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Cycle Chic
Cycle chic or bicycle chic is the culture of cycling in fashionable clothes and accessories. Cycle Chic is associated with the utility cycling practiced in bicycle-friendly cities such as Amsterdam, Berne and Copenhagen. 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 [1].
Cycle chic is a growing trend in cities that are now investing in bicycle infrastructure and facilities. With the growing popularity of community bicycle programs such as Velib in Paris, 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 [2].
The phrase "cycle chic" in relation to bicycle fashion was coined by the filmmaker and photographer Mikael Colville-Andersen in Copenhagen in 2006. Called "The Sartorialist on two wheels" by The Guardian newspaper, Colville-Andersen advocates normalizing urban cycling and increasing the number of trips made by bicycle in urban centers [1][3].
The culture of fashionable urban cycling includes:
- Cycle Chic blogs
- Fashion shows including bikes
- Bicycle fashion group rides
- Bicycles used in retail/commercial development
- Bicycles used in entertainment industry
- Celebrity cyclists
ALSO ON THE LIVABLE STREETS NETWORK
- Streetsblog: Slow Ride, Take It Easy
- LivableStreets Community: Bicycles + Fashion
- Streetswiki: Urban Bicycling with Children
REFERENCES
Each source is referred to by the same number every time it is cited. Please keep citation style consistent.
[1] Carlton Reid (June 26 2008), Two wheels, The Guardian
[2] Alice-Azania Jarvis, In The Red: I finally like bicycles... Maybe I'm just a wicker-basket case, The Independent
[3] Rebecca Nicholson (September 04 2008), Cycling is officially chic, The Guardian
PICTURE REFERENCES
Pictures are cited in the order they appear above. Please keep citation style consistent.
[1] Santa Barbara Cycle Chic. Flickr user Bike by the Sea.
