Lisa Marie, Annette, and the Cycle Chic-ish Manifesto

Loyal Lady (and Lady-lover) readers of TWAAL – thank you for reading and riding! As I mark my 100th post as a blogging Lady, the blog will be expanding and improving.

Annette, a fellow Lady, will be joining the blog on a regular basis, and in upcoming weeks check-in with us for practical tips and discussion about living life joyfully atop two-wheels. We’ll also be adding a regular feature, “The Commuting Chronicles”,  exploring the experiences and contemplations involved in daily bike commutes. Our stories, your stories, and the stories cities and streets help create. We’re building a community of Ladies (and Lady-lovers), and all of us are helping build happier, healthier communities of our own. One ride at a time. Keep it up, Ladies! And thanks for being a part of making our streets what we know they can be.

Lisa Marie – XOXO

And now, for Annette’s first post on the blog we introduce

The Cycle Chic-ish Manifesto: A Happy Medium

Why isn’t there a distinct cycling niche of ladies I can relate to?

As Lisa Marie put it, almost every bicycling subgroup fits into some type of EXTREME: “FIXIES!; cycling in outfits that cost more than the bike itself; speeding past life at 30 mph in spandex; drowning in neon yellow seated in a recumbant for commuting only.” Certainly, I value each of those subgroups; I only wish there was an additional one. I’m not an extreme fashionista who puts style above all else, but I’m also not an extreme athlete who puts performance above all else including style. You’re just not going to find me decked out in neon yellow or exposing designer clothes to a rainy commute.

I’m not riding to be seen, but I also know that while I’m riding I will be seen. I’m not riding just because it’s physically demanding, but I recognize that it is physically demanding and I like that. I ride because it’s super fun, efficient, and a healthy thing to do. With the existing subgroups, it’s difficult to fit cleanly in one group without compromising these values. And without an identifiable group, it’s no wonder more ladies like me don’t make cycling a staple mode of transportation year-round.

The Cycle Chic© Manifesto is everywhere – have you seen it? I can’t get over the disparity between what it promotes and what I value about cycling, the reality of the city I live in, and — more fundamentally — what I aspire to be. I present an alternative manifesto below hoping to represent a growing niche of chic-ish lady cyclists in Portland and beyond:

1. I ride at a pace that strikes a balance between getting where I’m going and enjoying the ride.
2. My style will contribute to feeling confident and finding joy in riding for transportation, fun, and wellness. In every season.
3. I am aware that my presence on a bike contributes to safer and better bicycle infrastructure. I appreciate the contribution that all other cyclists make to bicycle-friendly city planning and will seek additional ways to further that cause, including supporting a sense of community with other cyclists.
4. I will learn to properly care for my bicycle, including how to make basic repairs.
5. I will acquire, where possible, fenders and a basket or bag that is aesthetically pleasing and appropriate for my cargo needs and the weather from a small, local business.
6. I will respect the traffic laws.
7. I will plan routes ahead of time for safety and pay careful attention to my surroundings. I acknowledge that not even Portland is as safe or seamless to ride in (yet) as Copenhagen, so I will ride defensively and mindfully.