Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Coffee Shop Bike Fashion

The Minneapolis Star Tribune posted an article on their website describing a new trend in bicycling: coffee shop bikes and the associated fashion.

I know some bike shop owners, who if they are as smart as I think they are, will begin stocking handlebar tassels and Hawaiian print shirts for spring. I can't think of a winter-time version of these fashions. Too bad, because I look good in prints. Maybe it's time to invent the bicycling muu-muu.

Seriously, this isn't a new trend. It's a sign that the bigger manufacturers see a buck to be made in the area of fun bicycling. Fun bicycling is the opposite of the "extreme" techno-racer market that's caused them to build hybrids with carbon stays and forks. Fun bicycling has been going on since the invention of the bicycle.

Don't get me wrong, racing is fun too, but the technology spill over from racing into regular bicycles is laughable. I'm not going to trust that carbon-fiber fork after my 7-year old gouges it with her Lil' Miss as she rides it into the garage. Insert your own story of a careless accident that gouges your carbon-fiber bike bits.

12 comments:

KM said...

You beat me to it -- I just saw that article. We should have Ray be our fashion consultant -- he certainly knows more about Hawaiian shirts than I do.

It is an interesting trend and it may mean that they have saturated the racing marketplace.

Eclectchick said...

So, are you going to sport said mu-mu?? That's something I gotta see.

Anonymous said...

On your advice, I just drained my credit cards and my shop checking account on $100,000 in streamers and hawaiian cycling shirts. Assuming I am one of the shop owners you know, I AM as smart as you think I am!

rigtenzin said...

I bet you could get a second mortgage on your house too. It's the american way, you know.

Muu-muu? I think I'd look great in one.

Frostbike said...

Hawaiian shirts know no season.

Now, a hawaiian print bike jersey? That would be a hot seller.

Anonymous said...

"Now, a hawaiian print bike jersey? That would be a hot seller."

Those jerseys would go great with the denim print lycra shorts.

Eclectchick said...

I vote for a fashion show including ALL of you guys and your various loud biking apparel choices!

I'll buy the first ticket.

fob said...

I believe that the cycling muu-muu has already been created in your fine city. Here and here.

rigtenzin said...

I've met that guy and ridden his Pugsley. He wasn't wearing his muu-muu though.

Oh well, I'm always a step behind the styles.

Snakebite said...

Is that pink gem with the banana seat and training wheels one of your rigs?

Sophzilla said...

I'd love to walk into one of the high-tech bike stores, look at one of the high-tech bikes and ask, "Does this come with a banana seat? How about a basket in the front for my Yorkie?"

I used to have a neighbor who would walk around in bike shorts. Never saw the bike. He was a very odd fellow and seeing him in the shorts was intensely disturbing. You could carry mu-mus around and hand them out to strangers who shouldn't be wearing said shorts. I suppose you'd need some kind of kick pleat in the back, or a wide enough hem to fit over the seat.

rigtenzin said...

It's decided that muu-muus are for covering up stuff that shouldn't be seen like bike shorts.

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