September 10, 2008

Style over speed

Click on the picture for something like a mission statement from Copenhagen Cycle Chic

I'm big on riding my bicycle. Tainan is not a big city, and it's easy to get around pedaling so long as you don't need to be somewhere far, soon and not sweating. If you can move at a leisurely pace then every thing is good on a bike, and I'm all about leisurely paces.

Bicycle sales have increased a lot in Taiwan this year, and this is clear in the number of people riding them in the evening and at weekends. A new breed has emerged, generally moving in packs. Riding high-end, Giant cycles and clad in lycra, with face masks and helmets. They can't step off and do anything without attracting attention. This doesn't seem very easy or practical.

My unease about this was just a vague distaste at cycling being set up a hobby or sport rather than a means of transport, and one that demanded a lot of expensive equipment to become part of the club and one of the kool kids. So it was nice to come across Copenhagen Cycle Chic, which takes as it's tag line normal people in normal clothes on normal bikes. Many good pictures of people riding bicycles downtown, and I hope the practice becomes a lot more popular. Cheap, healthy, quiet and clean.

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