white basket and skirt

I loved this woman's look biking along Valencia in vintage blue ladies' bike, white summer skirt and floral basket.

I don't think it's just me, but these baskets fill my heart with mist and nostalgia. I don't love plastic, but when I see them in the store my heart fills with joy. My city bike has a metal basket with a Hawaiian lei wrapped through -- it does the trick.

Berkeley white vogue

toujours paris partout

Cycling makes you feel like you can be anywhere, anytime. La Xara à Vélib' on Pont Alexandre III.

cute as a cupcake

Lilia and I participated in the Bike Kitchen's Tour de Cupcake alley cat race/fundraising event, along with about 2,000 others. She and I both snapped some photos, so stay tuned for Lilia's spin on the TDC!

All types of racers on all types of bikes turned out, from pretty girls with great hair to guys in cut-off knickers.
Here's VV editor Lilia with Danielle, both decked out in cycling's finest ready to blast off.

Because of the overwhelming turnout, I had time to check out the other racers styles, like this very classy, mod looking girl and guy in typical SF hoodie.

Once we were finally off, I was more focused on eating cupcakes than what people were wearing, but by the time we were up and over States Street and in the Panhandle, I was able to gather my wits again.

This woman has some hot sleeves.

And this kid wins the prize for the best-dressed man in the race.

And finally, as we've pointed out before, it's always a great idea to match your clothing to your ride, like this woman with aqua tennis shoes and Bianchi.

un certain regard

I really don't know what to say about her, except that she is stunningly beautiful. I am almost speechless.

If anyone would like to write an additional description, please do so by sending us comments.

one great look

There's fashion and then there's bicycle fashion. Lilia and I have discussed how riding a bicycle often informs what we choose to wear on any given day. Of course, it is our opinion that you can really wear anything on your bicycle, but some outfits simply work better than others. Case in point: I can't get enough of this woman's cappuccino colored pinstriped knickers, with purple halter top and brown leather pumps. And check out her calf muscles!

This is a look that is not only practical for cycling, but more importantly shows off her finest features. And honestly, if you've got it, flaunt it.

Sunday Streets Music

We had a great time biking along the closed roadways during Sunday Streets. Along the way, several bikers came with music.

This gentleman in dapper cowboy hat and dress shirt played ragtime:



This is Deep who we will probably have to profile at some point. He often travels around the city with a boom box sharing party music at important events like Fridays evenings. On this day, he sported a lovely purple outfit and charming hat:


Thus ends the Sunday Streets photo series on VV.

double the fashion, double the fun

It's so cute to see two friends riding double on a bicycle. These girls both sported the hipster look, with their hats, colorful leggings, skinny jeans and boots. The fluffy collar on the white coat of the girl in back makes her attire gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. And there's that purple again!

SFBG helps pave the way

Pick yourself up a copy (or read it online) of the San Francisco Bay Guardian's 42nd anniversary issue that focuses on sustainable cities. Look beyond the beautiful cover art featuring a lovely cyclist and check out the bundle of articles that analyze and redefine the buzzword du jour, sustainability. Of particular interest to us here at Vélo Vogue and our readers is the article "Beyond the Automobile." The author presents some great research, and makes some pointed statements about what a more liveable city will look like, such as, "People will drive less, but will they have dignified alternatives?"

Check it out for yourself, and let us know what you think! And in the meantime, get out on your bike and enjoy this fine Indian Summer weather we're having.

(Illustration by Mona Caron)

Sunday Streets Vogue

Sunday Streets is mostly a casual event, but I did see a few vogueurs along the way.

This woman wore a striped dress and tall black boots a la San Francisco:

More sporty, this one came all in pink with gym shoes:

Gas-Free Fridays

If you didn't already know, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is promoting Gas-Free Fridays throughout the month of October. This Friday, October 24th, they'll be at City Hall giving away organic, fair-trade coffee and other goodies from 7:30 - 9:30 a.m.

I stopped by their Energizer Station on Market Street a couple weeks ago for a quick cuppa joe, meanwhile spotting this very fun and flashy pink bag over the shoulder of another fellow cyclist.

What a great way to jumpstart your weekend by meeting other like-minded folks on the way to work!

Sunday Streets / Family Streets

Sunday Streets provides the opportunity for families to enjoy the street unharmed by dangerous vehicles. Here a dapper man in hat totes his child:

A woman enjoys a leisurely ride with her dog:


A little family, mom in fashionable flowy skirt and matching brown tights and cardigan, ride along the waterfront:

and a woman pulls her tired buddy back home again...

More Sunday Streets photos to come

blue for bluegrass

I attended the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival only on Sunday this year. I was incredibly excited to see Gogol Bordello and before them, Elvis Costello. Since my apartment is next to the Park, the best way to get from one end of it to the other is by bike, naturally. To my surprise and delight, it seemed that everyone else in SF decided to ride their bikes to this event as well, as the valet bike parking provided by the Bicycle Coalition was full and every signpost, fence and street lamp was overloaded with bicycles. This brought a smile to my face, but I still didn't know where to park my bike. I finally found a rail near the Polo Fields, as did this young red haired woman in a a blue minidress, brown leather flats, brown shoulder bag and glam glasses.

The Gogol Bordello show kicked ass by the way.

SF Cycle Moment: Morning Commute

Because of my freelance schedule, sometimes my commute is earlier than usual. And although it is tough to get out of bed, more often then not, those mornings I can catch a glimpse of the sunrise. On this particular morning, the sunlight beamed in rays through the cypress and eucalyptus trees in the Panhandle.


The other cyclists were silhouetted by the morning sun, so I couldn't tell if they were fashionable or not, and I didn't care.

More on Elle

Here, Elle rides with her son on her handle bars. In most photos, he's on the back in the kids seat. But she's a competent rider; so, they can have a little fun. These photos remind me of what Tolstoy said "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."

Cheryl Brinkman says: "I remember Gil Penalosa showing photos from Ciclovia and pointing out a well off family; Dad on a bike, son in a bike seat, and a not so
well off family; Dad on bike, child pretzeled into a plastic milk crate on the rack, sharing the street. Happy as clams."

photo by someone else

the walk of ...

I was doing my normal morning commute when I caught up to this woman dressed like she was coming home from a party in a frilly black skirt with pink lace at the hem and matching pink jacket.


The thought crossed my mind that she could be doing the very inappropriately named Walk of Shame. Looking as hot she did at 8 am that morning, I'd say she was doing the Walk of Shamelessness (because wouldn't one want to be boastful at these moments?), as she sauntered along on the sidewalk, bicycle in one hand, perhaps recounting the memories from the previous night's adventures.

Tour de Cupcake

Great event supporting a great organization on Sunday October 19th. Be there or be square!

Here's the link for more information.

Hutchy Gas Prices

music video

Pamela Anderson rides too

Like Elle Macpherson, David Byrne and others, KT and I try to lead by example. Here, Pamela Anderson casually rides with her coffee.


photo by someone else

night moves

Gorgeous women on bicycles can be seen riding around SF at night! Strangely enough, however, I saw all these women on the same street corner (Market and Octavia), albeit on three separate evenings.

This one was riding home on a hot night in a mini-dress, tights and boots.

I was quite taken with her adorable shoulder bag and the appliqué on the back of her jacket.

Finally, I'm always impressed when I see a woman riding in a long skirt. She looked irresistible in red. Cute backpack too!

VV Profile: Susan

Occupation: Graphic Designer
Hometown: Dublin, Ireland
SF neighborhood: Inner Sunset
What other city in the world would you live besides SF: Buenos Aries, Wellington, NZ, Berlin Paris, Rome, Lisbon, Barcelona.....too many to choose
Describe your personal style: hippy, vintage, flowy, frilly, earthy, arty, with an occasional bit of punk
Helmet or no helmet: HELMET ALWAYS
Favorite designer or place to shop: Anthropologie sale rack
Favorite color: green
The artist(s) most frequently played on your iPod at the moment: Bonnie Prince Billy
VV fashion tip of the day: Do your own thing

Elle Macpherson rides London with her son

UK Guardian/Simon Jenkins: Elle Macpherson deserves a medal for defying the health and safety gods/The press are idiots to condemn the model for cycling without a helmet. The real villains are over-active traffic managers.

photos by other people

Fixed-Gear Dating Advice

Dating Advice from Fixed-Gear Riders
You'll get better advice on VV.

[Tony] My Style

Hello,

I live in a small town in Alberta, Canada where cycling and style are not high on the priorities, but I'm working to change that. I've recently started a cycle club and always try to dress stylishly on my commute and errand runs. Here's a photo that recently ran in my local paper (of myself with my bike). Keep up the great blog.

Tony

[brian] Temescal, Oakland

Brian submitted this photo without commentary. He's also the one who first suggested we post about the scrapper bikes. Go Oak-town.
Left to Right: Jahmaal, Ayana, and Ross making the scene in the hip Temescal neighborhood, Oakland, CA

top hat

I saw this guy at Sunday Streets a couple weeks ago.

Sometimes I love Burning Man.

folding bike vogue

I saw this woman at the corner of Valencia and 20th with her folding bike. I liked her shoes, anorak and general poise.


Speaking of folding bikes, I wanted to get one after my vacation to Alaska on the Alaska Marine Highway (awesome!), but I have never thought of getting one so much as after being bumped from Caltrain 2 days in row recently.

Oakland Infill

Years ago, my friend Brian and I took photos of a parking garage being torn down in Oakland. I met him for lunch a few weeks back, and he wanted to show me what they'd done with the lot.

But first, this woman in full summer gear biked past us. I love stripes... and red, but I loved her "salt water flats" even more -- I had a pair of those sandals as a kid. Where do you buy them in adult sizes?


In the background of this photo, you can see the Uptown, the infill development they put on the lot of that parking garage. We got a tour, and it is awesome.