How It All Began

As Lydia romped and played on the beach, her parents Gary and Kit watched over her and contemplated her future. It was 2001, the year Lance Armstrong would win the Tour for the third time, and Gary, who was an avid cyclist, wondered where the female athletic role models were for his young daughter. What if he could create an all-women cycling team and run it like the most professional men’s cycling teams of Europe? Men had an advantage in cycling for decades with well-funded teams, and he reasoned, if a female cycling team had the same resources, might they have the same success? Read more…

When I first saw these shoes I was certain they were going to be pretty uncomfortable. They seemed stiff and rigid. Then I slipped my feet into them and started to go about my day.  They were so comfy! They didn’t need any break in time, a definite plus in the shoe department.

These shoes are also true to size, I am a solid 8 1/2 and they fit like a glove.  The shoe is made up of leather and canvas. The inner side of the shoe (the side facing your bicycle) is made from leather. This gives a nice supple feel that protects your foot. The outer side is made of canvas and is so breathable, which means, no sweaty feet.

The sole of the shoe is sturdy but is flexible enough to be able to have a good grip on the pedal. And gives your foot great support with just the right amount of cush.  The toe is covered in rubber that gives your tootsies all the protection you need. As I found out when I stubbed my toe on the sidewalk last week.

The shoe is so cute and has a fun spring and summer look to it.  I love just wearing them around even when not on a bike. My only suggestion is that they make more colors available – I would buy a few more pair.

By Elizabeth O. Hurst

Outlier listens to women. Since the New York-based clothing designer started making fashionable, livable trousers for men who bike in the city, Outlier has been inundated with requests from women wanting a female-specific version of their pant. Outlier’s response? The Daily Women Riding Pant. Founders and designers Tyler and Abe (interviewed by Cycle and Style last year) created a pant that makes you wish it took longer to arrive at your destination, but excited about how you’ll look and feel when you get there.

The Perfect Fit

Hands down, the Daily Riding Pant fits me better than most in my closet. I’m six feet tall and a size six by most designer’s measurements except in inseam and hip width. Outlier makes the Daily Riding Pant in a true size six (comes in 0-10) that completely covers my ankles and fastens around my hips without even trying hard. The pant’s Schoeller Dryskin Extreme + Nanosphere fabric (80 percent nylon, 10 percent polyester, 10 percent elastane) makes the legs fit snugly without giving everything away like spandex pants might. The fabric also keeps me comfortably warm in Utah’s sub-45 degree weather. Read more…

If you are a cyclist you don’t want to be invisible, day or night. We want to be seen by the motorists we share the road with. Simply put, being seen is being safe. Smart cyclists put high quality lights on their bikes to be seen from the front and from the rear in darkening light conditions. Cyclists often wear bright reflective vests or jackets to increase their visibility.

Read more…

by Alison Gall (Owner of Bonnie Bikes)

I always enjoy reading and learning about cycling in cities across the globe, thanks to the ever increasing network of ‘Cycle Chic’ and cycling related blog spots. I live in Glasgow, Scotland which to many may not conjure up an image of style and is a place often overlooked by Edinburgh. However, the city is branded as ‘Scotland with Style’ and as a cyclist who uses a bicycle to commute to and from work, I have noticed that there has been an increase in stylish cyclists in the city. Glasgow can now even be found on the ‘Cycle Chic’ map and photos of cyclists who ride in style are added regularly. Read more…

There are still a few days to get your special valentine a gift. We have found a dozen ideas for those of you that have a bicycle lover in your life. As our Valentine to you,  we will give away a bicycle t-shirt (size medium, no exchanges) made by Marushka Handprints to one a random reader (before February 22,2010) who leaves  comment on this post.

Win this T-shirt by leaving a comment on this post by February 22, 2010. (Size Medium only)

12 Cycling Valentine Gifts

$18.00 ~ We hand printed this beautiful tandem on a super soft 100% cotton cranberry red American Apparel t-shirt. Available in XS, S, M, L and XL.

$69.00 ~ This is a 4″x16″x12″ floating shelf with aluminum umbrella/bicycle hook. I just thought this was a great idea. The shelves are strong enough to hold my bike. The shelf is made from Baltic Birch Plywood and finished with Danish oil. It is available in natural, Medium Walnut, or Dark Walnut.

Read more…

Many guys I know who wear bib shorts instead of regular cycling shorts swear that once you try the bib shorts, you’ll never go back to just shorts again. They say they like them because bibs are much more comfortable than regular shorts, they like how they stay in place and the chamois doesn’t shift and there is less chaffing. Let’s face it; if you ride behind a guy with shorts that are sagging down in the back, well, you know another good reason for bibs.

I had been curious enough about whether I would like them, so I talked to Alison Littlefield, a former bike racer and now co-owner of Contender Bicycles. I knew she preferred bibs and it was because of her recommendation that I finally bought my first bib shorts (which, by the way, I really like!)

These are the reasons that women ought to check out the latest women’s specific bib shorts:

Read more…

As I walked the floor of the 2010 Winter Outdoor Retailers show last month, I was thrilled about a few items that are coming this fall. The following are a few of the products that we can expect to see in the coming year. This is just a sneak peak mind you, but as I get a chance to try these items personally,  I will post more in-depth reviews. I will focus on one company at a time for the next several days. This is part 2.

Thorlos (your feet will feel better)

Experience Experia! These aren’t just for skiing anymore. I love a company that will listen to their customers. Thorlos is one of those companies. In this case it took a little bit of faith to deviate from the path they had been on. Thorlos had found great success, but they heard their customers. The word from the consumers? “These socks are too thick.”

So, after research and a redesign they have a whole new product for runners and cyclists. Get ready to experience Experia.

I have not yet worn these socks but I have held them and they are very light weight and thin. The much loved and effective Thorlos padding is there, but only where necessary: at the ball of the foot and the heel. These socks actually have Achilles tendon support! There are a couple of different styles you can choose from including a Merino wool/silk thread, and the Cool Max which is a nylon-coverd Lycra thread.

The Promise

These socks wick very well. Plus, say ‘goodbye’ to blisters and chaffing and ‘hello’ to excellent foot protection. Thorlos saw that running & cycling shoes had evolved and so their socks also evolved to meet the needs of their customers. Way to go Thorlos!

My Preliminary Opinion

I do understand that some may not get too excited about socks, but I personally can’t wait to get my hands on (or better yet, my feet into) these socks! The colors are also great so you can of course, look great, while feeling great! And don’t forget that you really do need to treat those dogs right today, so that they will treat you right tomorrow!

As I walked the floor of the 2010 Winter Outdoor Retailers show last month, I was thrilled about a few items that are coming this fall. The following are a few of the products that we can expect to see in the coming year.This is just a sneak peak mind you, but as I get a chance to try these items personally,  I will post more in-depth reviews. I will focus on one Company at a time for the next several days.

Columbia Sportswear Company

Columbia really knows how to treat a woman right! They heard all of us “It- Girls” saying, “Give me something that will keep me warm and make me look good, something I can work in, play in, live in!” They were right on with the Omni-Heat and In2Out collections.  And if these lines turn out to be as good as they promise to be, boy did they nail it!

Read more…

Hello Kitty HK 4 Ever

The oh, so fabulous Hello Kitty!

The minute I saw this bike I knew it had to be the February bike of the month because I fell in love instantly! Nirve really hit the mark on this one, it is simply perfect!

The Hello Kitty details are beautiful, including the Hello Kitty tire tread. The bright pink is just girly enough, but still so pleasing to the eye. I think that this bike appeals to teens as well as adult women. It is a great around town bike and because of the chain guard you can even rock it with a skirt, not to mention it is easy to ride.

Nirve introduced this bike a couple of years ago and it is easy to see why it became an instant classic. You are sure to catch the eye of onlookers as you roll down the street on this beauty!  Every girl needs one of these in their fleet of bikes. And, perhaps the best part, it’s only around $400 making it a very affordable bicycle.

Thanks to Canyon Bicycles for the use of this fabulous bike