Creme de la Creme

Lovely photographs of lovely looking bicycles from Creme Cycles

Rebecca Rocks it on BBC3's Free Speech

Rebecca with panelist, actor Adam Deacon

I got a call from a customer on Wed afternoon telling me she was appearing on BBC3's new panel show, Free Speech, talking about cycle safety AND that she would proudly be sporting our TwonFro Hi Viz Vest So I tuned in at 10pm and spotted Rebecca straight away in the audience, looking the epitome of East London cool, with the hi viz vest over a Flouro orange top. The host obviously noticed her to and she was the first person he went to for their point of view. She leapt up and gave Radio 1 Xtra DJ and newbie cyclists Gemma Cairney some sound advice on what she should wear on her bike to be both visible and stylish.

She carried off the Hi viz vest with such aplomb that even the Radio Times mentioned her in a review of the show ""On last night's Free Speech Rebecca revealed the hottest cycling accessory in town... NUCLEAR BRACES"
Go Rebbecca! And thanks so much for the mention xx
Here's the link to it on iplayer, Rebecca steals the show about 21 mins in)

Wardrobe tips for cycling in the rain.

1. A Helmet is your friend

If like me you HATE getting wet hair go for a helmets with fewer ventilation holes. The Bern helmets, Sawako Furuno's and Yakkay Paris are all great for keeping your hair dry and the peak at the front prevents rain from going in your eyes. If you have a regular cycle helmet with large ventilation holes, you could try wearing a skull cap underneath. Although it might be tempting to wear a jacket with a large hood and pull it over your head to block out the miserable rainy world, don't do it. Hoods (the bigger and fluffier the worse) can seriously affect your peripheral vision and can cause you to miss traffic to your left and right.

2. Caped Crusader

A regular raincoat, might not always be right for cycling as it may get too hot once you're pedaling away. Light and breathable is the way to go with layers for warmth on underneath. We love Water of a Ducks Back cycling specific Mac £129.99 or go for a rain cape or poncho that folds away neatly into its own pouch once you get to your destination. Check out our NEW Festival Floral Poncho £23.99. All these options are designed to keep your legs dry as well as your upper body so you don't end up with soggy jeans for the rest of the day.


3. Say No to soggy feet

If like me you HATE getting wet feet almost as much as getting wet hair, you need to go for waterproof footwear. Wellies, if they fit properly and you're not in too much of a hurry can work well but can be awkward once you get to the office. A great option, that we are loving at Cyclechic, are The Georgia in Dublin Leggits £49.99. You simply pop them over your regular shoes or boots and they keep your foot & lower leg completely dry and they look like a pair of funky snow boots. You can also get a matching Georgia in Dublin Dorothy Cover £19.99 for your basket.

Safety Tip
It goes without saying that when it's raining you need to be extra alert and take extra care on the roads. The roads can be slippy so be very careful on corners, take it slow and keep as much weight as possible on the outside pedal to ensure you are balanced. Resist the childish urge to plough through puddles, submerged potholes can catch you out.

And finally here's my all time favourite rain/dance sequences, this will be sure to put a smile on your face on a rainy Wednesday.

Welcome back to the Cherry Pine Deluxe Pannier... we missed you

We are terribly excited here at the Cyclechic office to have our star pannier The Cherry Pine Deluxe, £55, back in stock. It has long since been our most popular pannier and we have been quietly sobbing inside whilst we've not had it in stock.
We have a limited number in stock now and we will have the new improved version with longer straps in early May.
In the 4 years I have been running Cyclechic I have not come across a Pannier that has such a winning combination of vintage charm and everyday practicality. Its is quite simply a Cycle Chic staple.