guest post by Aaron Muszalski
Tweed Rides – group bicycle events in which riders eschew spandex in favor of elegant, vintage-inspired riding attire – are growing in popularity, with newly-announced rides in San Francisco, Chicago, and Sydney, Australia.
photo by Rubin Starset
On the recently-launched SFTweed blog, self-described “Tweedpunk” Colin Fahrion has announced that the Second San Francisco Tweed Ride will take place this coming Thursday, April 30th.
Once again, we fine bastions of tweed bicivility will gather to show the city how to really ride in style! Fortunately, Spring is upon us, and the night has begun to be pushed back by the day. As such, the sun shall still grace our ride, giving all passersby a chance to bask in our grand tweediness! Our last ride was a joyful time with games, contests, and of course the sharpest dressed company a cyclist could ask for.
In addition to the games, contests, and prizes that proved so popular during the inaugural San Francisco Tweed Ride, Thursday’s ride has a special surprise: a mid-route musical performance by the fabulous “post-industrial-folk-noir” septet Corpus Callosum!
photo by Fenchurch!
Moving Eastward, Chicago’s first Tweed Ride will take place this coming Saturday, May 2nd. Organized by the fine dapper folks at The Chainlink, their event takes special inspiration from no less of an historical figure than The Right Honourable Sir Winston Churchill.
The 2nd of May 2009 marks the 80th anniversary of Winston Churchill’s invention of his exquisitely dry martini: copious amounts of gin poured over crushed ice while he observed the vermouth from across the room. The route, designed by the Right Honorable Lee Diamond, is 10 civilized miles meandering past (and into) some of The Windy City’s most infamous (and still open) speakeasies.
Like the SF Tweed Ride, Winston’s Tweed Ride will host contests for Most Dapper Chap, Most Snappy Lass, Most Stylish Noble Steed, Most Inspired Interpretation of Tweediness, and Best Mustache (open to both lads and inventive lasses).
image by unknown
Meanwhile, from the other side of the world, vintage cycling haberdashery Rocket Fuel brings us news of the first Sydney Tweed Ride.
image by RocketFuelStyle
Following the fine style of London, San Francisco, Auckland and soon Chicago. Sydney is having it’s very own Tweed Ride. So gather your most dapper or ladylike apparel and join us for a spin around the city and a fine cup of tea!
From London to San Francisco, or the Windy City to a Land Down Under, clearly the appeal of Tweed knows no bounds.
Interested in becoming one of the cogwheelnoscenti? The latest news of all things two-wheeled and tweedy can be had on SFTweed’s RSS feed, via their Jaunty Mailer, or on twitter @sftweed.
photo by Binx
See previously: Critical Masterpiece – The Tweed Ride Debuts in San Francisco
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
For those who’d like to participate, but are daunted by the task of assembling a suitable outfit, fear not! Concocting a Tweed ensemble on the cheap is surprisingly easy, as most urban thrift stores are awash with the stuff (it’s denims and plaids that are currently scarce, thanks to the still-virulent hipster outbreak of 2005). For example, in January I found a genuine Harris Tweed jacket in my size for only $7 at the Salvation Army in Daly City.
Inexperienced at thrifting in the SF Bay Area? Check out Catcubed’s helpful “Tweed Primer”, in which he shares his list of spots where a frugal cyclist is most likely to find dashing duds that are easy on the pocketbook: http://catcubed.com/2009/02/06/a-tweed-primer/
There’s also no need to assemble an entire get-up in one go. If you’re pressed for time a vintage, or vintage-styled hat can go a long way towards making any ensemble seem suitably Tweedy. Add a prosthetic mustache (I endorse the esteemed Professor NifNaks Brand: http://www.nifnaks.com/) and you’re ready to ride. Add more elements at your future leisure.
Also, be willing to experiment! The winner of the “Most Inspired Tweediness” award at the Inaugural SF Tweed Ride went to the entophillic JD, who created a woolen insect carapace from cardboard, hot melt glue and scraps of tweed fabric. He even created segmented insect arms, complete with buttons on the “sleeve”: http://www.flickr.com/photos/84673851@N00/3277085092/in/pool-sftweed Absolute buggy genius!
Most of all, remember to have fun. Like any DIY culture event, Tweed Rides are about participation, freedom of expression and simple, unmediated play. Abandon dogma – you never needed it anyway – and remix the recipe you’ve been given to suit your own personal tastes.
See you at the ride!
Hi Muzalski. I’d like to see this event mashed up with some kind of Cthulhu Mythos type thing where the bicyclists are actually eaten by Lovecraftian monsters. But that’s just me.
great idea. while naked riding is more appropriate where i live, cycling has always been about style. if only i could get back into those wool knickers.
@Chaco we accept all cyclists be they misshapen, sporting gills, covered in seaweed and/or soaking wet — as long as they are looking tweedy!
Thanks for the shout out for The 1st Annual Winston’s Tween Ride! More info on the website. Also, it is my humble self who’s responsible for graphics %-{)>
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