It’s Friiiiiday! Weekend’s just around the corner. I’m not in the office today, but if you need some distraction, as a highly diligent, female professional, I’ve got it covered.
Half Draft:
Existing at the towering height of 5’2, I figured that until I could purchase either a Cervelo or a custom bike, I would have to live with the color of whatever mini bike I could find. And then a few months ago, I met a few extremely cute girls who changed all that: Britlee and Michelle of Half Draft.
The thing is, these girls aren’t your ordinary run-of-the-mill cyclists. They stand out [pun intended] because they’re as short as I am. The height factor instantly became the center of our conversation: how to find bikes that fit, the 650cc vs. 700cc question, and what we currently ride. And the best part? Britlee and Michelle told me about their new site, Half Draft, which is devoted to reviews of bikes and gear for the shorter rider.
When I saw the sheer number of bikes on that site, I actually said “woah,” out loud. Though the cross bikes reviewed are mostly in the 50cm range [and thus too big for yours truly], the chart with comparisons of quality and price is extremely helpful. There’s a post about how to change your stem to enable better reach, and the Dolan Pre Cursa even made No. 3 on their tiny track bike listing. This is tiny bike heaven, and with the average height of American women hovering around 5’4, Half Draft is the perfect resource for the shorter, female rider.
Downtown from Behind:
It could be PMS or an onset of SAD, but when temperatures drop, I start to crave bright colors. And clothes. And accessories. I crave fashionable people and New York City.
So when I found Downtown from Behind, I predictably spent about 15 minutes browsing the archives and reading the short entries. The project, by photographer Bridge Flemming, will document every street below 14th Street via a picture of a cyclist from behind. With a mix of designers, artists, models, bike shop owners, and non-profit organizers, it gives a taste of the diversity of New York, and the different characters that shape the city.
A warning, though: you’ll end up spending a ridiculous amount of time on this site.
Mr.Newton - Hey Bike Girl!:
Found through a site that linked to another site that linked to this one, and because high fashion and bright colors make me happy, I threw Mr. Newton into my Google Reader a few weeks ago.
Yesterday, he did a post exclusively on girls on bikes. If you’re not into the kitting-out-in-Lycra thing, if you’re nostalgic for summer, or you just want to be reminded that riding a bike doesn’t have to limit your wardrobe, go take a look. I may never be able to ride a bike in a pink chiffon dress, but that doesn’t mean these photos didn’t have me browsing my closet for cuter outfits.
Crap, now I need to buy another pair of boots...and another bike...