Things Are About to Change

Finnish Nokia employs a spot of Cycle Chic in this teaser ad for something. Shot in Helsinki, by the looks of it.

The Jopo

Earlier this year Cycle Chic did a photo shoot for the iconic, Finnish bicycle brand, Jopo. Jopo is moving into the Danish market and we had a brilliant day on the Copenhagen harbourfront shooting the bicycles in action.

The Jopo is to the Finns what the old Schwinns are to Americans. Iconic bicycles that almost everyone can tell a story about. They are cheeky and playful and perfect for city cycling.



It was a blustery day on the harbour, but the sun was shining so all went well. In a Nordic country everything is fine when the sun is bright, regardless of the season.

We also launched our "Chic and Ye Shall Find" concept in association with Jopo. We gave away four bicycles to Copenhageners. We locked one bicycle a week somewhere in the city and gave out clues on the Jopo Denmark facebook group, publishing the combination to the lock. Whoever found the bicycle first got to unlock it and ride it home.

We'll be launching a global version of our Chic and Ye Shall Find treasure hunt in the near future. So stay tuned and get ready...








Below you can see Jopos in their natural environment:

On the left a vintage Jopo at our Cycle Chic photo shoot in Helsinki. At right, a Jopo on a hill climb in Helsinki.

The Jopo never went away in Finland. Now the rest of the world gets to get in on the action.

Chic and Ye Shall Find - jopo - Found!

Laura and her new yellow -jopo- outside of Baisikeli.  Congratulations on finding the first of the -jopo- bicycles in Chic and Ye Shall Find, Laura!


The bicycle was locked inside Baisikeli's cafe house.  Stay tuned as we hide another -jopo- Friday!

Chic and Ye Shall Find - jopo -

Today we are celebrating Cycle Chic by launching “Chic And Ye Shall Find” – a spinoff of the quote "Seek and Ye Shall Find" – and that's exactly what this event is all about. The event kicks off in Copenhagen and will travel across the Cycle Chic Republic.

The first of five iconic Finnish, funky colored, - jopo - bikes, secured with two large combination locks, has just been placed in a secret hiding spot in Copenhagen. The first of the bikes is yellow. Bright yellow. Like the original - jopo - as seen in the photo below.

Each week, for the next five weeks, we will hide a new - jopo - somewhere in Copenhagen for you to find.

The code for the locks can be found on - jopo's - Facebook page: www.facebook.com/JopoDK. For daily hints, you can find them either on the Cycle Chic Republic or - jopo's - facebook pages.

All you have to do is find the location, remember the code for the locks and the - jopo - is yours.

Hop on and ride off into the sunset – though not before taking a photo for us to post.

For questions or more information, please contact:
Mikael Colville-Andersen, info@copenhagenize.eu

Helsinki Revisited

Took a while, but here's a little film about my visit to Helsinki last year for a keynote talk and a Cycle Chic photoshoot and bike ride. It's just a funky little collection of moving images from the Finnish capital. The Cycle Chic event and other bicycle trips I was taken on in the city.


You can revisit the photos from the Helsinki visit by watching the slideshow from Flickr:

Viva Helsinki Cycle Chic

The organisers of the Megapolis 2025 Festival arranged for a bit of a bike meet and Cycle Chic photo session on Friday evening. A brilliant bunch of people showed up.

Viva Helsinki - Arrival

Oh my. Helsinki. What a town. Oozing with a Nordic cool that is somewhat familiar to a Copenhagener and yet quite different at the same time. I was there to speak at the Megapolis 2025 Festival to present a keynote about promoting urban cycling positively - as well as a wonderful Cycle Chic event. The festival is the work of the Finnish NGO Dodo and it was brilliant.

I hadn't been in Helsinki for 20 years so I was itching to get back. Whenever I arrive in a city on a bicycle/urban mobility gig I am always keen to gain a quick first impression of the bicycle life of the place. So first up are some shots taken from the hotel - Hekla Hotel (cool place, brilliant staff) - upon arrival.

Right off the bat I knew I'd feel at home.


Of course one must first arrive in a city at a train station or airport and I always find myself looking for the very first sign of bicycles on the journey into the city. Yes, I realise that it's a bit like trainspotting, but isn't it a great deal more aesthetic than that? :-)


First spotting at left. Followed shortly after by the photo on the right.


And then a Helsinki Citizen Cyclist heading up one of the many hills in the city on her funky Jobo bicycle.


It all just got better and better the closer we came to the city centre. I'm just getting started. Stay tuned. Viva Helsinki.

Viva Helsinki

Oh my. You'd better get ready for Helsinki Cycle Chic. You're going to love it.

Cycle Chic Goes to Helsinki!

Mikael will be in Helsinki this weekend to give his Four Goals for Promoting Urban Cycling talk at the Megapolis 2024 festival. Which will be cool.

BUT... there will also be a Cycle Chic get together this Friday and Mikael will be on hand to take some Cycle Chic Helsinki photos! Check out the Facebook event here.

Cycle Chic Music from Finland

Cycle Chic music video from Finland... to the max.

SOMETHING GOLDEN by all girl trio Le Corps Mince de Françoise

Thanks to Kirstine for the link!