Results tagged “Bike Snob NYC”

There's every indication that 2009 could be a boom year for the stylish cyclist. And, praise be, it's not going to be just lycra for weekend wannabes.

Last year we saw Topshop encouraging women to cycle in style something which has extended into the menswear side of things with Topman shoppers wanting the bikes in the windows.

Marcus Ross started the excellent project London Bike Style which shows just how much more there is to riding a bike well than the pricetag on your gear and the speed you go.Incidentally, he's looking for a male model to wear some Timothy Everest clobber for a shoot.

Interesting to note that Timothy Everest is doing something bike-specific as he's a designer with a good eye for making good clothing affordable, most notably in his work for Marks & Spencer's Autograph range. I don't think he's going to be the last tailor to make a move into this area. Richard James has already developed a relationship with Condor for a very exclusive singlespeed.

Even Chanel do a bike these days, so it's no surprise that Celine are doing a collection called "Bicyclette", described as "couture sportswear" and very much in the Parisian cycling tradition of modern, relaxed and fun.

they've illustrated the press release with some lovely sketches by Garance Doré which are really quite sexy and cool.

The item in the range that I most like was the shoes which had a certain old-fashioned charm about them.

Speaking of cycling and style, I wholeheartedly agree with Bikesnob NYC's views in his interview with Belgium Knee Warmers:

"Helmets have pretty much killed style in road cycling anyway. Not that I have anything against helmets, mind you, but let's be honest. Cycling looked better before helmets."

From a purely aesthetic point of view, he's absolutely on the money.

In case you were wondering why I haven't mentioned my own cycling activity thus far, it's because there hasn't been much. I'm coming down with a cold again after taking a break to enjoy the Canadian Rockies over Christmas and New Year. I'll get started again once I'm better, hopefully this weekend.

Another genius line from the ever-consistent wit of Bikesnob NYC:

"I hadn't ridden much since the pre-Dunston days, when I was a hairy fixture on the So-Cal crit circuit. (Show me a banana prime and I'll show you a sprint that makes Ale-jet look like a lemur on a tricycle.)" - Fixedgeargallery... of Special Reviewers

He may be in New York, and thus based in the "the colonies", but by jingo the chap can write. If you don't already read it, you almost certainly are missing out.

Meawhile I skived going for a ride other than to the shops on my day off today. I will make it up with a ride tomorrow morning. Richmond Park beckons for a blast in the winter air on the Dolan, subject to sunny conditions and me getting up in time.

Lydden Hill. Well there's definitely a hill there, that much I can be sure of. And it hurts like hell. Race two of my season was tough but not as much of a shock to the system as last week's.

Got a lift there with Jason and a lift back with Rusty to a venue that is practical coastal. So much for it being a London league!

I'm hoping their form will rub off on me: they both finished in the top 12 while I limped in about four places from the back in 50-something. I would have finished a bit higher hopefully but for going backwards up the hill on the first lap and then getting knocked off by someone falling into me.

I tell a lie, I think I was already as far back as I could be when I got shunted. I came off fairly safely and managed not to do any damage to the bike. Other bloke came off a bit worse, luckily on a relatively soft bit.

I have, however, got a whacking great bruise on the back of my right calf and a stiff left shoulder. I guess these are just the traditional hazards of 'cross.

My favourite cycling blogger, Bike Snob NYC, has been offering his 'cross advice, all of which seems to fit with my way of thinking:

'Cross My Heart and Hope to Die: A BSNYC Cyclocross Primer

So time to nurse my wounds and prepare for next week's battle. I'm already feeling much better about it and a bit fitter. Now I just need to conquer my fear of coming off and attack the course a bit more.