Auckland Cycle Chic

Hmm ... not sure what to make of this.

2012-02-14T20:23:00.002+13:00

RIBCAP - A DAY IN A CITY

Also, check out a this conversation on Cycling in Auckland

I might just wear one of these!

Summer

2012-02-08T19:02:00.001+13:00

Summer cycling .... at last some sun!

Here's a nice little summer vid to celebrate.

EMERALD CITY SPIN from Kristy Lee on Vimeo.

Ducks in a row

2012-02-06T18:39:00.002+13:00

With my DSLR on 'sports' mode I can take a little series of photos in quick succession ...

Something takes your interest in the distance ...

and it turns out to be some 'Frocks' in training

a lovely family riding in formation along the waterfront

... enjoying the weekend

and then they're gone.

Market day

2012-02-05T11:12:00.001+13:00

I get most of my groceries from the Britomart market and often bump into like minded people

I spotted this lady the other day looking fabulous on her bicycle ... a Schwinn Cream if I'm not very much mistaken

She was then joined by her equally well bicycled partner.

Natural habitat

2012-01-28T17:44:00.001+13:00

I took the trike down to the waterfront the other day ....

It was lovely to see her roaming free as her creator would have wanted!

The ugly duckling no more - I was surprised to see she elicited the sort of response vintage cars receive.

She was definitely one of a kind on Auckland's streets!

Couples

2012-01-24T08:55:00.001+13:00

Bike love is a beautiful thing ...

Mr and Mrs Bike out doing a bit of shopping

This is my bike - she was recently wooed at my workplace by a boy bike with a similar wooden box

An oldie but a goodie

2012-01-14T18:18:00.001+13:00

Straight forward and to the point - nuff said ...

Ride Your Bicycle from Copenhagenize on Vimeo.

The tricycle returns!

2012-01-04T18:50:00.001+13:00

Apologies for the radio silence but I have been hard at work over at Cycling in Auckland sprucing it up for 2012.

But the big news is that the TRICYCLE is home.

It has been languishing in Tim's workshop for many months as the search for a long quill stem proved fruitless ... until Around Again Cycles in Christchurch came to the rescue. You may remember that I visited them on a trip to Christchurch a year or two ago and it suddenly occurred to me that they may be able to help a 'tricycle in distress'. They were and they did.

So today was the day. I scurried up to Tim's (lidless of course) and what a sight to behold - the stem was perfect and had avoided the necessity of growing a beard and wearing leathers, which was quite a relief! All the scrubbing had paid off and she was looking quite chic. It was almost difficult to remember what she had looked like when I rescued her off Trademe.

I bumped into Alex (CIA operative) at Tim's and the 'pull' of the tricycle claimed another victim ...

Often, they just ask to sit on it first

Then, they ride ... even in the pouring rain

After I'd let a few of the shop's customers 'in' on the latest cycle trends for 2012 (tricycles will be big this year!), and some final ministrations from Brian, I set off.

I encountered a full flock of flouro clad lycras at the traffic lights and .... was complemented on the trike. They may well have fallen about laughing further down the road but, if they did, it's because they are a little behind the times and unaware of the next big trend in cycles.

Once home, I fitted the coffee cup holder - perfect!

A few eagle eyed (geeky) readers will have noticed that the brake is on the wrong side. This is so that I can take photos and videos whilst in motion!

Now I just need to make decisions on a new saddle and handlebar grips. Then of course I need to sort out a bell and carrying capacity ....

Christmas timeline

2011-12-27T17:55:00.001+13:00

Christmas eve to Boxing day ...

Christmas Eve - picked up the fruit and veg from the Britomart market and bought some very dangerous apples .... this lady was wearing three fluoro jackets (two on and one for emergencies!)

Finished off the Christmas shopping and bumped into this guy doing the same on his fabulous vintage machine

Christmas day - went for the usual Christmas day ride along the waterfront and spotted this beauty by the City Mission Christmas lunch.

Daughter No. 2 fell off her bicycle gained a few scrapes and bruises! Then home to pick out gravel and apply antiseptic cream ... and baste the turkey

Boxing day - hit the sales and spotted a very nice new Giant waiting for its owner ... perhaps a Christmas present?

I hope you all had a great Christmas!

Christmas shopping

2011-12-11T17:53:00.001+13:00

Popped into Cyco in Ponsonby ...

Nice Electra ding dong bells

These silver panniers caught my eye - styley

Found a coffee cup holder - but I bought it for the trike and there was only one. But apparently, more can be ordered

Fun wheel lights

Fun coloured locks

Cool Electra and Trek bicycles

Then checked out T.White's Bikes ...

Nice Electra front rack for your Sunday newspaper

Handy baskets

Very styley bicycles

And at Nood in Newmarket ...

Super cool bells!

How much more Christmassy can you get?!

Nice! ... sort of

2011-12-09T18:41:00.001+13:00

OOOOOOHH!

If I ever get a helmet it will be one like this ... in red ... with a tassel on the end ... for the trike!

As a side point - it looks like this guy could really do with a basket for his bicycle to put that stuff in.

Baby on board

2011-12-04T14:08:00.001+13:00

Saw Jena at the Wynyard Quarter the other day - looking fab with her bicycle as usual

Jena is a soon to be cycling 'super-mum' and we had a chat about the cargo bike her parents are giving her for the new arrival - can't wait to snap that!

Great to see her taking advantage of the excellent pregnancy health benefits of cycling.

Orange

2011-11-23T19:51:00.001+13:00

Has anyone else see this beautiful cargo bike outside the Puma store at Britomart?

I soooo want a go on it!

Urban

2011-11-20T17:03:00.001+13:00

I only just caught this guy but I'm pleased I did - a rare find!

Red shoes

2011-11-13T18:17:00.001+13:00

Coordinating with your surroundings is an important part of riding a bicycle ...

Red belt, red shoes

Just pure ART

Cool girls on bikes

2011-11-07T19:04:00.001+13:00

nuff said!

Britomart market

2011-11-06T12:25:00.001+13:00

I go to the Britomart market every Saturday to get food for the week, and recently I have noticed a definite increase in the number of bicycles there. There is even a bit of a trend towards the 'people with there clothes on' type of cyclist and even some serious style ...

Strange things

2011-11-02T19:40:00.000+13:00

As I was leaving work today on a gorgeous early summer evening, a lady leaving the same building pointed at my bicycle and said "that's very dedicated of you" - I asked her to repeat what she had said, partly because my brain did not compute the statement.

Then came the horror of the thought that perhaps I 'looked' dedicated!

That passed, and I am now more worried that I have totally underestimated the level of 'otherness' that most kiwis attribute to people who ride bicycles. Although truth-be-told, I have seem some sights that don't help the cause.

I know I am in the minority in the opinion that the car drivers that battle their way out of Auckland city every night must be very 'dedicated' indeed .... they are truly made of sterner stuff than I!!

I don't want to!

2011-10-29T18:56:00.000+13:00

Some silly signs that are obviously thought up by people who certainly don't cycle ...

This never works ... why do they bother ... the little bridge is quite fun actually!

This is a very silly sign that instructs cyclists to go left and cycle up a hill and down a hill and up again to go around in a large square (see blue line below) to reach Symonds Street, which is the road you can just see above the car in front's wing mirror

You can of course also just ride up the slip road illegally (marked in red) by popping over the pedestrian crossing with a sharp right up the slip road ... the amazing thing is that this road has just undergone a lot of work at this intersection ... and this is the best they could come up with for cyclists?

It's over

2011-10-24T19:48:00.001+13:00

It's been wonderful having Quay Street closed at the weekends

Aucklanders enjoying the view

Freedom to enjoy the space

Little green boxes are alright, but the whole road is a lot better!!

Art Week by Cycle

2011-10-18T17:19:00.003+13:00

Hear ye, hear ye!

Art Week Auckland is putting on three guided tours of Auckland’s art galleries by bicycle. In each ride there’ll be a flock of up to 40 cyclists – 20 with their own ride and 20 frock-friendly Nextbikes offered free for your bikeless friends. Not a bad chance to take a social cruise with those friends that want to cycle but haven’t got around to picking up their own wheels yet. There’s still space on each of these rides but bookings are encouraged (especially if you’d to borrow a free NextBike).

Saturday 15 October: Uptown Loop
http://artweekauckland.co.nz/events/art-week-by-cycle-uptown-loop
This was apparently a HUGE success and completely FULL - so book now for the others!

Tuesday 18 October: East Ride
http://artweekauckland.co.nz/events/art-week-by-cycle-east-ride
An evening cruise through clusters of galleries and public art works in the east wing of the central city. A sunset ride after work to make use of the Art Week late nights.
Meet from 5pm at Hum Salon, 123 Grafton Rd. Leaves by 6, visits Newmarket late night and ends in Parnell around 9:30.

Saturday 22 October: Waitemata
http://artweekauckland.co.nz/events/art-week-by-cycle-waitemata
Enjoy the bustle and quirkiness of the downtown vibe then ferry to search through Devonport’s own characteristic artworks scene.
Meet 1pm at Aotea Square, Queen Street. Leaves by 2, parades through town then ferries to cluster of galleries in Devonport.
Free 1-way ferry included.

These are accessible and cool art rides with safety staff and up to 20 free bikes for those who cannot bring their own. Bookings recommended to secure free NextBike . Contacthello@craigneilson.com or visit NextBike in Wynyard Quarter. Dress up and come out for a feast of memorable art.

Happy Monday

2011-10-10T18:31:00.001+13:00

Happiness is ...

... turning up at work on a Monday morning and finding bike racks!

Last year I started a new job. At the interview I checked out the bicycle parking facilities and figured out that I could park in the building lobby by chaining my bike to the large metal struts under the stairs (bike parking was actually a potential 'deal breaker' for the job).

Within a couple of weeks, I was joined by another bicycle. By Christmas, we had three regular bicycles with an occasional 4th under the stairs and a fixie chained on the floor above.

A few weeks ago we reached the dizzy heights of 6 bicycles on the ground floor and we had claimed the railings up the stairs as well as the struts underneath

... and this morning the bicycle rack fairies had visited and we had shiny new fabulous bicycle racks ... total respect to the peeps at Britomart!!

350 families

2011-10-07T19:48:00.001+13:00

Families ...

Wheels galore!

The whole gang

Keen as mustard

We're off

Stylish

Happy days

This little lad is 5 and he impressed so many people by riding the whole route unaided (approx. 11km ...with hills) - a well earned pie at the finish!!

And lets not forget the pigs, cows and chickens on bicycles!

350 - and more

2011-10-03T18:22:00.000+13:00

Shades, hats and bicycles

Cool tandem Mikey!

Sky blue

Council peeps

Hills

Is that a car on your chest?

Daffodil yellow

Portaloo red

Lovely lady on the Schwinn I was test riding - she took quite a shine to it!

350 - uber cool

2011-10-02T15:23:00.003+13:00

A few of the uber-cool peeps on the 350 ride ...

styley

love the shorts!

wheels

waiting

pointing

awesome bags/baskets (and windmill!)

pedal power

sharp