New bike design enables sophisticated urbanites to ride in heels, skirts and suits By JOANNE RICHARDThere's a new bike in town -- and it'll go with any outfit.
Customized Dutch citybikes, by jorg&olif, have set new wheels in motion, fusing fashion and function for a burst of urban mobility with European street appeal.
Forget the spandex! "Our riders ride in heels, skirts and suits -- not spandex and camelback water bottles," says Rob MacDonald, who's pedaling a stylish and trendy ride on the environmental and socially responsible side.
"Our market is sophisticated, fashion-savvy urbanites, age 25-55, who care about the environment and understand that 'ethics and esthetics' do go hand-in- hand," says MacDonald, an urban planner and co-owner of jorg&olif in Vancouver where the Dutch bikes have been a big hit. click here for the bikes
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MacDonald and his partner Jane Cox, an interior designer, believe you shouldn't have to sacrifice fashion style for conscientious transportation. Their award-winning citybikes and cargobikes are all Dutch by design but are made in Canada and adapted for Canadian cities with gearing systems (three-speed and eight-speed) and standardized parts for easy maintenance.
According to MacDonald, "these are the quintessential citybikes, as seen throughout European cities, where you can ride a bicycle in both comfort and style -- as opposed to a mountain bike where you're hunched over and have to be wrapped in spandex. All the accessories are specifically designed to make cycling in the city convenient -- for example, guards to keep your clothes clean."
MacDonald says that their mode of mobility is strongly linked to fashion: "By allowing you to wear whatever you wish, the bikes allow you to define your own style, versus being dictated to wear a particular cycling outfit.
"We have designed and selected our own accessory collection that helps prove that cycling can be sexy, stylish and sustainable, including scarves, ties, fashion hats, jewelry, bags and baskets."
jorg&olif, a Vancouver-based lifestyle company that specializes in stylish products for urban living, recently won an award of excellence in Montreal for best new international product. They're the first company in North America to import and sell Dutch bikes.
The classic European bike design qualities are apparent: Step-thru design, upright sitting position, built-in locking system and "a frame strong enough to carry your designer sofa on the back."
chain guards and rider bars and a rider stem can be put on most bikes...
I have put "cruiser bars" on mountain bikes before
giving the functionality of any bike
with the upright position of a cruiser
I am all for the idea....
but I think it can be done through modification of the bike that is alreayd in the garage
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