Public Bike's M3
We can't get enough of bike stuff. We love bicycles as a beautiful, nimble and eco-friendly form of transportation, and we love all the gear that we can drool over too. We've written about accessories, concepts, vintage bikes, bike lanes, and...tons more. And yes, we even made our very own two-wheeled stallion. Bike culture has really come into its own in the past few years, and it's becoming part of our larger culture as well. So we were intrigued to see a recent article by San Francisco bike company Public's founder, Rob Forbes (who also founded Design Within Reach), all about how women cyclists are helping to push bicycle commuting into the mainstream. (Those of you around for ICFF this year may recall, Public debuted their line of Dutch-inspired city bikes off-site at Partners and Spade.)
Forbes notes that 80 percent of riders in the US are male, but he believes that stylish and casual women commuters are "leading the urban bike trend." And: "Women are opening bike stores around the country, manage and staff hip bicycle cafes, and design innovative and stylish cycling clothes and accessories." Providing some coincidental back-up to Forbes' statement, Design Sponge went bike crazy this week, posting an interview with Adeline Adeline bike shop owner Julie Hirschfield, a round-up of cool lady bike gear, and some gorgeous vintage-inspired cycles. It shows how bike culture is informing style, and vice-versa, whether you are a speedy fixed-gear enthusiast, a rugged mountain biker, or a lady looking for a smooth and cool ride to work.
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