I’ve been lusting after the women’s reflective leather loafers for a little while. And now they’re on sale! What could be better? They come in his & hers (you can be eccentric & safe together!) and they also slipped in something kinda brilliant: a slew of other amazing leather goods, from bags to wallets and belts (even a reflective wine cooler… I mean, the essentials) using what must be some proprietary pleather treatment technology. I have a little feeling that there’s a brilliant bike loving designer or two at Cole Haan, and all I can say is: keep it up!

PS: I’m a size 39 (aka. 8) shoe, belt size small…

Zsófi Geréby is an amazingly talented apparel designer and cyclist based in Budapest, Hungary. If you didn’t already know through things like Hungarian Cycle Chic and various news reports about how awesome the cycling culture is – now you do. I moved to Budapest in 2006, in no small part because the bicycling was killer, Hungarian people are amazing and hardcore and because I met Zsófi. We were both passionate about making a line of functional but beautiful apparel around the idea of the everyday urban cyclist. I moved back to NYC to start my own line and Zsófi started Urban Legend. And holy cow is it amazing!

OUR PHILOSOPHY

Urban cycling is addictive. UrbanLegend products are created for passionate women who are not afraid of pouring rain or snow on the road, who know the labyrinth of their city as the back of their hands. Combining the best quality sportswear fabrics and practical details with feminine cuts and ergonomic design UrbanLegend products are designed and handcrafted without compromise

UrbanLegend is all about garments that can make everyday cycling more comfortable, more safe, or just simply more fun. Our garments incorporate high quality waterproof, wind stopper, breathable fabrics, reflective surfaces, ventilation panels, thoughtfully placed pockets, and lengthened waists. Every piece is designed with special care and attention to amiable details to meet your cycling needs.
Our passion for finding better and better solutions drives the on-going development of each and every product. We are inspired by everyday situations and our constantly challenging urban environment as we strive to fuse form and function. UrbanLegend produces durable pieces for you to wear proudly on and off the bicycle.

Designed and produced exclusively in Budapest, Hungary.

: Riyoko Ladies Bike Apparel

Designer Kristi Woo has been a friend for years, as we both launched similar projects at about the same time, 2008 or 2009. The first Interbike we met at had none of the circus of new apparel or accessories and  it seemed decidedly strange that anything urban lifestyle for women would exist. Thankfully, all that’s changing. But what hasn’t changed is Kristi’s dedication to producing fun & functional pieces for women to feel great about riding around stylishly. As a designer it’s also heartening to see apparel manufactured domestically, well if you’re Canadian

 (from the designer:)

Think global. Ride local.
More and more women are riding bikes and it’s easy to understand why. It costs less than other modes of transportation, can cut down on travel time and keeps you active as you move through your day. Biking gives riders of all shapes and sizes a way to interact with their environment and it promotes self-sustainability. “Biking allows you the freedom to get from point A to B on your own energy and focus. It allows you the freedom to take and create your own path and discover new things along the way…”

Designed by Kristi Woo of Calgary, Canada, Riyoko Urban Bikewear believes that being involved and active is an important part of community building and sustainable city planning. Kristi and her team support the bike community by organizing and participating in local events, donating to local charities and by being an active bikers who loves and believe in the many benefits of urban biking. Through these actions, Riyoko wants to get more people on the streets via their bikes. Thereby, creating a closer community experience, enhancing daily fitness and reducing fossil fuel dependent transportation and emissions.

Travel + Style = Riyoko
Riyoko Urban Bikewear is designed to help urban women get from point A to B in style. Whether by bike, by foot, by plane, to work or to coffee, we provide stylish, comfortable and functional attire for women and their traveling environment in mind.

Each Collection Is:

• made with environmentally sustainable fabrics and recycled or reclaimed fabric.
• as locally sourced and manufactured as possible.
• 100% Canadian made.

Happy Valentines!

Help me make beautiful women’s bike specific fashion by answering 10 questions.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/77YGGVN

Hat tip to Urban Cyclist Worldwide for this video:

the UK has a great cycling culture: laws that support cycling, employer benefits that pay for bikes and accessories and some of the first forerunners of urban cycling apparel and goods, like Cyclodelic who had an exciting line with TOPSHOP a few years ago. Cyclodelic is designed by by Amy Fleuriot out of the UK and focused on women’s apparel/accessories.

In the last few years there’s been a huge rush of indie and major brands doing special cycling lifestyle pieces, but it’s a pretty huge milestone when a massive global fashion retailer decides that bike fashion is a good way to stay hot and relevant. It’s too bad that it’s another menswear only project. The pieces look good – there’s probably a pretty significant quality difference between those items and say.. the Levi’s commuter collection or Outlier – but sometimes high water lifts all boats. No one does the volume or have the market reach that H&M does. Maybe a successful capsule collection will develop a wider global audience of people excited to look at clothes through the lens of daily bicycling.