Life on two wheels. 

EcoSalon reader Kristin Bott rocks a sundress at the Portland Short Track Series.

As she puts it, “It rains for nine months of the year in Portland. Not an exaggeration. So when summer comes, the whole city celebrates. Every year, the folks behind the Portland Short Track Series  have a ‘summer casual night’ when they encourage racers to ‘Leave the lycra at home and come race in your Monday best’- casual threads: oversized surf trunks, colorful skirts, double-rainbow tie dye tees, knitted socks… anything goes. I lack tie-dyes and surf trunks, but I do have a couple of sundresses, and I rarely wear skirts, but it seemed a good fit.”

On the Move documents our life on two wheels. Have your own On the Move worthy photo? Send it our way! Email pictures tocontact@ecosalon.com.

Image: Richard Rosko

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Stylish cycling gear that will keep you feeling safe and looking chic all summer long.

We’re all about alternative transportation here at EcoSalon, and summer is the perfect time to get out that bike and start pedaling around the streets. To help you do that in style, we’ve gathered some cycling gear that will keep you safe while still looking tres chic.

Nessa Dress by Edith A. Miller
There’s no reason you shouldn’t wear a dress just because you’re biking. Just make sure to choose a loose-fitting short one, so it’s comfortable and doesn’t run the risk of getting stuck in the gears. This classic striped dress by Edith A. Miller is ethically made in the USA, and we think it goes great with a bicycle.
$198, Juno & Jove

The Madera Helmet by Coyle
Based on a contemporary, skate-inspired helmet design, the Madera provides a great balance of coverage and visibility. Coyle helmets are made using patented technology that takes advantage of  the inherent structural properties that allow wood to absorb significant energy in the event of a significant impact, adding protective redundancy to the EPS foam or low density cork system that lies beneath. The all-natural materials resist the UV degradation that synthetic helmet materials are vulnerable to, which means you won’t need to replace a weather-worn and sunburned helmet every few years.
$375, Coyle

Blink Steady Rear Light
A good light is a must, especially when long summer days on the road turn into spontaneous picnics under the stars. Made from solid aluminum, the Blink Steady bike light turns on automatically and shuts off when you’re not riding. And you don’t have to remove it when you lock up because it’s secured by your seatpost.
$95, Blink Steady

Bike Strap-Downs by Walnut Studiolo
Let’s face it, we often end up carrying more stuff than we thought. When you’re on a bike, this can be a problem, unless you carry the right accessories with you. This set of bike strap-downs is a key tool for MacGyvering stuff onto your bike. Two buckling leather straps with eyelets running the length of it helps you strap down items of varying sizes to your bike rack. All of Studiolo’s beautiful bike accessories are made, by a couple, in their workshop in Portland, Oregon.
$38, Walnut Studiolo

Green Guru Cruiser Cooler Recycled Bike Tube Handlebar Bag
Think of the Cruiser Handlebar Bag as the missing glove compartment for your cruiser or commuter bike. It has room for all those essentials, like a just-in-case rainjacket, sunglasses and sunscreen for a hot spin to the beach, or cold beverages for a warm evening cruise. You can also take it off the bike and use it as a cooler. Made in the US from recycled or upcycled bike tubes and upcycled reflective mylar from compostable cup packaging
$44.95, Green Guru

Portland Design Works Sodapop Fenders
Made from 97% post-consumer recycled beverage bottles, these bike fenders will keep you clean and dry in any weather. They are designed to pop off your bike easily, should you want to remove them when the sun comes out. Thanks to clever hardware they fit most city and mountain bikes that have a hole in the fork crown.
$25, Portland Design Works

Recycled Innertube Stringer Cuff
The lightweight stringer cuff by Beatrice Holiday is made from soft recycled bike inner tubes, lightly sprinkled with metallic gold spray paint. Designer Holiday wants you to feel good knowing that this bracelet was made from heap of inner tubes that lay discarded outside a bike shop in Venice, CA. Now they can ride again, only on your arm instead.
$28, Etsy/Beatrice Holiday

Eastlake Recycled Tablet Sleeve
If you bring your reading tablet along for the ride, make sure it’s protected, in true biker style. This stylish, protective sleeve is constructed from recycled bicycle inner tubes, which gives it a durable, highly water-resistant exterior. It’s sized to be compatible with the iPad, but will fit other roughly 10” tablets as well.
$34, Alchemy Goods

AB Designs Leaf Earrings
You would never know at first glance, but these delicate leaf earrings are actually made from upcycled bike tubes. They’re carved by hand in Portland (by EcoSalon’s very own resident foodie Anna Brones) and look really great worn under a bike helmet!
$20, Etsy/AB Designs

The post Cycle Chic: Stylish Bike Gear to Get You Pedaling in Style appeared first on EcoSalon.

Life on two wheels.

Best friends Amanda Coen and Kestrel Jenkins on their bikes, awaiting the ferry’s arrival to take them to the Annual Polo Match on Governor’s Island. They happened to see Bill Cunningham just after this photo was taken. Amanda asked him if she could snap a shot of him and he obliged. Kestrel’s jaw was practically hitting the pavement in awe and after Cunningham snapped his own photo of her.

On the Move documents our life on two wheels. Have your own On the Move worthy photo? Send it our way! Email pictures to contact@ecosalon.com.

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Does cycle chic help or hinder the movement?

I agree in many respects with the tenets of Copenhagen Cycle Chic, brainchild of marketing professional Mikael Colville-Andersen, which he promotes on his blog of the same name as well as in speaking tours around the world. A post from 2009 sums up his mission well: You don’t need special clothes to bicycle in, you just need to look in your own closet. Demonstrating that bicycling can suit your existing lifestyle and that there is no need to spend a lot of money or force yourself into some kind of athletic or rugged mold, is one of the goals of my forthcoming book, Everyday Bicycling.

Unfortunately, instead of sticking to this inclusive and welcoming message, Colville-Andersen takes every opportunity to instead police what people choose to wear, and in an alarmingly gendered manner. Dare to take issue, and he’ll draw the line even more starkly, dismissively accusing you of factionalism, in prose peppered with ad hominem attacks (try it, you’ll see). It’s a tone reminiscent of that of the hardcore proponents of vehicular cycling; good common sense ideas presented in an extreme and exclusionary manner.

Helmets and technical cycling clothes, are particular targets. In the annals of Cycle Chic, to wear these things is more than a fashion faux pas, it’s socially irresponsible; a tacit endorsement of “profiteering” and a “Culture of Fear” — two of the catch phrases of which Colville-Andersen’s writing almost entirely consists.

Much of this fashion policing is directed, explicitly or implicitly, at women. “Bike advocacy in high heels” is another frequently heard catch phrase, a term which can perhaps best be understood by reading the Cycle Chic Manifesto(which comes with the slippery disclaimer that it is only partly serious): “I embrace my responsibility to contribute visually to a more aesthetically pleasing urban landscape” is one pledge, followed by “I am aware that my mere prescence in said urban landscape will inspire others without me being labelled as a ‘bicycle activist’.” Obviously these pledges could be and surely are taken to heart by both men and women, but I will submit that according to the blog’s FAQ, females apparently make up the majority of its audience, and second, that there is not exactly a rich cultural tradition of men admonishing other men to shut up and look pretty, or be seen rather than heard, or to arrange their public lives so as to be aesthetically pleasing.

Historically, in fact, Cycle Chic was all about men leering at women. It’s described by its founder in an early interview as being literally about women as aesthetic objects:

“Danish and European women just happen to be stylish. It’s elegant, it’s classy. It’s Europe. And, I’m a man. I enjoy looking at aesthetically pleasing women. If I lived in a forest, I’d probably take pictures of the nicest trees.”

The inimitable Bikeyface has drawn the best response (used here with permission):

Colville-Andersen’s reply to this cartoon sadly illustrates some of the problems that arise in defining and critiquing his movement.

I think in part the divide between Cycle Chic’s purported message and its actual one is in the idea of what is, or should be “normal.” After all, it was perfectly normal for decades for women to value themselves and be valued for their appearance and to achieve social acceptance by catering to the aesthetic demands of male onlookers.

The world is a little more complicated now — at least it is in the United States. I recognize that gender politics in Denmark might vary, but here it is beyond tone deaf to assume that realizing you can bike without wearing Lycra is the only barrier to women embracing bicycling. In my observation, people do a pretty good job figuring that out on their own. We do, however, suffer some major economic and social barriers, from unequal division of paid and unpaid labor, to the consequences of antiquated maternity and paternity leave laws, to outright discrimination and double standards both socially and in the workplace. Barriers to bicycling are far more complicated than knowing you can bike in high heels; if that were all there was to it, we wouldn’t need a guy in Europe to come point out the solution.

Among the many who have embraced the idea (and name) of Cycle Chic for its basic tenets, not all have also taken on the tone and prejudices of its founder. It’s been a pleasure in the last few years to meet several devotees of the philosophy who have crafted it into something empowering, playful, and fun, rejecting some of the more extreme stances of the original. These folks hardly invented the practice of everyday bicycling, but they have injected a certain costumey flair into U.S. bike culture that strikes a chord with a range of people who might not otherwise get excited about cycling. This appeal is culturally specific, however, and that culture is difficult, in the U.S., to separate from the bummer stereotype of elitism. I don’t think that’s a reason not to dress chic on a bike; I do think it’s foolish to claim that it’s the highest form of advocacy in a cultural and economic situation where bicycling is falsely viewed, and subsequently de-funded, as an upper class leisure activity.

I hypothesize that Cycle Chic’s true message and appeal is at its base, at least in North America, that it seeks to normalize a gendered code of conduct that, sadly, still holds considerable appeal among both sexes. Its message is that bicycling can be a means of, rather than a barrier to, conforming to a certain set of standards of gender and class stereotypes. Access to these standards is far from universal.

In order to truly break down barriers to bicycling, it’s necessary to understand what those barriers are; which requires listening to people, rather than mocking them. It will also require, perhaps to the chagrin of Cycle Chic purists, a whole hell of a lot of activism. I don’t know about Denmark, but here in the US there’s a lot of work to be done on multiple fronts of gender parity and cycling policy, from the floors of community bike shops to the halls of Congress. Great things can certainly be achieved while wearing high heels, but never solely by doing so.

I began cycling over a decade ago wearing regular clothes and as an alternative to the bus; in more recent years, I was overjoyed to discover the wonders of the chamois and the technical cycling rain jacket. To get anthropological for a moment, here in the US, cycling for sport is one of the main avenues of entry into bicycling, and there is a vibrant, though hardly mandatory, cross-over between sports and transportation cycling. People who ride bikes in the US fall along a broad spectrum between the two, exploring and code-switching at will. Dressing up to the nines and riding fast across town on a sporty road bike are two of life’s pleasures that I find are best enjoyed jointly. Your experience may, and probably does, vary. To revert to the merely editorial: Anyone who claims that you have to choose sides, or define your style at all, is wrong, and isn’t having as much fun as you.

In summary, Cycle Chic has great potential as a movement, a potential which has been fully realized by many of its fans. It’s unfortunate, therefore, that its founder chooses instead to promote a vision of “normal, mainstream” bicycle transportation that is sexist, exclusive in many North American contexts, and unrealistic as an advocacy strategy.

I have gone to the trouble of making these points at this time, despite feeling that they are fairly obvious and an easy target, and also despite my dread of the dismissive lecturing that is sure to come my way as result, because Colville-Andersen will be headlining the fashion show component of the second National Women’s Bicycling Summit in Long Beach this September (he is also the lead keynote of Pro Walk / Pro Bike immediately prior, sharing the podium with six other men and one woman). It is an interesting time in the US, with bicycling becoming daily more mainstream, though hardly in a unitary or consistent manner, and these events are an opportunity to coordinate strategies for making the bike’s popularity stick. Fashion will surely play a part, among many other forces, and I’m looking forward to the proceedings as an opportunity for — hopefully — constructive dialogue. There’s no reason the conversation shouldn’t start now.

Originally published on Taking the Lane and reprinted with permission.

Image: futureshape

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Life on two wheels.

Elly Blue, cycling advocate, writer and woman behind Taking the Lane, rocks not only two wheels, but wheels that manage to pull a futon. When was the last time you put your bike to work like that?

On the Move documents our life on two wheels. Have your own On the Move worthy photo? Send it our way! Email pictures to contact@ecosalon.com.

Image: Neighborhood Notes

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Life on two wheels. 

Who says you can’t pair a Surly with heels? Even in small town Colorado you have to spice up your ride.

On the Move documents our life on two wheels. Have your own On the Move worthy photo? Send it our way! Email pictures tocontact@ecosalon.com.

The post On the Move: Salida, Colorado appeared first on EcoSalon.

VideoThe simplest declarations of love can be the most meaningful.

Forget the church and the ring bearer and the rehearsal dinner, real love can be celebrated anywhere, especially on two wheels.

GREG & MEL from tony benna on Vimeo.

The post Video: A Bike Wedding appeared first on EcoSalon.

A test for your bike IQ.

You know it. You love it. The bicycle is a clean machine in a carbon-fueled world. Here is a quiz to test your transportation IQ.

Q: On average, the annual operating cost of a car is $8,220. How much does it cost per year to maintain a bike?

A) $308

B) $3,020

C) $20

Answer: According to a 2009 report published by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the annual maintenance cost of a bike is $308. Cyclists can lower that amount by joining a bike co-op and learning to repair their own machines.

Test more of your bike IQ:

Pedals vs. Pumps

Bikeways vs. Highways

Federal Transportation Funding

Read more: Japhy Dhungana rode his bike from Los Angeles to the tip of South America. Can you guess why he named his bicycle Bucephalus?

Sierra is the magazine of the Sierra Club. Our motto: Explore, Enjoy, and Protect the Planet. Follow Sierra magazine on Twitter.

Image: moriza

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Life on two wheels. 

What’s better than sharing a spin around town? Eva and Mela from Allthatiwant take part in ride-sharing in Cologne, Germany.

On the Move documents our life on two wheels. Have your own On the Move worthy photo? Send it our way! Email pictures to contact@ecosalon.com.

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10 reasons why you should be living life on two wheels.

We believe in the power of two wheels, which is why we’re celebrating National Bike to Work Day. Even for those working at home, it’s an excuse to get out and ride. Fresh air, low carbon footprint, velo couture – what’s not to love about a lifestyle that involves cycling? The bike is a vehicle for social change, and the more people we have in our army of riders, the more power we have to continue to build an infrastructure in all cities that promotes a two-wheeled lifestyle.

Looking for some reasons that biking is good for our communities and the planet? We pulled together 10 good reasons to get on a bike.

1. Women who bike 30 minutes a day have a lower risk of breast cancer.
2. Bike commuters report lower stress and greater feelings of freedom, relaxation, and excitement than car commuters.
3. 47% of Americans say they would like more bike facilities in their communities.
4. Traffic congestion wastes nearly 3 billion gallons of gas per year in the U.S.
5. For every 1 mile pedaled rather than driven, about 1 pound of CO² is saved.
6. On a round-trip commute of 10 miles, bicyclists save around $10 daily.
7. Adolescents who bicycle are 48% less likely to be overweight as adults.
8. According to a recent study, if people switched to bikes for half of their short trips, they’d create a net societal health benefit of $3.5 billion per year from the increase in air quality.
9. Of the 10 most common causes of death in the U.S., seven are affected by transportation.
10. After analyzing national statistics from between 1985 and 2007, researchers found that vehicle use correlated approximately 99% with annual obesity rates.

Statistics from Bikes Belong.

Image: People for Bikes

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