riding with the big girls

This photo really needs no commentary. I [heart] SF!

the man in black (and orange)

Well, you wonder why I always dress in black,
Why you never see bright colors on my back,
And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone.
Well, there's a reason for the things that I have on.

- Johnny Cash

from Another Planet

When I took this photo in the Trader Joe's parking lot, another guy with a bike said "I'm glad I only have to take my groceries home a few blocks away and not to another planet."

Is that another wheel-chair wheel?

three cheers!

Obama has made patriotism sexy again. People often tell me that they bet I wouldn't ride around with an American flag on my basket if Bush was still president. Uh... no, probably not. Now, even in crazy anarchist SF, everything's coming up all red, white and blue.

Even bike helmets!

i love haighters part deux

I live in NoPa (as some SFers call it), but hang out a lot in the Haight (Upper and Lower) on the other side of the Panhandle. This photo conveys that gritty, punk feeling of one of the great SF neighborhoods, with this girl in a striped pencil skirt casually riding by on her bike.

[busbozo]Too Cool For Handlebars

He is protected by his belt buckle.

reverse shadow

The sun was setting when this cyclist in a coordinated navy blue and red ensemble pulled up to the stoplight (one of two in SF with a designated bicycle signal). When he leaned against the pole, I realized he had a dual shadow--his own to his right, and the painted on white bicycle markings on the pavement to his left.

spoke bling

Two boys. Two bikes. Two SF neighborhoods. Two types of spoke bling.

SFO Bike Swap messenger bags

I thought this quirky messenger bag couple was adorable at the SFO Bike Swap last fall.

she wears short shorts

I almost took these painted on short shorts for spandex when this sexy lady pulled up to the curb where the Panhandle meets the Park on this sunny Sunday afternoon. What an overall radical look with the red shorts, brown leather boots and glam glasses!

And away she goes!

A Bicycle Superhero?

Tim Marvin sends us news of a bicycle superhero in Portland who rides around fixing flats and helping those in need.
Does a 'phantom' bike hero ride Portland at night? Cyclists want to believe
by Joseph Rose, The Oregonian

Years ago, we had a plan to drive a yellow VW bug around the Oakland hills fixing flats and yelling at people in Italian to ride faster.

And then there's Monty Python's version which is, like most humor, perhaps the closest to reality:

brown shimmer

A very glamorous woman is bringing back the two vintage eras with this look: the 80s with those brown sparkly legwarmers over jeans and the 60s with that brown tapestry three-quarter length coat. I hope her cycle-style will inspire a thing or two in her pal!

Low Carbon Dating etc.

The Chronicle published an article earlier this week on low-carbon dating with a bunch of suggestions on how to meet your match on two wheels. We hope it's worked for you, but if it hasn't yet, they'll tell you how to help it along.

We attended the SFBC's Love on Wheels event again last Friday night. We should shortly be able to share photo booth photos by one of our favorite contributors, Dustin.

The main attraction at the event is a '70s-style dating game where one person chooses between 3 people of the gender they're attracted to. The Chronicle article talks about renting a tandem which I found to be an excellent way to ride together when you naturally tend towards different speeds, but one of the Love on Wheels contestants called it a cliche. Sigh. I guess we can't all run around with sappy romantic hearts -- nothing would ever get done.

Yours truly is #1 in this photo from 2006.

vélo valentine

In honor of Valentine's Day, let us honor not only those couples who cycle together, like this hip tattooed pair scanning the roller disco scene on a recent Sunday in Golden Gate Park, but also all those who love cycling in the city, in the country, in normal street clothes, in fashionable clothes. Writing these posts make me love riding my bike more, and I hope that, in reading them, you do, too.

Caltrain bike shoes...

I used to be afraid to bike in good shoes. I thought they would get scuffed up. Now I realize that it's like Peter Pan and flying, you just have to believe... and occasionally shine your shoes.

Look! Everyone sitting in the bike car this day has cool shoes. Go figure.

Isn't She(ena) Lovely?

Meet Sheena.

I was having lunch with an old friend of mine from my Grenoble days at La Boulange de Hayes Valley when this stunning woman whizzed by, a blur of elegance on a 10-speed in a very chic neighborhood. Luckily, she was finishing up shopping when I finished lunch and I had the chance to tell her how lovely she looks in a long pleated plaid skirt, gorgeous grey sweater with puffy sleeves and ankle high brown cowboy boots.

She has style. She has grace. She is Very. Vélo. Vogue.

Happy Birthday to me!

A year ago we made our first post, and we'd love to celebrate with our SF cycle community with drinks and cake!

Help us celebrate Vélo Vogue's birthday tonight at the Orbit Room at 7 pm.

vélo tubby

SFers are indeed inventive, using all sorts of household items in artistic and handy ways! Shining example, this pretty woman's use of a shiny aluminum wash tub for a rear basket. It's got me thinking about the very visible inventiveness of our city's cyclists, and wondering when our city's officials will open their eyes and see how simple solutions - just like this washtub - could make our rides so much more convenient and fun.

The Rainbow I saw on BART

I couldn't zoom out far enough to capture this look on BART the other day. Orange skirt with hot pink tights? Right on, girlfriend.

It was only after I tried to capture her striped socks that I noticed the colored beads on her spokes.

outside the VRC

I've been hanging out a lot at my favorite SF cafés lately (singing the unemployment blues). Half of the time you will find me at Velo Rouge, located on the Arguello Street bike lane just a few blocks from my house. It's both bike-themed and bike-friendly, and in my opinion, has one of the best cappuccinos in the City. They always play cool music too.

I was hanging out there sans appareil photo a few days ago when I saw this pretty girl in red chatting with her buddy just outside. My new cell phone has a halfway decent camera, and I think this shot, with the afternoon sunshine streaming down, came out quite artistically.

More Caltrain Vogue

When I asked her if I could take her picture, she said "I look so dorky." Nothing could be less true! I loved her brown boots, blue skirt and pea coat. Maybe the outfit was incomplete, but I couldn't tell how. The vintage ladies frame didn't hurt either.

Vogue Mamma

I shot this woman once before, but I don't remember when. I love repeat impressers!

She reminds of Elle Macpherson.

she's like a rainbow

It seemed fitting that a pink-haired woman with vibrant tastes in color would be spotted locking up her bike in front of Rainbow Grocery (where SF Bicycle Coalition members get a 10% discount on everything year round).

SF cycle moment: waiting for the light to change

Lights change every day before our eyes. Red lights, green lights. The sun sets and the sky changes from light to dark. The sun rises and the black of night is pierced with an orange glimmer on the eastern horizon (a.k.a. Oakland, for us SFers).

While we wait patiently at intersections, we may see cars go by, the Muni, cop cars, pedestrians and, yes indeed, other cyclists. We hear the streetcars rolling along tracks, a street performer on the accordion or bagpipes, the jingle of a bicycle bell. We have time to stir the many thoughts we carry in our busy brains, just like the bundles of personal items we carry in our messenger bags, panniers and baskets. We inhale the buzz of urbanity, and we feel a heightened awareness of what it means to be a city dweller, and an appreciation of being part of it all.

stop and chat part deux

When this cute cyclist stopped on the sidewalk to chat with her friend, I noticed she has the same red boots that I have (which I find to be very comfy for walking and cycling, as well as for vacuuming, dancing and going on dates). Her wide black belt reminds me of a utility belt, but I don't think it is. In any case, her overall look has got attitude!

Vélo Vogue's birthday approaching....

Next Wednesday, February 11th, is Vélo Vogue's first birthday. Help us celebrate at the Orbit Room at 7 pm.

winter in SF

After visiting Cycle Chic's recent post about subzero temps in Copenhagen, and hearing the news of blizzards back east, I am guiltlessly enjoying near 90 degree Fahrenheit temps in SF. It's like summer in the middle of January. And what better way to enjoy the heat wave, but to ride to the Park to relax in your bikini with your sweetie. I took this shot two days ago near Hippie Hill.

All I can say to the rest of you is that we are very sorry (sort of).

disco sparkle

Everyone seems to (still!) be talking about the First Lady's gold lamé inaugural dress. So this véliste is very en vogue in her sparkly gold, silver and black striped mini-dress and leggings paired with Pat Benatar boots. Totally awesome.

it's fun to be Obama-crazy

It seems like the population of the entire country is in love with our new and much improved President! The Obamamania makes it feel a bit like Spring is in the air, and you know what? It's fun to be in love! It's fun to be crazy about someone! And it's about time that our leader doesn't make us feel depressed and sick to our stomachs!

On the afternoon of the inauguration of #44, I was relaxing in the sun at Dolores Park when this girl in an Obama t-shirt started doing "O's" in the grass on her cruiser.



Celebrations continued throughout the evening, with people dancing in the streets. And if you didn't hear about it already, some cool SFers changed all the streets signs along Bush Street to read Obama Street for the day... before the cops changed them back.

Laughing Squid posted some cool pics of the signs going up, too. It seems like everyone's happy to ride down Obama Street, and I'll tell you what, so far, we're enjoying the ride.