Design-o-rama

Copenhagen Design Week is in full swing. A design week in a design capital offers up a slough of interesting lectures and events about sustainability, design and architecture.

I'll be getting around to some of them on one of my two bicycles. The Velorbis Scrap Deluxe, above, as seen with our newish Opera House in the background.


Then there's the Bullitt from Larry vs Harry, which I use to pick up my kids from daycare and school.

Both bicycles are fine examples of modern Danish bicycle design.

If you're in town, be sure to check out the Copenhagen X website in Danish, or English or their daily blog in Danish. All URLs where you can get the lowdown on sustainability, design and architecture in The Sustainable City.

The Nippon Nordic Alliance

Denmark and Japan, despite their cultural and geographic differences, have so much in common. Both cultures appreciate fine style, design and minimalism combined with practical usage. Here's a fine marriage of Denmark and Japan. A Velorbis Scrap Deluxe in action in Tokyo.

Ditto. This time in Shibuya Crossing.

And a Christiania Bike navigating the Shibuya Crossing.

Copenhagen Cycle Chic Goes to Tokyo

On the first day in Tokyo we put on a little Cycle Chic event. We being me, the Danish Embassy in Japan, a local café and a hot local clothing shop.

I just wanted to take some portraits of some Tokyo cyclists to compliment the usual flurry of streetstyle shots that will posted later.

Tokyo is a massive cycling city. Outside every train station there is an ocean of bicycles in the racks. What they lack in infrastructure they make up for with a relaxed pace and an emphasis on transport. And style in Tokyo is paramount. A Copenhagener like me feels very much at home.

This supermum is French and her obvious choice is a classic 'mamachari' bicycle. This one with electric assist. Mamachari means 'mother chariot' and is the generic term for this unique child transport bicycles. They're cheap, functional and cool.

With 12 million people, Tokyo is a whirlwind of styles and fashion angles.

This girl uses her bicycle to get to and from school each day.

A cool chappie.

Totally 'kawai'. I chose her as the winner of a bag of goods from the Hollywood Ranch Market, the clothing shop that helped us out with the event.








This guy bought his old West German bicycle in Denmark. He travels to Copenhagen regularly to buy vintage designer furniture.

The owner of the little shopping plaza we used asked me to take a photo of his granddaughter and her friend. Cycle Chic starts early in Japan.

All in all, it was brilliant to meet such lovely people.

Here's me at the Hollywood Ranch Market. Note the Velorbis Scrap Deluxe. The Embassy was good enough to provide me with the same bicycle as I ride in Copenhagen. It is in country in conjunction with the Dreams on Wheels exhibition. Lucky me.

Hollywood Ranch Market. A frightfully splendidly groovy shop in Daikanyama.

Ice Cream Sunday

We went for a bicycle ride down to the harbour last weekend. Here's Wifealiciousness on her Velorbis Scrap Deluxe outside the near Royal Theatre.

Two white tops.

Yours truly feeding Lulu-Sophia - in our new Bullitt from Larry vs. Harry - some Sunday ice cream in Nyhavn.

Larry vs Harry Meets Colville

I figured it was time to get me a Bullitt from Larry vs. Harry here in Copenhagen. Their two-wheeled cargo bikes are a modernized version of the classic Danish Long John and they are making quite a splash around the world.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Long John. My dad used to ride around Copenhagen during the Second World War on one, delivering fruit and vegetables. They are classic cool. I just love the Bullitt, too. It's a different style. Most are sold with low handlebars for leaning into the wind, but I prefer the upright position.

The box is custom-made and is perfect for picking up my kids from school and daycare. There are a number of models to choose from and I opted for the white Milk Plus. I figured it's never too late to look like the Copenhagen bike culture equivalent of a Harlem pimp. :-) Now I just need to enter the National Cargo Bike Championships here in Copenhagen on April 18th.


And when you get a new bike like this one, your friends want to try it out.


With all that said, my Scrap Deluxe from Velorbis ain't going nowhere. It's my daily bicycle for looking dapper in the urban landscape.

And you won't convince Wifealiciousness to give hers up, either.

Velorbis Scrap Deluxe - A Bicycle For Feminine Urban Living

Velorbis asked Wifealiciousness and I to review the new Scrap Deluxe for Ladies, which they have recently launched. We're always up for a World Premiere, so we took the bike out for a ride last week.

I know the Scrap Deluxe well, since I have the Gentleman's model. As I've mentioned before, riding this bike around Copenhagen is a treat. In a city that has seen it all regarding bikes, the Scrap Deluxe is a real head turner. Men and women alike.

We whipped up a little film about our test drive:


Wifealiciousness blogged about it on her styling blog Modler Style - in Danish - so I'm going to let her take it away - after a quick translation into English:

"I enjoyed riding for the sake of riding and not having to go anywhere. My husband already has a Gents Scrap Deluxe and we really caused a stir as we rode around on our 'headturner' Velorbis'.

The bike is in a league all its own - the super cool grey, steel frame combined with the creme-coloured wheels, the gorgeous brown leather on the hand grips and saddle and the perfectly formed fenders and lights were an elixir for the eye. Not to mention the little 'number plate' with the Velorbis logo. The bicycle is simple, classic and completely unique.

The frame's form gives you a feeling of sitting up high, straight-backed and with a complete overview of your surroundings. The wheels seem, somehow, smaller than on other bikes and it gave me the feeling of riding a mini-bike - in the funkiest way.

It was an all-round, wonderful experience and a bike that begs to be tried - not least for the aesthetic kick!"


The most important thing from the photographer's perspective is that MAN, Wifealiciousness looks good on the Scrap Deluxe! Riding high and looking beautiful.

It's the perfect bicycle for feminine urban living. Smooth, gorgeous and downtownalicious.

No, we don't know what it weighs, so don't ask. Check Velorbis' website for more info if strange weight or tech spec questions persist in your head. :-)

Cycle Chic Guide - The Bikes of Copenhagen #02 - Danish Delight

In the first post about The Bikes of Copenhagen we started with Raleigh of China [formally Nottingham], which was a bit silly considering the dozens of Danish brands that dominate the market here.
We'll rectify that tout suite. Many of the Danish brands only have websites in Danish, which really shows that they are content to concentrate on the local market.
Nevertheless, it's interesting to see their bikes and I've provided links after each brand.

VELORBIS

There are big players on the market in Copenhagen and Denmark but the new kid on the block is Velorbis. The very idea of starting a new bike brand in this market is, on paper, rather silly. But Velorbis are enjoying great success, not only at home but abroad. Their bikes are being bought by Danish county councils and city councils who provide bikes for their civil servants and they are making a splash in the UK and North American market.

We have a post about Velorbis in our Bikes We Like feature over at Copenhagenize.com. Michael at Drunk and In Charge of a Bicycle out of NYC blogs about his new Velorbis Churchill.
Velorbis Website - In English.
Made in the EU.

KILDEMOES

Kildemoes is one of the brands you don't hear about elsewhere, and yet they produce 100,000 bikes each year. They are the largest brand on the Danish market but they're now owned by an Italian company.

TAARNBY

Taarnby is another big player on the Danish market with a great selection of bikes to choose from.
Taarnby Cykler - In Danish.
Taarnby Retro/Shopping Bikes - In Danish. Click "Klik her for se alle retro/shopping bikes" to see their selection.

SÖGRENI

Upmarket brand with emphasis on design and style, as well as functionality. Very cool bikes to be seen on in Copenhagen. Read our BIKES WE LIKE POST about Sögreni.
SÖGRENI WEBSITE - In English.
SÖGRENI DISTRIBUTOR IN US - In English.

MBK

MBK Cykler are quite popular. They have a broad selection.
MBK Cykler - Ladies Bikes - In Danish.

EVERTON

Used to be an independant brand, now owned by an Italian company but still produced under their own name.
Everton Bikes - In Danish.

JUPITER

A large chain of bike shops with both their own brand and others.
Jupiter Website - In Danish.
Jupiter Ladies Bikes - In Danish.

JAGUAR

I don't know much about Jaguar bikes, just that I see them quite often. They might not even be Danish, shockhorror!
An online shop selling Jaguar. In Danish.

MUSTANG

Mustang bikes are mostly sold in large supermarkets. Usually quite inexpensive compared to other brands.
Mustang Cykler - In Danish.

ROCKY

Another brand sold in supermarkets.
Rocky Cykler - In Danish.

There are many other brands, but these are the Danish brands that you seen most often on the streets. We'll cover some of the foreign brands in upcoming posts.

If anyone knows of distributors or websites where these brands can be bought internationally, please let us know.

Copenhagen Cycle Chic Global Stickers

Copenhagen Cycle Chic Stickerliciousness begins! We've asked our readers to send us photos of Cycle Chic stickers around the world and they are starting to arrive.

From Pierre in Paris! Classic shot with Velib and le Tour. Quelle photo!

From Viry in Berlin. Lovely chictasticness. The very essence of Copenhagen Cycle Chic in the German capital.

Here's my bike with a sticker. A Velorbis Scrap Deluxe in the Nordic light.

Get your stickers at our Online Boutique. €1.92 / $3.00 each. And send us your photos of the sticker wherever it ends up!