Just had to share this article by NYT's Ruth La Ferla. It's a terrific look at the style behind the new trend towards a greener commute:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/fashion/30BICYCLE.html
I've recently begun bike-commuting from home to the train on my trusty vintage Schwinn Cruiser, Bella. She started out life as a Burning Man bike, and I've retained the poppies on her basket and her tulle streamers into this iteration as a low-energy alternative to my old, expensive car habit. While people do tend to double-take at the spectacle of a woman wearing a little black dress and heels zipping down the streets with no helmet on (I know, I know), I get the sense that this sort of thing is mainstreaming more quickly than we might have expected. The presence of the brand-new, city subsidized, bicycle valet parking lot in downtown Berkeley supports this theory--no longer are bicyclists expected to leave their precious vehicles locked to a signpost out in the elements for just anyone to fiddle with. The Berkeley Bike Station is clean and well-lit, and offers full service parking, safety checks, and repairs with a modern European flair. It would not seem out of place in any progressive city that welcomes bike commuters as a regular part of a thriving society. I urge any of you who are local to the area to swing by and try it out. And just a word of wisdom for those jumping on board with this movement: seek out a bike with standard pedals...those toe-clips are not meant for heels!
Berkeley Bike Station:
http://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2010/news20100712a.aspx
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/fashion/30BICYCLE.html
I've recently begun bike-commuting from home to the train on my trusty vintage Schwinn Cruiser, Bella. She started out life as a Burning Man bike, and I've retained the poppies on her basket and her tulle streamers into this iteration as a low-energy alternative to my old, expensive car habit. While people do tend to double-take at the spectacle of a woman wearing a little black dress and heels zipping down the streets with no helmet on (I know, I know), I get the sense that this sort of thing is mainstreaming more quickly than we might have expected. The presence of the brand-new, city subsidized, bicycle valet parking lot in downtown Berkeley supports this theory--no longer are bicyclists expected to leave their precious vehicles locked to a signpost out in the elements for just anyone to fiddle with. The Berkeley Bike Station is clean and well-lit, and offers full service parking, safety checks, and repairs with a modern European flair. It would not seem out of place in any progressive city that welcomes bike commuters as a regular part of a thriving society. I urge any of you who are local to the area to swing by and try it out. And just a word of wisdom for those jumping on board with this movement: seek out a bike with standard pedals...those toe-clips are not meant for heels!
Berkeley Bike Station:
http://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2010/news20100712a.aspx
No comments:
Post a Comment