swimming with the fishes

My Pashley Poppy, my Kitsch Kitchen pannier an my little girl, creating a rather nice swirl of colours against the backdrop...

Cyclechic's little black book: Cafe Luc, Marleybone High street

I had the pleasure of being invited to new brasserie restaurant, Cafe Luc, to test out the bike valet service... and of course the food.
The booking was for 7pm so I popped on a frock, jumped on my poppy and set off across London. I had a wonderful cycle ride through Kensington and Hyde park, passing the Royal Albert Hall and crossing over the Serpentine. A perfectly romantic start to the evening.

I arrived at Cafe Luc, located in one of my favourite London streets, the sophisticated Marleybone High street. The restaurant looked wonderfully inviting and as I perused the menu, a couple of smartly dressed and rather handsome chaps came out and offered to park my bike for me. How lovely. Instead of the usual hunting around for suitable bike parking then scrabbling around with my lock, I simply handed Poppy over and waltzed into the restaurant to meet my date. Cafe Luc have a secure indoor area where they store customers bikes while they dine at no extra charge, this is the the first bike valet service I've heard of in London and I think its a fabulous idea.

I won't pretend to be a restaurant critic but the food was scrummy. A fantastic selection of French and Mediterranean dishes, I had scallops to start and Red Mullet for my main, washed down with lovely Savingnon Blanc. The service was efficient and friendly but not intrusive and throughout the meal I was safe in the knowledge that my bike was parked safely and would be presented to me as I left.

The restaurant, which has only been open for 8 weeks and busy and bussling - some popping in for a quick bite after work and others sitting comfortably in the corner, taking their time over 3 courses and a couple of bottles of wine. The mains range from £12-28 but there is also a very reasonably priced set menu for £15 per person so it doesn't have to be expensive night out.
The bike valet service was a great added extra to what was a very enjoyable evening out. I will definitely be back. I am already suggesting it to my cycling friends as the perfect spot to meet for Sunday brunch and have it noted as a great place for a business lunch.
So after a smashing meal and an espresso to help me with the cycle home, we left the restaurant and I was reunited with my bicycle. Not only was this handy and hassle free but was a sophisticated end to glamorous Friday night out.

All charged up for a party...

British bike brand Charge are collaborating with professional party putter oners 'I Heart' for a night of free music and free burgers. You can be sure of a friendly crowd of bikey types so if you and your trusty steed are looking for a knees up why not give it a whirl...

The London Cycle Hire scheme is here!

Hooray! today is the first official day of the London Cycle hire scheme for those who have registered. I set off on my virgin voyage from Old street station, cycled up to our warehouse and then docked it back in Shoreditch Park. Apart from a little panic at the funny noise it made at me when I docked it back in it was all plain sailing.

A few tips on getting started
1. Register - To be one of the first to get involved you need to register for an annual membership through TFL's website. It is fairly straight forward. You need to pay £45 and then an additional £3 for the key. I registered on Saturday and the key arrived promptly on Tues.
2. Activate - you need to either phone or go online to activate the key before you use it.

3. Find your nearest docking Stations - You get a map of all the Docking stations when you register, as long as you are in the catchment area there are lots of them and you can't miss them. Apparently there are a couple of good apps out there though for locating the docking stations.
4. Push key in - wait for green light and then pull out your bike.
5. Check the time - Your first half hour is free so its a really good idea to check the time just as you release the bike.
6. Helmet? - It entirely up to you if you wear a helmet or not. personally I prefer to wear a helmet when cycling in central London so I brought my nice lightweight Nutcase with me in my bag and popped it on before I began cycling
7. Bags? the bike has a bag holder with a bungee strap to secure it. I managed to get my Kate Sheridan handbag in there but you may require a rucksack or messenger bags if you have a lot to carry.

8. Adjust your seat- The saddle is easily adjustable and has a number system so you can remember which height works for you and off you go.
9. Gears and lights - The bike has 3 gears which are very easy to adjust on the right handle bar and there have automatic dynamo style lights.
10. Dock back in - by pushing the bike into an empty docking station, You don't need to put the key back in and please do ignore the funny noise... this is just the bike saying hello to the docking station apparently!

Cyclechic's accessory suggestions for getting started on the cycle hire scheme

Lightweight Nutcase helmet £45


Fjallraven vintage laptop messenger bag £61.99

The launch of Going Going Bike...

What a good idea! An (ebay like) auction site dedicated to bikes and bike accessories. Going Going Bike launched this week and to celebrate I was invited to launch party at Look Mum No hands. It was a great evening and I think the beginning of a successful business venture for the founders, James and Andrew.

Instead of the predictable drinks and chat, they had the rather fun idea to make the longest ever bike daisy chain. Not a serious record breaking challenge but it definitely added a buzz to the evening.
I have often wondered how many unused bikes there are in London. The Going Going Bike team have unearthed some statistics on the matter and apparently there are more than 1.5million unused bikes in London, with 200,000 abandoned in gardens – that’s almost enough bikes to make a line from London to Istanbul!
So if you do have an old bike, in need of some love. Dust it off, take a few snaps and get it up on Going Going Bike. Or if you are after a second hand bike yourself get bidding. I have already seen a rather nice ladies Peugeot on there.

Bike buddies - James, Andrew, myself and the lovely Andreas from The London Cyclists

The Cycle Hire Scheme lauches in 2 weeks!

I am terribly excited about the forthcoming London Cycle Hire Scheme. The official launch date is Fri 30th July and I, for one, can't wait. The Cycle Hire scheme will make my life a whole lot easier. My commute to the office is currently too far to cycle everyday (Chiswick to Old street) I did take my bike on the overground for a while but had to travel out of peak hours so that didn't really work. Once I am in in East London I usually have to do trips to our warehouse or meetings nearby and usually end up trying to borrow my colleague's bike or surrendering to the obvious... public transport. So for me it is going to be the ideal solution.
My Mum is equally as excited! She commutes into Euston and then has 20 minute walk to her office. She will soon be able to hop on a hire bike and cut her journey by a good 15 minutes.
And I'm pretty sure its not just me and my Mum who are going to benefit from the Cycle Hire scheme. I imagine there are thousands of people who live and work in London who will be able to jump on a bike as part of their day to day journeys.
There will be 400 docking stations all over central London, take a look at the Cycle Hire scheme area map for exact perimeters. The docking stations will be no more than 300m apart so you can always find one to fit in with your journey. TFL have invested millions in the scheme and have recently secured Barclays as the sponsor. The scheme is predicted to increase cycle journeys in London by 40,000 a day on top of the current 500,000 journeys a day.
I had a go on one of the bikes at last years Cycle show and they are very comfortable to ride. They maybe a bit heavier than the average city bike but they're a smooth ride and are a rather nice shiny blue colour. They also have a front carrier for your bag with a bungee straps attached to keep it secure.
If you are excited about the scheme but feeling a bit wobbly about cycling in London. Follow us on twitter We will b e giving out lots of helpful tip and advice once the Scheme starts.

Cyclechic's little black book: Cyclelab, Shoreditch

A new cycle repair workshop has popped up in our neighourhood and our friend Matt has been down with his poorly bike to check it out...

There’s a new bike shop / juice bar in Shoreditch called cyclelab My bike badly needed a service so I booked it in on Friday. They took it on Monday rather than saying “come back in 2 weeks”, which was a good start. It got better: I was offered a free coffee, and the guys there are very friendly. The quote for a service (new chain, new cables, new brake pads and general sorting out) came to £90. On Monday afternoon I picked up my bike and the bill was for £78. The bike is running better than when I bought it. It’s the best service I’ve ever had. They’re a little independent shop, and I highly highly recommend them if you ever go anywhere near Shoreditch.

Bagelgum Bicycle Films

Missed the Tweed Run this year? Here's a wonderful taster of what went on. This film was made by Bagelgum, a streetwise video magazine that both inspires and showcases new and emerging ideas and talents across music, film, arts, comedy and contemporary urban culture.

I have just been shooting an interview for there next film about cycling tribes. My Pashley Popppy and I met the crew down at London fields this morning, struck a few poses and and waxed lyrical about bicycles and vintage dresses.. what fun!

Our fave helmets for the summer: Nutcase

Each year we try and find a new helmet that makes us smile. In our first year it was the Bern helmets, last year it was the YAKKAYS and this summer we have the wonderful Nutcase helmets to shout about. My fave is the 'Jetson' style Starbright and we also have the stripey and dotty. These helmets are fully certified and feel light and comfortable to wear. A great practical feature is that they come with a series of padded linings that simply velcro to the inside of the helmet. This ensures that you wont have any sizing issues as you can simply select the right width padding to fit your head.
These are the perfect helmets if your just about to start cycling or are thinking about starting when the Cycle Hire scheme comes in as they are only £45, comfortable to wear and well ventilated.

Listen up Mum! The Bobike mini+ baby/child seat

I have finally found the perfect baby seat for my 14 month old daughter. She was probably ready from about 12 months but it has taken me a little while to do my research. My pre-requisites were something that feels safe for both Flo and I, doesn't cost more than my bike and looks reasonably nice on the bike.
My final choice which ticks all the boxes and more is the Bo Bike Mini+ front carrying child seat. I am so happy with it that we are now selling it and I was at the Wholefoods store in Kensington on Saturday showing parents how it works.
The first reason it receives my accolades is that I manged to attach it to my bike all by myself in about 20 mins, even with Flo crawling around and getting in the way. As someone who struggles with putting things together generally (travel cots, Ikea furniture all tend to turn me into a flustered, swearing wreck)I was chuffed that I actually enjoyed attaching the Bobike seat. It basically involves attaching a bracket to the handle bar stem and tightening the screws, you then push the seat through 2 holes in the bracket and then attaching the foot rests to fit the length of your child's legs.
The next selling point for me is that Flo loves it.As I took her and the seat for a testride she immediately felt at home, holding onto the middle of the handle bar singing away to herself.
It does takes a little bit getting used to the extra weight at the front - once your riding its fine but mounting & dismounting can initially feel a bit awkward. However after a few rides round the block I had got the knack. To avoid bumping into the back of the seat when getting going the key is to stay sitting in your saddle and adjust your pedals instead of coming out of the saddle.
The seat has an age range of 9 months to 3 years (or 15 kg) (Bobike do a full range for kids up to 10). And I think having them at the front of your bike when they are still pretty little is the ideal position. They not only have a great view of the world but it stops them from getting anxious at you having your back to them. It is also reassuring for the parent as they are in full view and you don't have the urge to keep turning round to check on them.
Next challenge is to find a suitable, small enough helmet....
If you are interested in the Bobike mini+ sear want more info, email me caz@cyclechic.co.uk or if your local to Chiswick West London I am more than happy for people to arrange an appointment for a trial.

The saddle covers are back and coming to town near you!

After the success of last year the saddle covers are back. To celebrate the great British summer (and the inevitable rain showers that come with that) we will be distributing them on bikes to keep all you lovely chic cyclists bottoms dry.
This year we have more saddle covers and we have lovely Cycle Chic ladies in London,Oxford, Cambridge, Jersey, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Brighton and Bristol who will be distributing them on bikes we think will appreciate it.
Look out for them coming your way, alternatively they will be on sale on the site from Monday 21st June or free with any order you place with us.

Profile: Meli from Bikes and the City

Whilst in San Francisco I had the pleasure of catching up with Meli from fabulous blog Bikes and the city for a coffee. Her blog is packed with personality and gives you a real sense of Meli's adventures in this vibrant city with her trusted steed.

C: What bike do you ride?
M: My beautiful FRENCHIE! A vintage motobecane -ASTRA- model with 'Tour de France' decals from the mid 70's, made in France of course. I am only its second owner, and the bicycle was purchased in the city in the same decade.
Pretty much it is all original parts, with the exception of the fenders, basket and the usual wear/tear parts like tires and brake pads.

C: Why do you cycle?
M: Why not. SF is 7x7 miles and with so many things to see, it seems boring to be inside of any moving vehicle.

C: What’s the best thing about cycling in San Francisco?
M: The coffee, the bicycle encounters on the bike lane, the fog in your face, the cloudy cold weather in the summer (I think I stand alone on this one) the colors, and the hills. No one can say it is hard to bike to work, because on top of all 'barriers' we have hills. Mean ones. There are always too many things to do and too many things to see. Arts, drugs, hippies, bikes, money and silicon 2.0 nerds - you pick your hobbies and run with them.
San Francisco is so small that crossing 8 miles you can go from the Pacific Ocean to the Bay.

C: Do you think cycling amongst women is on the increase in the USA?
M: I have certainly seen a hike in San Francisco in the last 7 years I have biked. Which, is unlike many cities even in California. It is slowly happening, but women need more exposure and people need to know that there is more than a Lance face to the word 'cycling', and that it comes in regular clothes and cool slow bikes, around the states. We have seen this wonderful explosion of exposure, with the connections that we have all made via the blog/internet media, nationwide, a birth of the 'normal' people on bikes. Here we are now! HELLO :D
 
C:  What’s your favourite outfit/style to cycle in?
M: I dress normally. I don't necessarily 'dress' to go on my bike I suppose. I love fashion, I love colors and I am not afraid to show my roots and culture through my clothes with wicked patterns, the biggest hoop earrings and crazy tights/leggings. But if I'm to get dressed, or shop for new clothes, I always do the invisible bicycle dance, just to make sure I can pedal OK.

Bicycle Portraits

Bicycle Portraits: Everyday South Africans and their bicycles, a photographic book in the making.
Although we tend to concentrate on cycle style, I am fascinated the diverse spectrum of people who use a bicycle and was drawn to to these images of very different types of south Africans and their bicycles.
The project has been started started by Stan Engelbrecht & Nick Grobler and they are looking for people to pledge through Kickstart.com to be able to put the book into production.
Sounds like a well worth cause and hopefully will become a beautiful book. For more details and wonderful images go to Bicycle Portraits. We wish them the best of luck with it.

Helen Pidd's Book: The Bicycle

Helen Pidd's new Book The Bicycle, published by Penguin, hits the shelves today. Its a great read and ideal if you are thinking about starting out on two wheels but are looking for some advice. Bicycle books can often be somewhat factual verging on dull so Helen's book is real breath of fresh air in that its funny, imaginative and highly relevant to the modern woman. We were at the launch party last night (cycling's schmoozy event of the year!) at London's new Cycling cafe Look Mum no Hands, to raise and toast and wish Helen (pictured) & Penguin all the best with the book.


Pic from the book, featuring our Kitsch Kitchen panniers and the wonderful Pink Jazz YAKKAY.

Profile: Christa Clark Jones of Bike by the Sea

During my visit to Santa Barbara, I had the pleasure of catching up with Christa, writer of the blog bike by the sea and organiser the Santa Barbara Cycle Chic show.

Caz:What bike do you ride?
Christa: Red Electra Amsterdam

Caz: Why do you cycle?
Christa: Many reasons - health, community, financial, fun - but I'm mainly interested in observing the urban environment.  I'm most fascinated with sustainable urban design and cycling is my favorite way to explore Livable Cities.

Caz: What's the best thing about cycling in Santa Barbara?
Christa: It's sunny almost every day in Santa Barbara.  There are some beautiful bike paths along the ocean.  It's stunning!  Also, since it's a small town, I love seeing friends and familiar faces while cycling.  It's easy to stop and have a conversation.

Caz:Have you noticed a rise in women cycling in Santa Barbara?
Christa: Compared with many North American cities, Santa Barbara has a high cycling rate, but there is a growing bicycle culture.  I see more women cyclists on a variety of practical urban bicycles including electric and Dutch bikes.

Caz: What's your favourite outfit to cycle in?
Christa: I enjoy cycling in classic dresses and heels.  Lately, I've been wearing a lovely straw hat and it's just tight enough so that it won't fly off while cycling.

Sun and Cycles in Santa Barbara

photo by Jeff Clark
Apologies for the lack of posts over the last week. I have been battling with jet lag since my return from California and this is the first evening I am have managed to stay awake after 7pm. Although missing the perpetual blue sky's it is nice to be back in London even if it is a little grey.
Our last week in the US was spent in Santa Barbara were I was lucky enough to get involved in the Santa Barbara Cycle Chic show which was a great evening. Models and guests mingled for an hour or so before the show in the evening sunshine, drinking local beer and wine. It was such a lovely atmosphere without the pretence and preciousness that one sometimes encounters at fashion shows.
There were some beautiful bikes involved, from our old favourites Pashley to Electra and New York's Bowery lane Bicycles and of course great accessories from our new US online store and great local shop The Wheelhouse. It was full house and the army of models strutted (and cycled) their stuff with style. A few pics to give you feel of the evening.

Cyclechic USA launches today

Our US online store Cyclechic.com is now open for all your wonderfully stylish cyclists in the USA. We have the same exclusive range of Chic cycling accessories but products will now be shipped from our base in San Francisco so shipping will be much cheaper and quicker.. horrah!

Please help us spread the word and email, twitter the link to anyone you think might be interested. http://www.cyclechic.com/index.htm

I have had a marvelous time in California,its great to see how the cycling culture is really blossoming over here. I hope we can encourage more women to take to 2 wheels and ensure you look good doing it!

Santa Barbara style

My US travels now bring me to sunny Santa Barbara for their Cycle Chic fashion show tomorrow. I was invited by the lovely Christa of blog, Bike by the sea and have the great pleasure of modeling in the show, along with a whole host of Stylish Santa Barbarans!

Profile: Adrienne Johnson of Change your life ride a bike

Having blogged about cycling and women a fair amount, cycling and children is still unknown territory to me. Although my daughter is now one I have not yet got a child seat sorted and taken to the streets on my bike at 2 instead of 1.
However meeting Adrienne Johnson from San Francisco based blog, change your life ride a bike and cycling with her and two of her 4 kids gave me a so called 'kick up the ass!'
She made it look like a doddle and what more made it fun as she guided us through the streets with her son Declan on the back of her Dutch bike and 10 year old Una holding her own behind. I think a lot of people fear cycling with children but Adrienne is an example of someone who has mastered the art and reaps the benefits in her life.

Quick Q and A with Adrienne on her & bicycles and where she gets all the energy from...

Caz: What bike do you ride?
Adrienne: A 2007 Batavus Socorro. It is called "the Bat" and is also known as my "land yacht" unless it has just fallen on me and then it is called all kinds of things you probably do not want to print on your lovely blog.

C: Why do you cycle?
A: I could probably write a blog about that : ) I ride because it is the only way I have found to get from A to B that makes me feel better about myself.

C: What’s the best thing about cycling in your city?
A: San Francisco is tiny- 49 square miles and only 7 miles wide at its widest point. I see people I know all over the place all the time. Seeing friends and neighbors all over the City makes me feel grounded. That does not happen in my car- the best I can hope for when I drive is that I see a friend's cars pass by.

C:Do you think cycling amongst women is on the increase in USA?
A:I can't speak for the whole country. It is certainly on the rise in the SF Bay Area. I do not really focus on women and cycling vs just people and cycling. I get more excited about kids and people who are perceived as "disabled" being out on bikes for transportation. One thing I can say is "lady's bikes" or "bikes specially designed for women" turn me off. The marketing for them is horrid and it usually means a poor quality bike, at least here in the US. I rode 5000 miles last year, half of the time with a 45 lb child and groceries on it- I need a tank, not a "lady bike".

C: What’s your favourite outfit/style to cycle in?
A:Whatever I have on that day. I admit that my wardrobe has changed a bit since I started riding as my primary means of transportation- not my style so much as how my wardrobe functions. No super tight skirts (too hard to ride comfortably), no cotton sweaters (they get sweaty), no skinny jeans (I hate how tight denim feels when I am active)... To be honest, all of my favorite clothes have that designation because I can nap in them- no buttons, lots of stretch, no wrinkling.... funny that I occasionaly blog about cycle style. Ah well, those who can't do, teach. Can I just live in yoga clothes?

Profile: Kristin Tieche of Velo Vogue

In the lead up to the launch of our US online store, which goes live early May, I have been interviewing some of the key female cycling bloggers over here in the States.

First up the lovely Kristin Tieche from fabulous blog Velo Vogue

Caz: What bike do you ride?

Kristin: My most frequent ride is my Motobécane mixte - the bike I call Le Rouge et Noir. My friend Bike Man Ben just fixed it up with new handlebars and new pedals, so I'm much happier and more comfortable on this one now. I also just got a folding bike, the single speed KHS Latte. Doesn't go so fast, but it's very practical and super cute.

C: Why do you cycle?

K:Personally, I cycle because it's fun. I love the feeling of exhilaration you get when you're flowing along. I also love running into friends on the bike lane, which happens quite often in San Francisco. So it's very social, whether you're riding for fun or even commuting to work and back. I also know that I'm doing a great deed for the environment and my city by riding a bike.

C: What’s the best thing about cycling in San Francisco?


K: The best things about cycling in SF - because there are so many - are 1) the friends you make in our very active bicycle community,  2) all the great views to take in on the most simple of rides from point A to point B, and 3) all the little details you notice that you might not see if you're traveling by bus or car. Biking gives you a whole new perspective on the world and on your life.

C:Do you think cycling amongst women is on the increase in USA?

K: I do believe cycling among women is on the rise in the U.S. Though I can't quote any statistics, I feel like I see more women wearing normal street clothes and work clothes on their bikes going to work or play. I also know that I've met - both in the cybersphere and in person - more amazing and inspirational women who are committed to cycling through keeping up with my blog.

C: What’s your favourite outfit/style to cycle in?

K: My fave outfit? I will have to go with my Diane Von Furstenberg dresses. Everytime I wear one of her patterns and designs, I feel so uber-womanly! And then coupling that feeling with being on a bike brings the Wow! factor to a entirely new level. It's riding with confidence all the way to my destination!