Funkalicious

City Hall Square

Funk is the new punk.

Another one-handed bicycle ride. Love it.

Colour Splash

What a spectacular splash of colour on the wintry urban landscape. Brava!

Simply Moving from Right to Left

Simply moving from right to left. Just like we like our politics.

Yellow Background Con't.

Bear with me while I get this Yellow Wall series out of my system. Loving this retro Schwinn. Funk is the new punk.

The timeless flip-flops of summer live on.

Red splashes on yellow.

The casualness of one-handed cycling. Style over speed, indeed.

Quite Cool

Funking up my town. Love it.

Chat and Glance

Rock and Rolling

This cool gent with his rockabilly style rolled up to a bench and waited for a girl to kiss. She came along shortly and they sat there soaking up the spring sunshine.

Sunshine Bench View

For reasons as yet unknown to science, Nordic benches acquire powerful magnetic properties when exposed to extended periods of spring sunshine. Once you sit down, you're stuck.

One of the few ways to counter the magnetic power is to equip yourself with a bicycle and roll past said benches. Those of us who are rendered giddily immobile on the benches get to watch those riding past as they add a sense of poetry and music to our urban landscape.

Left Right Left Right

Winter Funk

If you can't funk it up in the winter, you can't funk it up.

All Going On

This Copenhagener has it ALL goin' on. Fantastic ensemble.

Individual Style

I'm loving the style, the individualism and the whole shebang on this Copenhagener.

Ymer Dress

Went to a little street party last Saturday in the cosy Nansensgade quarter of Copenhagen. The groovy shop Ymer Dress was celebrating their new website and, not least because it's summer, it was a good enough excuse to slap some tables out on the street, get a DJ and let the vibes, tunes and beer/cider roll in the neverending light of a Copenhagen June evening.

Here's Kristine, owner of the shop. She has a cool old three-wheeler covered in bamboo parked outside. I got her to mosey on down the street a bit to a splash of sunshine and photographed her there. Yes, the tyres are flat, but the bike is cool, as is she, as is the shop. What a cool little party it was. Perfect warm-up to heading out on the town. Thanks for the beer!

Ymer Dress should definately be on your shopping hit list if you're visiting Copenhagen. It's at Nansengade 38.

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Regarding our post about The Good News and The Bad News About the Cycle Chic Movement, here's a couple of sensible pieces.

Our friends at Cycle Chic Belgium posted about an article in a Belgian newspaper about the Cycle Chic movement - Copenhagen Cycle Chic was mentioned, bien sur. The paper interviewed two women who ride each day.

As Stefan at CycleChic.be writes on the post:

Some folks still don’t get the idea of cycle chic, I guess. And that is that there really is none. It’s just normal. Nothing special. Both the cyclistas interviewed in the article however do get it. They both say they would never visit such a specialised store. One even says: ‘I think it’s typical that cycling gets commercially exploited (…) but I don’t need it.’

Good girls! And a good message to end the article, so all is good.

And on the other side of the Atlantic, the Bike2Work2Live2Bike Blog has this post about suitable cycling clothing. His local bike shop has a mannequin in regular clothes and a little sign reading "This is Appropriate Cycling Clothing" attached to it.

Some people, at least, get it right. For appropriate cycling clothes, open your closet.

Funking it Up

Funking it up on the roundabout and about to turn right.

Felix on his new [used] Raleigh Chopper. We cheated a bit... I didn't have the key to the lock and it's still a tad too big for him. But cool he is. Cool he is.

If you feel less that Cycle Chic, you can still stop on the City Hall Square during the Copenhagen Fashion Week and watch the chicettes on the big screen.

Rush Hour, Bridges and Suchlike

I've been out shooting film footage for a little film I've been asked to make about Copenhagen's bike culture - all the wonderful aspects of it. I'll be posting some great still shots from the streets in the coming days.


Bicycles and Bridges. They seem made for each other. This is Langebro. Long Bridge. Cyclists have been crossing the harbour on this bridge since 1954, although there has been a bridge here since 1656.
The bridge has been immortalised in a Danish song by a band you've never heard of named Gasolin'. And by me, in this little time lapse video where I took a photo every weekday for about eight months:


BACK TO THE BIKES

There has been a trend for a year or so of Copenhageners investing in newer, cooler bikes. Going for quality brands like Velorbis or Batavus instead of buying cheapish models at supermarkets. Nevertheless, the workhorse bicycle in it's funkiest, most personal incarnation lives on. Slap some stickers on the beast. Smile as the rust develops. It's all personality. Old people acquire charm and an air of experience when they get wrinkles. The same applies to bikes. Rust, a squeak, a wobbly wheel.


Another shot of the bicycle as a social form of transport. Couples pedalling about, free to chat and regard the city that surrounds them.


Alternatively, you don't need to ride with someone to get the sensation of riding with someone, if you know what I mean. You are constantly surrounded by your fellow citizens, each on their own personal version of the most efficient machine ever invented.

Wifealiciousness and I decided that this photo of her on the Velorbis Scrap Deluxe shoot is the coolest.

Copenmonday

A purposeful urban stride.

I'm sure their destination will be pleasant, but the journey together is, too.

Dapper chap on the King's New Square.

Three Copenhageners.

Funk is in the new punk.

Copentastic

No matter how you twist it or turn it, Copenhageners ride bikes.

Two cylists waiting to turn left. They rode from the left of the shot, continued over the intersection and are waiting on that path of bike lane. They can either continue on if there is no traffic - just like cars - or they can wait until the light changes. The latter suits the Style Over Speed mentality.

Funkaliciousness. The best thing is that her shoes match her skirtguard.

Sit Up and Beg

"One sits on it either straight-backed, as though at a festive dinner party, or hunched painfully forward, as though one just failed an exam. All according to the situation, your inclination or your inborn characteristics."
Johannes Wulff 'Paa cykle' 1930

Now I'm all in favour of the aesthetic pleasures of a 'sit up and beg' bicycle. Nothing beats it, in my opinion. That's how I prefer to ride. The Copenhagener above takes the passion to a whole new level on her 8-ball bike. And she makes it work. Funky style and cheeky attitude.