Gray with colors

Winter in Vienna generally means gray. A lot of gray sky. It's cloudy and foggy. If at least it would snow! But it very rarely does. What to do?

I survive this time of the year by wearing some colorful clothes. An additional benefit of this brightening up is that it also increases visibility. Today I set off with Paula for a short gift shopping trip. Since it's cold one has to wear proper protection anyhow. My choice of the day was a blue and red woolen combination. Feels much warmer already, doesn't it? What are you favorite winter cycling clothes?

Ready ...

... and go!

Cycling in a heat wave -- it's not about shorts, it's about ventilation!

Heat waves in Austria are not something pleasant. The houses are built for cold temperatures, not warm. Currently I experience:

• outside: 37°C (= 99 F) in a city full of concrete, few trees
• asphalt: 50°C (= 122 F) according to some measurements by Asfinag
• office: certainly > 30°C (= 86 F), estimated 32°C (= 90 F) during the day in a metal-glass-house with no air conditioning whatsoever
• home: 28°C (= 82 F) and no air conditioning, almost no cooling at night

Anybody out there with more?

Cyclist in Jaipur, India -- around 43°C (= 109 F)

Bikes in commercial use

One rainy day a couple of weeks back I decided to overcome my shyness and went to the city center pretending to be a tourist. With my tiny pink Asian camera, I took photos of interesting bikes. Here's a few pics taken that day that are concerning commercial use of bikes.

You have to get an official permission for
outdoor advertising, and pay quite a lot of
money. Some creative small entrepreneurs
have figured out that it is allowed to lock
bikes almost everywhere...

FEEL FREE! -- Advertising cycling and why I still don't like E-bikes

Lately I have seen some billboards with bicycle ads. In fact, the don't advertise bicycles in the sense of bicycle brands, but cycling as such. There is, for example, the Citybike Wien ad which obviously aims at young people:

This picture is from an article by the Greens in Simmering.

In contrast, there is the Wien Energie ad about E-bikes:

More about the E-bike test on the Wien Energie website

Traffic in India

Beep! Beep! Apart from left-hand traffic this is the first thing one notices after coming to India. It’s the cars, autorickshaws and motorbikes blowing their horns on the crowded roads. Unlike Europe, however, this noise level does not indicate stress or anger. People honk for various reasons -- before and while overtaking, to indicate a turn, before stopping or changing lanes.

Cooking and cycling

A few days back I received a lovely gift from Anna, our co-blogger from Catalonia (if you're curious about that place, visit her blog about Catalan language and culture). She's been to Florence, Italy, a while back and bought some bike-related clothes for me -- a T-shirt with the imprint "Free Bicycle Love" and an apron.

The apron has a drawing of the bicycle by Leonardo da Vinci on it. As far as I know it's not sure whether this is a hoax or true. As a matter of fact the first bicycles have only been used almost 400 years later. See my earlier blog post "The bicycle is a great invention!" for some more details. There is certainly some mystery to the invention of the bicycle.

Leonardo's bicycle ...	... and my new apron

If you're interested in the subject (and Leonardo da Vinci's bike) you may want to start your investigations by reading about "The Leonardo da Vinci Bicycle Hoax" (text of a paper presented at the 8th International Conference on Cycling History, Glasgow School of Art, August 1997, by Prof. Dr. Hans-Erhard Lessing).

Anyhow, I'm very thankful for the apron (I'm a rather messy cook) and amused by the mystery that surrounds this drawing.

Having said that I should finally also mention "The Hungry Cyclist" who is pedaling the world for a perfect meal. If you don't know what to cook yet, you might find some inspiration there. I'll probably try some of Anna's potato recipes this weekend. Have a lot of fun cycling and cooking too!

Lingerie on bikes

Earlier we already discussed whether there is something called "bike fashion". Well, there is, in some ways. But these days also the "usual fashion" is proudly presented on bikes -- even underwear! Here's a picture of the lingerie collection "Sonia Rykiel pour H&M" presented on beautiful old-style bikes in Paris:

These boots are made for cyclin'

Last week I received a packet from the US. It contained shoes -- a pair of Chrome Arnhem Black Suede, to be precise. Everybody wears shoes, so what's so special about them, you might wonder. Well, these shoes are made for cycling and that's why I got a pair to review them.

Chrome Arnhem Black Suede

Cycling shoes? But not clip-less? What the heck is that supposed to be? What's wrong with my usual shoes? That was basically my first confusion, but it also got me interested. I already own a Chrome messenger bag, and since I'm quite happy with that, I wanted to give their shoes a chance too. Chrome produced a series of shoes with the following intentions:

"We wanted tough shoes we could wear every day – not just on our bikes. Here they are: shoes built to work well in all kinds of situations, with quality materials, solid construction, and simple style."

So let's see what I found out and whether all of that proves true...

Looks
Yeah, the shoes simply look awesome. They are made of lovely black suede combined with a fine red line and a red sole. Very stylish and elegant at the same time. I like the design.
To be fair, they are not super-elegant and to be worn with a ball gown, but especially the Arnhem can definitely compete with other mid-height footwear.

Comfort
At first the shoes felt a bit stiff, but they good soft pretty soon. I wore them now for one week and they are super comfy and fit perfectly. The Arnhem go up to the ankles which makes them a good companion for this ugly gray, cold and rainy weather we have in Vienna at this time of the year. Despite of that, although I wore them all day long, I never sweat in them. Thus they are quite breathable too.

Durability and Quality
Well, I can't tell much about that as I only have them since one week. However, the high quality of their bags seems to carry of over to their shoes. They are neat workmanship with great affection to details (just look at the sewed in dragon).

Weather resistance
As already mentioned, I think the shoes are very good for this kind of rainy weather we have these days. I don't think they are completely waterproof, but certainly very water-repellent (I did actually test them in rain :)), something that I cannot claim from all my usual shoes. Some of the latter got soaked a few times during cycling and I tinkered with the idea of buying waterproof mid-height shoes, but such pairs just never met my fashion standards. So I think that the Chrome shoes can be a good fashionable alternative in light/normal rain.
Regarding temperature I think they are good for fall, spring and mild winters. Yesterday has been a rather cold day and I got the impression that I can not cycle in the Arnhem throughout the winter. Well, some thicker socks might do the trick :).

Usability for cycling
The Chrome shoes do in fact have some features that one could consider bike related. Besides weather resistance, their shoes also have a skid-resistant rubber sole, a low profile design to fit in toe cages and most remarkably reflective safety hits at the heels.
Whether one needs all of the above (and more) probably also depends on how well-equipped the bike is. For example, I already have reflectors on my pedals and don't really want my shoes to reflect. But then it's not disturbing either. Chrome obviously put in some effort to create shoes that are comfy and safe in any condition.

Miscellaneous
I experimented with the shoes in different ways, and also tried to combine them with different clothes. I think the Arnhem, my cord skirt and especially my black&red leg warmers matched up nicely :).
Sometimes the shoes make a funny sound when I walk. It's not really disturbing or loud, but my office mates occasionally notice my shamble along the corridor prior my arrival. Haven't yet figured out why they do that, and why only sometimes (maybe it's just my funny way of walking).

Finally, I hope that was of some help in case you're looking for some shoes like that. I will continue to enjoy the Chrome Arnhem as well as all my other usual shoes -- namely during cycling :).

More details about all their designs (Arnhem, Midway, Saipan, Kursk): Chrome shoes

Leg warmers are ladies' best friends in the winter

You like to ride in skirts and dresses? Ever wondered how to survive a cold winter's day with just (thin) tights? Well, let me tell you that suffering is not necessary. There is a simple and elegant solutions called leg warmers.

Leg warmers will obviously warm your legs. But they don't just keep you warm, they are also fashionable. They come in different lengths, colors and fabrics. Currently I own three woolen pairs, one of which is over knees. That is particularly useful if I want to wear rather thin tights underneath, or short skirts.

The good thing about all of them: once you get inside they are easy to take off or can simply be pushed down to the ankles. Besides you can wear them with all kinds of clothes (may it be skirts, dresses or trousers) and footwear (even boots).

And you can easily knit them yourself! It's almost as easy as kniting a scarf :). Find a few how-tos here: How to knit leg warmers, How to knit your own leg warmers, Knitting Pattern Central etc.

Ready for the winter now?

Hey, we are missing an indian summer here

Let's talk about winter. I like winter. I love the snow. And the feeling of coming in from the cold to a warm cup of black tea with milk. But ...

View from my window

... it's only October! And it's unusual for Vienna to have snow in the middle of October. Imagine, we still had 28°C (about 82 F) last week in Vienna. Well, now it's less. Far less. We had snow on Wednesday for the first time. Apparently, according to the news (in German), this is the first October with so much snow in Austria in 25 years. Cool, eh?

Oh, I enjoyed it so much. I like to get all wrapped up in my velvet jacket, my warm gloves, my cosy scarf and my colorful cap. And then the snow. Snow just looks lovely. And cycling in the snow is much better than cycling in the rain. One arrives a lot drier. And happier :-).

Ready to hit the road (me in winter clothes)	My "I don't like to be stuck in a traffic jam generated by lazy I-use-my-car-cause-I-don't-want-to-get-a-cool-butt-people when it's f***ing freezing"-face	Yeah, snow is nice (me dreaming of winter already :-))

Well, the snow unfortunately didn't stay and they claim that it will be a lot warmer again next week. Generally fall in Vienna means the following: fog – fog – rain – fog – rain – fog – wind – fog – rain – rain – wind – fog. That's a good weather to get into a slow and lazy mood. For proper snow we probably have to wait a few more weeks ...

Still, it's time to dig out your winter clothes and strong bike lights, and to peacefully cycle into a winter full of snow (as always I hope that there will be a lot of snow, I hope you agree). For some general tips about winter cycling see my posts from last time:

1. the bicycle
2. the cyclist
3. cycling

re: bike fashion in fall

In Budapest, just before our ways parted after the mobility workshop, me, Anna and Ida went to do some shopping at a bike fashion store Musu. The store was tiny, but there were not many identical products on the racks and they would customize their products in your taste so the choice was plentiful. We were impressed by the collection, which was inspired by and designed for cycling, and everyone ended up leaving with something bought from the store. Here's what I bought:


Some bling, of course! And...


... a poncho for the chilly fall. It is made of thick and heavy cloth so it keeps the wind off your skin. Love the print! The skirt (below) is also a Musu product. The gray part which rises almost to the empire line is part of the skirt. There is a pocket on the right side made of the gray cloth. It is a good skirt for cycling because the hem is just high enough not to get stuck anywhere and low enough not to show too much. Also the gray kidney warmer-part is very comfortable. A big bonus is that you can combine it with other garments to wear it anywhere (tested while shopping, in school, bar, and a fancy arts exhibition opening party).


Here's what I wear in the fall (OK, the jacket wasn't the right color). You can see that it is quite a lot of clothes, layering is essential, but just wait for the winter...

Do you have special cycling clothes? What do you think about Musu style and mine? (Yep, I'm combining toque, helmet and high heels, but all of them are must!)

Is there something called 'bike fashion'?

A difficult topic. Of course, some people would say, we even own 'cycling clothes'. However, when I say 'bike fashion' I certainly don't mean that:

Weekend warriors on their bikes (and a bad example of a two-way bike path in Vienna)

So what kind of 'bike fashion' am I talking of then? Let's say there are two different types, not necessarily disjunct:

1. Comfy clothes one can easily cycle in:

That includes of course almost all types of clothes. You name it: trousers, skirts, dresses, suits etc. Just open your closet!

Bike fashion

However, there might be some designer clothes or shoes that are neither constructed for walking, sitting nor cycling, but only for gracefully standing around. Like this:

In case the dress is stackable, cycling is still an option :)

2. Clothes with bike-related imprints:

Although I have seen a lot of such clothes I don't own any myself. But I can provide you with a picture from the lovely musu shop in Budapest:

Simply adorable

No matter what, most of use are aware of the fact that cycling is fashionable anyhow. And that it is particularly fashionable if one rides a lovely bicycle. Indeed, riding pretty is easy. Especially girls and bicycles go together quite well. If you're not convinced consult Vélo Vogue for some fashion advice. So come on, let's go for a ride!

Keep it up, fellow cycling friends. We will too :). If you're keen on spying you can see what we wear in blog posts marked with the clothes label.

Time for tights

After a long-lasting wonderful summer ...

... I'm now ready for a colorful fall.


Let's cycle into the golden sunset together!

Men cycling in work clothes

Well, cycling to work in work clothes is the obvious thing to do, isn't it? Not many people in Austria would bother to change clothes or demand a shower at the work place. Well, there might be the occasional guy who decides to change his T-shirt or leaves his jacket at work in the summer. But after all we're just cycling to work and not speeding in a race. No need for a complete transformation or to show off.

Note that the gardener in the upper left picture rides a company bicycle (company being the City of Vienna). This is really untypical and the first time I have seen something like that, so I tried to find out more about it -- and voilà, I found an old article (from May 1999) that mentions such efforts by the city council to try to make their employees set their cars aside. Ten years later, however, I would like to know if they are still at it and if it has made an impact on peoples' choice of transport.

Rasta riders or what to do with hair

To meet the title I guess I have to post some pictures of rasta cyclists in Vienna ...

How do you like to style your hair when cycling? Any experience with messy hair and how to deal with it?

I currently have shoulder-length hair and mostly just leave it like it is -- simply wild and untamed :-). I like to feel the air flowing through my hair when I'm riding my bike. Only when it's really windy I pin it up or use a hair-band. When I had longer hair I used to tie it back into a ponytail as it's easy and it doesn't get messy this way.

Stylish cycling in the heat

Well, probably some people will disagree that temperatures around 33°C are hot (that's 92 F), but I already don't like that kind of a temperature. Still, I can deal with it...

Generally I wear a lot of wide, loose, thin and light-colored cotton clothes. Cycling in them is no problem as the air flow then constantly cools. Even in that suffocating heat we currently have in Vienna. Well, you may want to carry a spare shirt to change with you if you sweat a lot. Choose good sunglasses. And don't ever forget to ride in style :-).

By the way, it's better not to carry a backpack (to avoid sweating on the back) but to put everything necessary in a basket or on the carrier.

What's the summer like in your place and how do you deal with it? Has anybody got good solutions for handling high humidity?

Summer cyclists in Vienna

Cycling and walking in pouring rain -- the differences

Since more than one week it rains more or less constantly in Austria. There is a lot of flooding in many parts of the country going on. Fortunately Vienna has a good flood protection -- the Danube island, which is also a great recreational area and hosts the Danube Island Free Festival each year. This year it was, well, wet. And it is still raining and will be for a few more days.

Remember, when I wrote about the cycling poncho that I once got from the city of Vienna? Last week during cycling it was pouring with rain, and the poncho was not sufficient. The problem was that it is only a very short poncho and didn't cover my legs. I should really buy a proper cycling poncho that extends over the handle bars and also protects my legs. By the way, I do have fenders on my bike, but that should be self-evident.

Out in the rain. Boring picture but lovely weather.

My jeans got completely soaked (expect a little strip on the back). Luckily I was on my ride home and it didn't matter. Otherwise I probably would simply have waited for the heavy rain to stop. But I don't do it if I don't have to as I love to practice my rain cycling skills :-). I'm not a person who would avoid so-called "unpleasant" weather unless it's perilous.

So what about the title of this post? Yes, I got also caught by the rain when walking from a Citybike station to home on Saturday night. Luckily my backpack has a rain shield. Apart from a jacket I didn't wear anything waterproof though and my trousers got soaked again. I noticed a slight difference to the previously mentioned rain cycling experience -- my trousers got more wet on the back.

Cycling vs. walking in rain

Conclusion: Even if you don't have proper rain gear you will stay drier when you cycle, because you're exposed to the rain shorter and have an advantageous posture that keeps the hollows of your knees and behind dry :-).

Are you a bike punk?

What actually is a bike punk?
A punk that bikes? Is that all? Is it about anarchy on the road? I don't think so. Is it a guy/girl that rides a fixie with spoke cards and that plays bike polo on the weekends? Far too stereotypical (e.g. mountain and road bikes are also commonly used), but getting close I suppose..

"hard court bike polo" by "kitty meets goat"

Do you have to (re)build your bike yourself to be part of the crowd? I guess that helps as it's also about creativity and spending little money. Are only bike couriers allowed? And what about clothing? Punk-like clothing I'd say. But is that all? Or is it not that at all?

How to be a bike punk?
Yes, there is even a funny How-to on the internet! So let's see what I fulfill:

• buy a bike and value it almost as much as your own life: done
  
• get committed: done, no car
• bicycle safety: learned, so fine
• bicycle as the primary form of transportation: what else?
  
• cycle in rain and sunshine: easy-peasy
  
• attend critical mass (see what that is here): if possible
  
• unique clothing: well, kind of, but probably still too mainstream
• ...
  

Hm, I don't own a fixie though, and I yet don't have any cards in my spokes (but a sticker on my top tube that says "one less car" -- does that count?). I also never played bike polo. Therefore I wouldn't consider myself as bike punk. But all of that is not mentioned in the how-to anyway. So maybe I am a bike punk sensu lato ;-). What about you?

Well, honestly, who really gives a shit? Whatever you are, cycle on!

I found that cool redo of the Clash cover on the Three Basics blog

Vienna promotes cycling in the rain

Earlier I always had my rain pants and -- depending on the weather forecast -- also my rain jacket (or even overshoes) with me. Well, this is not so practical, because in fact it very rarely a) rains and b) rains so heavy that I need that. Including the winter that probably happens five times a year although of course a lot of people never cycle "because it might rain".

And that's exactly where the city of Vienna hooks in. At the previous bikefestival I got this:

"Fürs Radln im Regen!" means "For cycling in the rain!"

And this is for sure the best give-away I ever got! No pencil, ballpoint pen, magnet nor water bottle (not that I ever got one) can compete with that. What is it? It's a transparent, small and light one-way poncho for cycling. It has a perfect size for carrying around all the time. And that's what I do. No more rain pants and rain jackets. Just this tiny packet of plastic. And it works -- I've already thunderstorm-approved it in Barcelona :-). Although it's meant for single use I just let it dry, folded it and could even fit it in the small bag again. It got three packets (call me greedy if you want) which will probably last for years. Afterwards I will just buy a proper poncho.

Unstylish? I don't think so (unlike you choose the grandma model I suppose). Moreover, a poncho is light enough to carry around, cheap, easy and quick to put on and take off, can be worn with everything, covers the backpacks or other bags too, waterproof but pervious to air (no more sweating in rain pants), can serve as a picnic blanket and so on.

Agu cycling poncho

And for those who are still afraid of rain, let me tell you that you're not made of sugar and that there's nothing funnier than cycling in all kinds of weather. Sunshine and warmth is of course nice, but boring. You are just being lazy if you stick to only that -- and you probably haven't experienced the happiness after a ride in pouring rain yet. Or as we tend to say here:

There's no bad weather, just bad clothing.

Take a ride on the wild side

I had been against riding in skirts since I can think of it. My friends didn't, and nobody in my family did. Mum used to tell us that cycling in a skirt is vulgar because it might ride up. Another reason not to do it is that I almost always ride on men's frames with high top tube and I thought that it would be difficult to get on the bike.

Only now my blog mates Anna from Barcelona and anna from Vienna encouraged me to try it.

Last weekend I spent in Vienna to visit the bike festival (anna wrote about it). I just had my KONA racer with me, but Sunday afternoon on the Danube island I gave it a go.

It's not too hard to get on the bike, although it feels a little strange to pull the leg over the top tube instead of just to swing it over the saddle. The skirt did not ride up (well, it was a rather long skirt borrowed from anna) to show my private parts but it was quite chilly between my legs. And the skirt got entangled in my rear brake quite often, so I would say that it is still improper to ride with a skirt on a road bike.

maff's rocking hard in a skirt (German: Rock)

Well, it could be deemed to be improper to ride in a skirt for men.
:D