Another reason to fashion ourselves after Copenhagen
Posted by Jonathan Maus (Editor) on August 29th, 2007 at 9:08 am
A year ago, I shared a video about Copenhagen that I said, “perfectly illustrates the goals and visions that Portland’s bike advocates are striving for.”
This morning I came across yet another bit of visual inspiration from the “City of Cyclists”; it’s a photo-blog called Cycle Chic - Copenhagen Girls on Bikes.
Here’s how the blog’s creator — film director and photographer Mikael Colville-Andersen — describes it:
(Photo: Jonathan Maus)
“It’s about bicycle culture in Copenhagen, Denmark. 35% of the population - 550,000 people - ride their bike to work or school each day. Bicycles are such an integral part of our culture and there are many aesthetic aspects on the streets at any given moment.
Perhaps we can inspire people in other countries to commute by bicycle or lobby for better bike conditions in their cities by providing a portrait of a city that lives and breathes bikes.”
I love it: use sexy cyclists to sell cycling. If this works anywhere, it should work in America.
Colville-Andersen also has an amazing Flickr photoset of Copenhagen bike scenes and a blog that chronicles the beauty of his stylish city where bicycles are “just a way of life.”
We may not have 35% of our population riding bikes, but Portland’s got plenty of sexy and stylish bike scenes unfolding on our streets “at any given moment.” I’ll dig through my photo archives and see what I can find.
In the meantime, do your part for the bicycle movement…. stay sexy!
[Via Velorution]
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August 29th, 2007 09:54
Wow. They are so much better than us. That is just luscious! I don't think I'll be trading in my shorts and t-shirts, but I will be adding that blog to my feeds...
August 29th, 2007 10:01
What an awesome blog & photos!
On a related, note, if I remember, flickr has at least one other page (and probably lots more, if ya look around a bit) dedicated to cutely clothed bicyclists...
http://flickr.com/photos/tags/velocouture/
August 29th, 2007 11:30
For a 5-part short video series about Copenhagen's enviable cycling way of life (I'm jealous), check out abillionbikes.com.
The free vids are available via ITunes and YouTube.
August 29th, 2007 13:05
we need some SPD compatible pumps. hot!
August 29th, 2007 13:20
I see girls dressed like that (and much cooler) over on Alberta street all the time, for that matter, all over town. Copenhagen got nuthin' on PDX.
August 29th, 2007 13:29
How beautiful!
I second Bearhat - I would also love to see more women's clothing & footwear that is everyday bicycle-rider friendly: that is, both functional to wear, but also visually gorgeous or interesting to behold. So much of fashion seems to fall under the pretty-but-frivulous category, or the practical-but-ugly category. So yes, bring on the SPD compatible pumps!
August 29th, 2007 15:46
Geez, you know you're getting older (or maybe just nerdier) when you start noticing the bikes before the attractive riders perched thereupon.
However, inasmuch as most if not all of the riders appear to be females over age 18, shouldn't it be called "Copenhagen WOMEN on bikes"?
August 29th, 2007 16:43
It is interesting to note. Not one person on the blog or flickr site had a helmet. I guess that cinches it. Helmet = Nerd, No Helmet = chic.
August 29th, 2007 17:33
Check out this bike fashion show in London. Designers created chic bike friendly clothing and models displayed them while doing bike tricks!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s--6lAM36LE
August 29th, 2007 18:29
It is interesting to note. Not one person on the blog or flickr site had a helmet. I guess that cinches it. Helmet = Nerd, No Helmet = chic.
Or more likely, maintaining a particular hairstyle or festive hat precludes functionality. Me? I'm glad to be utilitarian. Something something backs to the wall when the revolution comes.
August 29th, 2007 22:18
Or it could be that people just don't wear helmets in Copenhagen. Some European cities are like that, I hear.
August 30th, 2007 01:19
I don't know how it is in Danemark, but here in Switzerland as well as in most European countries, helmets are not obligatory. For the time beeing they are only strongly recommended but things are about to change and we see (and hear) more and more people resquesting the politics to change this.
August 30th, 2007 06:34
@ NIK #10:
http://copenhagengirlsonbikes.blogspot.com/2007/07/burgundy-bike-bowling-ball.html
August 30th, 2007 12:20
Hey kristy/bearhat, I completely agree - fashion and function should not be exclusive of each other. The newish fashion company nau agrees and is making functional yet fashionable outdoor clothing. You should hassle them for some spd stillettos or burberry lycra.
nau.com
August 30th, 2007 14:14
Spencer - I agree that many folks in the photos are not wearing helmets. But many folks from the non-Copenhagen sets are just standing posing with their pretty bikes, not actually riding them.
I know a couple of the folks in the Velocouture photos (because they are Portlanders!), and all of them ride with helmets.
They just don't wear the helmets when they're not on the bike.
August 30th, 2007 16:07
I like this gallery of girls and bikes:
http://www.fyxomatosis.com/gallery.php?gal=4#49