January Sun!!

It may be Winter,

but sometimes, even San Francisco gets to be a part of "Sunny California".

BARCELONA!

Donde esta Kristin?

En Barcelona.

2 semanas.


photo by My Beautiful Parking

I heard from Txell of Barcelona Cycle Chic that the place to rent a bike when in Barça is My Beautiful Parking.

Will put some pics here when I get back.

Un besito y hasta pronto.

Derailleurs New Video

San Francisco's bike dance team is requesting support to continue the eco-arts revolution. There are plans for a US and world tour with bike dance teams around the world to spread the bike fun and strengthen community around sustainable transportation. We want to reach out to elementary and high schools to teach future generations how to fix bikes, about bike safety and make it exciting and fun by connecting with bike dance. There is a need to further reach out to our local community by organizing events that have national and international impacts.

Check out their website!

I've a horse outside!

I think this should be Adrienne's new theme song.

connecting the city

Remember the days when your parents would let you ride to school alone on your bike worry-free, when the question of safety was not even an issue? So does Stephanie, I believe. Watch this great video from the SFBC's project, Connecting the City and listen to how she imagines better biking in SF.



What's it like to ride in an urban environment for you and, if you have one, your family? What factors would get you out there more often?

What are you willing to do (volunteer? donate? write your supervisor?) to make this vision of connectivity a reality?

we fly farther than ever before

A certain phenomenon happens to me quite often when riding home alone at night - sometimes I feel out of body. It's a surreal experience - the darkness, the shadows, the sounds of streetcars, the midnight revelers, the cool mist of San Francisco on my face, the cool air in my lungs. The streets shine and car lights go by. My bicycle reflects the glimmer of the night all the while becoming part of its cacophony. The ride home is cinematic. When I get home sometimes it feels as if I was sailing above the street. Despite ascending two hills, I don't remember that I made any effort on my bike at all.

No matter where it is I'm going to or coming from - the theater, dinner, a ballgame, the symphony, on a date, for drinks - going there on a bicycle raises the level of spontaneity and spirituality of the experience of transporting myself.



On this particular night I met my friends Liam and Adrienne for a drink. I've put this movie to the tune of Erlend Øye – Jürgen Pappe - So Weit Wie Noch Nie. Seems to fit. Here are the lyrics with their translation.

Ger: Wir hören ein Singen im Raum,
Eng: We hear singing in the room,

Ger: Wir jagen die Monotonie,
Eng: We chase the monotony,

Ger: Wir machen aus Stunden ein Jahr,
Eng: We make from hours a year,

Ger: Und Mondschein aus unserem Haar,
Eng: And moonlight from our hair,

Ger: Wir fliegen so weit wie noch nie.
Eng: We fly farther than ever before.

cb of hayward!

A submission from one of our regular readers from the East Bay! cb of Hayward, CA.

Two great looks!


She's pretty rad!


cb has offered to do a guest post on riding tandem with her husband. I am very much looking forward to her submission!

Please join our flickr photo pool and send us your stories too!

I Dream of the 90's!

Another young California couple retires in PDX! Love it!

new year|new bike

It's a new year, and frankly I ain't getting any younger, and my tailbone pain has only receded but not gone away completely. KT is tired of the pain in her ass, so I am in the market for some new wheels. I have been considering the Specialized Roulux, as it is touted as the most ergonomic bicycle on the market. I like that they specifically mention that the bike absorbs an uneven city landscape, not your butt. So I am planning on getting fit at Mike's Bikes and test-riding one very soon.

My goal is to find a bike that feels like the right bike for me. So I'm not going to make my decision based on what the design team says alone. It's important to test the waters before you totally jump in.

In the meantime, one of our loyal readers sent me this great article with a wealth of urban bike reviews.

I'm curious what our readers might have to say through the experience of riding their own bicycles in their own cities. I'm looking for comfort, ergonomics, smooth ride, and of course, style. SEND ME YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, s'il vous plaît!

Bike Wardrobe Remix: Party Like it's 2011

Kasmeneo

Yes i still commute by bike, even in this weather!
hat - C&A
scarf - christmas market last year
coat - H&M
skirt - La Redoute
knee socks - Tchibo
wool socks - really old, and I didn't know they could still look so nice
shoes - Birkenstock
unseen for warmth: black leggings and a black cotton skirt
**********

Julie!

My Mother-in-law gave me this coat. She bought it for a dollar in Louisiana, where she is from.
Charlotte Russe jeggings, adidas sneakers of love. I should not have worn them out in this BS.
I got these new fake glasses at Walmart for $3 when I was in Arkansas last week. The bandana around my neck is also a new Arkansas thrift piece.
I went for a big ride around Central Park then down through Times Square to survey the madness. It was mad!
www.TheJulieBlog.com
**********

Meligrosa

San Francisco's finest, we hope the Frenchie isn't jealous...
Still raining pretty hard.
The Castro, Dec.18
17th at Market
umbrella/ marimekko
scarf/ mi mom made
sweater/jcrew
top, tights/ i dunno
skirt/ tankus
boots/ malparina
**********

Dave (photo by Meli)

Orange Krate the official SF Giants bike
Black Dickies
Black Hoodie
Black Hat
Red Chucks
***********

Dcadriel

no wardrobe or bike details, but BWR loves you anyway
***********

Raven and Rowan

Andy in fine threads with a hunky piece of steel, Urago
**********

SF Humor FTW!

Le Rouge et Noir and I met up with a wall of famous Orange and Black men the other day in the Mission.


I am riding the wave of Giants World Series joy as long as it carries me!


And since SF is a savvy kind of town, with a snarky sense of humor, we can't allow ourselves to gloat too much. Even baseball gets scrutinized by the politically correct magnifying glass.

Indeed, these countries are part of the World as we know it, and yet in baseball, still, 29 American teams + 1 Canadian team = The World.

My BF Buster and I think that's pretty funny. (Actually I think I'm laughing at this unflattering portrait of him).


Or maybe we're laughing because the Huffinator looks like Sergio Romo...


And G-Mo looks like a Vampire.

Bike Party Spoke Cards

Thanks to Meli, we got spoke cards:

Print the (4)spokecard PDF download the Lettersize/8.5x11 file here:
www.scribd.com/doc/46479712/SFBPspokecard-1
Looks pretty on *bright* color paper.

¡fiesta a bicicleta!

It's the event that EVERYONE is talking about!

It's the inaugural SF Bike Party this Friday January 7. I CAN'T WAIT! Even better than ending in Hayes Valley is that it starts at the ballpark.

Kinda like Critical Mass, but a little more friendly and not as huge a rager. Still to draw a great crowd no doubt! With music accompaniment all the way!



I went to an East Bay Bike Party a few months ago - theme 80s night! This Friday our theme is "Birthday Party." Because it's SF, I expect to see at least one person in his/her birthday suit.

cycling with friends

Friends make you happy.


Fresh air and sunshine make you happy.


Body heat makes you happy.

Cycling makes you happy.

Bike Greetings from Indonesia

We found this seriously fun photo of some serious bike girls on Flickr, via Bandung Cycle Chic. We share with you as a most fabulous entry into 2011!