Pimping Your Self-Propelled Ride
Now that Spring is here, it’s time to get out your bike and go green. Save those fossil fuels and tone your thighs at the same time. But if you’re going to have an awesome set of thighs and matching buttocks, you need a bicycle that’s smiling, styling and profiling too. Here’s a head start on the competition.
The aesthetic cycling world is returning to the handmade beauty of old-school bikes. If you’re lucky enough to find a French Porteur, savour it. They’re so beautiful. I own a Bianchi Milano and have it tricked out with a maroon Brooks B-17 saddle, cork grips, Miche Seatpost, Celeste blue fenders, Tubus Fly rack and a Berthoud tool bag . It’s a lovely ride.
Of the new handmade bikes, my two favorites are Mixte and Atlantis from Rivendell. Vanilla also makes awesome cycles. And Velo-Orange’s Mixte bike is a beauty (love the fenders). I really don’t know what to say. It scares me that I want them all. It’s kind of like shoes. How can you choose just one? And like shoes, these can be kind of pricey. But our thighs are worth it. Right?
Once you’ve got your ride, you need to set it up. Personally, I like the selection at Velo-Orange. And I like a basket. Arthur thinks they’re dorky. I guess they are more for girls. He prefers panniers and saddlebags (which are also cool, and I don’t mean those saddlebags). Here’s a selection of both.
As with my bike, there are a lot more ways to give yours some personal style. Leather saddles, hammered fenders, chain guards, racks complete the look. Don’t forget the bell.
I could keep on going, but I’ll leave it to you to discover some of it on your own. I found all the bikes and accessories here at Rivendell Bicycle Works, Velo Orange, Wallingford Bicycle Parts, Vanilla Bicycles, and Peter White Cycles. A couple of the baskets are from Reisenthel and Scandinavian Grace.
Once you’ve got your bike all pimped out you’re going to want to go on a cycling tour. How about cycling the Camino de Santiago? Arthur spent ten days a few years ago doing just that.
And his thighs never looked better. For all the details, check out his Website devoted to the Camino.
