New Year's Eve in Copenhagen with Bicycles

New Year's Eve in Copenhagen. 2015 became 2016. We headed out in the late afternoon to some friends. There is a veritable rush hour in Copenhagen from about 16:30 to 18:00. Traditionally, you get to where you're going by 18:00 to hear the Queen speak on television, with a little glass of wine or champagne. The bicycle traffic falls dramatically after 18:00. Parties are getting started all across the city.

There was drizzle when we left, which meant an umbrella was needed.

Unfortunately, the umbrella didn't work so... an alternative style was required.


The Biomega cargo bike was loaded with food and loads of wine for the evening ahead.

The cycle tracks were filled with revellers heading off to their parties.

Later... much later... it was time to head home. We saw this group of friends parting ways at an intersection. Saying thanks for a great night to each other.

We rolled through the city, which was still bustling with life even at three in the morning.

These three girls asked for directions to their next party.

They spotted their destination after some discussion and off they went as we headed home.

Designing Bicycles & Urban Lifestyles

How to design a lifestyle? from Bicycle Innovation Lab on Vimeo.

It's hardly a secret that Cycle Chic® is run by Copenhagenize Consulting, the mobility consultancy that works with cities around the world in becoming more bicycle friendly. While this blog came first, it is now an extension of our work in promoting cycling around the world.

I'll be speaking here in Copenhagen - at the Danish Architecture Center - on October 30th, 2012, together with designer Jens Martin Skibsted from KiBiSi. It's a part of the lecture series from Bicycle Innovation Lab - Denmark's cultural centre for cycling that we co-founded last year.

Jens Martin will be talking about bicycle design - based on his work with Biomega. I'll be talking about designing streets instead of engineering them. Designing lifestyle is the theme.

The film, above, is a teaser for the event.

The lectures are free and they will be in English, so feel free to come on down if you're in Copenhagen.

Bjarke Ingels Cycle Chic

We're not all THAT keen on taking celebrity shots but once in a while we grab a shot of someone well-known. In this case Danish (st)architect Bjarke Ingels, heading over Queen Louise's Bridge on his Biomega Pico bicycle.

Now we're well-acquainted with Biomega bicycles, but we're really wondering about this we spotted in Copenhagen:

Latest prototype? :-)

Friendly

Always fun when you spot friends on the urban landscape.

Cycle Chic Critical Style Mass in Mexico City

Finally. I got around to editing some footage from my Cycle Chic trip to Mexico City some months back. Here it is. The world's first Cycle Chic Critical Style Mass. Just a group of cool people on cool bicycles going for a bike ride through a cool city. No hardcore 'reclaim the streets' attitude accompanied by a Rage Against the Machine soundtrack. No geeky "bicycle enthusiasts" with outdated advocacy messages.

Just a cool bike ride. Winning hearts and minds with style and bicycles. Bicycle Advocacy 2.0, if you like.

Here is a post about this day and now the film is ready, above. What a city.

Check out the Mexico Cycle Chic tag here on the blog for more images.

Cycle Chic Goes to Dublin!

What an epic night I had in Dublin a couple of weeks ago. Dublin Cycle Chic Fashion Show kicked off at the splendid City Hall with a fashion show. The good people at Irish department store Arnotts supplied the clothes and top stylist Paula Hughes whipped up a feast for the eyes with the combination of cool clothes and cool Danish bikes - Biomega and Velorbis - as well as Dublin city bikes.

Bicycle advocacy 2.0.


The models were brilliant and they rolled in and out in smashing ensembles. Well done them.

Men in suits were present, as well, as they are at any dapper bicycle event. The Danish Ambassador to Ireland, Niels Pultz gave Ciaran Cuffe - Minister of State with special responsibility for sustainable transport - a ride on a Christiania bike and I was given the pleasure to address the crowd before the kick off.









See the whole series of photos from the fashion show on Flickr as a slideshow!

Thanks to everyone for a brilliant night in Dublin! And remember to enter the Dublin Cycle Chic photo competition over at Flickr.

Dublin Cycle Chic Countdown

We're only days away from the Dublin Cycle Chic bash in... well... Dublin. Next Wednesday we'll be kicking off at City Hall with a gorgeous fashion show. We had Isabelle, pictured, out on a photo call last week with one of the new Dublin bike share bikes. Classic Cycle Chic.

On Monday I'll be choosing some winners in the Dublin Cycle Chic Flickr Group and dishing out tickets to the Wednesday event. There's still loads of time to submit your photos. And, at the fashion show, I'll announce a competition where you can win a Biomega bike.

The fashion show will feature Ireland's top stylist, Paula Hughes and she's teamed up with Ireland's largest department store, Arnott's. In true Cycle Chic style, it's all about gorgeous clothes and cool bicycles. Not a thread of 'cycling clothes' or whatever it is people are selling these days.

Here are some of the press mentions in the Irish press about the event, although it must be said that the Cycle Chic fashion show is just one of many great events during National Bike Week in the country.

Get yer photos into the Flickr Group! Boy, am I looking forward to getting myself to Dublin on Wednesday.

Welcome to Bicycle Advocacy 2.0. In true Cycle Chic style.

Mexico Cycle Chic - Photo Contest Winners!

So there you have it. We have finally wrapped up the super-thrilling Mexico Cycle Chic Photo Competition. There was a flurry of uploads to our Flickr group in the final stages and a buzz of activity in the Mexican blog world.

Launched by the Royal Danish Embassy in Mexico City, the Cycle Chic photo competition was in collaboration with Cycle Chic (me), Danish bikemaker Biomega and the Institute for Transportion & Development Policy [ITDP].

There were three judges - me, Sussi from Biomega and Bernardo from ITDP. [See Sussi Cycle Chic right here...:-) ]

I can tell you it was a tough job picking winners in the two categories - Gentleman and Lady. Two Biomega bikes were up for grabs - the Biomega Boston.

WINNERS:

Here we go. Here's the brilliant winning photo in the Gentleman category by Flickr user carlossagh.

The judges said:
"If this isn't the Joy of Cycling and La Dolce Vita all at once I don't know what is." Mikael Colville-Andersen, creator/owner of Cycle Chic.
"Mexicano style at its best."
Sussi Poulsen, Global Sales Manager at Biomega
"Music, freedom and moving on a bike, what else do you need?"
Bernardo Baranda, Director de ITDP Mexico


And here's the winner in the Lady category, by Flickr user Supersube.
The judges said:
"There is Cycle Chic and then there is Cycle Chic Deluxe/Extreme/Brilliance"
Mikael Colville-Andersen
"Cycle chic sublime. The guys in Guadalajara must have a strong neck pain turning their heads for this girl."
Sussi Poulsen
"It's the most "cycle chic" picture I saw. Great colors (especially the blue) and beautiful girl."
Bernardo Baranda

Both of the winners hail from Guadalajara, Mexico. Congratulations to both photographers! The Danish Embassy will contact them and work out how they get their new Biomega bikes.


The bar was raised high in the competition. Be sure to check out all the Cycle Chic goodness in the Flickr group. Here's some more examples of photographic brilliance from the competition.





Cycle Chic wishes to thank the Royal Danish Embassy in Mexico, ITDP and Biomega for a wonderful collaboration. And thanks to everyone who took part in the contest! The Flickr group lives on, so keep on documenting Mexico Cycle Chic for all the world to see.

Cycle Chic's Mexico Competition! Win a Biomega Bicycle!

The competition is hotting up in Cycle Chic's Mexico Cycle Chic competition on Flickr. Here's a few of the entries. The one above is from Guadalajara.

If you're in Mexico or know someone who is, let them know about the competition and send them quicksmart to the Flickr group - Mexico Cycle Chic. The good people from Danish bicycle brand Biomega have put up two of these bicycles as a prize. One for best Gentleman shot and one for best Lady shot:

I'm one of the judges for the competition so get snapping!