What am I going to wear?

Image

Me in my secondhand spandex

My cycling wardrobe consists of a few boring basics -- a couple hand-me-down pairs of lycra bike shorts, one long pair, various warm long-sleeved Ts and the synthetic short-sleeved shirts that I also wear for running. Everything's gone from the dresser to my body to the wash and back over a million times over the years, and part of me values this practical, if often colorfully mismatched, sartorial thrift.

But then I'll see Robin pedal up to work at Cascade on her cozy commuter bike, wearing a little stretchy skirt over tights and tall boots, a cute sweater and T-shirt, and a bit of bling around her neck. She can take off her jacket and be ready for work before I've collected my towel and toiletries for the shower. I love Robin's sense of cycling style and have wanted to ask her to give me a bike fashion makeover, but shyness and a busy schedule have gotten in the way.

Good thing, then, for Bike Expo and the Traffic Stoppers fashion show, which Juliette Delfs, the owner of Fremont's Hub and Bespoke, has put a ton of work (thank you!) into organizing for this Saturday, March 12, at 2:25 p.m. at Expo. Traffic Stoppers will be THE place to see the hottest fashions from the world of cycling, modeled by Cascade staff, Expo featured guest Ulrike Rodrigues (Mitey Miss) and more. Local designers, retailers and manufacturers have contributed clothing and accessories like dresses, trousers, pedal pushers, helmets, panniers and shoes. Word on the trail is that even the bicycles, displayed along with the outfits, will be cool -- a Dahon Speed folding bike, Boomer electric bike, Co-motion tandem. (I'm curious to see what the Donkelope bike on the program is all about.) Bikes and fashion will combine to create get-ups with names like Life in the City, Sunday Market and Thunder and Lightning.

Image

These cyclists have style

I hope to get some ideas -- maybe even just one -- that I can incorporate into my cycling ensemble. Maybe I'll run it by Robin, see what she thinks. Or maybe I'll decide that the secondhand spandex is just the thing for me (there ARE a lot of hills on my commute, and I can certainly work up a sweat).

I like the idea, though, of biking in regular, everyday clothes, instead of sports gear. It sorta brings biking into the mainstream -- a la Amsterdam or Copenhagen -- which is certainly where Cascade would like to see cycling go in the coming years in our part of the world.

In the meantime, we're bringing cycling to the Traffic Stoppers runway, where the hippest (and zippiest?) cycle style will be on display this Saturday for all who'd like to see.

*For all of you urban athletes out there: two models WILL show off some stylin' athletic gear at the show.