Hoping That Not All Old Things Are New Again

"The Cycles of Fashion" is an interesting read that you might want to check out. As cycling in North America transitions from an exclusive pastime of recreational competitive cyclists to a mode of transportation embraced as a part of urban living, cycling's proponents should be careful of moving from one extreme to the other. I like a pretty bicycle as much as the next person, but a cycling movement cannot be sustained on expensive bikes and high-end accessories. The message of, "Ride what you've got in what you wear everyday," cannot get lost as we get away from pricey team kits and expensive super-lightweight racing bikes. I'd hate to see a fetish for fixies or imported European bicycles prevent people from taking their old bike out of the garage and riding it. Vintage bicycles are beautiful too and super green.

The other concern voiced in the article is that the riders themselves are alienating potential riders. The first wave of cycling enthusiasts were middle class Victorians who didn't want the wrong sort among their ranks. They only advocated for infrastructure improvements in their neighborhoods and put down the "wheel" when the bicycle became accessible to the hoi polloi. We don't have to worry about that attitude these days and the cycling movement becomes more diverse everyday. I'm especially pleased by groups that have adopted cycling as a means to confront economic and heath issues in communities of color like WeCycle Atlanta and Red, Bike and Green. A post on RBG's Facebook page pointed me towards this article about the harm   "ballin' culture" is doing in the black community. The simple, unassuming bicycle is the antithesis to ballin'.

This time around we really have a movement on our hands and not just a fad. Now all we have to do is exert the power to change our streets like our cycling forebears and we'll be well on our way.

The Fall of Lycra (?)

Is a growing distaste for the kit of the competitive cyclist a sign of the normalization of cycling or is it just Lance Armstrong backlash? According to the Wall Street Journal, Lycra's decline is all Lance Armstrong's fault. On the other hand, an article written in Minneapolis posted to an online periodical from the Kingdom of Oman indicates that the culture of cycling is changing. As far as folks in Oman are concerned, some Americans think cycling "[is] not a bunch of bike geeks anymore," and that "smart wool in the new Lycra." Even the WSJ admits that commuters are displacing competitors in the saddle and that, considering this, cycling newcomers see no need for special sports equipment. Now, to my mind the latter article counts twice because it was published in two different countries and the WSJ article makes three instances of Lycra described as passé so this is officially a trend. I'm calling it.

Of course, business is quick to exploit a new trend. Giro, Armstrong's former sponsor, has launched a new line of apparel they call the "New Road" collection. It's normal-looking with specially placed pockets and breathable fabrics like Levi's Commuter line, H&M's collaboration with Brick Lane Bikes, and Lands End's Bike Blazer. Like all of those products, it's also just for guys.

Ugh. I was going to write this screed about how companies courting cyclists need to be attending to female cyclists because we're the "indicator species" and blah, blah, blah. But these companies are made up of people who can read so they should  know that already. They know how to look at related markets and should see Harley Davidson's success with women is linked to the programs and products directed at them--like the comprehensive line of women's motorcycle gear and apparel that only they make. But it's not my job to tell these companies how to make money. The normalization of cycling isn't going to come from the decline of Lycra alone--infrastructure improvements that make people feel more comfortable on the road (women in particular) will go farthest towards that development. It's just weird to me that, in a movement that supposedly depends on women and possesses a compelling symbol in the "cycling girl," that women should be left out in any way.

Spring Cleaning Shout Outs

As you can see, I've spruced up the old blog. Whadya think? I was going for more bicycle-y and magazine-y with some Art Deco flair. That said, I don't know HTML of CSS. I just look up the thing I want to do on Google and browse different sets of instructions until I find the one that's enlightening to me. Huge kudos to Lauren Ashpole for creating the BIKES font and then giving it away for free! I wouldn't have even attempted to make the crest for my header had it not been for her font. Of course, I also heartily thank the dear designing souls who made the laurel wreath and the ribbon. Serendipity and Pinterest brought me to this collection of fonts curated by Rylee Blake (good looking out); I offer my sincere gratitude to the stylish and generous designers who made the Riesling and Blake fonts. They're gorgeous and just what I needed.

Speaking of Pinterest, I have spending a lot of time there (a lot) and I have created pretty sizable boards called "Pretty Bicycles" and "Cycle Chic." The subject of the first board is obvious and the second includes chic cycling accessories, chic cyclists, and fashion designer/bicycle maker collaborations. All of that pinning should've inspired some posting, but I've been so sickened by the sight of HTML at times that I haven't felt at all like blogging. Now, that most of my spring blog cleaning is over, I hope I'll be better about blogging.

My New Globe Bike

This is my new bike, the Globe Daily 3 Step Through. An extremely diligent Ms. McIntire at Globe tried to find another Live 2 mixte frame for me, but another one couldn't be had so she suggested the Daily as a replacement. I went for the silver Daily 3 although I was initially drawn to the yellow Daily 2--it has eight speeds like Brown Betty did, but it has a derailleur, not an internal hub and that doesn't sound low-maintenance enough for me. Still, I had a name for the Daily 2 immediately, Nana Pudding. I've thought a lot about the name for my new bike and I'm almost 100% positive that I'm going with Peppermint Pattie, after the York Peppermint Pattie. If Emma Frost weren't an evil character in a skanky costume, I would name my new bike after her or I'd name her January Jones if she hadn't spent so much time in her underwear for no reason playing Emma Frost in Xmen: First Class. I don't watch Mad Men so I have no other reference for January Jones. If anyone knows any wintry sounding names that are cooler than the sensation you get when biting into a Peppermint Pattie, let me know.

If You Wanna Have A Cycling Movement You Need To Ride Like A Girl

Google Alerts brought me this little gem from an Australian radio station--an interview with Dr. Anne Lusk from the Harvard School of Public Health. She advocates "social cycle tracks" where two people can ride side by side. This sounds ideal for parents riding with children and just plain out pleasant for everybody else. This is also the "feminine" way to ride, according to the doctor. Women want to be able to ride next to their children or partners. Women also ride heavier bikes laden with stuff, but that pretty much describes any commuter to me. If you're commuting to work, you might carry a change of clothes on your bike (I usually carried a change of shoes) and you might stop by the store on your way home (my previous workplace was close to a an international farmer's market and an Aldi's).

Where I find myself in agreement with Dr. Lusk, is on the subject of risk aversion. There were a few intersections in Marietta where I always crossed at the crosswalk just so everybody on the road would have a clear indication of what I was going to be doing, crossing the street. Still, I almost got smooshed one night because a motorist wasn't paying attention to the signal light or me and almost turned right into me. Once, crossing the street with a couple pushing their baby in a stroller, the husband commented on the driver who seemed impatient and indignant at our progress. He said something to the effect of, "It's like they don't want you to cross the street!" I think it often feels like, "They don't want us in the streets, period."

Who wants to feel like an insurgent every time they get on their bike? All the cycling-related classes and a PhD in street smarts aren't going to change this because confidence in one's abilities and an aggressive attitude towards traffic are two different things entirely. Some good bike infrastructure would eliminate the need for a warrior mentality,* reduce risk, and increase the number of cyclists.

*I can't say I've ever acted like a warrior while on my bike. Sometimes I feel it's necessary to adopt a gangsta "eff you" attitude while riding in substantial traffic and sometimes I mollify myself after a driver has behaved rudely or dangerously towards me by imaging that I have the power to summon buzzards to fly over them and poop on their car.

Brown Betty: October 31, 2009 - April 12, 2013

Elle est mort.

My beloved Brown Betty is beyond help. Her aluminum cracked frame is not one that professionals recommend for repair and there are no more Globe Live II mixte frames to be had. We had a great run and I'll never forget it. She carried everything that I threw at her with grace--tons of groceries, a huge tomato plant, a plump old Yorkshire Terrier--often downhill at high speeds (except for the Yorkshire Terrier). She was recognized as a "serious machine," but also as a looker. Several people told me she had a nice rack (that was always funny to me) and no less than the executive director of the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition referred to her as "the beautiful one." That's all over now. She's still beautiful, but not roadworthy and that's all that really matters in a bike. Pieces of her will live on in other bikes. My friend, Darryl, told me someone would likely buy her Shimano hub and I want to transfer her cream tires and Pletscher double kickstand to my next bike. This bit of recycling is but cold comfort to me. I'll miss Brown Betty for some time. She was far greater than the sum of her parts.

My New "New Old Bike"

Sometimes older is better. My new old bike is a 1971 Scwhinn Collegiate. I've named her Cherry Jubilee, but I'll probably be calling her Cherry or C.J. a lot. She has a much more upright riding position and a way more comfortable saddle than Mr. Lavender. (Mr. Lavender was 10-speed during the 90's). Since Virginia is no longer my residence there's no reason to start a bike hoard here so Mr. Lavender will be going to a Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters Thrift Store.

I couldn't really pick up any details on this overcast day, but Cherry has some sizable spots of missing paint. She's also pretty rust here and there, but I plan on giving her a good cleaning. If I can find the right shade of fingernail polish, I think I can take care of those spot easily. Outside of cosmetic issues, she's quite sound. She needs new brake pads, but that's no biggie. She only cost $25--even less than Praline. Once again, I scored big time via Craiglist. 

My Living Nightmare

It appears that I may have dropped Brown Betty off at a perfectly respectable bike shop only to find that I may not be retrieving a rideable Brown Betty from that perfectly respectable bike shop. I know that my warranty period is up, but my frame is cracked nonetheless which means I need another frame. I'm worried because my one-man warranty department at the bike shop didn't relay any prices to me for the repair and, in fact, said that the Globe Live 2 mixte was never in production. This made me panic. That bike model had to have been in production--it was on the Globe site for 3 years and a lot of us Globe bloggers had Live's. Maybe he was confused because they're not making them anymore. But they all couldn't have disappeared so quickly that someone would think they never existed in the first place! There must be a frame out there somewhere that Betty can have. She deserves to live!

Now I have to regain my composure and e-mail people at Specialized to find a fork for Betty.