Turns out that Leah McLaren of the Globe and Mail is a lifelong cyclist. She wrote in today's Globe how cycling is starting to become accepted as normal. People are more willing to ride with nice clothing rather than treat it as recreation. Urban Toronto is slowly catching up. But there's a drawback: the innovators feel like they're no longer unique:
These upright European style bikes are as ubiquitous as cupcakes these days. So much so that my Toronto-based friend Lenni recently lamented that she feels less original by the day. "I've been riding my vintage bike in high heels for years," she complained. "Then all these 22-year-old hipsters come along and act like they invented the idea. It's not fair!"
Things are looking up for looking good on a bike.
Comments
Dan (not verified)
I told a Dutch expat last
Tue, 05/05/2009 - 09:19I told a Dutch expat last year that it wouldn't be impossible to picture Toronto looking like Amsterdam vis-a-vis the use of bikes as the fundamental form of commuting vehicles in a few years. He laughed at me. He might still laugh, but stuff like this makes it seem ever so incrementally more likely.
Style Counsel (not verified)
"Look"
Tue, 05/05/2009 - 10:14I think he laughed at your word "look".
Toronto might look like Amsterdam one day cycling wise. But Toronto Cyclists develop a "look" anywhere close to Amsterdamers? Never! Too dressed-down, too up-tight and too helmet-headed (read "law abiding").
Let your hair down Toronto, try a nice scarf and stylish toque sometime, it won't kill ya!
dash (not verified)
actually it might kill ya.
Tue, 05/05/2009 - 13:15actually it might kill ya. I'm not a helmet wearer either, but I'm quite aware of the fact that it might kill me one day. Particularly in Toronto.
Just putting it out there.
chephy (not verified)
It's not the law.
Tue, 05/05/2009 - 22:49There is no law in this part of the world that prohibits unhelmeted cycling by those over 18.
vic
I'm looking forward to seeing
Wed, 05/06/2009 - 08:51I'm looking forward to seeing someone riding along with me on my 20km commute, riding a Dutch bike up and down the hills in high heels and a nice scarf.
When I get to work an hour later, the stylishly dressed person will look like a frumpled sweaty mess, half-way from work, while I'm already changed and cleaned up at my desk.
PedalPowerPat
Pick your battles.
Tue, 05/05/2009 - 12:47""Then all these 22-year-old hipsters come along and act like they invented the idea. It's not fair!""
Would you rather they were 22-year-old hipsters in a honda civic?
Its also a little ego-tistical to think you invented riding a bicycle with nice clothing on.
Bicycles have been around for literally hundreds of years, im pretty sure in all that time someone has ridden a bicycle in "trendy" clothing.
Great to see cycling is more accepted, sad to see ego's flaring.
Random cyclist (not verified)
This article made even my 60
Tue, 05/05/2009 - 16:44This article made even my 60 year-old mum in small town Ontario want a dutch bike
things are on the up and up.
PedalPowerPat
Really?
Tue, 05/05/2009 - 18:55"But Toronto Cyclists develop a "look" anywhere close to Amsterdamers? Never! Too dressed-down, too up-tight and too helmet-headed (read "law abiding")."
-Style Counsel (un-verified)
Sigh at the aesthetic thumpers, because someone is wearing a helmet, non-trendy clothing and stops at lights they are up-tight? Maybe they are simply new to cycling or have had a bad accident in the past and want to play it safe in the future.
Putting people down on how they look is just wrong and making generalisations based on how they look is depressing and makes the cycling community look pretentious.
Let people dress and wear the amount of protection they feel safe with, arguing that people are uptight because they follow rules and wear helmets with "non-trendy" clothing is moronic.
"Let your hair down Toronto, try a nice scarf and stylish toque sometime, it won't kill ya!"
-Style Counsel (un-verified)
Uh, I dont need to respond to this quote. Its moronic irony at its finest.
Seymore Bikes
Dutch Treat
Tue, 05/05/2009 - 23:23Anybody that wants a 50 pound Dutch Bike that is built to specifications created 100 years ago, has my blessing; you'll need it when you're going up the hill on Avenue Road - I'll be the one passing you on my Fuji.
A.R. (not verified)
Agree
Wed, 05/06/2009 - 12:54Exactly. I youthfully aspired to own one of those Dutch bicycles as well. Then it hit me how it would reduce the quality of my cycling.
PedalPowerPat
"50 pound Dutch
Wed, 05/06/2009 - 01:57"50 pound Dutch Bike..."
"...when you're going up the hill on Avenue Road"
Well said. I have a 15 pound miele and that serves me well.
I guess also not having a scarf flapping in the wind and caring every second how I look on a bicycle helps me drop (pass) the 'trendy turds' on Queen.
The obsession to how we look bothers me. It fuels our wasteful consumerist culture that has pretty much gotten us (earth) stuck in a downward spiral.
Ya I'm a finger wagger (guilty!), but I just cant tolerate ignorant consumers acting like they are in the right.
Consumerist values and cycling are like oil and water.
dash (not verified)
guys guys guys! chill! The
Wed, 05/06/2009 - 14:38guys guys guys! chill! The key here is to encourage multiple bike ownership! I've got a light racer for easy commuting, an old super cycle cruiser for grocery shopping (lots of baskets attached), and I definitely aspire to own a fancy cruiser (like a dutch bike perhaps) for dressing up and going out or long slow rides on the lakeshore.
Style Counsel (not verified)
we're flesh obsessed
Wed, 05/06/2009 - 17:15Yeah, you're all obsessed with looks!
No wait a second... I would look great in a dark red pashmina, on a gold miele ...
Nevermind.
Lookin' good folks, keep it up.
Kevin Love
Dutch Bikes
Wed, 05/06/2009 - 11:07Dutch bikes are patterned on British roadsters like my Pashley Roadster Sovereign. The Pashley's fundamental design has not changed since 1926, although there are a few modern tweaks like hub dynamo lighting and five speed internal hub gears.
See the photos and description at:
http://www.pashley.co.uk/products/roadster-sovereign.html
This design tends to be used throughout the world wherever there is high bicycle use. Even in quite mountainous countries like Switzerland and Japan. Ordinary people who are not cycle enthusiasts, but are just going to work, need things like fenders and chainguards to keep their clothes clean. They also need a robust, durable design and things like internal gearing and brake systems to ensure low maintenance. And a fully upright frame so they are comfortable and can see the road ahead.
It does add a bit of weight, but, quite frankly, the typical person in North America should lose far more weight off their body than they should put on their bike. The goal is not to race to work and get into a muck sweat, but put out about the same effort as a brisk walk.
The city bike is a good example of convergent evolution of design. The same fundamental design is used in Northern Europe, Japan and Communist China, whose production run of "Flying Pigeons" is the world's largest at 75 million bikes. There is a reason why such profoundly different cultures wound up with the same fundamental design. It is practical and it works.
PedalPowerPat
Point Being?
Wed, 05/06/2009 - 11:36"Ordinary people who are not cycle enthusiasts, but are just going to work, need things like fenders and chainguards to keep their clothes clean."
Stuff your pantleg in a sock and slap on a crappy fender, they are easily attainable.
Why do we need this heavy and expensive bike again?
"They also need a robust, durable design and things like internal gearing and brake systems to ensure low maintenance."
Besides using nice adjectives how is your dutch frame sturdier than todays modern bikes or even vintage cruisers?
About the internal parts... I guess if they don't want to worry about their bike and let someone else take care of it, but internal parts are alot harder to manipulate / repair than external parts (especially for the novice riders you speak of)
Im all for simplicity but shouldn't the cyclist also (hopefully) be independant and understand how to fix their bike?
"The goal is not to race to work and get into a muck sweat, but put out about the same effort as a brisk walk."
...And thats easier when your bike weighs 50 pounds.
oooookaaaaaaay...
Ride whatever you want I say, just don't think its the "best way to go".
Everything you said can be applied to a lighter and modern version of the bicycle.
Edit: Not to mention your bike has a pricetag of 882$ Can.
SHEESH.
A.R. (not verified)
Not a "either or" (enten eller)
Wed, 05/06/2009 - 13:01Ideally, though I'd like to own both a light and strong modern bike and a vintage Dutch bicycle, for different occasions. It shouldn't be a battle for supremacy. The fact that some are practical while others choose to ride stylishly should strengthen the culture by increasing its appeal. And at the end of the day, more cyclists on the road will only be positive.
Kevin Love
People don't do this
Wed, 05/06/2009 - 17:17PedalPowerPat wrote:
"Im all for simplicity but shouldn't the cyclist also (hopefully) be independant and understand how to fix their bike?"
Kevin's comment:
This reminds me of my father ranting on about "phoney poseur" car drivers who didn't even change their own oil. Or check their tire pressure with every fill-up as recommended by GM's Owner's Manuals.
In places with high bike mode share like Bejing or Copenhagen, people typically don't even fix their own flats. And why should they get dirty mucking about with their bike?
To see what happens in bike cultures, look at the testimony of Marc in Amsterdam at:
http://amsterdamize.com/2009/04/23/flats-400-years-bilbao/
or Mikael in Copenhagen at:
http://www.copenhagenize.com/2008/04/when-your-bikes-in-shop.html
or the Chinese "Bike Doctors" at:
http://www.flyingpigeonproject.org/2009/04/the-bike-doctor-is-in.html
It is OK to be a cycling enthusiast and know how to fix your own bike. But when Toronto gets proper bike culture and bike mode share then we will be like Bejing or Tokyo or Copenhagen - where people typically don't fix their own bikes. This means that they buy bikes that don't need fixing to begin with. Which is why bikes in Bejing look a lot like bikes in Amsterdam.
The Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires on my Pashley have never, ever got a flat. They came standard with the bike. Worth every penny I spent for it. Who needs the hassle?
PedalPowerPat
We arent there yet.
Wed, 05/06/2009 - 21:01When we are there (a bike culture) I will agree with you but we are still very far away.
Not to be a stick in the mud you are exactly right about getting some anti-puncture tires. I have gone through about 8 punctures in two months and just this morning upon departing I realised I had yet another flat.
At that moment I realised all my online ranting has caught up with me, the interweb karma gods struck me down!
Time for some overdue self censorship!
(waits for ibiketo to start partying :D)
[my point still stands about obsessing over self-image, check out no-logo if you have any doubts]
Seymore Bikes
Flat No More
Wed, 05/06/2009 - 23:33Mr."Tuffy" Tire Liners available at MEC
http://search.mec.ca/?N=10&Ntt=tuffy&bmUID=1241667048519
PedalPowerPat
Thanks but...
Thu, 05/07/2009 - 00:09Im way poor at the moment.
Maybe when I land a job.
Cheers.