Charge Lazy Susan.

Recently I've come across a really cool bike on the internet. I've yet to see it in person because I can't find a shop that stocks them in LA. Charge Bikes seems to be a British company. All the retailers on the website are in the UK. I have seen the fixed gear Charge Plug in an LA shop but not this sweetie - The Lazy Susan.

Photo via Charge Bikes

Isn't that a gorgeous bike? They've taken the step-through/Dutch/city bike and made it completely modern, a little bit punk rock and not at all prissy. Personally I have no qualms with a girly girl bike but for some women (maybe like the one in the photo below) something with a little more edge is in order. I love the angular chain guard, the clean lines, the silver fenders, and the stunning burnt-orange color. Notable specs are a Sturmey-Archer 3 speed hub , drum brakes, and an integrated rear rack.

Photo via road.cc

In the above picture you can see the bike provides an upright riding position like a traditional European city bike.

Photo via road.cc

Does anyone have experience with a rack like this? Though it's absolutely beautiful, I wonder about its utility. The tubes seems very large. I don't think I'd be able to get my hard plastic pannier hooks around them. Also I'd be worried about scratching up the beautiful paint on the rack with  the pannier hooks. I've always wondered about how well painted racks hold up in general.

Photo via Ridelow Bikes

Maybe a pannier set with leather straps like above would solve the problem - but those kinds of panniers are not as easy on/easy off as the kinds that mount with hooks.

Photo via road.cc

Another fun feature is the retro-looking shifter. Apparently those are the graphics of the old-school Sturmey Archer shifter. Very cute. The three speed hub might be a deal breaker for people who live in hilly cities.

Has anyone out there seen the Lazy Susan in the wild, or ridden one? There seem to be a couple of online retailers that sell them here in the U.S. for around $700.

If it were my bike I believe I would change out the saddle. The stock saddle looks a little cheap. I'd also do something about those rubberized grips. Finally I would look for a front basket that was harmonious with the chic modernism of the bike - maybe a Wald Woody or a Velo-Orange Porteur Rack. This beauty below by Axiom is a rear basket but it's oh so chic.

Photo via Chubby's Cruisers

For a good review and more pictures of the bike check out road.cc.


Gentlemen, if you can't quite rock an orange step-through, they also make the Steamer. Not quite as charming somehow but still really cool.

Photo via Charge Bikes

Mad Man on a Bike.

After mulling it over for a while, I see no reason why I shouldn't post the occasional photo of a handsome man on a bike. If this bores any of my male readers, I apologize - but only a little bit.


As the new season of "Mad Men" is in full swing, I feel it's a good to time to post this photo of actor John Slattery who plays Roger Sterling on the show.

Talk about Hollywood glamour.

This photo appears to be on the studio lot with the actor in costume. Everything about this picture is kind of perfect. The suit, the script, the sunglasses, the way the light shines on the tie clip, the bike, the beauty of the photograph itself...sigh. It looks like it could have been taken in the 60's.


I've liked John Slattery for a long time. Some of you might remember him from his stint as Carrie's politician boyfriend (with a peccadillo or two) on Sex and the City.


And if you're like me and you just like John Slattery or his character on "Mad Men," here are a couple of bonus shots. (Sorry no bikes in these.)

Roger Sterling.

This Girl's Bike in no way endorses smoking. ;)

Younger. Less silver. Still handsome.

My Review of Mirrycle Saturn Bell

Originally submitted at REI

This beautifully designed bell has a sound that fills space.

Mirrycle Saturn Bell

Good bell. Great value.

By dreamlet from Los Angeles on 7/20/2010

 

5out of 5

Describe Yourself: Casual/ Recreational

This bell has no parts that stick out that can get caught on things or broken. Its design is simple, sleek and would go with almost any bike. My handlebars are black and it really just blends right in. The bell's tone is loud and clear and cheery. At only $10, it really is a great buy.

(legalese)

Fisherman's Village by Bike.

Though some parts of LA have been really hot this weekend, here on the Westside it's been beautiful. My boyfriend and I took a ride to The Fisherman's Village in Marina Del Rey yesterday. We didn't know we were going there. We just wanted to go for a bike ride and that's where we ended up.

We started on the Ballona Creek Bike Path. Where the Ballona Creek Bike Path meets the Marvin Braude Beach Bike Path there is this sweet little area where cyclists rest, people fish, and there is a gorgeous view of the Marina all around.

L.A. people at play.

Bikes, fishing and dogs go well together.

Love his fishin' outfit.

Fixies can enjoy the Marina too.

Beach cruisers. The most commonly seen bike in the area.

Fishing poles without their people.

Just pretty.

Cool dudes.

Sorry for the blurry shot - but she's on a Bianchi Milano so I had to include it!

Gotta give the roadies some love too.

We turned back and made our way to the Fisherman's Village.

They had unusual bike racks. My Bianchi and my boyfriend's Masi locked up.

A swing band provided entertainment.

My parents used to bring us here when we were kids, but I'd never been back as an adult.

From the looks of it these guys spend a lot of time on that roof.

The beau.

It was a gorgeous day and a nice, relaxing ride. Ah Saturdays...doesn't get much better.

This post is an entry for the "Let's Go Ride a Bike" Summer Games. (New Territory - Explore a new part of town by bike.)

Welcome, Gigi!

This is a belated 4th of July entry. On the 4th my friend Gigi and are were headed to a house party in Redondo Beach which is about 15 miles away from my house. I asked her if she had a bike because we could ride our bikes down the Marvin Braude Beach Bike Path almost the whole way. She said she didn't have a bike, but she'd been looking for one. A few hours later, because of the magic of craigslist, she had this sweet single speed Schwinn conversion!

Isn't it the cutest bike ever?!

In college she used to ride a bike all the time out of necessity, but now she wants to ride for all the other reasons. We took the Ballona Creek Bike Path for part of the way, and then linked up with the Beach Bike Path. Most of the ride was during magic hour and dusk and it was really beautiful.

Ballona Creek Bike Path

The beach bike path was packed with pedestrians so it made the bike ride quite challenging and slow going, but in a couple of hours we were there and we rode by a park just in time to sit down and watch the fireworks show.

Enjoying the fireworks show at a Redondo Beach Park.

After that we headed to the house party. Everyone thought we were a little nuts for riding our bikes that far but we chose to think it was the good kind of nuts. Some time after midnight we set out for the 15 mile ride back home. At that time of night the beach bike path was a lot less crowded with people, but the degree of drunkenness of the people who were out was a lot higher, so it was still a challenge. We got home late, we were tired, but we were exhilarated.

I'd actually never been to Redondo Beach, so that was a new experience for me. Also, 30 miles is the most I've ever ridden in a single day. It was a day of firsts!

I'm so glad Gigi has her great new bike, and I look forward to many more rides together!

A bonus shot of Gigi and her bike. A little blurry but she looks so happy!

This post is an entry for the "Let's Go Ride a Bike" Summer Games. (New Territory - Explore a new part of town by bike.)

Oops!... I did It Again!

I bought another bike!  I've been looking for a vintage mixte that is a bit of a fixer upper. I'd like to repair it, replace some components, and generally use it as a training ground to learn about bicycle repair and maintenance. After months of browsing Craigslist, I came across this beauty last night. Tonight after work I took the plunge and drove 70 miles (each way) to get it. I don't know much about it yet except that it's a Centurion LeMans - maybe from the early 80's? I'll post more pictures and close ups this weekend. I'll be posting updates as I fix her up!

Her name is Rose. :) Had her for two hours now.

Selling Art by Bike.

Cargo bikes really are kind of miraculous. I just took a trip to Palm Coast, Florida to relax with some friends who were renting a house there. We took a boat trip to neighboring St. Augustine, the oldest city in the United States, I'm told.

There I saw this artist selling his paintings in the town square. His many paintings were propped up against his awesome cargo bike! When I asked him about his bike, he told me it was the glue that held his business together. The city started charging for parking and it became too expensive for him to drive his car so he got this bike. (Okay I know it's actually a trike but in the interest of simplicity I'll just call it a bike.)

Sweet cargo bike.

The paintings.

The artist.

Look at all the stuff he fits on that bike!

Eager customers.

The artist was actually quite busy helping a bunch of customers so I didn't want to take up any more of his time with my bike questions, though I had lots. I think he's a wonderful example of someone who found a creative solution to a problem and makes his bike work for him. And he has a rockin' bike!

Eagle-eyed readers may have noticed that the bike is by Worksman Cycles. They are the original creators of the Good Humor Ice Cream Tricycle, and the oldest existing bicycle manufacturer in America! I think his model is at the top of this page. Unlike a Dutch Bakfiets bike where the cargo box is built in, this bike simply give you a platform on which to put your own box or other cargo. Its payload capacity is a whopping quarter ton! Worksman Cycles are made in the USA. I'm not aware of any other cargo bikes that are. (If you know of any please leave a comment.) Take a moment to read the company's essay on why they continue to build their bikes in New York.