This video from Canadian clothier Betina Lou is selling a lifestyle. The slow, beautiful life of spending quality time with good friends, enjoying the beauty of nature, good food, and the overall feeling of a life well-lived. That’s pretty much what biking embodies for me too. Well done Betina Lou.
Our favorite Bike Friendly Oak Cliff Ride of the year (well, at least one of our most favorite) was a smashing good time this past Sunday.
About 200 tweed-clad bike-a-holics from all over Dallas met at Dealey Plaza, tootled through downtown, raced across the Houston Street Viaduct, and finally arrived at the historic Turner House for cold beer on tap.
Check out the Dallas Observer’s highlights, the Biking in Dallas, and Suburban Assault for more photo coverage.
Favorite shots of the day (with a few more to come):
I saw the most well-dressed stylish man bicycle-commuting to work downtown yesterday.
Yes, he’s from Dallas, and yes he’ll be at the tweed ride Sunday, though he confessed it seemed a bit silly to go hang out with people who go out of their way, for one day, to dress like he does… but there’s Cliff Fest!
Look at those sockless shoes, those shades! And the basket that matches the handlebars that matches the seat…the Linus really fits his style. He noted that he takes his style inspiration from Neiman Marcus. Of course! Did you see that the latest season incorporates the bicycle as stylish accessory? (Thanks for the tip-off, Chris.)
Click for online Neiman's catalog
More likely, I think, he’s been influenced by the international style captured by the sartorialist.
Start putting together your most dapper tweed outfit – the third annual Dallas Tweed Ride is set for Sunday November 13th. The Tweed Ride (or Tweed Run) events bring together well-dressed cyclists in cities all over the world.
2010 Dallas Tweed Ride
Here in Dallas we meet at the Grassy Knoll, take a quick jaunt through downtown, over the river and through North Oak Cliff. In years past we’ve wrapped up at the Turner House for lawn games and beer. This year we’ll be riding to Cliff Fest. The fun begins at 1:30pm & you can expect to be out till sunset or so (don’t forget your bike lights!)
Lawn games at the Turner House
If you need some fashion inspiration, heck out photos from the 2010 Dallas ride, or the Tweed Ride line from Ralph Lauren Rugby. Rugby sponsored the Tokyo “Tweed Run, the Oct 15th New York “Tweed Run” and the November 26th London “Tweed Run”.
The Rugby even has their specially-made Tweed Run Pashley available for purchase at their store.
If you’re in need of cheap tweed, you’ll be amazed what you can find at garage sales and thrift shops. Tweed is basically a rough, unfinished woolen fabric, of a soft, open, flexible texture in either plain or twill weave and may have a check or herringbone pattern (thanks Wiki.) Don’t worry if you don’t have the most tweediful outfit or the most dashing bicycle – come join us! We’re expecting a couple hundred folks to come out this year – you’ll blend right in. And bring the kids! We ride at a leisurely pace.
We participated in Bike to City Hall day this morning. Individuals rode in from different parts of Dallas, and groups of people rode in with organzied (and safer) rides with Bike Friendly Oak Cliff and Bike Friendly Knox Henderson. Union Station was the meeting point.
Once we gathered at Union Station, we all went as a big group at 8:00 am to the front of City Hall for a press conference of sorts where Mayor Rawlings, Council members Delia Jasso and Scott Griggs, and Max the “Bike Czar” (great unofficial title!) discussed the continuing efforts to implement the recently approved Bike plan. All road work that is done on streets identified in the Bike Plan will have to implement the approved changes. So, if a road is getting re-striped, the workers will have to stripe the new bike lane or sharrows too. If it’s being repaved, they might have to also expand to include a cycle track. Over the next few years we should see an increase in bike infrastructure which not only improves quality of life (as we bikers know) but is also beneficial in reducing smog, congestion, and parking problems.
Bike Friendly Oak Cliff and Knox Henderson were both recognized for their efforts on behalf of biking in Dallas, and Amanda Popken was recognized for helping organize Bike to City Hall Day. It was a very fun way to start the day, with great exercise and wonderful people celebrating getting things done. Now all I want some is some big breakfast tacos.
I’m in the back workroom of the Oak Cliff Bike Company and just saw this gorgeous old bike. Besides the beautiful patina of time and faded paint, the details are fantastic. Even the wing nuts are above average.
Send us pictures of any beautifully styled bikes you come across while out and about in the city. We’d love to post them for everyone to enjoy.
Today was the inaugural Oak Cliff Chicken Coop Snoop, and a group of us biked the tour of really cool local backyards. Urban Chickens are becoming quite a popular thing, tying into the slow lifestyle movement along with biking, backyard food gardens, and repurposing found materials in your home decor. Some of the riders were quite chic as well, fully embracing the lifestyle.
Scott cruising with his coffee
Jane, with her sexy swooping bike frame and Michael, complimenting his bike’s machismo with a sleek hat.
I was having so much fun I totally forgot to take a pic of heather and I in our cute sundresses! Oh well. Imagine us looking great with windblown hair and big smiles!
We spent tonight at the State Fair of Texas. The Dallas “Tits Tuesday” group ride and Bike Friendly Oak Cliff both had group rides over to Fair Park.
Turns out, bikes are cool even on the fairway as a coveted prize. Outside, we snapped a shop of this cute lady who is not only sporting a snazzy black and white striped outfit but also had white rims. Nice.
Look at that swagger, that stance, those shorts! A shirt for bi-pedaling urban conquerors, no doubt. If you’ve never looked at Headline Shirts, you know they have some crazy shit. They’re giving away this $20 shirt for $5, today only, for you and only you (okay, you and anyone else with the checkout code 242BDAY) in celebration of Napoleon’s 242nd birthday.
We’re giving one away for free.
Email us your Napoleon Cyclist impression photo by Friday the 19th, and we’ll send the winner a shirt. It’s that easy! We’ll try to keep our Napoleon complex at bay. Email jpgs to dallascyclechic@gmail.com.
This could be you
Dallas Cycle Style 