Urban Outfitters Loves Bikes, And So Should You!
There's been an explosion of bicycle imagery at Urban Outfitters recently, both in their store and in their catalog. The obvious subtext is that bikes are cool and that young people are using them not only to get around, but to express themselves. Take a look at some catches from the last week.
http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/
Rider Profile: Priscila
Priscila Gutierrez
Where do you live currently and where did you grow up?
I live in Albany and grew up in Schenectady, although originally I am from California
What do you do for a living?
I'm a student at UAlbany finishing my last semester and I work doing promotions, everything from wine and liquor to cosmetics and tax services. Anything they pay me to promote, I promote.
When did you start using your bike for transportation and what inspired you to do so?
I left last semester to go backpacking through central america and to do so I sold my car and my motorcycle. When I got back I didn't have a job and really didn't want to find a regular job, and without a car my monthly expenses are cut in half. So after about a week of being back having to walk and take the bus everywhere I decided that a bike would be great for running errands and getting around.
What type of bicycle do you ride?
I bought a cheap mountain bike off of craigslist and I love it!
What activities and errands do you do on your bike?
I do everything on my bike, as long as its not too cold or raining i ride the four miles to campus, I ride to the grocery store and put my groceries in my backpack, I ride to the bar to meet friends, I ride to the bank, i ride to the tattoo place for my tattoo appointment, I ride my bike to get my hair done down on Henry Johnson by Dominicans, I ride everywhere I can.
What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had while riding your bicycle?
I think the most memorable experience I've had is riding my bike in a cute little dress to meet some one on Lark Street for a date. I think it says a lot about a gal when she's willing to show up to a date on a bike.
What’s your favorite place to bike?
My favorite place to bike would be cutting through Washington Park when i'm on my way back home. I love the broad strip with all the benches and how there's always so much life in the park; dog owners and people just sitting, skateboarders and kids.
What’s your favorite bicycle accessory or piece of gear and why?
My favorite bicycle accessory is this blinking reflector I have on the back of my bike. I like it because I ride at night a lot and I always get nervous that people can't see me. I feel safer with that little blinking light behind me.
How do you usually dress when you ride?
I don't usually change my attire when i ride, other than I shove all my hair in a hat so it doesn't whip around or get dirty from mud splattering up. I get to class all sweaty after the 4 mile bike ride but I don't care.
If you could own any bicycle in the world, what would it be?
I don't know much about bikes because riding is new to me, but I would love to have one of those little bike messenger bikes that collapse and are super light. I love that my bike is pretty light which makes it easy to bring up and down the stairs but an even smaller bike would be great.
What advice would you give to a beginning bicyclist or someone who is thinking about utility bicycling?
On a final note, like I already mentioned I started riding because I needed an affordable method of transportation. But now that I've done it through one of the worst winters that I can recall since I was a kid, I'm inspired to continue doing it. I love feeling absolutely awakened by a brisk ride, I feel ready to learn when I ride to campus. I love feeling more active than I was before. And I love knowing that the less I use a car the more I'm contributing to decreasing air pollution, noise pollution, and the general overcrowding of everyone having a car. I do wish that Albany was more bike friendly, and I honestly hope that with all the endeavors of the current administration against childhood obesity, that public policy will follow promoting urban planning that is more bike friendly.
Rider Profile: Chad
How do you usually dress when you ride?
I've only ridden in cold weather, so long underwear, jeans, long sleeve shirt (x2 depending on coldness), 2-layer jacket (nylon shell, fleece liner), helmet, headlamp, behind-head earmuffs, gloves, and normal socks in every-day boots.
CB2 Bicycles!
CB2 is selling the beautiful and colorful "Abuelo" by Republic Bike which I spotted in the background of their early Spring catalog seen here.
Another car company exploiting bicycles to sell their product
I think probably the biggest irony of the bicycle revolution we are seeing today is the use of bicycles and bicycle imagery to sell cars and auto-industry products like car insurance. It's just another example of demerit goods (cars in this case) repackaging and rebranding themselves as merit goods when the core product remains the same. Think of the "healthy" options that fast food restaurants have started offering. I'm not saying this is bad--people certainly eat the stuff and benefit from having the option. Ultimately, though, it is the healthy imagery that makes us feel good about the company and gets us in the door, but we still end up buying the supersized tripple-stacker meal.
Plus, at least fast food chains are selling healthy options in their restaurants as an alternative to the unhealthy stuff. In the case of fast food, we have certain policy interventions to thank. But could you imagine if car manufacturers were required to offer healthier options--such as an assortment of commuter and utiltiy bicycles and accessories--in their showrooms?!
But I digress.
Here's another great example, albeit not an American one, that catches your interest with bicycle imagery and then, wouldn't you know! At the end, it turns out to be mounted on the top of a car!
Great though this example may be, this Kia advertisement still reigns supreme.
We Are All One
Back with a quick ad catch--Converse's new "We Are All One" ad (which I cought on a clickable ad banner for Target) features a couple of hip, free, fun-loving 20-something dudes. Below are two screen captures.
ALSO, please check out People For Bikes (http://www.peopleforbikes.org/) and take two seconds to sign their bike pledge. They are an excellent organization trying to unify the millions of diverse American voices calling for a better future for bicycling.
Keep an eye out for more bicyclist profiles in the coming weeks. I've been really busy with school, but should have the chance to get some good ones up soon.
Also on the radar, a new banner/theme for the blog! Thanks for coming back, and stay tuned!
Winter Sightings in Montréal
I had a break from school last week, so Michelle and I decided we'd finally take the train up to Montréal. It felt great to be back in a francophone city and to really explore a few of Montréal's neighborhoods. My previous visits had consisted of day trips where I was really confined to Downtown and Old Montréal. We were staying in the Plateau and really, really loved the galleries and shops offered in Mile End.
Here are a couple photos that I snapped that just happened to capture some of the many bicyclists pedaling along through the Montréal winter. Also shown is a nifty little shelf that was on display in a woodworker's studio in Mile End. It is specifically designed to support a bicycle hung by its upper horizontal tube--it would be perfect for bike-commuters with their own office, or for bicyclists who just want a stylish and functional way to store their bike and save space. I originally spotted this at night, and it was all lit up on display inside the studio, but I didn't have my camera. I had to settle for these couple shots I was able to get the next day, glare and all.
Rider Profile: Rohan
What’s your name?
My name is Rohan. I would introduce you to my bike as well, but it does not have a name. Where do you live currently and where did you grow up?
I grew up in Red Hook, NY, started school in Swarthmore, PA, and now call Albany home. Albany is a gritty city, but it has grown on me. What do you do for a living?
I am a student interested in how we design our communities for race, class, and sustainability, and I hope that translates into a meaningful way to make a living. When did you start using your bike for transportation and what inspired you to do so?
I started bicycling for transportation by default in the summer of 2006. I was a few years behind my classmates when it came to driving, so I commuted to my internship, four miles each way, and sometimes biked to the Hudson River for lunch. When I moved to Albany, with a license this time but without a car, I kept it up, and now, even though I do drive, bicycling, especially for transportation, will always be a part of my life. I have a good time biking and it's good for my health, not to mention the environment. What type of bicycle do you ride?
I know it's not about the bike, or at least it shouldn't be, but I get carried away in the conspicuous consumption of bike culture as much as the next person. I ride a 1983 Cannondale touring bike, above, on longer trips; a kludge, a Rudge fixed-gear commuter, for shorter trips and in the winter; and I recently bought a 1998 Waterford road bike. I got my start on a 2005 Trek milk crate bike. What activities and errands do you do on your bike?
I always bike to school, I often bike to meet friends, I sometimes bike to buy groceries, and I try to make it to alleycats, Albany Bicycle Coalition meetings, Critical Mass, and Albany Bike Rescue. What I would like to do more of is explore Albany and Troy with my bike and camera. What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had while riding your bicycle?
There was the one night I happened to find myself with friends at a party at the Governor's pool house. I am happy to report that New York beer and wine were served. What’s your favorite place to bike?
I spent six weeks in Washington, D.C. in the summer of 2007, and chanced upon a Cannondale on Craigslist for $360. For a dollar a day, I thought to myself, I could get my money's worth in a year, and I did. Those summer evenings exploring Northwest were beautiful, and I remember them well. What’s your favorite bicycle accessory or piece of gear and why?
I have a Japanese brass bell that I am especially fond of. Sometimes I ring it for no particular reason, for nobody in particular. How do you usually dress when you ride?
I almost always carry a messenger bag (I have a medium Timbuk2 and an extra-large BaileyWorks.) with a pump (Topeak Road Morph G), a spare tube, tire levers, a patch kit, a multi-tool (Crank Brothers), and lock (Kryptonite). For some reason, I wear indoor soccer shoes and soccer training pants (Adidas Samba) often. In the winter, I add a merino wool base layer and a soft shell (L.L. Bean), with a balaclava or skullcap (Pearl Izumi) and gloves. In the summer, I keep the skullcap, switch to summer gloves (Pearl Izumi), and stow a rain jacket (L.L. Bean). Pit-zips, while not an elegant term, are an essential feature. A helmet (Specialized) is a must, as are front and rear lights (Planet Bike). If you could own any bicycle in the world, what would it be?
There were some beautiful frames at this week's North American Handmade Bicycle Show, YiPsan and Signal come to mind, and I have always liked A.N.T., but the standard I would have to compare them against would be Rivendell. Grant Petersen's ideas about cycling mesh well with mine, and his frames reflect a certain sensibility about bicycling.
What advice would you give to a beginning bicyclist or someone who is thinking about utility bicycling?
What really helped me and what I found inspiring was meeting cyclists in the community. I learned a lot about where I lived and where I was going as a cyclist, and made some wonderful friends in the process.
An 80-mile bike ride to visit your favorite yogurt factory in Upstate New York...
I've been neglecting my commercial watchdog duties of late. In addition to starting a new semester since I began the blog in the final days of our winter/holiday break, we have also nixed our cable to save money--and focus on more important things! So, I haven't been exposed to the onslaught of mass-media to which the average cable viewer would be exposed.
So, after a long dry spell due to the aforementioned reasons, I finally caught a bicycle-themed commercial--this one for Chobani Greek Yogurt. I had never heard of this brand before, so they either just have a Northeast or New York presence, or they are a new upstart and are ramping up their national advertising (or I'm just really not up-to-date with the "yogurt scene"...). This piece is part of an ad campaign called "Real Chobani Love Stories." It features a cyclist from Upstate New York who simply has to visit the factory where his favorite yogurt is produced. So he wakes up at 5:00 am to ride the 80 miles to the factory, getting lost a couple of times and riding over hills through wind and rain.
This is just another classic example of the bicycle being passively used in advertising as a simple, reasonable, and fun way to travel about!
