It’s now very fashionable to see beautiful people riding all around New York City on blue bikes. Since its introduction in 2013, the bike sharing sustainable system of transportation known as Citi Bike has become a great alternative to traditional transportation for both residents and visitors. The bike sharing system has a network of docking stations at points all around the city. Basically you pick up a bike at point A and drop it off at point B. So, of course, I jumped on this eco-friendly trend of riding around New York on a blue bike. However, while it was eco-friendly, it became very expensive ($10 for a 24 hour period).
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My husband, who builds bikes as a hobby and belongs to a strong bike community, decided that it would be a great idea to build me a bike. Usually he would order or barter parts on-line from websites such as Pink Bike, but to accommodate his eco-friendly wife, this time he found most of the parts at second-hand stores. He also reached out to his bike community and sourced parts. He found a cool, sturdy bike by Dehon. The frame was nice, but the paint job had seen better days, so he hand sanded it down to the original chrome. Being a fashion girl, I still wanted to add some original details to the bike, so I chose grips, lights and even a cool bike pump from Portland Design Works, which is a really original bike accessories company.
Since biking around my city has become the “new black,” the fashionista movement has followed suit. There is a growing number of companies that specialize in bike couture, so now I’m riding my custom bike around town in style! Here are some great finds:
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Give Love Cycle, which gives cycling a fashionable spin! I love these cool bike bags made of “vegan leather.” You can make a hip transition from bike to life (work, gym, dinner) with this bag that’s roomy enough store your helmet.
• Cycle Chic This company helps you cycle in style, and even has a blog dedicated to it. I picked a great fashion accessory helmet by YAKKAY. You start with a traditional looking helmet, and then you place the fashionable hat attachments on top.
I love riding my bike around NYC in style. Mercedes Benz Fashion Week comes to New York City September 4-11. Stay tuned for my next post, where I use my bike as transportation to the shows dressed in fashionable and mostly sustainable clothing, and share with you the upcoming trends. ‘Til next time!
Connect with Karim @karimorange