Can storage be stylish?

We love celebrating the inherent style in cycling but when it comes to storing your bike, things get more difficult. Anyone who lives in London will be familiar with the problem of bike storage - firstly there isn't enough of it, and secondly what there is, is pretty basic and hardly easy on the eye.
But things are changing and there are some fabulous storage solutions out there, including turning your bike into a work of art.
Rather than hiding your bike away in a garage or shed, or leaving it cluttering up your living room, mount it on your wall with one of these amazing bike racks. Perhaps not the most accessible of storage solutions but certainly a talking point at dinner parties...

This Cycloc storage rack isn't just practical - it has actually won awards for its design. Saving space and showing off your bike to its best advantage - what's not to love? Well, apart from the price. This little green number, which is available in the UK, will set you back nearly £60. But for an uncluttered living room and a bike rack which even ELLE Decoration has commended as looking like a sculpture in itself, it could be a small price to pay. And for those who don't want to shell out, everyone's favourite budget superstore Lidl is offering wall mounted bike racks for under £20 in selected stores.

For the more traditional out there who would rather not have a bike dripping oil and mud down their nice clean living room walls, there's always this good old-fashioned garden shed from Shedstore.

It's not just home storage that can be a challenge. If you cycle to work, you will be familiar with the rusting, aged and easily-moved bits of metal most employers call 'bike racks'. Get on your boss's case to replace them with one of these Cyclepods. Not only are they far more secure and easier on the eye than a traditional bike rack, but they are made of sustainable and recyclable materials. Some 12,500 aluminium cans go into each pod making them both chic and environmental, two of our very favourite things. Sadly, blue skies and beaches are not included.

A suitable lock for a lady

Despite being very happy with my new Pashley Poppy, I did suffer from a touch of bike envy when I passed this rather lovely cream shopper last week. What also took my fancy was the bright pink 80's style lock. It's made by Raleigh so as soon as I got home I phoned them up to see if they still stocked them, thinking they could be a perfect addition to our online shop Cyclechic.co.uk.
Unfortunately Raleigh no longer make them. It seems in this day and age when bike theft is rife, it is no longer acceptable to sell pink locks. They now have to be boringly black, tough and serious looking, no feminine or fun locks allowed. But as we girls know it is possible to be beautiful and strong so why are there no bike locks that encompass these two qualities. Would a liberty print look wrong on a D Lock or painted polka dots perhaps? I don't think do. If anyone has a stylish lock or knows where I can get one from please let me know?

Topshop launches in New York with the Bicycle Club

Topshop celebrate all things cycle Chic to launch their first store in New York. Topshop offered free bike rental to the trendy young things on NYC and gave out maps to various city hotspots.







They also ran competitions for best dressed cyclist, you could either go in store and be snapped by nickydigital or send your own photos in to Chictopia.com There are some sterling examples of Cycle Chic, proving the girls have NYC have very much embraced the trend.
Well done Topshop, we more than approve!

Introducing....

The eagle-eyed among you may have noticed there are now two of us blogging for cyclechic.co.uk.
So hello! My name is Cathy and I will be joining the lovely Caz in keeping you updated on the latest developments in the women’s cycling movement.
A little about me – I’m 28, a journalist and I live in South London. I started cycling to work and back about 18 months ago but until recently, was more of a boringly functional and practical cyclist than a two-wheeled style goddess.
Obviously I can’t now claim to be Agyness Deyn but it’s fair to say I’ve embraced the cyclechic.co.uk cause. In the last few months I’ve traded in my boy’s mountain bike for a super-girly Pashley Poppy, swapped gloomy grey panniers for this cute satchel, and started cycling dressed like a human being not a traffic cone.
And that’s just the start.
So, that’s me, and here are a few of my favourite things.

1. The towpath between Putney Bridge and Richmond. Love it in the spring, summer and autumn but tend to avoid it in the winter months as I’m not into extreme sports.

2. Roger and Me – this blog, from ‘wheeled Weenie’ Rachael, is a lovely little account of life as a London lady cyclist, and anyone who christens their bike ‘Roger’ has got to be worth reading about. Plus, I feature in it from time to time. Hurrah!

3. The London Freewheel. If you’ve never cycled in the city before, it’s the perfect way to get started, and if you’re a seasoned cyclist, it’s still a fantastic day celebrating cycling in the capital. This year we will be having a Cyclechic convoy so start organising your outfit now, more info to come on this soon.
4. Cropped camo-style shorts from New Look. Available in a range of colours, ideal for cycling in and cheap as chips – what’s not to love?

5. These Love and Hate gloves. I’ve got a pair on order already.

6. The leather accessories range from Pashley. A bit steeper than I can reasonably justify unfortunately, but nice to gaze longingly at from time to time.

7. London to Brighton – at night. Somehow I’ve been coerced into signing up for an overnight London to Brighton bike ride this Friday. We leave from Hyde Park at midnight. I cannot wait, there’s something almost romantic about the idea of an overnight cycle and leaving traffic-sodden London for the ride to the coast. I’ll keep you posted with how it went!

Hip Hip YAKKAY!

Cyclechic.co.uk are now selling the gorgeous YAKKAY cycling helmets

For all those style conscious cyclists who ‘don’t do helmets’ the YAKKAY could be your dream come true. Underneath is a fully certified helmet, you then choose from a variety of wonderful hat-covers depending on your style preferences.

The YAKKAYS have great designs for both ladies and Gents. We love the Trilby style Tokyo. Brighten up the streets with the Pink Jazz or, go for one of this summer’s big looks, with the Boater style beige. Or for a more casual look for you Cyclechic chaps the the Cap style Paris is a definite winner.



Worried about a sweaty head… don’t be. The helmet has a number of adhesive foam circles that circulate air. When you are riding your bicycle, air will be pushed into the helmet, pleasantly cooling down your head.



You can either buy online at cyclechic.co.uk or book an appointment at our East London office to try them on.

YAKKAYS website

Bike of the month - the Pashley Poppy

Firstly, a quick confession. I haven’t owned a ladies’ bike since I was eight and my parents bought me a Raleigh Bianca from a jumble sale.

I’ve always written off ladies’ bikes as impractical and a triumph of style over substance. Then I saw and fell in love with the Pashley Poppy. I don’t know whether it was the fabulous blush-pink shade, the elegant shape or those stunning creamy tyres that convinced me, but it didn’t take long before one was on order. After all, if a pink bike is good enough for Sarah Michelle Gellar, it's good enough for me.

Suddenly instead of hurtling into work feeling smug about my practical choice of boy’s mountain bicycle, I was resentfully slugging around counting down the days til my Poppy arrived.

At nearly £400 the Poppy isn’t cheap, but Pashley is a quality brand and you get what you pay for in workmanship. Depending on your views, it’s probably worth the £400 just for the immense amount of male attention a Poppy commands.

Even just picking my bike up, I was flirted with to within an inch of my life. Polite and uber-charming male assistants flocked around me, painstakingly talking me through every possible aspect of my new wheels.

Considering when I bought my mountain bike I was ignored for 20 minutes, then patronised so heavily I actually left the store and only came back when a female assistant was on duty, this was a definite improvement.

Pedalling home, I was conscious of all eyes on me. Apparently it’s not every day you see a bright pink bike on the streets of Streatham. Again, I’m taking this as a good thing if it can persuade motorists to occasionally allow me right of way and not simply try and push me and my fellow cyclists into the gutter.

The Poppy isn’t just a pretty face. The large, thin tyres mean it can pick up speed a good deal easier than a clunking mountain bike with wide, grippy tyres. It’s also exceptionally comfortable, largely thanks to the wonderful sprung saddle.

But the biggest surprise to me is how user-friendly the Poppy is.

I was a little apprehensive it would be too fragile to cope with the demands of a daily commute, especially as my journey to work takes me down a rather bumpy riverside towpath. In fact the Poppy is solidly put together, and it doesn’t just whizz down the towpath a treat, it actually gets me to work quicker than my old mountain bike.

And did I mention that it’s beautiful? It genuinely is a stunning looking bike, right down to the polished silver wheels and adorable matching silver pump.

There are a couple of negatives. Firstly, it’s a heavy bike, especially if you have a rack fitted for panniers. It’s not the kind of bike you can sling over your shoulder and haul up two flights of stairs, but on the plus side, it’s so pretty it’ll probably charm a nice strong man into carrying it for you.

But the biggest risk of the Poppy is the amount of money you’ll end up setting aside for accessories. Instead of bog-standard lights, I’ve got my eye on a set of Knog Frog lights in ice blue. My old grey panniers will have to make way for a far prettier cherry blossom pannier. The lovely curved silver handlebars are just begging for a traditional wicker basket to be fitted. And the idea of keeping my Poppy outside in the cold and the rain just doesn’t bear thinking about, so until the budget can stretch to this cute little garden shed, she’ll be kept indoors overnight. A bike this gorgeous deserves the best.  

Calling all Britsol's Bike Beauties

Cyclechic are going on the road and we will be at Bristols Biggest Bike Ride on Sunday 21st June. We will have a stall in Millennium square, selling all our lovely products so if you're Bristol based please come down and say hello!,
This event is part of bike week, this year there seems to be more bike events than ever... Bristol is officially Britain's first cycling demonstration city so we thought it would be a good place to go and shake our Cyclechic thang!

Another addition to the women's cycling movement...

Sometimes even we are surprised to be reminded that men are still three times more likely to cycle than women.
Shockingly, three quarters of women will never even get on a bike at all. Whether it’s down to fear of traffic, a lack of confidence or simple practicalities like wanting to arrive for work fresh as a daisy as opposed to sweating through endless Lycra, there is still much work to be done to encourage women across the UK to try out the two-wheeled form of transport.

With this in mind sustainable transport charity Sustrans has launched BikeBelles, its new website exclusively for female cyclists.
Billed as ‘what every woman needs to know to get out and about by bike,’ the site is a combination of practical hints and tips including getting started, staying safe and looking good on two wheels, and diaries from real-life ‘bike belles’.
The latter is a panel of women from different backgrounds from across the UK, with differing levels of cycling experience, who share their views, opinions and experiences.

Although the belles have varying levels of commitment to their online diaries – some have only posted once – these short snippets provide an insight into the lives of female cyclists.
Some also review products, such as these fabulous Knog Gekko bike lights.
Users can sign up to email updates for news and offers, and the site carries a host of useful links including to this very website and to Sustrans’ range of information and services.
BikeBelles is a nice concept and the addition of real women in the Bike Belles themselves is a quirky little twist. Anyone visiting the site can easily be guided to hints and tips on everything from choosing a bike to how much money you can save swapping a car trip for a journey by bike.
It is also very visually appealing – Sustrans’ main website, although excellent, is rather lurid and not terribly easy on the eye. BikeBelles is far prettier with a good use of inspiring photography.
All in all we’re giving the site the thumbs up, as anything that encourages more women to get on their bikes has to be a good thing.

A tart up for TFL

Transport for London went and got trendy! We love their new cycling micro- site. Inviting pics of girls in skirts with long hair floating in the breeze..., some great info on rides and events. A cycling specific journey planner, competitions and blogs from various types of cyclists. Info on the forthcoming cycle hire scheme.. all very exciting.
It wasn't long ago that any promotional pictures of women on bikes would be geeky, sporty and generally unappealing. Times are indeed a changing.

Saddle up for the Strike...

With the tube strike looming, what better a time to try cycling to work. A bit nervous about your route go to LCC's fab site Bike Tube. They have info on organised bike rides into town from different areas in London or advice on how to plan your own route.

TFL also have their fab new cycling site up

We also have some tips and advice to get you started and you need accessories, you know where to come... cyclechic.co.uk

New Cape in town

Budding new designer Claire Smith has created this rather beautiful garment. The 'Orenna' Reversible Pleated Cape is made from 100% pure wool on one side and 100% recycled polyester on the other, the reversible cape allows the wearer to adapt the look and function on and off the bike. The generous cut and sunburst pleats enable the rider the move easily and provide ventilation. Whilst the recycled polyester side provides a water-resistant function for the ride into work, when reversed the pure wool side creates a smarter look for when worn off the bike. Scotchbrite reflective binding is used around the hem and sleeve edges for subtle high visibility.


The cape is put on over the head and closed with magnet fastenings to allow the cape to drape beautifully from the neck. The cropped sleeves provide further ventilation for cool winter mornings and can be worn with the 'Rena' knitted arm length finger-less gloves, which extend upto the shoulder to create easily removable sleeves. Allowing for a highly adaptable cape depending on the wearers physical and social environment.

Claire is currently studying at The London College of fashion. We are digging the cape and think she has a bright future ahead. Let us know what you think?

Loving your work boys...

OUTLIER is a company after our own heart, firmly understanding the basic human right to cycle and look good doing it. They design classic clobber for the stylish cycling chaps of NYC.

OUTLIER is about classically tailored garments made with the best
technical fabrics around. Clothing that works from both bike to boardroom.

Outlier's strives to create future classics, clothing that
works as well a century down the road as it will tomorrow.

Aimed at the urban dweller that has a slightly different world view than
the rest. They ride their bicycles to work because of the way it makes
them feel, refreshed yet exhilarated. They ride to work because it is the
best way to navigate the city, with complete freedom. This audience is
well-educated, opinionated and have a keen sense of style that others
often look to.


Two years ago, Abe and Tyler began to search for a solution to a basic
problem; how to ride their bikes to work and show up looking crisp, fresh
and clean. The stresses of cycling wore out their jeans. On days when they
needed to dress up for clients, they either suffered the train or
performed awkward superman maneuvers in bathrooms to change. Rain of
course was a persistent problem too.

Not knowing each other at the time, they both independently started to
tackle the same issues, convinced there was a better way. It wasn't until
an insightful barista at their local coffee shop, Gimme Coffee, put two
and two together and connected the pair. It was at that point Outlier was
born. Tailored performance clothing for cycling in the city.


We love their climber pants and Navy waxed cotton cap.. and the rather lovely fellas wearing them.

20% of Bern Brighton Helmets

Just started cycling to save some dosh and don't want to spend a fortune on your accessories? Well look no further.. the beautiful Bern Brightons now have a whopping 20% off at only £32!
The Brightons are the perfect for summer cycling, eliminating sweaty head syndrome. They have air vents at the top and back as well as being lined with Brock foam which unlike most cycling helmets has a porous quality that circulates air and soaks up moisture.

Say no to damp clothes with Cyclechic's rain cape!

We've all been there... Getting drenched on the way to work and having to either sit in wet clothes or decorate the office with your garments in an effort to dry them out while you wear the office cardigan that no one seems to own.. not fun! Our new rain cape can solve all your damp problems, will keep you and your lovely outfit dry and then conveniently fold into its own pouch so easy to stow away when the sun comes out again!




I tested it out this morning and was very happy with the results...



Buy the rain cape at our new online shop, only £35

Cyclechic's springtime must haves

I am very much into all things pink, blue and flowery this spring. It may be something to do with the arrival of my baby girl, Florence Sybil on the 27th March and that our flat is now a sea of flowers, pink teddies and frilly dresses. So from baby blues to blossom prints here's my top 5 springtime cycling must haves...

1. The Pashley Poppy £395 Those lovely people at Pashley have got it just right with these pastel blue and blush pink shades and the fabulous creamy wheels.

2. The Cherry blossom double pannier £35.99 - Perfect for spring days out on the bike or to brighten up your daily commute



3. Sawako Furuno Helmet £40-60


4. Joules Cag in a bag - Best to be prettily prepared for those April showers


5. Paul and Joes jumpsuit £389

Topshop gets cycling

Our friends at Cyclodelic have launched their fabulous products at the big Topshop in Oxford Circus... How exciting!

If however you can not get down the big smoke to check them out you can buy the Cyclodelic Bra bag, cuff and the wonderful cape from cyclechic.co.uk

Cycling short

It's Your Ride from Cinecycle on Vimeo.

A beautiful little film. "Directed by Daniel Leeb of Cinecycle Productions.
This short film features Alfred Bobe Jr. and Fatimah Durkee. The film spins a visual ballad between the two cyclists experiencing the city in their own unique ways. Both cyclists are city dwellers who amidst the chaos of the concrete jungle have created a private and peaceful psychological space as they traverse the streets. They are both alone and yet they are both very much aware of each others presence. The film speaks to the harmony with one's environment that can be found while riding a bicycle in a city and the synchronistic connection we can have with those we have not even met. The short was commissioned by Hutchinson tires."
We are loving the girls strawberrys and cream outfit and bike and the particularly stylish bonnet style hat.

March's Bike of the Month - The Oma Classic from Dutchie

March … The perfect month to buy a bike and start cycling. I bought my first set of wheels in the month of March a few years ago and have never looked back.

When you begin your search for your two-wheeled friend, don’t get bullied into buying some charmless hybrid. Consider all your options, one of which should be to ‘go Dutch’.

I am a big fan of Dutch bikes so am particularly excited when a new brand comes on the market. The new kid on the block this spring is Dutchie and they seem to be causing quite a stir. They do both mens Dutch bikes and ladies Dutch bikes so something for everyone.

We test rode their flagship bicylce, the Oma Classic , of it’s many redeeming features what is particularly inviting about the Oma is the price…. only £289. A lot of the Dutch Style bikes on the market tend to creep up to twice this amount so the Dutchie is an aptly timed bargain!



The elegant Oma was delivered to my door and as I excitedly climbed aboard, I was quickly reprimanded by my partner. At 8 months pregnant he did not think I should be trying out a new bike no matter how pretty is was! After a little sulking I turned to my Cyclechic colleague to do the dirty work and decided to talk to a real Dutchie customer to get a full rounded view.

We first spoke to recent, very happy customer, Rachel Kinnaird. Rachel came to us to buy a helmet and, on seeing our Dutchie parked outside, stopped dead in her tracks and lovingly proclaimed “I have this bike!”. I asked her how she found it and she simply replied, “I’m effervescent….

So over to Rachel…

I am LOVING my Dutchie, as are others judging from the number of head-turners I've clocked up ! Great design, fabulous looking, rides like a dream. It’s an effortless, smooth ride, great seated position enabling better visibility of traffic, feeling safer.

Extras like the demobilizing lock & bike stand are really smart and the Skirt & chain guards take the hassle out of wondering what to wear, wardrobe as per usual, hoorah !

Dutchie is currently an online retailer, which makes them quick, and easy to buy from, wherever you are in the UK. They will deliver to your door FREE of charge and the bike will be 95% assembled on arrival so you don’t need to be a grease monkey to put it together. It’s simply a case of tightening the front wheel and handle bars… phew!

At Cyclechic we are using the Dutchie for all our chores and errands and my colleague, the lovely Lavinia, has been in the hot… saddle. Lavinia was also very taken with Dutchie but as a stoic cyclist she did point out that if you have only ever ridden a regular bike, you do need to ease yourself in gently. Dutch bikes have certain features that at first can be a little confusing. Her 3 things to look out for are;

1.Back pedal break – Instead of breaking with two brakes on the handle bars you back pedal to bring the bike to a stop and you have one break for the front hub on the handle bar . If you wanted to stick to regular breaks you could go for Dutchie’s Starlite bicycle

2.The handle bars are wider so your steering action will differ.

It’s probably a good idea if you are making the switch to get yourself used to these features in the park before you take to the busy roads. It will soon become second nature but don’t give you the stress of adjusting while contending with busy traffic.

Oh and most importantly...

3. You may find yourself being drawn to your reflection as you pass shop windows because you look so darn good. Please have a quick glance but no prolonged staring as this could lead to accidents as well as an inflated ego!

You can however send photos of yourself looking wonderful on your Dutchie to Me and my Dutchie and they will publish it in their family album on the website.


In summary the Dutchie Oma Classic is the perfect for a gentle commute, school run or errands around town. It also looks fabulous and makes you feel fabulous, and being cheaper and lighter than a lot of its competitors … you can’t go wrong!

Cyclechic shop: Frog Knog Front and Rear Bicycle Lights

Product information
Price: £8.50 each
Colours: White, translucent, Pink, Ice Blue, Olive Green, Lime Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Purple, Blue, Black
• SuperBright LED
• Flexible silicon body
• Integrated clipping feature
• Variable beam direction
• Visible up to 600 metres
• 2 Function

Cyclechic's verdict:

Finally a bicycle light to get excited about. Enjoyably tactile, the Frog is quick and easy to clip on n' off - the flexible 'tail' wraps around the handlebar etc, to be re-attached to a clip on the back of the main light body.They come in a myriad of colours to suit your bike, your outfit or your mood...

Click here to buy from the new online shop

More Cycle freindly fashion at LFW - Twenty8Twelve

Are Sienna Miller and her sister Savannah secret cyclists? The pair's clothing label - Twenty 8 Twelve - made it's London Fashion Week debut and showed distinctly wearable, but still uber chic, collection for Autumn 2009. The fashion critics argue that it's too wearable for LFW, but we heart their unpretentious, street influenced style.

Thick tights, denim hotpants and loose layers are ideal for riding two wheels at the weekend (above)

Beige traditional mac styles were prominent, perfect for work:

If you're a night rider, there's edgier items too - from this Grecian, loose dress; a grunge revival style leather jacket & floral mini dress combo; or go 80s with shoulder pads and denim leggings:

www.Twenty8Twelve.com

Pictures from Handbag.com