Cycle Chic Goes To Sweden

Zipping across Stora Torg [Large Square] in the Malmö sunshine.

Malmö is Sweden's third largest city and it Sweden's leading bike city. Bikes are an important part of life here, just as they are in dozens and dozens of European cities. While we will go to our grave claiming that Copenhagen is the most stylish capital in Europe, Malmö does have it's flashes of cycle chic.

Most importantly, the citizens have understood, like millions of others around the world, that urban cycling is something to be done in your normal clothes and on normal bikes. There are great segregated bike lanes and infrastructure and bikes abound in bike racks all over the city.

It's the easiest way to get around town.

Bring a friend down to the harbour and have a laugh.

Stylish Swedish Gentleman by the harbour.

High heeled cycling, Malmö style.

Heading to the harbour for some afternoon sunshine.

A hub of fashionable cyclists.

Dapper chap transporting toilet paper.

Cool old school chain guard on a Swedish Crescent bike.

Looks like any Central Station in Northern Europe.

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.

More Optimism from H. G. Wells

"Cycle tracks will abound in Utopia."

Another telling, visionary quote from H.G. Wells.
He didn't forsee that they would be painted blue as the sky and the sea but right he was all the same. [or green as in Portland!]

Here's to Optimism

'When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race.' So wrote H.G Wells, and we here at Copenhagen Cycle Chic agree completely.

Copenhagen Social Club

One of the great things about Copenhagen's bike lanes is that you always meet people you know. You can ride with them, you can chat at a red light or you can just wave and smile.

You'd smile, too, if you could cycle daily - alone or with a friend - on a sophisticated system of wide, comfortable, segregated bike lanes.

Sometimes, however, your friends are late and you have to wait for them.

Prototype Exhibition Posters
Copenhagen Cycle Chic has a few photo exhibitions lined up this year. We'll give you more info as we get it confirmed. I'll be making the exhibition poster for one of them and I've been playing around with some design prototypes. They are all available for purchase on our Online Boutique. Let us know which ones you fancy the most.

The First of May

Happy First of May. AKA May Day, Labour Day, International Workers' Day.
All over Europe and the world red flags are flying to celebrate the holiday. Here in Denmark the nurses and care workers are striking for better pay - all the more reason to celebrate with a flurry of red photos.

What is normally a day of celebration is also, coincendentally, the day of the Danish Cup Final. Today Brøndby and Esbjerg battled it out in the National Stadium, Parken. Since we don't fancy either team, we have no idea who won.
But here's a bit of football cycle chic and a fine demonstration of how to transport one's self to a football match featuring a decent team - F.C. Copenhagen:

Chicago Dreams

We haven't heard much from Chicago from readers of the blog until today. Two great emails pop into the Cycle Chic inbox from The Third City. Both with clear an undeniable links to Copenhagen Cycle Chic.

First up, the coolest current gig in the Americas. HANK & ME is a blog about a Chicagoen and her bike, Hank. Here's her pitch from the blog:
This is the story of Hank & me. Hank is my oma bicycle make by henry workcycles. Inspired by Cycle Chic and Copenhagenize, we're going Dutch for 365 days in the city of Chicago. That's right - no car, no spandex, no toe clips. Just my everyday clothes, a bike, a lock, and a set of panniers. Can we make it the year? Hank and I think so.

Of course you'll make it! Because you're cool and Hank is cool and because 100 million Europeans do the same thing each day! :-) THIS is the kind of role model America needs in order to normalize everyday urban cycling.

We quickly suggested that she take Hank along to Erik & Me, a Danish restaurant and pub in Chicago as well as Wikstrom's Scandinavian-American Gourmet Foods to buy some Danish bread, cheese and herring and the all-important snaps [I think it's spelled schnaps 'over there']

GO chicaGO!
The other Windy City email is a fabulous guest photo from Kimberly:

Now THAT is cycle chic at it's best. THAT is a Friday night in Copenhagen. Classy and chic and a cooler than cool bike to boot. The undeniable link to Copenhagen Cycle Chic is that Kimberly runs the very bespoke Indigo Yacht Charters and among their destinations are the Virgin Islands - part of which was formally owned by Denmark until sold to the USA in 1917 for $25,000,000.

Thanks to you both for thinking of us! Any more photos? You know where to send them.

Bridges, Tailwinds and Rush Hour

There are few places on the planet where the simple act of waiting for a light to change is elevated to such beauty and grace. Even with a stiff wind blowing in from Sweden.

Up over Knippels Bridge like millions and millions of cyclists before her since the 1930's.

Not much rush in this hour. Nice and easy. Copenhagen style.

Leather Bag Street

Three chic Copenhagen cyclists going down the same street. All wearing leather bags. Classic, elegant and practical - just like cycling.

It happens in other streets too:

The guy with the leather bag to the right actually created a whole little debate between our readers about the deeper meaning of cycle chic.

Off They Go

Zipping along the canals.

Walk on by

Hanging out in one of Copenhagen's many public parks yesterday and saw lots of lovely people leisurely walking their bikes on their way to meet friends, or just taking a short-cut.

Great Moments in Cycling

A cyclist gently pushes off.

The Delicate Art of Dismounting a Copenhagen Bike.

The Simplicity of Nordic Evenings

It's Monday. It's wallpaper day. Værs'go [Here you go]

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Here's a little video poem-thingy using Flickr's new video function:


Here's the laptop-a-doodle versions of the screensavers:

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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!