"A Cycling Girl Becomes Our Dream Today"

Our co-blogger Marie is currently in Malaysia working on a Danish reality show for a couple of months but she'll be blogging as best she can while there. Marie's granddad was known for his songwriting and we thought it appropriate to translate one of his cycling songs about springtime. His name was Sigfred Pedersen and he wrote the following song in 1936.

We have several posts about the iconic stature of the Cycling Girl [cykelpigen] in Danish history and this song is a fine example of the poetry surrounding the topic. I translated it directly, so it doesn't rhyme in English. Nevertheless, the song remains true to this day and still fits Copenhagen's bike culture to a tee.

Cyclist Song by Sigfred Pedersen, 1936

Denmark's young girls are all cycling now / Through springime's gentle, floral kingdom / To the beat of nickel bike bells / They head in flocks towards fairy tale adventures / With the sun in their eye, squinting over the handlebars / All the cold of winter is suddenly forgotten.

Yes, soon old houses can ignite in flame / Us old boys feel our blood rush [...]
We must give up! It's useless to lie: / That which flutters and which flies, entices us / A cycling girl becomes our dream today.

Fly out in flocks, you lovely cyclists / That which smiles and which tempts, entices us [...] / Fly out in flocks, fly out with your partner, / The youth must have freedom every day / But remember that bike lights must be turned on at 9!

All winter you long for the sun / Now springtime embraces the dresses / As the bike bell chimes from the polished handlebars / Every girl's heart is a promise given / One to be embraced completely by life / Springtime's fairytale begins today

The small cyclistas become cyclones / Millions of them on their small machines / Make traffic dangerous for every sad cyclist / But I have an indestructable frame and I can swing / If your tyre is flat we can trade tubes / As long as it will be you and I at the end of the day.

My own girl cycles through the spring / small auriculas flutter from the forks / A knee slides in and out of the hem of her dress / It all smells sweetly of love and nickel and springtime / from the newly varnished cycle / that carries the city's blonde girl on her way.


[NB:] The reference to 'auriculas flutter from the forks' is seen to this day. Women decorate their baskets and frames with flowers, more often plastic than real, but it is an old tradition in Denmark from the early days of cycling:

Skirting the Square

It's May and it's lovely. Sunshine and warm temperatures are gracing the Danish capital. Copenhageners ride to work in the mornings without jackets. Skirts are out in force. Springtime is lovelytime on the City Hall Square and these Copenhageners show us just how elegant bike culture can be.

Patience and Respect

One advantage of a dedicated bike infrastructure is that there is next to no animosity between motorists and cyclists. Motorists are cyclists themselves and they've grown up with an inbuilt awareness of the needs of a combined traffic system.


Cyclists appreciate that the bike lanes are there for a reason and so they heed the traffic lights and only stray into the space reserved for cars when they have to. People are patient, and they respect one another's choices. Simple, really.

Copenhagen Transport Combinations

Sometimes situations arise where you have to transport your bike by other means. A flat tyre or other technical difficulties, a destination just a bit too far, what have you.

Being able to combine your bike with public transport is an important part of bike culture. In Copenhagen you can take your bike onto the Metro, the local trains, the regional trains and the Intercity Express trains. You'll need a ticket for your bike - 10 kroner for local journeys - which is half the price of a regular ticket.

Every train station in the land has an elevator for bikes, prams and the elderly. And if you're travelling abroad by train, you'll have no logistic problems with getting to anywhere in Northern Europe with your bike. Popping down to Berlin for the weekend by train? No problem.

Waiting for the Metro to glide to a stop.

Busses, on the other hand, don't have any bike racks on them like in a few other countries. This is because most bus journeys cover the same routes as bike journeys, so there is simply no need. It's quicker and easier by bike.

If you need to get your bike somewhere by taxi, all taxis in the nation are equipped with bike rack to accomodate two bikes. This costs 10 kroner extra, too. A small price to pay for convienence. It is, however, ironic that all taxis in Copenhagen are brand new Mercedes. But man, those leather seats are lovely once in a while.

Sometimes, however, you can't be bothered to wait for the elevator. If there isn't that many people around, just pop it onto the escalator.

Travelling from one city to another on the Intercity trains merely craves a little bit of muscle to get the bike onboard.

Just roll up to the ticket machine and buy your tickets.

Rising to the surface with his bike.

Heading down to the Copenhagen Metro with style.

Heading up from the Copenhagen Metro in style.

Bike racks on trains and taxis.

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: