16 June 2008

What bike tribe do you identify with? -- Wheel life: A guide to Britain’s new bike tribes

I so related to this:

The Tribe: Sit-up-and-beg Brigade
The Rider: Sian Emmison
The Bike: Bobbin Playbike

‘Riding traditional uprights is all about sitting up and cruising around town serenely – not tearing around with your head down. It's not aerodynamic but we're not interested in speed so much as comfort and style.

My bike has really wide handlebars which I can hang all my shopping from, and I've got a lovely straw pannier on the back.

You get a weird cross-section of people who go for uprights. There are young retro girls who want a bike to go with the whole vintage look, Europeans who are used to that style of bike, older people who want a bike like the one they used to ride, and trendy kids who want something vintage but edgy, painted in bright colours.

I'm a retro girl. I wear a lot of vintage clothes on my bike and can even cycle in a skirt and a mac.

My bike really sums up my values – it's all about looking old-fashioned but being modern. Pashleys fall into the same category but I think the bikes are a bit square to be honest - people who look like librarians ride them.’

Sain was one of the riders featured in “Wheel life: A guide to Britain’s new bike tribes”.

‘There are more bicyles on Britain's roads than ever before – and in more shapes, sizes and styles. But who's who in the nation's new bike tribes? Simon Usborne hits our city streets and country lanes to find out.’

Really, check out the whole article. I definitely got a giggle out of it.