Snapshots of London

As I've said, London is a city of fast & aggressive biking. As opposed to my other destinations, I noticed that more people here are in actual cycling gear on fast bikes. You'll also find a strong bike messenger/fixie scene - most prevalent (in my humble observation) on the east side, aside more casual bikers taking their time, enjoying the city. We stumbled into a couple incredible shops in Shoreditch, stocked with candy colored frames, hot pink cages, colored tires & chains. Sigh, I'm sold on the fact that if I lived in a flat city I'd be on one.

Portobello Market on Bike

These two caught my eye.

Quick Shots of London

I'm hoping to get some more shots this weekend - biking in London is a whole other beast. I went for my first ride on Wednesday & was a little taken back by the speed of it all.

East Kreuzberg, Berlin - Sunday in the Park

A walk through East Kreuzberg led us to a large park filled with people dancing, bands playing, bikers, frisbee throwers, & others just enjoying the sun. The thing that caught my attention here? As packed as the park was, people pulled in on bikes, courtesly walked them or biking slowly through crowds. It works both ways, courteous bikers & pedestrians alike.

Berlin Cycle Chic

At first, I thought that Berlin didn't share the cycle love, but after 2 minutes I realized that it was there. The streets are faster & the traffic is faster, but Berlin has made significant efforts to make biking an easy form of transportation with most roads having bike lanes & many intersections hosting bike-specific traffic lights.

I also noticed that biking in Berlin is definitely a lifestyle decision that young & old are making. You see people walking their bikes when they meet friends without, people riding quickly to get somewhere on time, people riding at a slow pace enjoying the day. It takes all walks, all subcultures & demographics to make up the population on bikes in Berlin. Here is a collection of some of my favorite bikers, or at least the ones I got pics of.

A Sunny Ride Through the English Garden

The English Garden in Munich is the perfect spot to go for a casual bike ride, lay in the sun with friends & grab a liter in the beer garden. I was lucky enough to make a friend in Stockholm that connected me with her sister in Munich. Felizitas met me with a sweet little cruiser & showed me all around.

Riding in Munich was totally unintimidating, but it is clear that locals don't ride the way Copenhagen, Stockholm & the Netherlands might. I always assumed that city planning was a result of high bike traffic, but it's clear that bike planning is a default in Europe (a lesson we could learn in the states) - even if it isn't a city known for its cycle culture.

Quick Shots of Munich

Not as big as Scandinavia - but the city sure makes it easy.

City Bikes

Copenhagen hosts 2000 free bikes, known as City Bikes. These bikes are located for anyone to use - for free! Simply place a 20 Kroner coin in the bike to release it from its chain & get your coin back when you return it to any of the 110 racks.

Dottie Rides

We rented bikes this morning - I've got mine until 5:30 tomorrow. I logged 6 hours of riding tomorrow & hope to have another 5 tomorrow. Again, Copenhagen is perfect for three reasons.

1. Flatness 2. Urban Planning 3. Life Style

Sunny Rides in Copenhagen

We got a lot of pics these last two days in Copenhagen - here's a photo download. More thoughts on tomorrow, after I spend another 6 hours on two wheels.