Artsy Fartsy Saturday

Been busy today. Guests have just gone home. Figured it was time for some artsy-fartsty cycleliciousness from the Copenhagen Cycle Chic/Copenhagenize archives.

Motion Sensor & Friday Nightaliciousness

I rather enjoy these motion shots.

Cycling is motion, after all.

It's Friday night. These two photos were taken a couple of Fridays ago at about 01:00, when the city really starts to wake up. The cafés close at two but from about midnight the migration from cafés to nightclubs takes place. Most of it by bike.


The Guardian has a piece about how Cycling is Officially Chic, wherein Copenhagen Cycle Chic is referenced. But we all knew that already, now didn't we? It's a cool article. Have a read.

And have a lovely weekend.

Red Light Activities, An Embrace, A Skirtguard

From the Things To Do At A Red Light Series.
Hop off, remove jacket, place jacket on back rack, hop on, ride off.


Embrace, please embrace. But make sure you hold onto your bike.


I'm loving these skirt guards on the new VIVA bikes.


Yesterday we blogged about no fussCopenhagen Bike Gear - namely putting a thick elastic band on your pedal if it rains - instead of investing in 'gear'. Our friend Luke, a graphic designer here in Copenhagen, shows that this simple, no-nonsense approach is a cultural thing. Here's a photo of his iPodaroo. A cover for his iPod. Brilliant and cool.

The Boots. They're Back.

We offer here irrefutable proof that there is an autumnal feel sneaking into the city. The weather is lovely at the moment and there are still thousands of cyclists wearing their summer flip-flops but the classic Copenhagen boot is reappearing again. One of the surest signs that Copenhageners are adjusting to cooler times. Above, the boots compliment the short skirt and the poncho. Somewhere in between summer and autumn.


It's certainly not cold enough for tights just yet.

There must be a name for this in-the-middle period between hot and cool. Late-summer, early autumn... they don't cut it. Any ideas? The Shift Cycle? The gradual shift to warmer clothes?

And not all the boots have to been high.

Or maybe they do. Tall, warm, soft boots to counter the miniskirts ventilational aspects. [Note here how the construction workers drape the cables high over the bike lane so as not to disrupt the cyclists. It's the law.]

And speaking of autumn, here's a great indication that it'll be getting wetter soon. This is from a free magazine called Kiwi, published by a supermarket. It's mostly for women and in the Readers' Tips and Tricks section, a woman sent this tip in.

"When it rains I just wrap a thick elastic around my pedal. It helps keep my feet from slipping."

Wonderful. In one of the world's wealthiest countries and a nation with proud design traditions all you need is a thick elastic on your pedals when it rains. No fancy, expensive gear. Just be practical and sensible and off you go. Oh, and it works with boots, too.

Zebras, Dogs and Leggings

A double check is always a good idea, even when the little green man says 'go'.

Animal transport - Copenhagen style.


Leggings have spread to armings.


Humour is relative but this is something that amuses us to no end. And it's available for purchase.

Things I've Seen Recently

Waiting at red lights need not be a melancholy affair.


Having a map to help you get around is often a good idea. This one, no doubt purchased at a Sunday flea market, may be a bit over the top.


C came over for dinner the other day but she didn't quite make it past the camera. Looking stylish as ever - with or without the Velorbis Victoria. C coaches businesswomen in professional development courses here in Copenhagen. Not only that, she is one of the best friends you could evef have.


Bikes are the main way for zookeepers to get around at the Copenhagen Zoo.

Rückenfigur and Suchlike

Once in a while we return, quite happily, to our Rückenfigur phase. Here with a cyclist in typical rain clothes on a rainy day. Complete with shocking pink heels.

The blue bag on her seat is a Copenhagen classic. A basic plastic bag pulled out of your bag to cover your seat if it's been raining. Simple and practical.

The art of rolling gently through a light that just changed green. Autumn is just round the corner and chic long boots are appearing once again as the days cool off.


Thanks to Anisa for sending us this photo from her blog Makool Loves You. Funky grocery bag for urban cycling. Available for purchase at her blog.


And a splash of gentleman cycle chic to round it all off.

More Great Moments in Cycling

Great Moments in Cycling - A Copenhagener accelerates [a relevent term in Copenhagen] off the light.


Cyclist crossing street near the new Royal library extension The Black Diamond [Sorte Diamant].


This is what it looks like when a photographer from the Politiken newspaper - riding a company issue Kronan - takes photos of a photographer from Copenhagen Cycle Chic on the King's New Square for an interview.


A lawyer in motion. Well, at least the bag in his back rack had a law firm logo on it, so we're assuming.

A brochure from the Belgian Cyclists' Union - "Wanted - Cyclists [Male/Female]" for membership of the cyclists' union. They certainly know how to promote cycling, using a positive, happy image instead of fear-mongering, like the Danish Cyclists' Union. We have a series of posts over at Copenhagenize.com about promoting cycling.

Ponchotastic

Autumn approaches and the poncho trend from last spring is revived as the days grow cooler. Here's a colourful version flowing past on St. Hans Square in Copenhagen.


Wifealiciousness knits her own ponchos out of pure Icelandic wool and she sells them on her website Modler.dk [Danish language] if anyone in Greater Copenhagen fancies one.


As Vince on the British show The Mighty Boosh says, "It is impossible to be unhappy in a poncho."


The Clint made them a style icon in his spaghetti westerns - around about the time this funky Copenhagener was a youngster.

Copenhagen Goodness

Last Friday I was heading out to a friend's place for a bit of red wine and FIFA on the Xbox when I happened upon this charming, lovely couple in the twilight near the bridge over the harbour. I stopped them and asked if I could film them for a promotional cycling video I've been asked to make. They obliged. They are everything that is cool about cycling in Copenhagen. Relaxed, smiling, sweet and just plain cool.


Two Cyclists Surveying The Boulevard


The first photo is of one of our famous Weather Girls - Vejrpigerne - who stand atop the Richshuset Building on the City Hall Square. I was up there filming for the promotional cycling video and the Cycling Girl is just gorgeous even after over 75 years. We have an earlier post about her here. The other photo is a modern version of the Cycling Girl surveying the same Boulevard from street level. Cool, casual, Copenhagenesque.

Promoting Cycling Positively

This photo of morning rush hour reminds up of a quote from the novel Gudrun, by Johannes V. Jensen in 1936:

"And like a large home Copenhagen begins the day's work. Already down on the streets is one at home, with loose hair, long sitting rooms through which one travels socialbly on a bike. In offices, in workshops, in boutiques you are at home, in your own home, one large family that has divided the city among itself and runs it in an orderly fashion, like a large house. So that everyone has a role and everyone gets what they need. Copenhagen is like a large, simple house."

Over at Copenhagenize.com we've been having a series of posts about how or how not to promote cycling positively and showing different examples. We here at Copenhagen Cycle Chic are proud to live in a city with such fantastic safety statistics. The majority of Copenhageners, when polled, say that they feel secure and safe in the traffic. We know we certainly do. We are also proud to lead the way in showing how cycling in Copenhagen is safe, effortless and healthy. Promoting cycling as it should be promoted.

We have a good mention in today's Irish Times, which is readable online here. Doing our bit for the cause.

Our Cycling Legends

Copenhagen Cycle Chic will be present at the world's largest bike industry fair in Germany - Eurobike - in partnership with Velorbis. We'll have a massive wall-size banner at the Velorbis stand and we whipped up these flyers for the sports geek crowd. "Our cycling legends dress differently than your cycling legends". A tribute to the everyday dress code of Copenhagen cyclists and a nod to the iconic and historical figure of the Danish cycling girl. There is nothing quite so opposite to spandex than heels.

Felix Cycle Chic

The Boy Wonder and I heading to weekly football practice. Often we both ride our bikes, but now A. He just started a new, exhausting life in school and is more cream-crackered [knackered] than usual and B. Daddy's got a new Long John from Velorbis with a box the Boy Wonder helped build.

So he relaxes with a book [The Billy Goats' Gruff]as we zip along to Frederiksberg Boldklub where Daddy morphs into a merciless Coach for 11 bundles of boy energy. Football shirts are hardly chic anywhere on the planet except for at a football stadium, but when it's your own six year old, he's adorable.


The other day Boy Wonder and I went to buy some wood to make a new desk for his bedroom. Long John came along.

The Long John with the new cargo box with the kids' names on the sides.