The Bicycle Flower Pot

Flowers and bicycles go hand in hand. One of the loveliest events we've seen anywhere in the world is the Bicycle and Flowers Festival in Riga, Latvia. But what about if you want some permanent plant growth adding some green to your machine? And the Bicycle Vase just isn't big enough for your green thumb needs?

Two Danish designers, Mads Busk Larsen and Jacob Bang Korsholm have been thinking about this and they have developed a design for a bicycle flower pot. They were kind enough to let us test it out, above. The first thing we noticed is how many people smiled at us at red lights. Above, the flower pot looks lovely on the handlebar of my Bullitt cargo bike, together with the little wooden bike bell.


The flower pot is designed so that the small plants and flower pots you can buy at supermarkets will fit. With the earth and roots in a small fabric bag, the plant is stable in the pot. You can attach it to your handlebars, but there's no reason you can't attach it elsewhere on your bike, like on your back rack, for example.

While many Copenhageners park in bike sheds in their back yard, bikes are often parked out in the open, so the plant will grow under the same conditions as if it were in your garden.

Mads and Jacob are looking at a series of colours to suit different tastes. Colour coordination is always important.

We love the Bicycle Flower Pot. Nothing wrong with some more green in any city.


Of, course, if one lovely plant isn't enough, you need to go BIGGER.

Do It Like a Dane. By Miami Artist Rose Miller.

That's right, for the first time there will be no Cycle Chic photos! That's because we're using a different kind of medium thanks to the talented Miami-based artist Rose Miller. I met this wonderful human being whilst attending Danish classes in Copenhagen and our shared passion of art and bicycles quickly sealed us as friends. She's now gone ahead and produced a series of paintings celebrating her love of Danish living, Danish design and of course, Danes and their bicycles!


"Think, Be, Ride, Bike, Design...whatever, just do it like a Dane." Like many, Rose Miller thinks it's a brilliant idea for everyone to get on their bike. However, unlike many, she wanted to express her reasons why by creating a series with vibrant colours and quirky touches. "Cycling - it's very 'green' but more importantly it allows physical activity to creep into our daily lives. It keeps us in shape, gets us engaging once again with the outdoors and this rejuvenation gives us a new lease of freedom. It's from this freedom and 'exercise high' that allows our creative gates in our brains to burst open."


"People are cycling all over the world - some places more than others. Amsterdam and Copenhagen are well known for it, they really are King and Queen of all cycling cities. However, it was whilst I was living in Denmark that I noted that Danes were not only known for their love of bicycles but also their love for design."


"Every Dane I knew had a bicycle (if not more than just the one!) but I also noticed that they all had a specific type of lamp in their homes. It's funny to me as I don't consider Danes to be nationalistic like we are back in the States..."


"...although Danes do always use their flag on birthdays and buy things made in Denmark. I totally came to understand why. Not because it's Danish, but because it's probably damn good quality and design. Design - that's where a lot of their pride and hearts lie."

A huge congratulations ("Tillykke!") to Rose Miller on her artwork and to say that Copenhagen misses her very dearly!

To see the full collection check out her website here

If you're on your cell or mobile phone check it out here

Originals are currently going for $150 but reprints are in the works.

Over and Out!

K.E.G. x

Designing Bicycle Culture

The city on bike from Bicycle Innovation Lab on Vimeo.

As ever, it's not all about how Cycle Chic continues to inspire Citizen Cyclists around the world to open their closets and dress for their destination. Here's an interview about Design and how it can help our cities - and our bicycle culture. Together with Danish designer Jens Martin Skibsted. An interview for Bicycle Innovation Lab and their "The City on Bike" lecture series.

You can also see my TED x talk from Zurich about Bicycle Culture by Design in this earlier post.

The Little Things

Instagrammed loveliness from Zurich


Even a work horse like a long john gets dressed up too.

A Ride in Style in Copenhagen

Not long ago we were on a little Ride in Style here in Copenhagen. Normally, bike rides are something that are associated with Emerging Bicycle Cultures. For Copenhageners it's usually just A2B on our trusty iron horses.

We've been on many a bike ride around the world in our Cycle Chic and Copenhagenize work but this one was a little different. It was very Copenhagen. The cool bike design shop Biker's Remix organised a cool little tour one Saturday. On bikes, of course, 'cause that's the way we all roll here, but with focus on design, food and drink. A pleasant afternoon with fellow Copenhageners cruising our beloved Copenhagen.



First stop was the Biker's Remix showroom to check out cool designed bicycles and to sample the first sip of the day (above left).



Onward we rolled. To visit design studio MAIK in the Vesterbro neighbourhood.

MAIK dished up some beers and we were invited to participate in a design process brainstorm.


Back to the streets we climbed.


It was time for ice cream.


We stopped at Oswald's Ice Cream Bar.


And off we went. To the Nørrebro neighbourhood. With beverages, of course. This is Denmark, not Afghanistan.


Next stop was Urban Room No. 11. The groovy little design shop in Nørrebro. They dished up coffee and cake for us.



We were never in a hurry. When it was time to leave, it just felt right.


We visited the workshop of the coolest bicycle designer in the Kingdom. Cykelmageren (The Bike Maker), for more snacks and refreshments and a look at Rasmus' brilliant crafted bikes and bits of bikes.


Then we returned to Vesterbro, to visit the Vess art gallery. It was now cocktail time.




We wrapped up the afternoon back where we started, at Kødbyens Deli in the Meatpacking District, for chili con carne and beers.

Some of our lovely friends took their leave of us, as above, and others headed out for the evening at a bar in the centre of the city.

Thanks to Biker's Remix for a brilliant day out with friends, design, sweet and savoury food, refreshing beverages and a super concept.

We'll roll with you anytime.

BikersRemix at Copenhagen Fashion Week

The first of 50 in the gold bicycle series.

It's not too often we get really worked up about bikes.  After all, its' about YOU on the bike.  But last weekend just outside the Royal Danish Theatre, overlooking Copenhagen's harbor, stood a gorgeous collection of Danish designed bicycles, iconically Scandinavian with their sleek minimalistic designs.  The owners, BikersRemix, have a strong appreciation for the bicycles, the culture, and the design that in part defines Copenhagen.  No wonder we couldn't help ourselves.

The Georg Jensen Bike.

After discovering the newspaper holders in Ferrara, which were blogged about over at Copenhagenize, our love and fascination of them has never disappeared.  Which is why we were so pleased to see this black leather Danish version.

Good Design

There is something relaxing, visually pleasing, satisfying even, about objects that are organised nicely and neatly.  Probably why we are fans of the photo blog, Things Organized Neatly.  So, we set out to find examples of bicycles organised neatly.  Something like this...

Photo shoot for Jopo Bikes.
or this...

Bamboo getting ready to be made into bicycles in Sao Paulo.
Occasionally the City of Copenhagen does a nice job cleaning up and organising the bikes for us.  Not least with their Bicycle Butlers.

One of the closest every day sights we found, was this arrangement at a Copenhagen train station.  Adequate, efficient, and typical Scandinavian minimalism.

More often than not, it's slightly more chaotic, bicycles ending up like a heap of stuffed animals.  Loved, well-used, lost, sometimes forgotten.

Do you have examples of good design? Design that encourages order and aesthetics and would organise all these bicycles neatly.  We'd love to see it.