It's
that time of year again... On Sunday 27th Oct,the clocks go backand suddenly its dark at 4pm. So you
must get visible on your bike...
But don't worry this doesn't mean you have to abandon style and
bust out a builders bib,you can do night cycling in style.
Here's a few tips to help you glow glamorously: 1.Visible Upper Body- To ensure you won't be missed by drivers
go for a reflective garment that can be seen clearly from front and back. The
best solution for style is something you can put over your regular coat. Our complete favourite this Autumn is the Day Glow Doris Swing Jacket (middle), cute, vintage and highly visible. We also love the Miss Bobbin Sash (right) an the Two n Fro vest (left). All will give you are strong reflective element while keeping your
style well intact. See High-vis/Reflective Clothing for all options.
2.Get creative with your bike lights -
Its is a legal requirement to have a white front light and red rear light on
your bike when cycling at night. Your lights should go on as soon as dusk descends, don't wait until its
dark. Lights might be a serious matter but that doesn't mean you can't have
some fun with them, check out our top 3 stylish bike lights: The Bookman lights (left) are ultra-modern and
have a flexible fastening so can also be attached to your basket, bag or
helmet. You can either go for battery operated Bookmans or rechargeable with USB.The Bobbin Retro light is one of our best sellers and works a treat on
a vintage style bike and finally if you want some bling for your ride, try the Ring or Light Bulb rear lights!
3.Make
your Bike and Helmet Glow too!To be even more visible in traffic
have some reflective elements on your bike. Try adding these delightful star reflectors to your spokes to really make your wheels light up (also come in hearts and snowflakes). Or go for some Butterfly Rydesafe stickers, stick them on mudguards, back of a child seat and they will
shine like a beacon when under the gaze of a cars head-lights. And last but by
no means least customise your helmet with a reflective helmet bow!See all reflective accessories here.
So there's no need to sink into the shadows this Autumn, Be
Safe, Be seen and Be super stylish! A few more tips for night cycling: Stick to
busier, well-lit roads - Although little
lanes may be lovely for summer cycling when darkness falls they can feel scary.
Stick to well-lit roads when the sun goes down. Keep an extra eye out for pedestrians - it can be hard to spot people on foot as they don't make
a habit of strapping lights to themselves. Be extra vigilant at pub closing
time as you may find a few wobbly pedestrians who's road crossing skills leave
a little to be desired. Make the bar or bike decision early on- If you know you will be having a few drinks on a night
out, leave the bike at home so you can wend your drunken way home by public
transport or taxi. Don't put yourself at risk and cycle home drunk - its' just
not worth it. .
Following on from Jude's blog post about the wonderful Brompton folding bikes I have found myself surrounded by all things folding this past week.
The first folding product that caught my eye is the rather clever Carrera Foldable helmet. Now, it doesn't so much fold as sort of scrunch together. This was actually a relief for me as I cant be arsed with complex folding mechanisms. I like foldable products to be easy and practical so if the folding process is tricky and takes more than a few seconds, my interest wanes.
The Carrera foldable helmet is a simple design. It consists of strips of helmet that are linked by evenly spaces straps so you can pull it apart to wear and push it together to store away in your bag - its a concertina effect of sorts (the concertina being invented by my Great, Great Grandad, Sir Charles Wheatstone... just thought I'd throw that one in there).
Anyway back to the helmet... The fact that this helmet is both lightweight and scrunch-downable is a big bonus for those of us who get fed up carrying helmets around when off the bike. Do you ever leave your bike at the station and commute the rest of the way by tube and struggle with laptop and helmet? Or stop at the shops and have to carry your helmet around while picking up various bits and bobs and find you soon run out of space and hands? Okay, so you will still have to carry the Carrera but it can be stuffed easily in a bag or you can put the belt over it and attach it to a strap on your bag.
Its not just the helmets fold-ability that is a plus point, it's also very comfy to wear. Its unique concertina design ensures it clings to your head comfortably and is so lightweight you hardly notice its there. It would be a good option for those who get neck ache from cycling with a heavier helmet. It also has a very user-friendly elastic strap at the back that attaches to the helmet with velcro so can be adjusted to make sure the helmet fits you just right.
So impressed by the Carrera helmets we have ordered stock and have them up on cyclechic.co.uk. We have currently got the Gloss white and Gloss Black helmets both at £59.99. They do a really nice array of colours so watch this space and will have some of the brighter colours soon. Email us if there is a specific colour that you want to get hold of. Take a look at the Carrera website so see the range. And have a look at this video for more more product details.
So what else in my life is folding I hear you ask... Well, I have recently had the pleasure of testing out a Bordo Folding lock from stalwarts on the industry Abus and I have been very much impressed with it. It passes the easy to fold test, only taking a few seconds and it's Gold standard so super secure. The folding mechanism makes it easy to store when you are cycling and the lock comes with a pouch that you can Velcro to your frame or you can simply pop it in your basket as it's a much less awkward shape than a large D lock. The added plus of the shape is that you have more flexibility when trying to get it around things so the whole process of locking your bike is easier.
And finally a completely non cycling related item but I hope you don't mind me sharing it with you... its a rather stunning foldable 1930's Walnut dressing table. I spotted it yesterday during one of my regular auction room snoops but alas have no space for it at home (despite it being foldable).
Its a gem though and goes on sale at Chiswick Auction rooms today (Tues 13th Aug) so if you have a penchant for art deco and all things folding get down there or I believe you can bid online.
Perhaps one day I will be looking at myself in the mirror of my very own foldable art-deco dressing table but for my now I am happy enough cycling along in my foldable helmet and keeping my bike safe and happy with my foldable lock.
This weekend saw the 2013 Brompton World Championship take place at Goodwood's historic motor circuit. To mark the occasion we took to the streets and stalked out some stylist Brompton riders:
This one is for all the fashionistas out
there. Designer backpack, vintage style bowler hat helmet, chunky knit scarf,
knee length socks and statement coat. This look is very Parisian chic. Girl at
Shepherd’s Bush roundabout, we are loving your work.
We like to think that this guy was about to
leave home wearing a black t-shirt then panicked that he might get mistaken for
a Goth So he changed into this pink t-shirt to inject a flash of colour to his
otherwise monochrome look.
We are BIG fans of matching our shoes and
bags to our bikes. Lady stuck in traffic behind a bus, we salute you.
Cleats? Check. ‘Bring me my Fix’ messenger
bag? Check. Hi-vis trouser clips? Check.
Who says you can’t seriously kit yourself out on a Brompton? Not this guy,
that’s for sure. If you want to see more from the Brompton bunch here is a video from their eventful weekend : Jude Brosnan
Now - I don't want to jinx it but I think it looks like we may be graced with an actual summer this year! This excites me greatly for many reasons but most of all because cycling in the British summer time - sun shining, breeze in the air, summer dress on... makes me super happy!
At Cyclechic we have been working away to find new products that will put a smile on your face this summer for being both practical to use and of course, looking fabulous. Here's our rundown of what's HOT this summer!
First up is Baskets... Whether you are just throwing your handbag in, on your way to work or you are heading for the park with a book, blanket and a bottle of wine - a basket is a wonderfully practical and pretty addition to your bike.
Our faves baskets this summer are:
The Bobbin White Basket £23.99. An absolutely peachy companion for you and your bike. Connects to the handlebars with leather straps
And our new kid on the block, the Wald Grocery Basket £34.99. These baskets have a handsome retro charm and are hugely popular in the Sates. I have been using a Wald basket for the last 6 months and I LOVE it! It fixes permanently to the bike so is super sturdy and can take a hefty load of shopping and it does not interfere with your brake cables or steering at all. Full review coming soon but would highly recommend for a hassle free summer basket.
Next up lets talk Panniers. We are delighted to have the Brand New Good Ordering range in, from London based designer Jacqui Ma. These bags have a fantastic 70's feel and remind me of the Fjallraven rucksacks. They are also amazingly practical and would be great for either the office or if you are off adventuring on your bike this summer. The Good ordering Shopper is £55 and come in 4 colours, has a specific laptop sleeve and also turns into a rucksack.
My other major fave is the Basil Bloom Carry all Pannier £45.99 They are such a good size and really with carry all and are so bright and summery - the ideal bag both on and off the bike this summer!
And finally as much as we hope for sunshine all summer long we are aware that the UK is susceptible to the odd spot if summer rain... so we have a whole host of stylish options for the summer showers. Our two faves are:
