Comments on: Social and Sustainable Streets

By: Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 05:17:17 +0000

Thank you for the style research. The flowing capes in Milan look the best for me but cycle wear in a stormy climate has to be very functional. The tweeds are in camouflage colours and would soak up the rain. The capes look as though they would let your legs get wet and would flap into your face when the wind changed. I’d like to see cyclewear designers derive a high style from thorough analysis of functional requirements.

By: Christine

Christine — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 02:02:23 +0000

There is ‘Dashing Tweeds’ [ http://disneyrollergirl.blogspot.com/2009/03/dashing-tweeds.html ] – but it might not be the ‘look’ your looking for? I not sure whether the offerings of The Milan velodrome would make you look dashing either! [ http://www.candycranks.com/archives/9674 ]

Perhaps reviewing cyclists street-style (a la Carnaby Street) [ http://www.fashion.arts.ac.uk ]
might be more productive? [ http://cyclestyle.com.au/1099/twins-church-street-richmond ]

By: Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 06:44:02 +0000

That’s a great idea about the shoes and the principle needs to be extended upwards, so that people look more glamorous on a bicycle than anywhere else. Most people look dreadful in Hi-Viz clothing. What can be done about us? I bought a really expensive cycling jacket recently but, no, it does not make look dashing (and I don’t think anything could).

By: Christine

Christine — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 06:33:58 +0000

Perhaps the Italians feel a little restricted after riding on the open roads? Cadel Evans is a fan of cycling in Italy.
[ http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/evans-cycling-year-winds-up-in-italy-20101015-16ndz.html ]

Or perhaps the Italians need to advance the ‘fashion’ of urban cycling with a business wear range before they are fully convinced of the value of cycling to work?
[ http://www.dromarti.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=10_14&products_id=16 ]

By: Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 12:15:32 +0000

France was primarily a sports-cycling country until about 20 years ago. Now it is doing a lot to encourage commuter cycling. Students are very often good cyclists, even in Italy (‘even’ because it is not a country where urban cycling is popular) – in fact cycling is much more popular in North Europe than in South Europe.

By: Christine

Christine — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 00:30:56 +0000

Perhaps a good place to start is with the ‘cycling’ culture of each city/country. Australia is a very sports oriented country, so cycling seems to be seen in this context.

The earliest cycle race held in Australia is the Austral [ http://www.vic.cycling.org.au/default.asp?id=15556 ] of which velodrome (speed) cycling is the heir. Australian olympians are very strong in this sport.

Road cycling also has a long history in Australia. [ http://www.cycling.org.au/default.asp?ID=33971 ]Australian’s with a heritage from the European cycling countries ie. Italy, probably did much to reinvigorate road cycling (touring) as a sport before the ‘green’ credentials of cycling as a form of transport became a trend in the environmental movement.

So to urban cycling. Often groups of cyclists will be out riding at dawn when the roads relatively quiet and will congregate at early opening coffee shops. Cycling in this incarnation is linked to fitness. Cyclists invest in very expensive cycles and the full cycling attire (shoes, cycle pants, lycra shirt, gloves, helmet and sunglasses). No doubt these same (majority male cyclists) later drive to work!

The student population is another factor in the popularity of cycling. In this context it is often an economic form of transport and suitable outlet for youthful energies. It extends to other forms of wheeled transportation such as the scooter and the skateboard. Risk taking behaviour is part of the ethos, so road rules, safety (including safety conscious clothing) is not part of the general attitude.

Then there are the philosophically committed cyclists that cycle for lifestyle reasons including saving the environment. These cyclist are most likely to cycle to work, to advocate for cycling as a form of transportation, and to consider ways of integrating cycling into a 24/7 lifestyle.

Jessie Pengilly is a champion Australian cyclist who tragically died at age 27 in (an unrelated to cycling) car accident.[ http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/1096954?searchTerm=jessy pengilly&searchLimits= ]

By: Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 11:54:55 +0000

The Cyclingcities comparison is very interesting. I have been thinking about writing about Cycling Countries but maybe it is right to talk about cities instead of countries. In the UK, the difference between Birmingingham and Cambridge is very marked. The US has some cycle-friendly cities http://www.suite101.com/content/bicycle-friendly-cities-in-us-a202414. It seems that cycling is more a sport than a means of commuting in Australia http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/2009/11/the-best-cycling-city-in-australia/

By: Christine

Christine — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 02:47:08 +0000

I am a friend of both the car and the cycle and hope that a solution can be found for that is best for both forms of transport.

Depending on the attributes of the city, restricting access by the car in the centre of the city is a great idea.
[ http://www.diabeticretinopathy.org.uk/birmingham/Cyclingcities.htm ]

The more ways that can be thought of to promote different forms of movement in, around and between cities which are safe and friendly to the environment the better we will all be and the more interesting our day to day lives.

By: Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 19:38:40 +0000

Copenhagan has a functional cycle network, which is the most like the Chinese system of any European country. The photos are representative of the Copenhagen cycleway system as I remember it. But the cyclepaths are not beautiful – and I think they would be a lot better if the system was part of the landscape architects sphere of work.
The modern bicycle is about 125 years old and the bicycle path can only be about half as old as this. There is a long long way to go making really good cycle networks – and it may never happen it the work is left to car-driving highway engineers. My view is that cyclepaths should be planned with the geometry previously used for the horse-and-cart or the horse-and-carriage. They had big wheels and similar turning circles. Motor roads have the wrong geometry.

By: DAN

DAN — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:50:59 +0000

I absolutely agree – A good website for the fashionable Copenhagen cyclist is below – some good shots of successful cycle ways also:

http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com/