VV Profile: Mikaela Rioux

Name: Mikaela Rioux

Occupation: Office Manager/Bike Partier Extraordinaire

Raison d'etre: I live to bike party!

Hometown: Falmouth, Maine

Current city/Neighborhood: Inner Richmond, SF

Favorite city to ride a bike in in the world: San Francisco! (Black Rock City is a close second)

Describe your personal style: Hipster fashionista on a budget! I love thrift store shopping and I've found amazing pieces at Goodwill. I almost never spend more than 15 bucks on any article of clothing. I buy everything with my bike in mind, so that definitely affects my style (I have 5 pairs of black leggings!), but I do love a good pair of platform heels from time to time, practicality be damned!



Tell me about the pink & black thing: It really started with just my bike. When I bought her she was maroon, gold and silver, and that just wasn't going to fly! I wanted something hot and girly, but with an edge, and I thought black and pink was a great color combination. Now it's sort of become a lifestyle. I am both a femme and a feminist and wearing pink has become a symbol of that for me. Still, it's a process. I aspire to be as punk rock as my bike.

Helmet or no helmet: I am a big fan of helmets, and not a big fan of head injuries, but I am also a big fan of hair styles (I'm currently perfecting the suicide roll). It's a constant dilemma.

Favorite accessory when riding: Right now I'm really stoked on my sigma micro bike lights in pink! I curate the shit out of this bike, trust.

Type of bike: Trek Alpha Series 2200, 47cm (yep, I am that short!) powder coated black.



Describe what you like best about your bike: She's the hottest girl I've ever had and she looks great right between my legs!

Favorite time and/or place to ride: I love riding through the city after midnight. It's enchanting.

Tell us a funny story that happened to you on your bike: Men try to hop on my rear rack and go for a ride, while asking if they can "Holler at me." It's really only funny because it happens all the time. If they only knew how far up the wrong tree they were barking!

What is the Yellow Bike Project and what is your involvement in it? Inspired by the Austin Yellow Bike Project, the San Francisco Yellow Bike Project is a volunteer powered community bike shop that transforms donated bicycles, parts, and other cycling resources into functional bikes for the SF Bay Area. You can check them out here: http://www.sfyellowbike.org/. The founders are 3 of my closest friends, and I try to help them out by volunteering and spreading the good word whenever I can. When my bike was stripped of most of her moving parts last year (damn you, bike thieves!), they rallied behind me in ways that blew my mind. Mary Kay lent me a bike from her fleet and let me ride it for 3 months. Nathan helped me rebuild free of charge and got me rolling again, and Adam was always there for a dance or a laugh when I felt like crying. I am forever in their debt.





Vélo Vogue tip of the day: Just keep pedaling.