One for Two

Everyone in Copenhagen has tried it. Sharing a bike. Maybe holding onto someone you love.




Or buying shoes with your daughter.



Or enjoying the easy life.



Or just feeling on top of the world.



Happy Cycling!

Two for One

Its a little tricky. But once you get the hang of it its no problem handling two bikes at a time.




Mostly its because of some malfunction or repair that people end up handling two bikes.



The only real challenge is if you meet a steep hill. Going up or down hill can be risky business.



The non-plus-ultra solution for two for one biking.



Happy Cycling!

Winners of Cycle Chic - the Book! Congratulations!

Cycle Chic - The Book - in a Rio bookshop

First and foremost, thanks to everyone who took part in the Cycle Chic - The Book competition! We're thrilled with the passionate entries and trying to find winners hasn't been easy.

We're awarding three books here on the blog, two in the Facebook group and one on Instagram. There are a couple of bonus prizes for honourable mentions, too. Because choosing was so damned hard.

All of the entries were touching and humbling. We shortlisted them and then I went to the expert - The Lulu - aged five - and read them for her. We simply went with the ones that touched us the most.

The Blog Winners
Cycle Chic - The Book and a "Bicycle" CD by Nora & One Left.

1. "I think there are probably lots of people on here who deserve a book or CD, but I would like to tell you why I think my dear husband is one of them.

Although I think all of us believe in bicycling as a sustainable, sociable, and healthy means of transportation, and clearly we are all fans of Cycle Chic, my husband stands out for his remarkable ability to connect with people and persuade them to start bicycling.

While most of us, myself included, tend to feel discouraged at changing the minds of others who are steadfast in their beliefs against cycling and feel a sense of disconnect from them, he has a different mindset and a better attitude. He doesn’t feel those who don’t immediately take to cycling are closed off to him. Instead, he sees their potential and patiently tries to listen and explain why it could work for them. He makes a bridge to who they are as a person, and over time is able to help them imagine that bicycling can truly be a part of their life.

With a friendly greeting, he comes around the way and asks them if they are ready to look at some bikes. He wheels his folding bicycle over for them to test ride. His friendliness and enthusiasm towards bicycling is contagious."

From "minicute"

The verdict from The Lulu: "That was long. But it's nice that the man likes bikes alot and likes talking to people. And I think the lady likes him."

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2. "I would like to nominate my wife, Christine St-Jacques, who commutes 8 km to work every day. That's a decent ride for anyone first thing in the morning, but we live in Ottawa, Canada and when she hopped on her DeVinci this morning, the temperature was -2C.

Now, I love riding my bikes, but I am just not as dedicated as Christine is, and I admire her toughness. She even rode to work downtown while she was pregnant with our daughter a couple of years ago, right up to the 8th month (despite my objections!).

She'll put her bike in hibernation when the snow flies in a few weeks. Until then, she keeps rolling along, red lights blinking in the rush-hour darkness, and while she may not be as fashionably dressed as many Copenhageners, she's a vision of silent speed inspiration to all those in their cars.

Christine gets antsy after a couple of months of not riding, so I am hoping that the Cycle Chic book will tide her over until springtime. Congratulations on 6 years of inspirational photos!"

From Jeffrey

The verdict from The Lulu: "What's hibanution?" (I explained hibernation...) "Oh. Okay. Maybe the lady will ride in the winter if she gets a book. If she doesn't she has nice music to listen to. Do they have candles in Canada?..." (the conversation wandered elsewhere from there... :-))

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3. "I write from Italy, in a region where cycling is part of a rich tradition in the foggy Po Valley up to "passi" of the Dolomites. But it is in Copenhagen, despite the cold, where I lived in the spirit of riding in freedom and happiness and experiencing nature.

Four years ago I flew to Denmark to have the child that unfortunately nature denied me. Now, thanks to an anonymous Danish donor I'll never know, I have a beautiful daughter who has the spirit of the north in her blood and on her face.

In Denmark I realized my dream and, thanks to your blog, I keep updated often on what happens in Copenhagen, dreaming of one day becoming half Danish, like my daughter.

The book i'll give to Bianca, whose eyes remind me of the blue sky and the fresh air of a spring ride in Copenhagen."
From Sauro

The verdict from The Lulu: (after explaining donors and babies, etc.) "So the baby is four? I'm five. I'm bigger. I could be her big sister." (got her back on track...) "That's a long way to come to have a baby. Give them a book."

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Honourable Mentions from the blog - Winners recieve a Cycle Chic poster or t-shirt of their choice.

1. "I would like to get a copy to donate to a new coffee/bike shop that just opened here in Omaha Nebraska. It is the first of its kind and I believe it will do a lot to change the culture here in Omaha. (Though I will probably read it before passing it off!)"

From Tiffany Paddock

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2. It would be Niceness to win this book for Oana, who contributed to the most important days of my life: the day I was born and the day she put the bike in my arms. Oana insisted that her mother gives one more time life of a child, to have a beautiful sister and also a playmate. And she had this chance… 21 years later, she helped me, her little sister, to discover the pleasure of cycling. Even if cycling in Bucharest is not always a bliss, Oana encouraged me. After that, we created together a chic movement inspired by Copenhagen Cycle Chic called‘Skirt Bike‘- a skirt ride on two wheels which is held every year in 8 cities in Romania and encourages women to cycle. (you can read more about it in this interview – English version)

From today, Oana is also a mother and she will continue to inspire moms to pedal. I think I’ll make her happy if she receives this beautiful gift from you."
From velobello

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3. "I'd love to have one to give to my brand-new husband. He reluctantly started riding along with me on my old teen-sized mountain bike four years ago. Now he has his very own city bike and commutes even farther and faster than me, in style nonetheless. The book and CD I hope will continue to inspire him."
From Lindymegan

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The Winners from the Facebook group!
(The Lulu was unavailable for jury duty from here on. She wanted to play instead...)

1. I would like to nominate my cousin Angela Cox of Phoenix, a city in great need of city cyclists. Angie has greatly reduced her reliance on her car, in an auto-centric city. She combines light rail with a folding bike to get around and recently arrived for jury duty on her Dahon. Naturally, she was wearing her normal clothes, a stylish ensemble of pieces she found at local consignment shops - she's a passionate advocate of recycle and reuse!
From Karen Voyer-Caravona

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2. Happy birthday! I'd like to nominate my husband, Kevin, who inspired me to ride! so much more after I met him. We tandem, and he has bought me several bikes in the last 15 years - my latest, a commuter bike for my birthday after being inspired by Mikael at Pro Walk Pro Bike in Long Beach this year. Kevin is a all-round cyclist who can help shape the landscape in our growing northern California community."
From Linda Burke

Honourable Mentions - Cycle Chic poster or t-shirt

1. "I would love my bike-loving boyfriend to have this inspirational book and cd first - then I'd like to do a bookcrossing kind of thing where he'd pass it on to someone he thinks would love reading it or would be interested in it with the idea that they must pass it on to someone else etc...that way heaps of great people get to enjoy it."
From Danielle Julianna Smyth

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Winner from Instagram!

1. "My mum is 73 and has been riding a bike all her life. She taught us to eschew cars and love cycling! And she is never, ever seen without her trousers tucked into her socks."
From @mockduck 

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To all the winners here on the blog... please contact us at copenhagenize@gmail.com - with "Book Winner" in the subject field, please - and we'll figure out how to get your prizes to you!

Cycle Chic Calendar 2013 - Out Now!

For the fifth year running, the Cycle Chic Calendar 2013 is out! We're pleased to present this calendar and hope it can get places in time for Christmas... and January 1st.

This year the calendar features Cycle Chic photos from Copenhagen (no surprise) as well as Montreal, Rio, Sao Paulo, Vitória (Brazil), Amsterdam, Budapest, Zagreb, Dublin and, Berlin.

We've even chucked in a velomobile in a moment of craziness! But the guy is the most dapper chap ever to grace a velomobile and he rides past our offices every day. If that's not crazy enough for you, we even feature a tall bike and drop handlebars!

Enjoy. It's available over at Lulu.com.

The Simple Life

Biking is a great way to un-complicate your life and pull out some stress.




It has the flavour of freedom that comes with "grab and go"!



And non of the countless frustrations of urban motorised traffic.



My wife and I have not missed having a car even once since moving back to Copenhagen.



Happy Cycling!

Cycle Chic Turns 6 - Win a Book & CD!

Today, Cycle Chic turns six. On this day in 2006, that one photo that launched it all was taken on Åboulevarden in Copenhagen.

We're eating lovely Danishes and drinking coffee here at our offices this morning and enjoying the birthday. In celebration of the day, we're giving away six copies of Cycle Chic - The Book and six copies of the lovely album "Bicycle" by Nora and One Left. This morning, I was taking a photo of the books and The Lulu stepped in and suggested that she hold them. I happily agreed.

We're inspired by our friend Lars AP and his growing Fucking Flink movement here in Denmark. "Flink" means "Nice" in Danish and Lars encourages people to just be nice to each other.

Here's Lars at TEDx Copenhagen this year.

So, in the spirit of Niceness, you can win a book and a CD for someone you love. A friend, a member of your family or your main squeeze. Whoever inspires you.

Tell us why you think they should get the book and why you want to give it to them.

The best, most inspired pitches will win a book.

You'll have to check back on Friday to see if you won. We'll post the winners and tell them how to contact us about receiving the book.

We'll give away two copies here on the blog, two on the Facebook group and two on Instagram - @zakkatography.



Enter to win in the comments. We'll choose a winner on Friday!

Thanks to everyone for making Cycle Chic what it is and what it has become. It's been a wild and delightful ride for the past six years and we're still loving the tailwind.

Cycle Chic Poem

A small series of cycle reflections inspired by a little cycle poem that Norseman-Niszen offered as a comment to my "Cornered" post.



Rust in the sunlight, burning.
Just as the bike was turning,
spokes made of light



from the rim to the hub
spoke of the sun
going down, coming up.



Enjoy!




Happy Cycling!

Carry a Big Stick

There are not many things my fellow Copenhageners will not try to bring on their bikes. Big sticks definitely qualify for bike transport.




Sometimes I'm really impressed by what people carry on their bikes.



With long bars you have to remember to turn very carefully.



For some its all in a days' work!



Happy cycling!

Stone, Bricks and Mortar

Many Copenhageners feel that their city has been changed into one gigantic construction site. With key squares and roads in constant mess.

Fortunately, it’s not much of a challenge for most bikes. Biking has the added advantage of sparing you from the stress of traffic congestion and unexpected delays.





Meanwhile the cyclists help spiff up the city scenery for all to enjoy.



What construction?



Zipping through traffic where no car dare go.



Happy Cycling!

Cycle Chic 1890's

Cycling runs deep in most Danish families. Here my Cycle Chic great-great-great-grand-uncle Christian Frederik Hedemann - probably late 1890's. He is dressed up for the picture, flashing his new tweed and a not-too-well-tied tie and an obscure cap. Not-too-well-tied tie also seems to run in the family.




Happy Cycling!

Connecting People - Williamsburg Bridge, New York

Williamsburg Bridge is one of the best places to check out New York’s cycle scene. The bridge spans the East River a few miles up from the more famous Brooklyn Bridge.




Great place to see New York unfiltered.



The ramp on the New York side is a mess. A police officer told me that every day people crash into a bar gate at the end of the long – and fast – slope down to the New York side. Next minute someone did just that. Amazingly, he got away without any serious injury.



New York City cowboy – bull horns and everything!



Happy Cycling!

Bicycle Coffee

I just returned from TEDx Zurich where I was speaking about Bicycle Culture by Design. TEDs are always brilliant, with so many wonderful people to meet and be inspired by.

Here's a little highlight of the day. The boys from Dalla Corte were busy making fantastic coffee for the 550 of us and they were whipping up beautiful designs in the foam.

I asked them if they could do a bicycle and they took me up on the challenge. Beautiful coffee art!

The Little Things

Instagrammed loveliness from Zurich


Even a work horse like a long john gets dressed up too.

Designing Bicycles & Urban Lifestyles

How to design a lifestyle? from Bicycle Innovation Lab on Vimeo.

It's hardly a secret that Cycle Chic® is run by Copenhagenize Consulting, the mobility consultancy that works with cities around the world in becoming more bicycle friendly. While this blog came first, it is now an extension of our work in promoting cycling around the world.

I'll be speaking here in Copenhagen - at the Danish Architecture Center - on October 30th, 2012, together with designer Jens Martin Skibsted from KiBiSi. It's a part of the lecture series from Bicycle Innovation Lab - Denmark's cultural centre for cycling that we co-founded last year.

Jens Martin will be talking about bicycle design - based on his work with Biomega. I'll be talking about designing streets instead of engineering them. Designing lifestyle is the theme.

The film, above, is a teaser for the event.

The lectures are free and they will be in English, so feel free to come on down if you're in Copenhagen.

Hide and Seek

Since Rock Hudson’s days big town’s nick name has been the asphalt jungle. So here is some Copenhagen camouflage for inspiration!




People used to buy army surplus clothes because it was cheap. Now it’s more of a fashion statement.



Disappearing into the traffic?



Or just trying to be being practical.



Happy Cycling!