Scwhinn Television Commercial!

A television commercial for bikes! Wow! Can you remember the last time you saw one? And it's so cute! My favorite part (of course) is when the Blackberry turns into a pug puppy. It really captures that feeling of fun and freedom that one has when cycling. And of course I like the fact that the commercial features a cute girl who manages to even be cute while wearing a helmet. Positive messages abound!

Moi A Poseur?! The Chrome Messenger Bag and Me.

I'm just not this cool.

(Photo via Chrome)

When I was growing up one of the worst things you could call a person was a poseur.  There were surf poseurs, skate poseurs, punk poseurs, arty poseurs, gangsta poseurs and goth poseurs - all of them reviled. This has instilled in me a great fear of being a poseur.

I read all the blogs wherein hardcore-urban-cyclist-warriors who have been trolling the mean city streets on their trusty fixed-gear steeds (apparently since the time they were in diapers) wax poetic about the demise of their beloved, idiosyncratic culture.  Just google "Walmart Fixie" to get a taste.  And I get it.  I really do.  It's an awful, sinking feeling when the little rock band or gritty neighborhood or underground artist or bizarre subculture (pick your obsession) you love goes mainstream.  You no longer feel special.  There's nothing to set YOU (the awesome, cool person who is clearly way ahead of the unwashed masses in both style and intelligence) apart from THEM (the poseurs!)

Look, I'm new to this cycling thing.  I was never a bike messenger in San Francisco.  I had never even heard the term "fixie" until I started researching bikes last year.  Therefore if I ride with a Chrome Messenger Bag strapped to my back does that make me a poseur?  The horror!  I received a beautiful Chrome Messenger Bag from my boyfriend for my birthday back in November and I have yet to use it because I fear I may not be hardcore enough to rock it.  How sad is that? It's fluorescent pink, totally over the top, and utterly cool. I've never seen another one like it.  Maybe this Spring I'll screw up the courage to use it - poseur or not.

Sadly, along the same lines, I got a sweet swrve wool cycling cap and it is also collecting dust in my closet.

Not this cool either.

(Photo via swrve)