I would recommend a cycling lesson to both those starting out and those who have cycled for a while but do still have a few questions. Contact Cycle Training UK for more details and to find out if you are eligible for funding.
More advice on road safety coming soon to cyclechic.co.uk

London Fashion week's Wheels and Heels

A wonderful night of beautiful bicycles, beautiful people and most importantly beautiful clothes and accessories. Designers included Dashing Tweeds, Swallows, Two and Fro, B:inc, Sarah Rose and Natalia Buck, Archies Gro Bags, Boulder Boutique, Smeer, H1 Designs and Glovedup

Top 3 stylish cycling helmets

If an unsightly cycling helmet is cramping your style, do not fear there are some alternatives

1. The Bern Muse (main picture above) is my current favourite. These are beautifully designed and a very different shape from traditional cycling or skate helmets with a rather stylish peak at the front. They are multi-purpose helmets so can be used for snowboarding or any other extreme sports you care to indulge in. Great colours and affordable price at £39.99. Email me at caz@cyclechic.co.uk for info on where to buy. Check out the Bern Website for full range.

2. The Cycle fashion range (pictured above right) is the brainchild of London based designer Sawako Furuno. They come in carefully chosen feminine colours and have hand painted designs cleverly positioned on the back and on the left hand side so drivers and pedestrians can admire you as you go. I caught up with Sawako and tried on the beige helmet with Hanabi print and was very reluctant to hand it back. The really do look good on. Price £60. Check out the for more products details. Cycle fashion website

3. Bell Faction is more of a boyish/skatey style but they come in a nice range of colours and you can buy online at Chain reaction for £17.99…Bargain!

If you know of any more stylish helmets out there, please do let me know. I think there is still room for improvement….

Tip 8: Pace yourself

If you are thinking about taking to 2 wheels this spring be sure to ease your way in. You are then much more likely to enjoy it and stick with it, rather than ending up red faced, achey and frustrated.

A few tips…

• Cycle at a leisurely pace rather the racing along with the Lycra clan. You will look far more graceful and will arrive at your destination fully composed with out any unsightly sweat patches.

• If you have not cycled for a while start off by doing a few laps of your local park then graduate to short routes that you know, to the shops or local café.

• If your journey to work seems a little daunting start off by cycling to you’re nearest tube or train station, ensuring you lock your bike up securely.

• When you feel ready to cycle all the way to work check your route on TFL’s Journey Planner Select the cycling option and type in your starting point and destination and it will recommend a route on quieter, more cycle friendly roads.

• Armed with your map choose a nice sunny day at the weekend, when you have no time restraints, to explore your route. Do not cycle to work for the first time on a Monday morning if you are not entirely sure where you’re going. It could result in you getting lost and turning up at work late and flustered.

• When you have mastered your route just cycle in twice a week to start with to get your fitness levels up. Never force yourself to cycle when you don’t feel like.

Do not feel you have to cycle when….

• You have the mother of all hangovers

• It’s a blowing a gale or chucking it down with rain or both

• You are wearing a pencil skirt and 6 inch heels and have just spent an hour on your hair for a big meeting or date.

• You are reading a particularly good book and quite fancy a bus journey.

More advice on getting started coming soon on cyclechic.co.uk

Tip 7: Colour co-ordinate

Dawn Porter, TV presenter on Channel 4’s How to Look Good Naked, looks rather fabulous fully clothed on her baby pink Brompton

I caught up with Dawn after a busy day zipping around Soho for various meetings, "I am addicted to my bike! I would never be able to fit so much into the day with such little stress with out it’

Dawn gave London Cycle Chic her top tip for looking stylish on your bike….
‘Pick a colour and go with it, for me, it is all about pink! Dawn has a Cyclodelic bespoke front pannier to match her bicycle along with bright pink leather gloves and rather fetching cream earmuffs for the nippy winter weather.

See Dawn on 'Dawn gets Naked', the first in her series of documentaries coming soon to BBC3.

The Sartorialist

More recognition of cycling’s style. The Sartorialist was selected as one of the Times Magazine’s top 100 design influencers. He takes to the streets everyday snapping stylish people and has penchant for people on bicycles. This is one of his all time favourite photos.

Wheels and Heels

Who needs an over priced meal and forced romance on Valentines day when you could be at the Cycle Fashion event of the year, Wheels and Heels. Leading designers in Cycle Chic will be flaunting their fabulous designs at this evening of bicycle beautifulness. So get yourself down to the Columbia Road Flower Market in East London at 6pm on 14th Feb to be truly inspired!
For more information go to wheelsandheels

Second hand in Style

If you are a vintage lover on a budget then buying a second hand bike is definitely the way to go. Not only do they have character and retro charm but you can get some incredibly well built, reliable bikes for a fraction of their original price….and for all you green goddesses this is taking re-cycling to a whole new level!

5 CycleChic recommendations for second hand shopping

1. Camden Cycles
They specialise in re-conditioned bikes, this means all second hand bikes are fully repaired so there is no chance of being sold a dodgy set of wheels. You can get some great brgain here, the baby blue retro racer pictured above was on sale for the bargain price of £69.


2. Recycling in Elephant Castle is another good second hand bike shop
They will let you test ride but can be a little pushy so perhaps take a friend for moral support.

3. Ebay - go for bikes that are in your area or you may find you are spending more on getting the bike to you than you do on the actual bike. Ensure there is a good photo of the bike and plenty of information and if possible try and have a phone conversation with the seller to be sure you know exactly what your getting.

4.Gumtree is great as It's London based and you can get a bike for as little as £20. Same tips as above though, ensure you see a picture and get all the info before you buy. You could also try Going Going Bike, a new ebay style auction site dedicated to bikes

5. Re-Buy-cycle is a great website specializing in retro, vintage bikes, you can buy online.

The LCC website has a list of all the bike shops in London that sell second hand bikes. Some sell more than others so make sure you phone the shop before you turn up.

Perfectly Pashley

Perched elegantly on your Pashley you certainly will turn heads. With model names like Sonnet Bliss and Princess Sovereign the Pashley’s really do have all the classic charm and decadence you could want from a bicycle. And although you may feel like you should be cycling through a grassy meadow in a Merchant Ivory film they are actually very good city bikes.
All the classic bikes come with a spacious front wicker basket for you handbag, shopping, lapdog…. They also have the charmingly named double scoop in their tube rider range, a combination of classic elegance and modern chic (pictured above)
For more details go to the Pashley website There are 38 bike shops in London that stock Pashley’s, take a look at their Dealer list for specific details. Prices range from £435 - £545.

Go Dutch

Dutch women always look so sophisticated on their bikes. This is largely down to the type of bikes they ride. Dutch bikes with their ‘sit up and beg’ style handlebars put you in a far more graceful, ladylike, not to mention comfortable, position than regular hybrid bikes. They have a low step-through frame to avoid any undignified dismounting as well as mud-guards and chain-guards so your femininity is not compromised.
Luckily for us there are a number of shops and website that sell Dutch Style bikes both in London and elsewhere in the UK.

• The rather lovely Sunshine pictured above is from Littlehampton’s Dutch Bike shop , they have a fantastic range of both traditional and more modern Dutch bikes. Also on the South coast, in Brighton try Amsterdammers
• If you want to go Dutch in London try Velorution have a look at the Azor Oma, the bright yellow Kemper or the Retrovelo. Also try Bobbins bikes in Clerkenwell and Brixton Cycles
• Cambridge having the highest proportion of cycling commuters than anywhere else in the UK have cottoned on to the benefits of Dutch bikes with Cambridge Cycle Company selling renowed Dutch make Sparta and dutchbike.co.uk have a large range of models.
• If you want to go Dutch up north try Cycle Heaven

Prices range from around £300-£600 but check out the Amsterdammers second hand section for a cheaper deal and the Bobbins play bike is a bargain at £210

Anywhere else that sells Dutch Bikes? Please let me know.

Cycling Accessories with a difference

Amy Fleuriot’s Cyclodelic range is the reflective light at the end of a long dark tunnel, of traditional and rather dull, cycling accessories. Amy is one of the designers leading the way in Cycle Chic, with her innovative range of cuffs, belts and bags.
The Cyclodelic cuff (pictured above) cheered me up no end when cycling to work on a rainy Monday morning with the back to work blues! I then graciously accepted several complements from work colleges on my arrival and kept it on till lunchtime. This being the beauty Amy’s designs, they are as good off the bike as they are on.
The cuff, which is made of reflective material, is not only a safety aid but also maximises the range of trousers you can wear, easing any stressful outfit panics first thing in the morning.
Major fashion houses are following suit this year with non other than Chanel featuring cycling cuffs in their spring collection. (picture bottom left). Thus proving that cycling is most definitely pedalling it’s way up the style agenda!
For more information go to the Cyclodelic website or pop down to seriously stylish bike shop Velorution or SHOP 172 on Brick lane to buy yourself a pair.

Model Cyclist

Flicking through Vogue on Saturday morning I came across this photo of supermodel of the moment, Lily Cole, looking rather fabulous on a bicycle.
Bicycles are being featured more and more in fashion shoots as their aesthetic quality and style potential is recognized by the fashion elite. So forget your Manolo Blahnik girls, this seasons must have is a bicycle.

Search for a stylish helmet: Part 2

On my quest for the stylish helmet I have come across this rather lovely ‘Cycle Head Dress’. This fantastic design transforms your ghastly helmet into a stylish bicycle bonnet. It even has a reflective ribbon on it to alert drivers of your dazzling presence!
The Cycle Head Dress is brainchild of product design student, Hoai–Oanh-Vu. For more information go to CSM Fresh Talent

Tip 6: cycle yourself slim

Cycle your way to a slender figure and a healthy heart in 2008.

An average woman cycling on a flat road for an hour will burn off 555 Calories, running for the same amount of time will only burn off only 50 more, at 600 calories per hour. The difference being running hurts...cycling doesn't.

Cycling at least twenty miles a week reduces the risk of heart disease to less than half that for non-cyclists who take no other exercise. (Source: British Heart Foundation)

So if you want to get fit & healthy forget sweaty, expensive gyms or faddy diets that just make you hungry and pissed off …. get on your bike!

Picture from Copenhagen Girls on Bikes inspiration from the Danes.