European Bike Style

Inspired by my meet up this past week with Bike Pretty, I decided it was time to share some observations from our  honeymoon about the bike style we saw in Europe.

As we all know, European approaches to style differ significantly from us. Speaking from our experiences in Zurich, the Bodensee area, Brussels and Bruges, and Amsterdam, I was surprised to notice several differences in each area. Cyclists in Zurich and Konstanz, for example, primarily use rear baskets to chart stuff around. This surprised me – I initially had a rear basket and didn’t like not being able to keep an eye on  my stuff. Of course, it looks very elegant, and Germans and Swiss definitely have much more trust and security when it comes to their bikes and accessories anyway.

More women with purses in back baskets, in Konstanz

Bike parking in Konstanz – just a big painted rectangle for you to lock your wheel up, and that’s it. Leave your bags, too, no big deal.

In Belgium, we noticed something else – people still just locked their wheels up, not necessarily to the bike racks, but everyone had matching panniers that they just left on their bikes. I’d be too paranoid to do that here, but I was in awe of all the fun, lovely, colorful panniers! And totally jealous.

Most of the fun panniers were in Bruges, and it seemed as if every woman I saw on a bike was wearing a cute dress or skirt. And no wonder – there was a store not far from the town center with fun bike accessories! No, it wasn’t a bike shop, just a women’s clothing and accessories store, full of great shoes, fun purses, funky jewelry and clothing, and yes, bike bags, bells, stickers, and so on. This is what we need in the US – cute bike stuff sold not always in bike shops!

My new favorite store – in Bruges.

Funky shoes in the window.

Cute bike accessories, mostly by Der Spiegelburg, a German company

All of these bags are bike bags. I checked.

My new pants strap, by Der Spiegelberg, bought in Bruges.

Almost bought this New Looxs pannier in Dortmund. Regret that too!

 

Plenty of bike style in Amsterdam, too, of course.  I expected that.

Love the decorated cargo box

I don’t think she was biking, but I still love the photo

Tandem

Side-by-side tandem

The cargo box of this bike folded up!

Going the wrong way in a bike lane, stylishly.

Stylish bike rider already!

Even the kids’ bikes are cute and stylish!

Love the pink bike! and the bike rack design that keeps handlebars a bit less crammed together.

Classic design.

In front of a store, but so fun!

Tommy Hilfiger bikes in front of a Tommy Hilfiger office building. Saw a stylish woman in a dress go into the bike parking area with her bike.

 

Style aside, there were many practical accessories that we don’t have easily available to us. I think my favorite was the stroller attachment, so you could hook your baby’s collapsible stroller to your bike, then have it handy when you and your child reach your destination. How smart!

I think this is the stroller attachment in action. Or at least on a bike.

They don’t fool around when it comes to kids on bikes!

Can’t imagine how heavy bikes must be with two kids plus a loaded front bike rack. Thank goodness it’s a flat city.

 

Once again, I am in awe of the cycling culture in Europe, or at least in Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands (I’d say Denmark too, but I think I covered that when I blogged about our trip there in 2012). Practical, yes, highly functional, yes, highly stylish, yes. And I haven’t even yet written about the infrastructure, and how the bike lanes we saw and experienced have forever changed my opinion on bike lanes in America. Stay tuned for that blog post!

huh. (In Brussels)