What to Wear?

As a beginning cyclist, I was faced with the question about what to wear while cycling. There are so many sites dedicated to women's cycling fashion. Many of them show images of beautifully dressed women with NO helmet! Sure, it looks great in the pictures but the possibility of falling off my bike or getting hit by a car and risking head injury makes it so much less appealing! I ALWAYS ride my bike wearing my helmet! No exceptions! As far as clothing is concerned, I ride my bike wearing what I would normally wear. I don't see the need of wearing cycling performance wear for the type of urban biking I do on my beach cruiser. More power to the more serious die hard cyclists out there who dress this way. My rule of thumb is to wear what fits into your lifestyle. I do a lot of commuting around my city to run errands (instead of driving) and also ride just for fun and exercise. I love wearing skirts and dresses normally so this is what I end up usually wearing on my bike. I've read a few articles and blog entries about wearing skirts and dresses while biking and there are many different opinions out there. Some ladies feel they can wear skirts and dresses and ride their bikes with knees pointing in and carefully mounting and dismounting from their bikes. I've heard of other ladies using pins or clips to attach the skirt or dress together. Being rather modest, I prefer to just wear bike-type shorts or opaque leggings under my dress or skirt to play it safe. Right now, I have found my pair of Tom's shoes to be the most comfortable of the shoes I already own for bike riding, although I do also wear my vintage style wedgies and dressy flats depending on my mood and more importantly, where I'm going.

Give Bicyclists Room and Consideration on the Road!

As a beginning bicyclist, I have a new perspective of driving and sharing the road. My city, unfortunately, does not have a lot of bicycle lanes and drivers are often inconsiderate and outright oblivious when approaching bicyclists on the road (and even in marked bike lanes). While driving, pass us on the left and please give us PLENTY of room (3 feet or more) when passing. Passing too closely can injure a bicyclist or cause him or her to loose balance or hit a parked car. It's also very scary when a car cuts in front of you to turn or obliviously pulls out from having been parked along the curb in front of you.

I have found BikinginLA to be a useful site about this topic. Bike safety is a serious issue. I know several friends (more experienced cyclists than myself) who have been seriously injured by getting hit by cars on their bikes. So, please, pay attention, give us plenty of room, and kindly and carefully share the road!

I Got a Bike!

I have fond memories of riding a bike as a kid but hadn't been on one since my childhood. On our first wedding anniversary, my husband and I traveled to Santa Barbara and decided to rent bikes for a day. We rode around and it was amazing how much joy I felt as I rode the rental bike near the beach. Feeling the fresh air on my face as I pedaled along the beach instantly made me smile. We talked about getting bikes of our own. Six years later (a lot later), we finally did. My husband decided one day that he was now serious about getting a commuter type bike to travel around the city. I thought this was a great idea since a quick grocery trip or going out to pick up a cup of coffee certainly shouldn't constitute a car trip in the city. Why drive when you can ride a bike? It made perfect sense to me. Biking would be a more eco-friendly way to travel and would provide exercise at the same time. So, we headed over to a local bike shop. While entering H&S Bicycles in Burbank, CA, I couldn't help but stop in amazement as we walked past the Electra Beach Cruisers parked outside. I was immediately drawn to them as they have such a lovely old vintage charm (and I LOVE vintage things). That day, we bought my husband's bike. He got a red Jamis Coda 21 speed bike. All I could think about was how beautiful the beach cruisers were and how much I wanted one! I did a little internet research at home and looked at more bikes. The more I saw, the more I realized that the Electra Cruiser 7 was the bike for me. I loved the mint color available as it reminded me of my antique jadeite glassware collection. My bike was ordered and arrived after a few days and was set up for me at the bike shop. I absolutely love it! My husband enjoys riding his bike to "get places" but I simply enjoy "cruising" on my bike and enjoy every second of it!

Here are a few more pictures of my bike. Of course, I had to get the basket and bell! I'm still debating the handlebar streamers. My husband didn't get it at all, but hello- I'm a girl! And, I'm the one who is going to ride it so I might as well make it mine and accessorize! The flower on the basket was easily customized with a little hot glue, E6000 glue, felt, and silk flower from the craft store. I am often stopped by people who tell me "I love your bike" and "Your bike is pretty" and I love it. Cycling has brought me much joy and I hope to share that joy with others (especially with other ladies).