Off the catwalk and on to the cycle path

Forget earnest nerds in woolly jumpers and hick raingear, writes LOUISE ROSEINGRAVE; cyclists rank among the most sartorially savvy road-users, and new fashions and accessories unveiled in Cork demonstrate how to saddle up in style.

CRUISING downhill, the city of Cork lights up before me. The Elysian tower emanates a red glow, the wind whips around my ears and I worry my short skirt is indecent. I’m perched atop my beloved bike, freewheeling down from the city’s highest vantage point.

I’m on my way to Cycle Chic, at Cork’s Millennium Hall, on the banks of the River Lee.

Organised by Cork City Council, the event is an exhibition of all things chic and fashionable in the world of city cycling and aims to encourage a culture of bicycling in Cork.

The second event of its kind in the city, Cycle Chic presents a live band, a drinks reception, a fashion show and an exhibition of all the latest glad rags and gadgets to funk up your street cruising profile – and it’s all free.

The aim is to persuade city dwellers to embrace the bike.

On the mean streets of Cork, it’s a dog eat dog world. Conditions can be cut-throat, so cyclists must be careful.

Cyclists must be super-aware and savvy enough to anticipate any sudden movements from motorists.

Perhaps one valid excuse for clinging to the car is the weather, whose inclemency can dump buckets of rain on the vulnerable cyclist at any given moment.

Dublin-based designer Georgia Scott is challenging cyclists to push the boundaries associated with the pushbike.

Paving her way through the recession by catering to a niche market, her Georgia in Dublin label offers elegant rainproof clothing for female cyclists keen to maintain their image while out and about on their bikes.

These designs take hi-vis to the next level, with a collection of reflective neon fitted jackets and rain capes with space for backpacks and, my personal favourite, waterproof galoshes to protect footwear, complete with reflective markings, She has come up with a few basic but brilliant ideas to take the misery out of cycling in foul weather.

“I know how frustrating it can be to be fashion conscious on a bike. So I’ve tried to come up with practical solutions while retaining a sense of glam,” says Scott.

Sarah Danaher, cyclist and spokeswoman for Cork City Council, points out the myriad benefits of traversing the city on two wheels.

“The weather is one of the main reasons people don’t cycle, but what you can do is show them the kind of gear that is now available. You can cycle in all weather, look cool and be safe,” says Danaher. “It’s a great way to keep fit and get where you need to go at the same time. You spend less time in the gym, look great and save on fuel,” she says.

Cork City Council advocates the use of bikes as an alternative form of transport, with city manager Joe Gavin actively encouraging city dwellers not to own cars, through a rent-a-car scheme, limited resident parking permits and a long-term plan to pedestrianise additional sections of the city centre.

“This is about raising awareness of a growing industry surrounding bikes. And just as the car industry promotes new cars, we are doing the same for cycling,” she said.

The council has no immediate plans to introduce a bike scheme similar to that introduced in Dublin, where unprecedented popularity has seen more than 16,000 people sign up for the use of the Dublin bikes rental scheme.

Around the country, workers have been quick to utilise a tax break offered under the Bike to Work scheme, introduced in Budget 2009 by the Minister for the Environment, John Gormley. The initiative allows employees to purchase a bike and associated equipment tax free and offers savings of around 30 per cent on the price of a new set of wheels.

Cycle shop owners and entrepreneurs are taking advantage of the shift back toward the bicycle, importing stunning models of old-fashioned road bikes, California-style cruisers and kitsch children’s bicycles to sell in Ireland.

Brian McDermott and Kevin Hillier, both economics graduates of UCD, set up 2wheels.ie in July 2009 after cycling the entire length of the worlds longest road, the Pan American Highway. Their Sandymount Green premises, in Dublin 4, stocks a range of goods including the Dutch brand name Gazelle, hand crafted in Holland for the past 118 years.

At the Rothar cycle shop on Barrack Street in Cork, Robert O’Riordan has evolved his business to offer guided tours, whether a leisurely pedal through a picturesque landscape or an extreme sporting experience down the purpose built trails of Ballyhoura.

“In Europe, cycling is a culture and a lifestyle. You can see that creeping in here now. Cycle Chic brings in products we never would have seen otherwise and allows us in turn, to sell them. But it’s not about the money really; it’s a passion more than anything else,” says O’Riordan.

The best of the bikes

The best of the bike bits exhibited at Cycle Chic combine practicality with style. The Georgia in Dublin collection, whose innovative creations are soon to go into production, includes a three-quarter-length raincoat that unzips to the hips to make a canopy from your waist to the handlebars, keeping thighs dry and presentable for work.

Equally impressive is the selection of bright, reflective, protective Velcro boot covers, elasticated to fit all sizes. The collection includes matching neon saddle covers.

The all-important basket turned up in many forms, but Dutch Basil BV delivers a stylish yet compact, click to open, detachable wicker basket that keeps goods safe from thieves and can double as an (unusual) briefcase, shopping bag or picnic basket.

Klick Fix, a heavy-duty brand stocked by Rothar in Cork, offers a basket capable of carrying a small dog. I love this idea, but I worry the dog might jump overboard. The manufacturer is a step ahead of me and includes a mesh covering to keep the mutt safe inside. At €60, this is pricey, but it’s incredibly durable and the quick release mechanism is fast and does away with any need for cumbersome clasps and buckles.

Anyone with a loosely woven wire basket will be aware of the perils, as items are easily lost through the cracks. US made Betty Basket Liners offer a solution, in the form of a cloth lining that doubles as a carry bag and comes in a range of great patterns and bright colours. Stylish and sturdy, the basket liner adds functionality and flair.

It’s not very practical for the hills of Cork city, but the Italian-made Bombi bike drew plenty of admirers at Cycle Chic, for its old world charm, sophistication and curving lines. Everyone fell in love with this bike — its comfort handlebars, leather saddle and retro chain cover. Retailing at €349 at Rothar on Barracks Street in Cork, its one speed dimension doesn’t make life on the road easy, but it does possess a love at first sight quality that will make you — and everyone else — swoon.