The Trek Soho

I cannot wait to get my hands on one of these! Trek has apparently been listening to folks like us and has produced what looks to be a real winner. The sleek styling, complete with nice-looking fenders, may be just the ticket for you, the bike commuter afraid to give up style during the jaunt to work.

I am not sure how roller brakes work either, but that seems like a better system than the one I have now as well.

Let’s not forget the new belt drive! The chain has been our staple for all these many years, so we have a working system - but I’m certainly willing to let go of the chain any day. Just because chains work well does not mean that I’m married to the idea. That’s why I can’t wait to get my hands on one of these!

So, the ultimate commuting machine - or too many new things that can go wrong? Are you an early adopter or one who plays it safe? You make the call - but you might want to test drive one of these first. It may just sell you on the spot.

The puncture-proof tires are an added bonus - oh, and Trek throws in a commuter mug that just fits perfectly in the bottle cage!

Anybody have one yet? Please post comments if you have one! Tell us all about it!

Watch an introductory video Here on the Trek website. Pretty cool, huh?

Check out this hilarious video the folks over at New Belgium have put together to celebrate their new Team Wonderbike blog.

Now, the site is supposed to be only for folks who are over 21 and we know that lots of people who commute by bicycle who are not of drinking age. Regardless, these folks bring the right spirit to the concept of biking to work.

Just read their inspirational page, Why I Ride, to see what I mean…

We are waist-deep in the dog days of august, folks, so it never hurts to remind ourselves that we do have co-workers!

I have settled on Johnson’s Pure Cornstarch Baby Powder recently and it does the job. Hey, I mean if I was lucky enough to have a shower at work, I’d probably never set eyes on the stuff - but I’ve got clients, co-workers, and bosses that have to be around me for 8/day & 40/week!

This is not the stuff of a normal water cooler discussion, but trust me, you’ll be glad you knew about this little velocommuting secret. Keep a bottle at work and use it to keep the smell in check for the, ah, privates - but don’t forget those sweating stinkers, your feet!

Use it people! It’s important for the image for all velocommuters everywhere that we all keep good hygene so that more will see velocommuting as not only clean and green, but also sexy and cool (even if we don’t feel that way all the time)!

(Photo courtesy of JohnsonBaby.com)

Want to look sexy velocommuting? Check out Copenhagen Cycle Chic for some cool bike-purchasing ideas. Zakkaliciousness (thanks for the correction, JC) really knows what’s up when it comes to bicycle styles in Copenhagen AND there are lots of sexy velocommuters there that he has captured on film. (What a life!)

The blog is worth a quick glance just to get an idea of what it’s like to live in a place that really has biking at its core. Urban transport is really much more enjoyable (and quicker, apparently!) by bicycle. It is really a wonder that it’s just catching on in the States.

Here has an interesting perspective on how many gears are needed:

This is one issue that gets discussed quite often. Most bikes in Copenhagen have 3 gears. The most irritating sound I know is someone accelerating off the light in one gear and then clickclickclickclickclick, they hop past 78 gears to get to the one they want. Why not just buy a bike with the gears you need?

We often hear that three gears don’t fly in hilly cities. Then get five gears. The vast majority of cities in the world can be cycled daily in 3-5 gears. Whenever anybody says, “Yeah, but my city is REALLY hilly”, we just politely refer to European cities like Berne, Switzerland, where 25% of the population ride each day through a Alpen landscape. Or hilly Aarhus, Denmark’s second city, or Gothenburg, or Trondheim, Norway. 3-5 gears and off you go.

You said it!

Photo Credit: (Copenhagen Cycle Chic)

Well, you know we like the Trek Lime, right? Well, there are a few others that fall into the category of “Bikes for people who don’t like bikes.” Including the Raleigh Coasting:

(Image courtesy of raleighusa.com)

and the Giant Suede:

(Image courtesy of giant-bicycles.com)

Shimano helped create these bicycles for those of us who want to have a smaller footprint on the planet, but don’t really like wearing Spandex or Lycra when we are in public. Just hop on, put your feet on the pedals, and go!

You might enjoy Shimano’s Coasting website, which gives us plenty of good reasons to leave our car in the driveway and go for a ride.

~ms

Don’t listen to us. Listen to the people at Chanel, who know that bicycles are truly hot right now.

According to the London Telegraph, Trendhunter, and others, Chanel is due to launch their own bicycle in their Spring/Summer 2008 fashion line.

Chanel’s upcoming commuter bicycle (Photo courtesy of Trendhunter).

OK, so we don’t all have the means to purchase this $13,000 bicycle or the legs to match. That’s not the point. Here is the opportunity to look cool while you commute to work, as you can see below, some of today’s hottest fashion models are sporting very affordable, yet very sexy bicycles available from Electra.

Actress Agyness Deyn sported a very sexy Electra bicycle at the New York Fashion Week.

Oh yeah, and don’t forget the sexiest element of all - your helmet!

~ms

Apparently so, according to a recent piece in the English Daily Mail. Citing research in a recent British Government Department of Transport’s National Travel Survey, the piece describes the recent trend in cycling in the U.K:

The poll shows that the richest fifth of the population cycle on average five times as far in a year as the poorest fifth.

It also found that those with less money are unlikely to consider cycling as a way of getting around, despite the fact they are less likely to have a car to use instead.

Poorer people appear more concerned about the stigma of riding a bike, fearing that others will view it as a sign of inferiority.

Apparently, people who are more affluent have more time to worry about global warming and are not worried about being considered inferior.

Aha, this is where velocommuter can help!

Biking to work is not only cool, but it is trend-setting and sexy, too! People who ride bikes are superior to their car-driving counterparts. Otherwise, they’d be out there with you, enjoying that crisp morning air.

Zara Philips and actress Penelope Cruz take to their bikes. (Photo credit: Daily Mail)

Velocommuters have absolutely nothing to feel inferior about. We’re lookin’ good!

~ms

Is it Wednesday yet?

Biking to work has certainly made it’s way into certain social circles and professions, the likes of which have not been seen for a long time. First, we see waifish gals in NYC, then there are all the doctors, lawyers, and others who have ridden bikes for years and are now riding them to work.

For some employees, biking to work also means a $700-a-year raise. Workplace incentives may be what is driving the upward trend. There is even a bill before congress that would make such employee incentives tax-free.

For others, it is simply a way to get through the workday. Any way you look at it, it is the perfect solution to all your problems!

~ms

Photo source: The Boston Herald

According to the New York Observer, there is a class of stylish bike-riding women appearing in cities throughout the U.S. whose “hair flutters in the breeze as they leave a trail of swooning male pedestrians in their perfumed wake.” Nice!

The only problem with the trend is the lack of helmets on these gals…

hmmm….

We can see the desire to want to show off that magnificent hair. Hey! What about shaking your head in slow motion as you take off your helmet? At least that used to work back in the day…but, hey, we’re dating ourselves here, right? ; )

~ms

Photo credit: The Sartorialist

Caitlin Crawshaw gives a few pointers on keeping clean and fresh in today’s Edmonton Journal.

“Concerned you’ll look unkempt at the office after your commute? These tips will keep you fragrant and unscruffy.

1. Roll up the clothes to win: Rolling up your work clothes before putting them into your backpack will prevent wrinkles, says Michael Kalmanovitch, of Edmonton Bicycle Commuters.

2. Bring a comb: If you’re protecting your brains (and you should be), you may get helmet head. If there’s no place to shower at work, this may be hard to remedy with your hands alone. This author recommends keeping a pick at work.

3. Leave clean clothes at work: On those days when you don’t need to be too matchy-matchy, leave your blazer or jacket at work so you won’t need to shove it into your bag. You can also leave an entire outfit, if need be.

4. Don’t be afraid to shower: Ask around to see if your company has a shower somewhere - you may not be aware of it. Ask cyclists outside of your building where they shower, too - they may allow you to use their company shower if yours doesn’t have one, adds Kalmanovitch.

5. A little “how’s your father”: A sponge bath can keep the pits smelling fragrant, in the event there’s no shower at your disposal. It’s easy to do, says Kalmanovitch. Also, try keeping extra pit-stick in your desk drawer (it’s just a good idea generally).

6. Headband madness: Working at a more casual workplace? Girls self-conscious about their hairdos can try an old trick: hair bands. Get a nice wide one - they’re back in style. Keep it in your desk drawer in the event of a hair calamity.

There are many other small solutions that can work for you.

“Think about how it could work, rather than all of the reasons why it won’t work,” says Kalmanovitch.”

Read more about it at the Source.

~ms