Today under gloomy skies and cool temps, about 150 or so well-dressed Portlanders of all ages took part in our first Tweed Ride. Given the amount of splendid outfits and old English bikes, it’s almost as if this is a ride Portland has been waiting for for years.
We gathered under the neo-classical arches and on the cobblestones of Ankeny Plaza — a location that fit well with the pipes, vests, flasks, hunting caps, knickers, and jackets. Besides all the fantastic tweed and finery, the ride was also a chance to show old antique bikes. Ed Rae, the North American rep for Brompton, decided to leave his folder home for this ride and opted instead for his vintage Raleigh. “I thought it was more in keeping with the spirit of the ride.”
One person said they thought it was the “Tweet” ride and showed up with their smartphone at the ready (just kidding, but couldn’t resist the joke).
After showing off outfits and bikes, we rolled up to Overlook House in North Portland where tea and biscuits were shared. The ride then shoved off to Laurelhurst Park in Southeast for a fashion show and ended up back downtown for a showing of Les Triplettes de Belleville. (My lady and I didn’t make it to the fashion show or the movie… if you did, we’d love to hear a report in the comments below).
Good times and lots of cheerio with friends old and new. And my oh my, you all looked absolutely lovely! Browse the full photo gallery or sit back and watch the slideshow below.
Thanks for reading.
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Your slide show is wonderful, and I’m impressed by the great-looking outfits people came up with. Sure, there’s a “costume” effect at work here, and that’s fun; but at the same time, many of the costumes look like real, practical street clothes.
More street clothes on bikes! More civilized bike-riding! More tea! It’s all good.
Brilliant!
excellent photos. looks like much fun was had.
Looks like a blast and a half!
Must get some tweed for next year. I was going to show up with my tux & gold pocketwatch but wasn’t willng to ride in that if it was going be soggy (and would have been overdressed I guess). Oh yeah, and I way overslept. 🙂
Glad to see kiddies on the ride as I will definitely bring the boy next year.
Nice pics! Sorry I missed it.
We had a fantastic time on the ride, many thanks to the organizers!
Love the jackets, love the shoes, love the tights, love the old bikes and baskets, and omigod of all my blazers only one is tweed (and I’m very protective of it). I’ll be shopping this year.
(I do think the pipes are a notable affectation unless they were being smoked, but I’m not very theatrical.)
Everybody had a wonderful time. And there was not any nastyness of ‘delayed’ motorists,which made it much nicer.
The organizers did a wonderful job. Many thanks to them, not only for the organizing,but for envisioning a ride that I am sure will be an ongoing ride in years to come. I appreciated the effort many riders made to be as authentic as possible, and the sense of whimsy that showed again and again. The weather cooperated, for the most part. All in all, a memorable ride and a sweet day!
Good show, all.
To those of you who proudly held aloft a BUILD IT sign or spokecard, or wondered what those people holding those signs were doing, I have just posted the photographs to the BTA’s BUILD IT site (http://www.portlandbikenetwork.org).
The rally and public hearing for adoption of the 2030 bike plan is at 1:30 this Thursday at City Hall (but I wish it was yesterday as ya’ll would make for one classy rally!).
Congrats on what looked like a smashing success! Love the photo gallery – all the smiling faces. Wish I could have been there!
I am so jealous. I am so tooling up my wardrobe for next year’s event. You guys all look smashing! Has anyone submitted this to Bike Couture or Cycle Chic yet?
And a penny farthing! (and maybe even a mini-farthing?!)
That side-by-side recumbent tandem looks like the height of sophistication.
A couple of photo sets of note I saw up on Flickr this weekend documenting the ride, just to induce total envy in me that I missed it! I just can’t wait to do it next year!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/william200549/sets/72157623191390329/detail/?page=2
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29100393@N02/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kr_cn/sets/72157623319941866/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kirstykat/sets/72157623192306279/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37631233@N06/sets/72157623190939549/detail/
Awesome!
What a smart looking bunch. So bummed to have missed it! I just got the perfect tweed coat, too. Next year!
Totally awesome. Bummed that I missed it. Bravo to the organizers and the participants.
Dear All. What an excellent idea. Although I have found damp to be the natural enemy of tweed. Yours aye, Jim.