Tips - Buying a Fashionable and Stylish Bicycle

Ready? Good! Let's jump right in...

The Frame Style (the bike's geometry) is an early decision you make towards finding the right bicycle for you. I ruminated on this topic; Just how much do you need to know to buy a new (Euro Style) Bicycle Part I. My recommendation is a bike with an Up Right geometry, the Sit Up & Beg style or as I like to say the Euro Style bicycle. You may also want to consider Cruisers or Townie bicycles which are distant second cousins, technically speaking. I suggest reading Sit Up & Beg - Most Ergonomic? Then for further info & answers read Sit Up & Beg - Most Ergonomic? -- Good Answer. I highly recommend (for the greatest of ease while riding in dresses and skirts) a step-through frame and also simply called a 'ladies' frame. Size matters, so getting the right size for you is the other half of the equation. Be sure when you get to the point of actually buying your bicycle to consult with the seller and emphatically and absolutely determine that you are getting the right size bike!

Your next decision is whether to buy vintage or new?I started off choosing vintage for a variety of reasons. I always like to buy recycled (anything) first. I also think steel frames are far superior to any 'Big Box' bikes manufactured out of China. For the same ballpark $200.00 you can get a real vintage beauty, but you need to know a thing or two before jumping in and buying off Craigslist or Ebay. For some tips on buying read; Buying a Vintage Bike Guide along with reading about my own personal experience rebuilding a vintage bike; Finding and Rebuilding my Motobecane Bicycle. Price points, oh yeah the other determining factor. Not much cash? Ah, well choosing a vintage bicycle is the way to go. Read about how overwhelmingly popular vintage bicycles have become; Vintage Bikes - Girls want them! If you're looking for a NEW bicycle then be sure to check out this posting;12 Bicycles for Girls. Recommendations are across all price points, high to low.

The next big decision is going to involve how you plan to use your bicycle? Plus where do you live? Your answers will determine how many gears you'll want. General rule of thumb is 3 gears minimum. Flatlanders, strictly leisure riders, incredibly short distance bike commuters, and all those super fit fixie riders maybe be able to get away with a single speed. I have a single speed cruiser I ride to the beach and up the block to my neighborhood shops. If your terrain includes hills, then get multiple gears. Talk to anybody you can find who bike commutes in your area and ask how many gears they think work best. Now would be a good time to get friendly with your local bike coop, community bike advocacy groups, and your local bike shop (LBS) who you'll probably end up buying bike stuff from any way.

The Let's Be Lady Like! check list: Of course now that you plan to wear all sorts of stylish outfits while riding your new bicycle, then you'll want to make sure your bicycle has fenders, a skirt guard, a fully enclosed chain guard to keep you and your clothes free from dirt and grim. If these are not already included with your bicycle, it is possible in many cases to add them on later.

The Practicality check list: You will want a front basket, rear rack, and panniers (you add those onto that rear rack), for transporting your stuff, be it groceries, Chinese take-home, library books, you get the picture. Additionally there is a very possible extra benefit, you will earn respect and street cred amongst the utility and commuter cyclists!


The Safety Items check list: Lights, reflectors, bicycle bell, bicycle lock, and a helmet if you chose to wear one (I advocate for helmet safety). You could also add in a bicycle repair kit for fixing a flat tire in a pinch.


The Purely Aesthetic and Stylish checklist: Well this could get cross referenced to several of the afore mentioned items above. I'd add cork handle bar grips (cork is a sustainable and eco material). Also a Brooks saddle would be wonderful! And you can shellac those cork grips to match the patina of your Brooks saddle whether it's it vintage or new. Other considerations...Add streamers you make yourself or check ETSY, perhaps a bicycle basket liner, and pretty flowers for your basket (as in brightening up any dreary winter's duldrum day).


Sincerely hope you've found this posting and it's check lists helpful! Happy Bicycle Riding to All the Stylish Lovelies!!

***** Update:
Newer posting and highly recommended... 'Dream Bicycle List - Let's Go Shopping'.

Sit Up & Beg – Most Ergonomic?--- Good Answer

photocredit/source: Tod/CleverCycles

Great stick figure representation of the various riding positions.

‘How you sit has a big influence not only on your comfort and capacity to move, but on your mind. Just as laughing and smiling, even forcibly, can help lift a foul mood, sitting utterly upright, head high with your shoulders thrust back to “open your heart” exerts a powerful influence on your mind. It is serene, restorative, dignified. Mix well with endorphins and you’re getting there. I love watching people set off on Dutch bikes for the first time, seeing the initial wobbles of the unweighted handlebars relax a block later into a yogic smile and regal poise.’

I was directed to this *article by readers (Donna and Anon) in response to ‘Sit Up & Beg – Most Ergonomic?’ They love their LBS… Clever Cycles. You’ll also so find a lively discussion/comments section with pros cons and lots of bike tech speak.

* warning: there’s a photo of naked guys on bikes in the article from Clever Cycles.

Sit Up & Beg – Most Ergonomic?

When you choose say, to ‘ride pretty’, being relaxed and comfortable is very a desirable thing… right along with being stylish and fashionable.

So I’m going to play dumb here, like a total novice (actually not so far from the truth.) I’m trying to find out what is the most ergonomic, comfortable riding position in which to ride a bicycle for leisure rides? (The link for the following quoted material is at the bottom of this post.) Anyway I excerpted the following selected bits of info.

‘… a new study says the pain is probably caused by their riding position.’

Referencing then to handle bar position on the bicycle …

‘With riding, the neck is extended and the back flexed for prolonged periods. Riding in drop handlebars for long periods increases the load on the arms and shoulders as well as hyperextension of the neck, leading to muscle fatigue and pain.’

Then reading a little further along....

‘the upright head and wrist positions alleviate the usual discomfort of a traditional bike. The riding position also promotes proper alignment which improves breathing.’

So does this mean the ‘sit up and beg’ riding position (therefore the euro-style bicycle--and heaven forbid I call it a dutch bike!) is the most ergonomic, comfortable stylishly for leisure bicycle riding? Really, does the ‘sit-up-and-beg’ position promote a perfect posture and give you an ergonomic ride?

Read the entire article I quoted from here. Then weigh in with your opinions!!!

Attention: I know lots of you cycle, aficionados guys check in here…so besides just looking at the ‘pretty girls on bicycles’ pics, add some of your expert opinions!

Just how much do you need to know to buy a new (Euro-Style) Bicycle? Part I

So the easy part is you know you’re ready to buy a new bicycle.

Maybe you’re ready to retire/re-gift/resell/ or keep simply as a back up your current bicycle. Or maybe you haven’t even ridden since, well… it was so, so long ago. At any rate you know you want the Euro-style, Sit Up & Beg, Ergonomic bicycle like the ones everyone loves and has been blogging about. Yes, STYLE does matter!

Now What? How many decisions do you have to make in order to decide which one to buy?

First of all don’t feel overwhelmed by technical specs and ‘bicycle speak’ when you haven’t a clue what it all means. Try not to walk into your local bicycle shop (LBS) expecting to find a great assortment of euro-style bicycles and get yourself all disappointed because the selection is mediocre to non-existent. And please don’t feel overwhelmed by bike sales assistants who ‘advise’ you into settling for something else because it’s in stock. Be warned; in order to hunt down the euro-bicycle of your dreams it’s going to take some savvy on your part. My hunch is that you’re a seasoned and sharp shopper and you’re up for this.

Once you’ve gotten an idea of what you like realize that many euro-style bicycles can only be had by placing an order for them. You can seek out an USA bicycle distributor and you can order your bicycle from them. You can go directly to the website of the bicycle you desire and investigate ordering with them (as long as they are in English.) You can take a trip overseas and buy your bicycle while you’re there.

Question: Why are the LBS in such short supply of euro-style bikes? The whole racer/sports mentality has prevailed for so long that the buying habits dictate what manufactures produce for you to buy. I believe eventually the LBS will have euro-style bicycles if people want them, but apparently the market won't sustain it just yet.

So this is just part one… More to come!

****Update!!!

This being far into 2009 this post will be revised soon.

Embracing all bike tribes—Pure Style

Starting with a new series here---I am offering a look into various bicycle rider's personal fashion & style…both in the bicycle they ride and the clothes they wear. I hope to showcase pure style in each and every one of all the various bike tribes. In this case STYLE wins…STYLE trumps over everything else (meaning zero bike snobbery/judgments!)

I started with this premise; “You have a look and a bicycle that makes people take a second look. Words to describe you; chic, fashionable, individualistic, sharp….. AND a bicycle you prize and it’s a ‘looker’ as well.”

Why? Usually I focus on Slow Rides and my preferred bicycle tribe: ‘Sit-Up & Beg.’ However, not so in this series. It’s because I really do love fashion. When ever I find it.

I embrace Pure Style! And ALL the Bike Tribes! Whatever gets you on your Bike! Ride!

Milano Girl on a Lovely Bicycle - Thanks to The Sartorialist

(photo credit: The Sartorialist)

Thanks to The Sartorialist we have yet another fine photo of a chic rider on her altogether too perfect bicycle. Please note the wicker basket front and rear, the enclosed chain guard, the crochet style skirt guard, the loop frame with it's Sit Up & Beg riding position.

Ah, she is dressed in that Milan relaxed chic. I particularly like how her belt's buckle is worn off to the side. I once lived in Milano for 4 months so this brings back some very particular fond memories...sigh.