Quintessential Danishness [and a wallpaper]

It's hard to explain if you've never been here but this shot is textbook Danishness.

Not Copenhagenness - a modern European capital with all the trimmings - but the whole essence of Danishness. That national sensation that exists just under the skin. A national-romantic and idealistic image of what a nation is, sure, but it is almost always makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Each country with a long history has their own, unique and simple sensation. This photo is, for me, quintessential Danishliciousness. Stormy seas and wind turbines are Danishness, too. As are the bike lanes on this blog. But this shot is special - because of the rolling wheatfields and the sea - but mostly because of the bike and the girl on the bike.

Made better by the fact that it's Wifealiciousness on that bike, in that wheat field, heading towards that sea in the background.

Taken on the 'Sunshine Island' - Bornholm, just south-east of Sweden in the Baltic Sea.

And I think it appropriate to remember that Danish women and men have been cycling daily down this lane since bicycles were invented.


Monday is Wallpaper Day
Or so I declared last week.

1024x768

1680x1050.

Cycle Chic in Calgary & Geneva

Vic from The Lazy Randonneur blog sent us this great shot of Cycle Chic in Calgary, Canada.

"Here's a picture of my friend Sarah test riding Dahon folding bikes in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She bought the pea green Dahon D7 and rides it fashionably around downtown getting to and from one fabulous moment after another. I enjoy your blog - keep up the good work... Vic"

Thanks, Vic. What a great photo of Cowtown Chic. We like Calgary. They have the legendary Danish-Canadian Club on 11th Ave. Some of the best Danish food outside of the Kingdom. You have to be a member, but that just means you have to meet a Dane [and get them to buy you lunch...]


Here's a little taste of Cycle Chic in Basel, Switzerland, by nchenga at Flickr. Basel is a great cycling city. Built on the steep banks of the Rhine it's more than hilly and yet 23% of all trips are made by bike, on a well-developed network of bike lanes. Just one of many cycling cities that disprove the "you only ride alot in Copenhagen 'cause it's flat..." myth.

And this little pearl below is a great photo from Geneva, taken by Stephen. Personalising your bike in creative ways is the best part of bike culture.


[I feel a Swiss theme coming up... stay tuned]

Christian Louboutin Meets Raleigh of Nottingham

I am quite baffled. Whenever I happen to see a pair of shoes by Louboutin, they are always treading the pedals of a beat up old Raleigh. One of life's great mysteries.

Bad Day at Copenhagen Cycle Chic

Bad Day at Copenhagen Cycle Chic, originally uploaded by [Zakkaliciousness].

Not every shot is perfect in the life of Copenhagen Cycle Chic.

Copenhagen Friday

She was a bit cheeky the way she lingered halfway into the intersection, waiting for the light to change.


Waiting patiently for the light to change, with funky mittens to keep her fingers warm.


Green light. Bodies spring into action. Muscles tense. Machines propelled forwards.

I'll never get tired of this moment.

Cycle Chic in Vietnam

Many thanks to Al, from Philadelphia, USA, for sending us these shots from Vietnam.
"I love the blog and I was looking forward to having a chance to send these to you. My wife and I recently returned from a trip to Vietnam, including a bike tour around the Mekong Delta.

Although much of the country's transportation has converted from bikes to scooters (25million scooters and counting), there is still some great cycle culture. The school kids mostly bike home from school and, as I understand it, adolescent girls often have these fantastic white silk school uniforms (younger girls do not, and not all schools seemed to require this outfit) and they are a vision.

The girls in these pictures were within a few hundred yards of the road turning to dirt and I presume they were just going to continue on their way -white silk clothes on dirt roads... Two of these girls are also demonstrating a common way of riding with a friend -just sit on the rack and many of the rack-riders help pedal by placing their feet on the outermost edges of the pedals.
thanks, Al

We'll do the thanking, Al! Thanks for these lovely shots.

A Thursday in Copenhagen

Cycle Chic in Red and Green:


Once again, squint your eyes and it's 1952 on the City Hall Square. I love the fur cuffs.


Another Copenhagen supermum propelling her bike forward off the lights.


Over at Copenhagenize.com, we've just blogged about these beautiful, custom-made, bespoke bike baskets from the able hand of David Hembrow:

Poised, elegant

On my way home yesterday without my camera when I saw this girl. Was just cursing my luck when I remembered I had my phone. The wonders of modern technology.

Daily Dosage

I find it charming when people smile to themselves.

Style Over Speed. Forever.

Casual Copenhagen

A cyclist completely at ease with herself and her role in the life of this city.

I've noticed a few funny groups on Facebook regarding bike culture:
From Sweden - My Bike Was Stolen In Uppsala / I Stole A Bike In Uppsala.
"Let's all just work this mess out." Thieves and the thieved. Together at last.
From Denmark: [translates as:]Hey! Is there a sign on my bike reading 'Trash Can'?
For people who get tired of their baskets getting filled with trash.


Just your average Copenhagener.
Here's a great historical quote on cycling in the Take Back the Bike Culture category:
The whole nervous system is highly benefited by bicycling. The rider must constantly use the senses of hearing, seeing, and feeling in order to avoid collisions, direct his machine, and keep his equilibrium. This exercise, therefore, is in a high degree apt to draw the mind away from its usual pursuits and cares of daily life. It is highly exhilirating and promotes sociability, since it is both pleasanter and safer to ride in company than alone. In women it is apt to overcome the impulsivenness and whimsicality which render so many of them unhappy. ...Bicycling is no longer a mere fashion that may fall into disuse and give way to a new one. It is a wholesome and inspiring exercise, and has provided of practical value as a means of rapid locomotion.
--Dr. Henry J. Garrigus, in the January Forum, from Public Opinion, 30 January 1896

I whipped up another poster. For those who love bike frames. Available at our Online Boutique, as always.

Co-operation

Sometimes, for whatever reason, you can only muster up one bike between two friends:

Wickertastic in Santiago

A great streetstyle shot from Bilobicles in Santiago, Chile.
Cycle Chic and a groovy, personalised bike, wrapped in wicker. Right down to the chainguard...
It's so great to see that cities like Santiago are pushing the bike forward and creating a normalised bike culture. The City Council in Santiago is investing in no less than 1000 km of bike lanes, as we reported earlier over at Copenhagenize.com.

Your Daily Dose of Copenhagen Cycle Chic

Two of the 10,000 cyclists, on average, on this stretch of Copenhagen street. And that's a medium-sized route.

She was so quick, flying along the bike lane. It amazed me how effortless it looked.

Cool and dapper Copenhagener on a cool Bugatti bike.

Paris Cycle Chic - The Velorution is Underway

The urban landscape of Paris has changed drastically since the introduction of the Velib bike sharing programme. Velibs are hot and they are now beyond trendy. They are a part of the fabric of the life of the city. And as more people use them, they'll soon get their own bike and the [r]evolution will snowball. I am looking forward to the day when Paris is a humming cyclocity like Copenhagen. Photo by RuiPeriera.

There are even Copenhagen-style rush hours these days in the streets of Paris. [okay, that's a relative postulate... you'll need another 85 bikes in that picture for a true Copenhagen rush hour... but what a great start]

And that classic European photo... now with Velibs.


It's wonderful that over 60 European cities of all sizes now have bike sharing programmes but it is when the big cities like Paris really start to embrace urban cycling that changes are made and The New Age of Urban Cycling really takes off.

Guest Photo: Santiago, Chile

Costanera río Mapocho, originally uploaded by bilobicles.

A splendid splash of cycle chic in Santiago, Chile, by Bilocicles on Flickr. Entitled "Costanera río Mapocho", it really shows how cycle chic is spreading across the planet.

The New Age of Urban Cycling has begun.