Big Day Out: Brooks Saddles and Vélobici...

A couple of weeks ago, me and The Boy had the pleasure of visiting the Brooks Saddle Factory! Thanks to the brilliant organisation by twitter friends @CraftieDutchie & @_Blixa_, the plan was to get together with some fellow twitter-cycling friends and have a tour around the plant, along with a cycle-stop or two for lunch and drinks.

It was a big day out for sure: a 06:30am meet with the lovely @thefixedfactor was arranged outside of the RFH, to load up our bikes into the van we'd hired with him. Although it was an insanely early start (setting off from East London at 05:20am), it was so worth it... just to see London bathed in those dusky hues...

...and of course having such clear roads was a treat.

A few hours later (and a few sleeps in the van for me), we arrived in Smethwick and met up with the rest of the cycling-crew:

From left to right: @offthelevel, @cycleslikeagirl, @evilgordon, @CraftyDutchie, @thefixedfactor, @_Blixa_, @grobelaar, @EdwardHealey - wonderful to put real faces & bikes to twitter handles after all this time!


Stepping into the factory was amazing: it's an intimate operation, with just under 50 people working the production line - all of whom are at different work stations but all knew one another. This isn't something that occurs often in a workplace, and was magical to see...

(Courtesy of @_Blixa_)

Steeped in tradition, there is an overwhelming sense of pride with each Saddle made by the Brooks team. I love every element of my Pashley, so it was very special to see where my B66s was made, and meeting people from the team who would have worked on it. 

Our two hours at Brooks was fascinating: meeting the workers & seeing how much effort goes into each piece and has made me appreciate my Saddle even more.

After a quick pub-stop, me, The Boy and @thefixedfactor I  headed off with @_blixa_, who had organised a meet-up and cycle through Market Bosworth with Chris Puttnam, one of the founders of Vélobici, and his friend Matthew. Another British company, Velobici make high-end cycling clothing and accessories - all of which are designed to be used for "cycling, socialising or working". This is something that strikes a chord with me when it comes to cycle-style, so it was a pleasure to meet Chris & discuss the ethos of his clothing!

Market Bosworth is a beautiful town to cycle though; so peaceful and picturesque...

I had a lot of fun cycling with the fellas, but as you can see, my Pashley isn't quite the calibre of speed machines they were on! There were also some false flats that caught me right out... it was quite an effort for me! My legs were certainly worked by the end of that ride - damn! 

A lovely and very generous surprise at the end of the ride was dinner at The Black Horse Restaurant, owned by Chris' brother Mike. Joined by Matthew's lovely wife & kids, we gathered in the bar for a very special preview of the upcoming new line from Vélobici (stunning!) and then sat down for 'Pie and Wine night'... oh my gosh, did I NEED this...

(Pie shot courtesy of Ian James)

This was the perfect ending to a wonderful day out on the bikes: A massive thank you goes to Chris for his immense generosity, thank you Brooks for having us and showing us the workings of your factory and a special thank you to @_blixa_ & @Craftydutchie for organising such a brilliant day! 

More photos from the day can be viewed here.

Many thanks to The Boy for photographic assistance again x

VCG in Marie Claire...

Marie Claire, May 2012.

This is one of the last things I would have even dreamt of happening when I started this blog two years ago... a mention in Marie Claire Magazine! VCG has popped-up in the 'Reporter' section of MC, which highlights the "trends, people and places" on their radar for the month.

It's always fantastic to see cycling & fashion being recognised as something that is possible, so having Vélo-City-Girl sited as one of the "go-to Brit blogs for cycle style tips" is rather amazing for me. From comments on the blog, to messages on twitter from girls who are getting back on bicycles, it's touching to know that my little corner of the internet is inspiring women out there & is being enjoyed....

Massive love to you all... and keep on riding in style! x

Rolling in the Spring...

The sun came out to play last Sunday.

We had a lazy morning.

Then decided to head out and roll with the sunshine.

The Boy rode in Red.

This Lady rode in ice cream ripple colours.

Lillies were out on the Pond.

Boy being... well, a 'boy' on his bike.

A slow cycle home in the evening light.

Finished with a Gingery delight.

London in the Spring on our bikes.

Welcome back.

Cover Girl: Cycle Style...

From an email I received from Horst A. Friedrichs back in May 2011 which lead to some amazing photo-shoots & meetings: fast forward to March 2012 and 'Cycle Style' the book has been published... with a rather familiar 'Lady' with a Pashley on the back cover... 

At the risk of sounding like a gushing mess, this is one of the best things to have happened to me! I was over the moon when Horst asked me to be a part of his project, but being the cover girl on the book has completely blown me away.

The book is beautiful, with its varied mix of London Cyclists across 192 pages. Horst has done such an amazing job on this and Prestel have produced a fantastic publication...

Some of my favourite cycling friends and style icons are in the book, including the lovely Fleur de Geurre with a red Pashley Britannia

... and it's also rather nice to say I'm in the same book as one of my favourite designers who embraces cycling with such passion... 

Mr Paul Smith! 

It has been a brilliant experience and of course, The Boy played a major part in all of this too. He came along to the Shoots, took photos for me to use on the blog and made a friend in Horst too, something which clearly didn't go unnoticed by the man himself... 

Seeing Ian being 'thanked' in the book was a rather special thing indeed.

With the official 'launch party' for Cycle Style coming up in a couple of weeks, it'll be fabulous to see Horst again, and meet-up with fellow cyclists in the book. Of course a blog post on that will follow, but in the meantime, get your hands on a copy of Cycle Style :) 

Fashion Thursday: Vulpine Bike Apparel...

The world of cycling fashion has a new face on the block, and it's certainly one to be excited about.

Long anticipated and much spoken about amongst the cycling scene, Vulpine Bike Apparel has launched -  and its founder Nick Hussey has brought something rather special to the market.
A true labour of love, Hussey states that Vulpine was "borne out of love and frustration"; his love for cycling which goes back to his childhood days and his frustration of cycling clothing being "stuck in a Lycra-warp for 30 years".

Being a leisure rider on my Pashley, I've never felt the need to dress in 'high performance cycling clothing' to ride, but the ethos of Vulpine (that clothing should work off the bike as well as on it) struck a chord with me, especially after having the chance to see some of the pieces up-close and personal...

With the performance characteristics of high-end sportswear, there isn't a touch of Lycra in sight; we're talking about garments made from the finest Merino Wool and incredible attention to detail from the stitching right down to the buttons and fastenings.

From what I've seen so far and with more designs to come (including a dedicated Women's range) Vulpine has a lot to offer. I'm especially impressed at how it blended in with my everyday wear. I love being able to mix and match within my wardrobe and it was easily achieved with the pieces I tried. Practical (digging the back pocket on the Top to keep my keys in!) and rather beautiful, I predict big things for Vulpine.

Website: Vulpine.cc
All photos by Paul Calver Photography

Tights about Town...

As the dark winter becomes a distant memory, the time has come to start pedalling towards Spring and put some colour into my cycling wardrobe.

What better way to welcome the bright days than with Fashion Tights? They are a fantastic way to inject a splash of colour when riding. There is a whole world of alternative tights out there, some of which are guaranteed to put a smile on your legs...

"Schneewichen" & "Otto" - Les Queues de Sardines

If you haven't come across them before, I suggest seeking out independent French label Les Queues de Sardines. Embracing bold graphic prints with a sometimes wickedly dark slice of humour (the Schneewichen tights will give you a clue), LQDS have some fantastic designs in their collection. If you're after an unusual yet stylish edge, they are certainly worth checking out, and are very comfy to cycle in too.

"Crystal Lux" & "Leon" - Bebaroque

Bebaroque Tights are all about opulence and luxury in the world of hosiery. From Swarovski Crystal embellishments to prints that give the appearance of having tattooed legs, Bebaroque provides a unique and beautiful twist to accessorising with your legs on two wheels.

Bring me sunshine...

How perfect is this to brighten up a grey day?

Flowers have a knack of making a girl happy, so when this one arrived at my office today, it sure put a smile on my face.

This big Sunflower will be taking pride of place on my Marsupial Grass-Shopper Pannier, replacing the (sadly lost) Lisianthus flowers I had on it before.

Thank you Marsupial for the injection of sunshine into my afternoon - this certainly has me thinking about Spring cycling.

Cycle Style Video...

Still courtesy of F.Milovac on Vimeo.

With just over a month to go, the excitement for the release of Cycle Style is building up... and the promo video for the book is now online!

Meeting with Filip Milovac in December to do my bit for the shoot was an absolute blast, so seeing the finished product earlier this week was fantastic. Filip & Horst have done an amazing job with this, incorporating some of the portraits that will be included in Cycle Style.

Enjoy the video - and see if you can spot some familiar faces in there too...


Cycle Style from Filip Milovac on Vimeo.

Cycle Style - The Book...

Do you remember that Photo-Shoot that me and my Pashley took part in last Summer?

Well, it was for Horst A. Friedrichs third book, 'Cycle Style', which celebrates the brilliant and varied fashion in London's cycling scene. I'm very pleased to finally be able to tell you that I'm going to be in the book, along with featuring on the back cover too!

"Cycle Style" Book Cover courtesy of waterstones.com
Photo by Horst A.Friedrichs

Horst and his assistant Filip Milovac contacted to let me know the news, and to ask me to be in the promo-video for the book launch. I was over the moon to know I'd made it into 'Cycle Style', and was bouncing off the walls about the cover... that's something I never expected to happen.

I met up with Filip last month for the video shoot on Columbia Road. It was a gorgeous Friday afternoon in December - a bit chilly but very bright... perfect winter cycling weather! It also meant I could wrap up warm on the bike, and not be smothered in heavy & plain clothing... 

Photo by Filip Milovac* 

Scarf: See by Chloé

Leather Biker Jacket: Topshop

Black Jumper: M&S

Bag: Vintage Mulberry

Tweed Shorts: Mango

Big Ben Tights: Henry Holland

(I had to wear those tights - celebrating London's cycle style, right?)

Brogues: Topshop

The adorable Filip - photo thanks to a kind passer-by who clicked the button! 

I can't wait to see the finished video & of course the published book. It's been a wonderful experience and a fantastic project to be a part of... roll on March for the launch!

*Thank you to Filip for these shots of the day for the blog.

Review: The Handbag Hugger...

Even though we're well prepared for this Christmas, there are always some bits that need to be picked up closer to the day. For us it's some of the West-Indian elements of Christmas dinner by Mamma Vélo, and this year I was able to hop-out on the Pashley to pick them up for her. A ride to the Market to pick up the extra fruit and veg was planned, and this was a great opportunity to put the Handbag Hugger by CycleChic to a proper test.

Although the Handbag Hugger is designed to be attached to the front of your bike without the Basket, I   needed all the storage space I could get, and have no issue reaching for my bag - so the Wicker went back on, alongside the Hugger...

They both sat on the front of my Pashley with no problems. The Hugger attaches to the handlebar stem with two screws and bolts - a simple method which takes only minutes to do and with no mechanical skills necessary! The position of the attachment didn't interfere with the leather straps of the Basket, so no issues there at all.

My bag of choice on the shopping-cycle was my Mulberry Messenger. Its one of my favourite handbags, so I'm quite precious over it. The Hugger held it in place securely: with its spring loaded grip function, it didn't slip out when riding, and wasn't dislodged when I went over any bumps in the road.

Getting into my bag while it was in the Hugger wasn't a problem either - although it provides a secure grip, I could still get stuff out of it with ease while I was on the move.

Overall, I'm very pleased with the Handbag Hugger: it's easy to attach to my bike, secure & from an accessorising point of view, the Chrome goes really well with the Pashley! The other thing that impressed me about the Hugger is that the grip didn't leave any marks or scratches on my bag - this was another of my concerns with it, but I'm glad to report nothing of the sort happened.

The Handbag Hugger is available from Cyclechic.co.uk, and retails at £19.99.

A few of my favourite things...

Cherries on Cupcakes and Icing on Cookies

High-heels on Pedals and Skirts sat on Brooksies

Baskets with Flowers and Ding-Dong Bell rings

These are a few of my favourite things...

My love affair with cycling, fashion, coffee & cakes is more than apparent on my blog, but when someone decided to pick-up on this and create something beautiful from it, my heart skipped a million beats at once! 

I was rather excited when Alyssa Ramsey of Arcobaleno Jewellery Design contacted me about designing two bespoke pieces. The only clues were they would be related to the blog & my personality: I wasn't told what they were going to be, so my imagination was running wild thinking about them!

Once the pieces had been completed, Alyssa and I set a date and she chose what was the perfect venue for our meet-up... Sketch London! This was my first time there (I've been wanting to visit for so long) and we had a delightful Afternoon Tea...

The fact they have a Bicycle on their Parlour menu made me love it even more - thumbs up from VCG and I will return!

Delicious Cakes and various treats consumed, it was time for the big reveal of the pieces that Alyssa had made for me: a Charm Bracelet and a Coffee Bean-Heart Necklace: and they are amazing...

The pendant on the necklace is made entirely of real Coffee Beans, put together by hand. Alyssa used a very lightly scented lacquer on it, to allow the aroma of the Beans to still come through - I LOVE that it smells of Coffee, and the detailing of the hand painted Chinese Beads is beautiful... 

Her use of organic materials in jewellery making is brilliant - especially with fragile items such as Coffee Beans. Alyssa explained that organic items are something she is really excited about possibly using more often in her designs: 

"I'm constantly testing new techniques for preserving, finishing and varnishing day to day items to use in designs... I want to make loads of jewellery that looks good enough to eat!"

The Charm Bracelet is a stroke of genius...

Featuring Bicycles, Cupcakes, Coffee Beans (Porcelain ones on this piece), Cocktails, Heels and even a miniature version of my Cat-Eye Glasses, it captures the spirit of Vélo-City-Girl & really made me smile! Unique to my loves and with an eye for detail, it's pretty clear that Alyssa didn't miss a thing when it came to making this piece, as she points out:

"The best thing about Bespoke designs is that they are individual to the person they are made for - I would never replicate a bespoke design as it's been developed with someone specific in mind. I love it when I'm given artistic licence - to be told someone's three favourite things and left to create is amazing!"

I'm completely over the moon with these pieces - they're special, unique and have been made with a lot of care and love - just like the silver heart on the bracelet says.

You can view more pieces and request bespoke items by visiting the Arcobaleno Jewellery Design Website, or contacting Alyssa via twitter on @Arcobaleno_UK.