Friday Features.

I ask friends what they would like to know or ask about Bikes or Cycling.

This came up in varying ways…

I want to get a bike and I want to ride my bike, BUT not on the road “am scared ” or a Cycle Lane “it’s intimidating ”

As someone who’s cycled safely since a kid, has confidence and awareness on a bike, I take it for granted… and have

NO FEAR

Here are some great options for INTO the CYCLE LANES OFF the Roads.

This is just to show HOW much we can do on designated paths.

Two of my  Favourite Local rides are along the Thames Cycle Path

Start at The Cutty Sark Head East keep going until the Thames Barrier for light refreshments and a loo break.

If still energised and loving the traffic free Flat scenic ride, keep going to Erith.

Where you can jump on the train back into London.

Or from the Station in Erith and finish up in one of the many pubs along the Thames in Greenwich!

I will give more Traffic-free routes that have plenty to offer along the way, from Country pubs to city Shopping.

Another great place to cycle Traffic free IS the local royal parks , Cyclepark in Kent ,  Lea Valley , Canal Paths , Norfolk ,

all over the country check out -sustrans.org.uk for cycle routes all over the UK.

Happy Friday And Here’s our  Fun Track for the Weekend, about a River, by James Bay

James Bay – Hold Back The River 

And this is why…

A Hipster:

Defined by following the latest trends and fashions, especially those regarded as being outside the cultural mainstream.

The bikes generally accepted by the hipster, are ” retro” ” vintage “or “classic”. Its components could have been sourced from old bikes found in the shed , or off grandfather’s old favourite Bone Shaker.   A hipster will have a heightened importance of then assembling these variants; age, colour and size components into their very own Hipster Fixie. Whether built over a short time or a drawn out process. Will likely look a mix mash, and look like so much care has been put into it looking different it actually is just BAD!!

I came across other views on Hipsters that thought rather amusing

Dan Fletcher in Time seems to support this theory, positing that stores like Urban Outfitters have mass-produced hipster chic, merging hipsterdom with parts of mainstream culture, thus overshadowing its originators’ still-strong alternative art and music scene.[11] According to Fletcher, “Hipsters manage to attract a loathing unique in its intensity. Critics have described the loosely defined group as smug, full of contradictions and, ultimately, the dead end of Western civilization

Julia Plevin In a Huffington Post article entitled “Who’s a Hipster?”, Julia Plevin argues that the “definition of ‘hipster’ remains opaque to anyone outside this self-proclaiming, highly-selective circle”. She claims that the “whole point of hipsters is that they avoid labels and being labeled. However, they all dress the same and act the same and conform in their non-conformity” to an “iconic carefully created sloppy vintage look”

We will Gleam and Glamourise tomorrow more on WHO Brake IS for…

Thanks for reading

Brake has not been up to date on Blogging or keeping the story alive.

It’s not so easy to  convey Brake and who our unique audience is. So let’us give it go with a series of Blogs

One thing is clear who we are NOT aiming at, and this is easier to convey in conversation, face to face yet not so much via a google search!

So a good place is here, to start telling our story and making it clear WHO BRAKE is FOR by making it clear Who They ARE NOT for.

Bike Geeks : sourced from the Urban Dictionary

“Someone who is interested in cycling extends beyond mere enjoyment of the sport, and who is overly infatuated with the equipment itself. Obsessed with purchasing, or at least admiring, the very latest, overd frames, components, and even the apparel worn like spandex shorts and carbon fibre shoes.”

Unless the Carbon fibre Shoes are Gucci or the amazing  Zaha Hidid for United Nude Or  Nike Le Bron 9’s or Zoom Kobe 7’s

Spandex can it be stylish?  Or is it just for wearing it extremely tight or maybe it’s functional. Also known as Lycra or Elastane, Invented in the US in the 1960’s changed the Clothing Industry

This wonderful synthetic is used in an array of clothing, including Skinny Jeans, Ski wear, Bra’s , Underwear , leggings , dresses, pants, swimwear, spanx …. Not just for the tight Cycle shorts and tops…

We can ALL wear Carbon Fibre Shoes and wear our Spandex / Lycra anytime any day

Lets have some fun making a clear reference who BRAKE isn’t for …

Zaha Hadid blog by Artsy 

Rachel