photography » Let's Go Ride a Bike - life on two wheels: simple. stylish. fun.

A New Red Coat on the Bike Path

Posted by Dottie at 22:51 commute diary, style 23 Responses »

Dec 072011

Bright red seems like the best color for city cycling, getting drivers’ attention while still looking stylish off the bike. Chic, classic, and bold.

For this reason, I’ve been searching for the perfect red coat for two years, especially since seeing this post on Copenhagen Cycle Chic. Yesterday, the miraculous happened: I finally found “my” red coat. I was walking through Anthropologie during my lunch break, which I often do to torture myself because I usually can’t afford their beautiful clothes, when I spotted this unique red trench for half off.

Everything about the coat is perfect for me. The bright red “hi-vis” color. The classic trench styling. The length. The cinched waist with a bow.

And the laced back! Just the kind of quirky, personal touch I love.

Best of all, the coat will get me through three Chicago seasons: fall and spring over whatever I happen to be wearing, winter with a cashmere or wool sweater and my lightweight windbreaker underneath. There’s a nice lining that makes it a bit more substantial than the usual trench.

Plus, the red matches my other Oma accessories.

I also purchased something else on sale that I’ve been searching for: a digital camera. I wanted an affordable compact camera with manual controls and sharp photos, which I found in the Panasonic Lumix LX-5. I love shooting film, but for blogging purposes digital is faster and cheaper. I (and my huge gloved hands) will be able to post more daily photos of my commute, more quickly. Yay!

Moving beyond consumerism to talk about actual biking, I had a lovely commute this morning. I took the Lakefront Trail for the first time in a while. I’m going to make a video of this route (with HD video on my new camera!) because it’s so beautiful.

Pure bliss = rolling on Oma down the quiet trail, listening to Jill Scott, enjoying the sun in my face and the wind at my back. Makes me wonder why I ever bother riding to work among car traffic.

Now is the best time of year to bike the trail – the crowds have left, but ice is not yet encroaching from the lake.

The weather today is suddenly colder, in the low-20′s. Winter is pushing its way through, slowly but surely. At least I have my red coat.

Jamie's Stylish New Folding Bike

Posted by Dottie at 10:04 bike reviews, style 12 Responses »

May 292011

Jamie, the stylish NYC photographer behind one of my favorite photo blogs, From Me To You, recently got a new bike.

This is the Barcelona model of a Citizen Folding Bike. I am not familiar with the brand, but the $399 sale price is right. Check out those cream balloon tires and wicker basket! What a beauty! Both of them.

Folding bikes are an excellent choice for city-dwellers who have to carry their bikes into their apartments every night. As Jamie notes, this one fits in her tiny apartment.

{Photo (c) From Me To You and used with permission}

Bike Fancy: Chicagoans Looking Good on Bikes

Posted by Dottie at 06:58 style 10 Responses »

May 242011

I am enjoying watching Martha’s Bike Fancy archives grow, with a new photo every day of the week showcasing Chicago’s “people looking good on bikes.” Chicago women are awesome and have an overall aesthetic that is very different from Copenhagen Cycle Chic.

Martha on the left, a featured cyclist on the right

My favorite aspect of Bike Fancy is that all of the photos are posed portraits with a bit of information about the rider, sometimes a mini interview. Hearing from the women themselves and knowing that they agreed to pose for the pictures adds another dimension to the site. While stopping a stranger on the street and asking if you can take her photo to put on the internet may sound awkward, if anyone can get someone to agree to this request, it’s Martha. :)

Martha at work

In the photo above that I took after the last Women Who Bike Brunch, Martha is writing the contact information of the woman she flagged down. And this is the beautiful picture that resulted:

Image (c) Martha Williams of Bike Fancy

That’s how we roll in Chicago. Check out all the rest at Bike Fancy!

Guy Week at Bike Fancy

Posted by Dottie at 19:11 Uncategorized 7 Responses »

Feb 162011

Hey, hey – it’s Guy Week at one of my very favorite internet places, Bike Fancy!

Pro photographer and stylish cyclist Martha is turning her lens on the men of Chicago. Although the majority of Chicago’s cyclists are men, I’m not used to seeing them without their backpacks and rain pants, track standing and running red lights. (I poke fun because I love!)

So this is a treat.

For those not interested in pictures of guys per se, there’s also an offer off of locally manufactured menswear company Nonetheless.

Guy Week at Bike Fancy – Check it out!

My Hyggelig Feature

Posted by Dottie at 07:23 commute diary, featuring . . . 11 Responses »

Feb 012011

My Hyggelig, one of my favorite blogs that is celebrating its 4th birthday today, has been publishing a series on creative female bike bloggers in the month of January, and yesterday featured an interview with me. I suggest that you head over there and check out the other features on Kara of Knitting Lemonade, LC of Naturally Cycling: Manchester, and Meli of Bikes and the City, a truly inspirational group!

Me and Coco in the snow

Commuting update: Yesterday I biked to work wearing a pinstripe pants suit with a white puffy down vest over the suit jacket and that kept me warm enough in 18 degrees, although I may have looked a little funny. Today I’m heading for the L train, as a blizzard is expected to start this afternoon and dump 1.5 feet on Chicago. Later!

A Quick Photography Note

Posted by Dottie at 19:24 Uncategorized 42 Responses »

Jan 262011

This is a quick note about the photography I’ll be using to illustrate my posts.

When I started this blog, I used a point-and-shoot digicam and about a year later I bought a DSLR as I grew more interested in photography. Last spring I began shooting with vintage film cameras and posting film photos here often. In October, I sold my DSLR to buy an awesome old camera and nearly all of the photos I’ve posted here since have been film photos. I’m now taking an intermediate film photography course, where I shoot, develop and print black and white film.

This is relevant to LGRAB because you will be seeing a lot more black and white photos from me. Also, you will see more photos that I may not have taken the same day. For example, I may use a picture from a week ago to illustrate a story about my commute today because it’s not realistic to shoot and develop a roll of film every day. I develop at least 2 or 3 times a week, though, so the photos will stay fresh.

I wanted to point this out so you aren’t wondering what the heck is going on. I hope my little photo adventures add to and don’t detract from my writing here.

One more thing: this week I launched a collaborative photo blog with two other film photographers. The concept is three people in three different cities (Chicago, New York and Vancouver) shooting with the same camera, lens and film. If you’re interested, check it out at Triple Exposure. And yes, that brings my grand blog total to three, including Dream Camera.

Now back to regularly scheduled bikey programming.

Walking in a winter wonderland

Posted by Dottie at 15:35 explore, random rides 17 Responses »

Dec 052010

Yesterday a few inches of snow fell in Chicago. My friend Elizabeth and I headed out to enjoy the winter wonderland and take some pictures (I used my new 50-year-old camera). Although we’re both year-round cyclists, we didn’t feel comfortable riding with the falling snow, so we hopped a bus to Lincoln Park and then walked around for an hour. A cozy underground pub and some Guinness warmed us up when we’d had enough.

Afterward, we went separate ways and I headed downtown to drop off my film for developing. I could have taken the bus, but the snowy night was so pretty, I chose to walk an hour to my destination. Then I took the L train home, but got off early to walk the final mile. Walking is such a great activity and I’m lucky to have so many transportation options in Chicago.

Now I gotta get those studded tires back on Oma!

Bike Fancy Showcases Chicago Cycle Chic

Posted by Dottie at 22:21 featuring . . ., media, style 8 Responses »

Nov 092010

Attention everyone: you must check out the new blog Bike Fancy. Pro photographer Martha Williams is documenting stylish cyclists in Chicago and sharing them with the world, including a selection of her own cycle chic looks.

Martha photographs Emily

A resource showcasing Chicago Cycle Chic has been a missing link in our bike community and I’m super excited that Bike Fancy is here to pick up this slack. I look forward to watching the gallery grow!

Martha's Stylish Cyclists

Posted by Dottie at 21:11 featuring . . ., style 10 Responses »

Oct 252010

Today I met Martha, a professional photographer working on a project documenting stylish Chicago bicyclists. She photographed me and Oma, and then I turned the tables on her for a few shots. After all, she has been a chic bike commuter herself for many years and rides an awesome vintage pink Schwinn.

Martha, her camera, her bike and Chicago

Here is more information from Martha about her project and a call out to Chicago cyclists.

I am working on a small project photographing stylish cyclists, and I want to photograph you with your bike (outside somewhere). I have a few rules:

1. No active wear, you should be wearing work clothes or going out clothes. (unless you can make a case for a particularly nice looking “functional” outfit)

2. I want all kinds of bikers but prefer women and commuters.

3. Look cute and dress up a little!

If this sounds good to you, contact Martha at mafaw1 {at} gmail {dot} com – she is still looking for subjects. She plans to compile her documentary photographs and create a new bicycling photoblog set to launch soon. I’ll definitely update you all when her site goes live!

LGRAB Back from NYC

Posted by Dottie at 06:55 travel 15 Responses »

Aug 182010

Trisha and I are back from NYC! I have lots of thoughts about the infrastructure and bikes there, as well as general comparisons with Chicago, but that will have to wait until I have more time to write. In the meantime, here are some pictures of our adventure.

I’ve been posting a lot more pictures of our trip at Dream Camera. More excitement is coming up, as I will be meeting up with a very special guest who is visiting Chicago this week.