You may have noticed a few changes to the website recently.  Yes, time to reset your bookmarks – we’re leaving the Cycle Chic family to become our very own group, Cycle Style.

We’ve had a lovely year doing the Dallas Cycle Chic blog. As we’ve met Dallas riders on the streets, in the cycle shops and at large group rides, we’ve come to deeply appreciate the inspiring and broad range of cycle styles in our city.   You are all so different and yet all the same: from cardigan wearing ladies crushing trails to hardcore racers in spandex packs, you all shared with us your passion for the wind in your hair and the whir of spokes and gears at your feet. Our growing circle of cyclists has inspired us to grow beyond what the Cycle Chic trademark allows.

The critical divergence from Cycle Chic is in helmet promotion. Cycle Chic, a trademarked worldwide brand and organization begun by Mikael Colville-Andersen, promotes cycling as a part of everyday life.  There are thousands of riders around the world who bike in everyday clothes without helmets, and Mikael is big into helmet research and non-helmet advocacy with the European Cyclists’ Federation.

We here in Dallas don’t want to exclude our fellow cyclist friends from our blog because they choose to be law-abiding citizens and wear helmets. We celebrate all the people who choose to hop on their bike and incorporate cycling into their lifestyle.   So, we’re branching off from Cycle Chic to promote and celebrate cycling in Dallas; people who wear helmets and those who don’t, weather you wear spandex or a suit and tie or anything in between.

The best part is, we all agree that more cyclists on the road is the best way improve the safety of all cyclists. Just get on your bike and ride – to the grocer, to pick up the kids from school, to the nail salon, to grab dinner and drinks, to work, to the opera, on a sunset ride, to grandma’s….

The more cyclists on the roads, the more visible and safer we all become. This promotional video from the Dutch Cycling Embassy has some great info about the correlation between cyclist safety, and number of cyclists on the road.  Did you know Denmark experienced a decrease in cycling in the 70s? Major policy changes, awareness campaigns, and infrastructure decisions have contributed to cycling as a big part of daily life there now.

Cycling For Everyone

This graph (and more stats) from the French Federation of Bicycle Users shows the same correlation.

The data, from 8 cycling countries, shows the correlation between the frequency of traffic fatalities (dark line), the bicycle modal share/% of people on bikes vs. cars, buses or any other transit (the red bars), and percentage of people wearing helmets (yellow numbers). So the correlation is fewer accidents when there are more cyclists on the road (regardless of helmet wearing.)

Helmet research aside, cycling environments differ everywhere for many reasons, and it’s up to individual users to be aware of their environment and do what makes them feel safe enough to ride. (Aside from following the laws.) Some people ride sidewalks, some ride roads, some ride slow, some ride fast, some wear orange vests, some wear stilettos. Dallas Cycle Style encourages everyone to get on their bike and flaunt their cycle style.

Cycling in Dallas may be in fledgling development, but there are hundreds of us in the metroplex – and more folks than you think don’t even own a car! Although Tracy and Amanda started this blog, it’s a bog for you, to celebrate the lives of people in this city who love their bikes. So take photos next time you bike to the bar with your buddies or sack-up at the grocery store and post the photos to our new Facebook group. Share the love!! And thanks for contributing to Dallas’ bicycle revolution.