Charleston Cycle Chic » CCC

Cycle Chic Ride Route, MeetUp and Pecha Kucha location

Kristin B. Walker — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:48:07 +0000

Now that the Pecha Kucha location has been revealed (The Music Farm!) I can reveal our ride route and meetup location for our October 21st Ride to Pecha Kucha Night Charleston

Start: Marion Square @5:45PM

Meetup: Chai’s @ around 6:30PM

Pecha Kucha: 7:15 @ The Music Farm (we’ll be locking our bikes here before we go to Chai’s)

View Larger Map

Next ride – October 21st! Stay tuned….

Kristin B. Walker — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:19:12 +0000

Yes it’s been several months since we had a fun Cycle Chic ride. The only good excuse was the heat. Pavement-melting, sweltering, Lowcountry heat. But it’s officially fall ya’ll and while those of you in Maine wouldn’t consider 80 degrees cool – for us, it is delightful.

So stay tuned for details about the next ride. All I can tell you now is that it will be after work on October 21st! So get your beautiful bikes polished up and ready to ride.

Seen around town – Mom Cycle Chic

Kristin B. Walker — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:12:35 +0000

So who says as soon as you have a child, you can’t have any fun? This Cycle Chic woman proves it is not so and she looks great too. Check out her Vintage Raleigh bike complete with a toddler seat on the back. She rides her daughter to school and back every day, around town, to the grocery store, and just for fun. And yes, she has a car too and a kickin’ full time job. So if there are other Moms out there – explore the options for biking with baby and don’t forget the helmet. It’s a whole new world!

Charleston Cycle Chic Leisure Ride #2 Pics posted!

Kristin B. Walker — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:27:14 +0000

Here’s a conglomeration of several people’s great photos of the June 24th Cycle Chic Ride. (Click the Flickr Photostream link) Thanks to Karen, Dustin, Kristy, and Traci for being shutterbugs! 35 men and women showed up dressed to the nines and showin’ off their rides. Around the town and back again, off to Fuel we went to enjoy a refreshing post-ride beverage. If anyone out there has more pics -send them in!

Flickr Photostream

And some of my favs….

Sully rides again!

The lovely Amelia is always Cycle Chic

Pinstripes and Bowties vs. Spandex

Palmetto trees go well with bike shadows

Send in your pics ya’ll!

Kristin B. Walker — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:00:48 +0000

Getting around to this later than I would have liked but I am starting to gather all the great photos from Charleston Cycle Chic Ride #2. Thanks so much to everyone for showing up and supporting the biking lifestyle!! The best part about the ride was the meetup at Fuel afterward – it was so fun to talk to everyone in person. I feel like I met some greatness! Also, a shout out to the Holy City Bike Coop for being there in force. You guys are doing a wonderful thing.

So – if you have pictures, send me the photostream or feed or files what-have-you and I’ll round them up right here. chscyclechic@gmail.com. In the meantime, here’s a placeholder – perhaps the new official beverage of Charleston Cycle Chic.

Oh Fat Tire we love your bike!

Cheers!

Charleston Cycle Chic Ride – June 24th @ 6PM. Get your heels on!

Kristin B. Walker — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:42:35 +0000

Ladies (and you chic gents), how about another Charleston Cycle Chic Ride? We had so much fun with the last one and met some great people, I thought what the hey – we should have another! This time we’re doing it after work with a post-ride social hour included so we can laugh and chat and while a beautiful Charleston evening away. Direct your eyes below for all the lovely details:

When: Wednesday, June 24th @6PM

Where: Meet at Marion Square (the corner of King and Calhoun). We’ll ride down King St, left on Market, right on East Bay, around the Battery and up Ashley Avenue to end at Fuel Caribbean Cantina at the corner of Rutledge and Cannon. Yes, the fine people of Fuel have kindly offered to take care of our bikes (and provide service with a flair) in their beautiful outdoor courtyard!

Why: Because we love to ride pretty. Because we all know it’s the best way to see our beautiful town. Because we definitely like to support local business. Because we are hip to the new biking culture of Charleston. And most importantly, because we want to have some fun!

RSVP: on Facebook or leave a comment below.

Where do we go?

View Larger Map

More delightfulness for our baskets! Betty Basket Liners

Kristin B. Walker — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:25:22 +0000

A friend passed these on to me, and I found out, lucky us, that Mike’s Bikes right here in Charleston is a proud purveyor of them! (They are also the ones who carry the fab handlebar flowers which they donated to our ride) Not only are these liners beautiful and made with different colorful fabrics, but they also have built in pockets and a key ring, and then presto-chango, they turn into a handbag! I love accessories that make our lives easier….

Go to Mike’s Bikes on Coleman Blvd or Folly Rd, or check out the Betty Basket Liner website. Get your liner on!!

Another local Cycle Chic Inspiration…

Kristin B. Walker — Thu, 28 May 2009 14:58:09 +0000

In a market on Wentworth St, my eyes were drawn to this photo announcing the launch of the oh-so-fabulous readCharlie – an online mag celebrating progressive culture in Charleston. How can you not love her hat, her blue high heels and that great basket on the back of her bike? You can get yourself one (the basket, not the girl) at The Bicycle Shoppe on Meeting St. Tres chic!

So where did the term ‘Cycle Chic’ come from anyway?

Kristin B. Walker — Tue, 05 May 2009 16:09:04 +0000

Here’s what the gurus of Wikipedia say…

“Cycle chic or bicycle chic is the culture of cycling in fashionable clothes. It is now associated with the utility cycling practised in cities such as Amsterdam, Basel, Berlin,Berne, Copenhagen, among others, where citizens practice a high level of bicycle usage. In many European cities, as well as cities in China and Japan, cycling is an everyday transport choice and many cyclists choose to wear their regular clothes, as opposed to outfits generally associated with cycle sport, such as bicycle shorts, gloves and shoes.

Cycle chic is a growing trend in cities that are now investing in bicycle friendly infrastructure and facilities. With the growing popularity of community bicycle programs such as Velib in Paris and Bicing in Barcelona, citizens are discovering the ease with which they can ride around their city or town, including riding in their normal clothes instead of sports cycling gear. As fashionable celebrities such as Agyness Deyn are shown cycling in this way by the media, this induces others to follow their example.

The phrase “cycle chic” in relation to bicycle fashion was coined by the filmmaker and photographer Mikael Colville-Andersen inCopenhagen in 2006. Called “The Sartorialist on two wheels” by The Guardian newspaper, Colville-Andersen advocates normalising urban cycling and increasing the number of trips made by bicycle in urban centers.”

And by the way, Mikael has also started the Slow Bicycle Movement – taking back the bike culture with “Style over Speed”. Join the fun!

What kind of bike do I need to cycle chic?

Kristin B. Walker — Mon, 04 May 2009 14:13:40 +0000

It’s not about the bike.

It’s not about how much money you spend or what brand you buy. Any bike will do. Whether you have to have the latest Cynthia Rowley or just painted that vintage Schwinn you bought off Ebay in a color that makes you happy – it’s about how you carry yourself. You know…with that certain ‘je ne sais quoi” that makes a woman a WO-man.

Confidence. Pride. Grace.

Having said that – there are a few key parts of that bike that will make your life easier and increase the flexibility of your Cycle Chic wardrobe to almost anything.

1. Fenders – a must for when you go through puddles. Ever seen those racers with a dark line up their back? Not pretty. But fenders are.

2. Female-friendly frame – this means the cross bar is down low so you can swing your foot over with ease. Having to do some sort of kung-fu leg circle kick to get on your bike just doesn’t work in a skirt. Plus, it allows you to practice the still-in-motion quick and graceful dismount.

3. Cruiser/Town bike style – allows you to sit fairly upright and has semi-fat tires so you don’t feel all the road lumps and bumps as you ride to work.

4. Flat pedals – with these, you can wear any kind of shoe. Perfect for meeting your friends up for dinner and drinks.

5. A basket – how else are you going to carry your fresh bread and organic vegetables home from the Marion Square Farmer’s Market?

6. A rear rack – this goes over your back tire and fender. You never know when it will come in handy – and if you decide it’s time to buy some cute panniers, this is where they go.

7. A lock – you WILL fall in love with your bike, so save yourself some agony and tissues and get a good one to keep it safe.

So check out this Cycle Chic Chick (courtesy of the Copenhagen Cycle Chic blog). Could she be more fabulous?

What is your favorite bike? Send in some pics!