On the Street......Short Cycle, Paris
These rental bikes are changing my relationship with Paris. Before I felt so trapped by the lack of taxis and a challenging subway system (those connecting tunnels are the devil). This past men's season I started using these bikes, and now I feel a power of control over getting from one place to the next easily.
New York is aggressively expanding it's bicycle lanes all over the city. Does anyone know if we are scheduled to get rental bikes? Anyway, I hope if we are that we can look as chic as this young man.
Comments on "On the Street......Short Cycle, Paris"
-
James Jean said ... (9:23 AM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (9:25 AM) :
-
LC said ... (9:33 AM) :
-
Natalie J Monty said ... (9:33 AM) :
-
David said ... (9:35 AM) :
-
km said ... (9:39 AM) :
-
Alecca Rox said ... (9:44 AM) :
-
stells and co. said ... (9:45 AM) :
-
-H. said ... (9:48 AM) :
-
Claude Edwards said ... (9:51 AM) :
-
Peter said ... (9:51 AM) :
-
Simone Rene said ... (9:52 AM) :
-
Rachel @ The Haute Notes said ... (9:55 AM) :
-
emily said ... (10:04 AM) :
-
Unknown said ... (10:05 AM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (10:07 AM) :
-
COCAMIA said ... (10:10 AM) :
-
F.E. Castleberry said ... (10:24 AM) :
-
Megan said ... (10:30 AM) :
-
Camille Lachance Gaboury said ... (10:32 AM) :
-
AdoréFloupette said ... (10:33 AM) :
-
ingefaer said ... (10:36 AM) :
-
Jennifer G. Horn said ... (10:39 AM) :
-
Unknown said ... (10:40 AM) :
-
norawoah said ... (10:49 AM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (11:08 AM) :
-
Catherine McCarthy said ... (11:08 AM) :
-
sarahjosefine said ... (11:13 AM) :
-
Life99 said ... (11:18 AM) :
-
Allison said ... (11:22 AM) :
-
girl said ... (11:27 AM) :
-
Urbanis said ... (11:40 AM) :
-
ana said ... (11:55 AM) :
-
Miiicha said ... (12:02 PM) :
-
Mumei said ... (12:03 PM) :
-
Unknown said ... (12:10 PM) :
-
ThisWankingLife said ... (12:18 PM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (12:24 PM) :
-
Keli said ... (12:32 PM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (12:33 PM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (1:06 PM) :
-
Elaine said ... (1:21 PM) :
-
Artemisia said ... (1:34 PM) :
-
Jamie Jonathan Ball said ... (1:45 PM) :
-
MaxW said ... (1:45 PM) :
-
Montreal Street Views said ... (1:50 PM) :
-
Agathe PHILBÉ said ... (2:00 PM) :
-
Harsh Sethia said ... (2:27 PM) :
-
yac said ... (2:39 PM) :
-
José Cabral said ... (3:10 PM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (3:11 PM) :
-
Sophie said ... (3:26 PM) :
-
Oui said ... (3:27 PM) :
-
sartorial nightlife said ... (3:49 PM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (3:58 PM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (4:02 PM) :
-
Gabriel Moncayo said ... (4:03 PM) :
-
DS said ... (4:19 PM) :
-
B said ... (4:28 PM) :
-
TO said ... (4:31 PM) :
-
Bailey said ... (5:01 PM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (5:28 PM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (5:43 PM) :
-
Tel Aviv said ... (6:02 PM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (6:08 PM) :
-
Gloria said ... (6:16 PM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (6:39 PM) :
-
a reference said ... (6:44 PM) :
-
LuxuryObsessed.com said ... (7:05 PM) :
-
Brigadeiro said ... (7:38 PM) :
-
KSE said ... (8:01 PM) :
-
SallyO said ... (8:22 PM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (8:29 PM) :
-
djaniquinn said ... (9:35 PM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (9:45 PM) :
-
Malik said ... (10:05 PM) :
-
DENNI said ... (10:12 PM) :
-
Melanie said ... (11:05 PM) :
-
E. Brevet said ... (11:27 PM) :
-
E. Brevet said ... (11:32 PM) :
-
Julia said ... (1:27 AM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (3:27 AM) :
-
Barbara said ... (4:17 AM) :
-
Mari_MT said ... (4:56 AM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (7:53 AM) :
-
connie said ... (8:12 AM) :
-
hafiz akhbar said ... (8:52 AM) :
-
preppygoesrock said ... (9:14 AM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (9:17 AM) :
-
Unknown said ... (9:36 AM) :
-
XXX said ... (10:11 AM) :
-
sdfljslkdj said ... (10:31 AM) :
-
The Couturier said ... (11:23 AM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (11:59 AM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (12:10 PM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (12:43 PM) :
-
charlotte elizabeth said ... (12:54 PM) :
-
Sophie, the Barton Girl said ... (1:52 PM) :
-
Janice said ... (8:45 PM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (9:16 PM) :
-
atasteoftomorrow said ... (11:04 PM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (11:20 PM) :
-
Dorothy said ... (1:57 AM) :
-
Darwin Spoke said ... (10:44 AM) :
-
Ann said ... (11:30 AM) :
-
fraise said ... (1:45 PM) :
-
Unknown said ... (6:05 PM) :
-
colbrij said ... (9:49 PM) :
-
Unknown said ... (10:41 PM) :
-
vjperera said ... (1:58 AM) :
-
Oliver said ... (4:40 PM) :
-
Unknown said ... (7:48 PM) :
-
T. in NYC said ... (9:11 AM) :
-
Philippe Laurichesse said ... (1:04 PM) :
-
Elise said ... (1:20 PM) :
-
Philili said ... (4:34 PM) :
-
Unknown said ... (6:01 PM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (6:35 PM) :
-
Carole said ... (9:10 PM) :
-
billie said ... (9:51 PM) :
-
Bombshell Kitten said ... (2:09 AM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (3:24 AM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (1:08 PM) :
-
Chris said ... (11:21 PM) :
-
Hubcap Henderson said ... (7:34 PM) :
-
Sidney1978 said ... (9:39 AM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (4:40 PM) :
-
Anonymous said ... (10:39 AM) :
-
DRH said ... (7:37 PM) :
-
Unknown said ... (2:22 AM) :
-
Madeleine said ... (2:48 PM) :
-
V said ... (8:49 AM) :
-
Ashley Handlin said ... (2:23 AM) :
post a commentScott, I'm totally with you on the "bikes in the city" idea but let's take into account the aggressive cab drivers that are always lingering around every block and corner. I'm wondering how Bloomberg and the city would counter that.
He look absolutely fantastic by the way.....
Nice photo and sense of style. I would like to know more about the bike. Manufacturer? Price? Specifications? Availability internationally?
le vélib! i love getting round paris on that contraption.
however, love the man's cool sense of style that can take him from a bike to a petit café keeping in with the warm summer months.
He looks so sauve -he makes that bike, which isn't the most elegant of objects!... look elegant and stylish. <3
xxx
London has bike lanes on about 95% of major roads now, which would be great for cyclists if drivers didn't ignore them completely...
:-/
Great. Short trousered suits are the way to go......I like the bike too.
Montreal also has rental bikes around the city ... I believe Copenhagen was the first major city to start such a project. They're brilliant!
the great availability of rental bikes in Paris is just great. being stylish whilst riding one is certainly a bonus.
I want that bike!
http://stellsandco.blogspot.com/
They were just installed in Montreal a couple months ago and have been a huge success. www.bixi.ca for more.
These bikes are fantastic! I've heard rumor that they're trying to bring them to NYC.
I love getting around in Berlin by bike, too.
Big question, however: What trousers are okay from a fashion standpoint? Biking, they get sweaty and dirty very fast, so I wear eigher shorts like the guy on the photo, or very old jeans, where I don't feel too good looking... Any other ideas?
Peter
I love the short pant suit especially the color, but why do I want this man to be wearing Fishermen's sandals instead of loafers?
He looks quite fabulous!
He looks fantastic! Such a handsome man.
And, FYI, the Downtown Alliance here in NYC is doing free bike rentals for the summer. http://www.downtownny.com/bikearound/ (It looks like they also do bike tours.) I don't know how difficult it is to actually get a bike once you register, but it sounds like a great idea... Now if I only knew how to ride one...
(Seriously, how hard is it to learn?)
The thing about the rental bikes is that they haven't exactly been a success in Paris. Many of them never get returned, which is a huge financial loss that I can't see any major American city being OK with. I saw major because it seems Portland, Ore. is planning a bike-share program. If you enjoy bike riding, consider getting a used, low-cost bike for when you are in NYC.
Until now I could not believe that real men really wear shorty-suits like this in real life. Surprisingly - they do, and it looks very good ...
He Is So COOL!!!!!!
Not only kudos to his use of the rental bike, but for romping around Paris in a shorts suit. My favorite Summer look.
They've started setting up rental bikes in Montreal as well. I haven't had a chance to use one yet.
New-York is suppose to get his own rental bikes call Bixi, inspired by Montreal new system (the two mayors are talking about it)! I wish you will have them soon, because it really change the beat of the city :)
This is a broken Velib' - as most of them are, unfortunately. It lacks the metal basket, at the front. Mais le cycliste est très chic, en effet.
oh my goodness, he is beautiful - those eyes - and very stylish too. I like the loafers with shorts.
My guess is that Americans are more litigious than Europeans and the safety/liability issues have slowed down such developments. I love love love this bicycle system, however.
If you want a step-by-step, go here!: http://newyorkplantsandotherstuff.blogspot.com/2008/09/velib-velos.html
That is officially the coolest bike I have ever seen! His look is so relaxed and chic! Oh, how I would love to now be dressed similarly and riding a that same type of bike!
check out my trendy blog!
http://thetrendydwarf.blogspot.com/
heck yes! Bikes for the city! Please!
Lyon, where I now live, was one of the first founding cities of this fabulous bike system. It certainly provides easy transportation for everyone and I think its a great idea that should expand all throughout the continents. When you add a stylish man to the mix, you get a chic look...
Washington DC opened several Smart Bike rental areas months ago - it gives me great pleasure to see these white and red bikes tooling around the city! Viva la bicicletta!
Thanks so much for publishing a vélib photo! This was my favorite way to get around Paris. Now, if you could only find someone who looks good in a helmet...
cool
Montreal just launched a similar system called "bixi" and it's been a huge success. You can check it out at bixi.ca and the system is for sale to other cities through bixisystem.com
I just wanted to let you know that all your fabulous bicycle photos inspired me to go out and buy a bike this month. Unfortunately, I can't ride it to work - but I've been using it for all my errands on the weekend. I wish my city had more bike lanes and think the whole rental bike program some cities are instituting is great. Phillie has a program (which seems to be nationwide), but it doesn't look as convenient as the one in Paris. Here's the link.
http://www.phillyburbs.com/information/guides/travel_tourism/travel_tourism_details/article/327/2009/june/18/rent-a-bike-anywhere-with-rentabikenowcom.html
This guy is gorgeous--and stylish! It is so nice to see a "cycle chic" piece where some male eye candy is offered up instead of the usual women in skirts and heels fare. More, s'il vous plait!
I love his style to ride a bike
and I love your photos!!
www.blogdljr.blogspot.com
Very chic !
very nice outfit but what is that monstrousity he is sitting on? honestly, it looks as if it was recycled from an old tank...which would actually be kinda cool now that i think about it.
I actually have two friends in NYC who have started an organization that hopes to set up a bicycle share program here in the city.
Here is their website: http://www.nycycles.org/
I think its a great idea!
Love those bikes, they were put there for the rugby world cup. If new york gets them i hope they are grungier and not so clean.
place ads on the rental bikes, and the potential loss of them will decrease, or at least have some financial value. so we do in sthlm.
i love your blog btw!!
love the bike!!
Gorgeous. Governors Island is in NYC and has free bikes on Fridays, so that's a start. With no cars and amazing views, it's my favorite place to ride a bike. Apparently, the jazz-age festival there is ok too ;).
i tried the "bike around downtown" program and wrote about it here... http://tinyurl.com/mdextj. it is def not as good as the other programs out there (bicing, velib', etc), but if more people use it i think it would show there is interest...
Wow, love his bike!!!
clothedmuch.blogspot.com
Hello,
Ottawa/Gatineau (Hull) Canada just installed the BIXI bikes. They seem quite popular!!
i love thise bikes but hey lets face it, theyre not the most stylish! that is until this dude rides them!
Love the way he pulls off jacket at shorts.
I hope you get a system like our Bixi.
78 dollars a year for unlimited access to 3000 bike at 300 stations around the city. Take the bike, jump down 10 blocks and drop it off, less than 30 minutes and it is free, over 30 minutes and there is a small fee.
A great way to move around town.
I am a parisian, and Vélib changed my life!! I love those bikes, they make life so much easier! And it's the coolest way to meet boys and girls at the stop signs ;-)
So So So chic.. A perefect look!1 I would give anything to be able to look that good in shorts... :P
The only problem with these bikes in Paris is the fact that wherever you want to go, there are probably about 300 other people who had the same exact idea as you. As a result, you run out of "parking spaces" for the bikes, meaning you can't drop them off ... meaning the clock keeps ticking. Very annoying, that.
Digging the loafers, by the way. I'm not usually one for hemmed shorts but this guy pulls them off pretty well.
definitely chic
My boyfriend and I just rented bikes in Battery Park this past weekend and rode around the city. They're usually more of a tourist thing, though. Hopefully more bike rental places pop up in more places around the city.
i think rental bikes should dominate the road together with public transport. in the city anyways. gothenburg is planning it in the future. with a fee though...
Amazing concept!
same with san francisco. the mayor created an initiative to increase a significant amount of bike lanes in the city. wheee!
This the first time that I've seen the shorts suit translated into real life, and my does this work successfully! I do wish he was wearing different shoes though (maybe brown loafers or sandals instead). But the suit on its own is excellent.
Energie
I don't know about New York, but Boston is scheduled to set up a public bike system by Spring 2010. Come use ours!
I heard that Buenos Aires wants to impliment this bicible system... it would be amazing...
Ugh - it's not the shorts but the shoes, there's something disturbing about how soft they look (kid, velvet even?) This look needs something a bit tougher, slightly scuffed.
Very nice picture, and I really want that bike!!
Was just in Montreal and absolutely fell in love with the public bike system. I figured it had to be the best thing in the world until a friend told be about the public system, with just a ton of free bikes, they have in Amsterdam... I'm just banking that they don't look as cool as rented ones like these
Great style by the way
South Street Seaport (Manhattan) has a bike rental program for FREE. The downside it you can only take the bikes for 3 hours... But it's a start!
http://nycgo.com/?event=view.eventdetails&id=166500
I love those shoes. My only worry is that if any rain or water got on them they would be ruined.
I also love these bikes, and they have changed my view of Paris too!
I love your blogg, but I miss comments from the people on the photos, about their clothes, some thoughts about the clothes, and where they are from.. :)
If this were a moped you would belive it to be Milan, yet with the the velvet slippers (on a bicycle)it gives off that cool Parisian nonchalance
(perfect understated luxury and attitude)
I produced a report of the bikes in paris and can tell you a little. A major billboard company wanted the city to provide more media spaces and the city dovetailed that request with the rental bike project. The management and maintenance is sponsored by the billboard company. Hence you see more ads in the city of lights. The bikes are originally designed with Shimano parts. Unfortunately for the tourist, you need a bank/credit card with Paris address to get the pass to rent them.
that pretty bicycle, very novel and compacts
Forget the bike; he's beautiful. What a face!
velib! je manque!
WOW. He looks amazing.
Paris would be such an amazing place to discover by bike! Wish I had done so last time I was there, perfect for Summer in particular! :)
xx
The NY bike rental down in battery park [or somewhere down there...] is only for 2 hrs, so should you even get a hold of one [their availability is SEVERELY limited], you better not stray too far!
I would only ride a bike in NYC if they got rid of the maniac cabs. Now if they could somehow turn the sidewalks into fast-moving conveyor belts...
Chicago was supposed to have a system very similar to Paris' already in place and is the probably the most bike friendly city in the country. Too bad its very cold for the majority of the year. I hope all the big American cities adopt something like it in the near future.
Public bikes are a must. I live in NY and ride my own so I don't really need access to rental bikes but every other city should have them so I can use them when I'm there. Last time I was in Paris I wanted to use one of these bikes late night after a party. Of course there were no cabs. Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out how to unlock them from their little station. Really annoying. I walked till I found a taxi. A Parisian told me that the public bike system has been working great but that the only problem is that the bikes tend to collect at the bottom of all of the hills in the city. Apparently most people avoid riding them back up hill... ;)
thats seriously fkn good style
Topshop has a small cruiser bicycle rental service.
He looks amazing. I love him
kiss
Chicmuse
http://www.thechicmuse.blogspot.com
I would bet you're getting rental bikes, Philly reportedly has them or is implementing a system. Can't imagine how they'll keep that going, when half of the bikes you see around the city have no tires on account of them being stolen...
This comment has been removed by the author.
I hope so too. I've loved the Velib' system ever since I lived in Paris and have hoped that something similar would come to the States ... but I hope that if the Parisian rental bikes come to America they bring with them at least a little of Parisian style (heaven knows we, in the general sense, need it)
I think there are some rental bikes on the west side, right by the W 42nd St. pier by Circle Line. I'm not sure if it only pertains to the area, but they're still rental bikes. Plus, Parisian bikes are so much more stylish than New York ones are.
I love the Velib bikes in Paris too, Milan has a similar concept also called BikeMi, but the ones in Paris always have baskets on the front, where is his.... retouched out to make a cleaner shot?
The Velib' is a fabulous institution! As a frequent tourist to Paris from South Africa, I have been using them for a couple of years now. Very liberating, just like their name! One can only imagine how the whole thing would fall apart down here at the bottom of Africa - the bicycles would be stolen as soon as they were returned to the stands! It's a truly wonderful idea though........
Rental bikes is genius! We have them in Oslo in Norway, but our's is deep ocean blue, with a purse/ bag holder in the front.
Well I guess it's okay if he's going a few blocks and at a very slow pace, but here is Washington DC there are hills and streets in very poor condition. He wouldn't last too long on a bike in this city.
Yes, NYC is scheduled for bikes. My boss in Paris works for JC Decaux and they are the ones that began Velib. They've done Barcelona, Oslo, and cities all over France. I am pretty sure the company's competitor, Clear Channel, is heading up the NYC project. I just found this website: http://www.nybikeshare.org/learn/
wow, i love the bike, wish we have that kind of bike here in jakarta...
luvs it!
check out my blog
http://preppygoesrock.blogspot.com/
He looks a little bit like Marc Jacobs
I lived in Copenhagen for a few months and was so impressed by how many people performed their daily commute on bicycles..and most of them managed to look amazingly chic doing so, much like this gentleman here. They say that there are more bikes than people in Denmark! New York should definately follow suit.
If only crazy drivers in Paris didn't ignore the bike lanes.
I agree-the Metro in Paris was really confusing to me, although I've been told it's supposed to be one of the most organized and easy-to-use systems.
And dapper! I hope more American cities acknowledge cycling. It would cut down on pollution and hence the air would be much cleaner.
Vanessa
http://asliceofretailheaven.wordpress.com
i've heard about these velib' bikes. too bad they would never work in new york!
www.theragtradeweekly.com
I ride my bike pretty often in NYC, but I'm very conscious about leaving my bike alone (or even chained), especially if it's a nice bike.
-Jason
http://www.citizencouture.com
Yes, there are tons of complaints one can make about Vélib (and oh how the Parisiens love to complain). But it is undeniable that the system is a part of Parisian culture, and it would be inconceivable to live without it now. Like many others it has personally changed my relationship to the city. I especially love being able to whiz by snarled up traffic, and the chance meeting with people at a stop light. And the best is seeing everyone in all kinds of dress (even business men going to meetings!) doing it.
there are always bike rentals around columbus circle in nyc!
I am so excited about these bicycles; I'm visiting Paris next week with full intentions of biking everyday!
Very BCBG (Bon Chic Bon Genre), le jeune homme!
This guy is gorgeous and so stylish!! Look at him go. :)
[wolf whistle} nice gams!
This is uber chic. the bike the outfit and the loafers. I LOVE! and what kind of bike is that? I want it!
Don't know if this helps any but I was reading Vogue's latest issue and I found out about
http://www.rentabikenow.com/
They have a station in NY, NY :D
Aha I saw many people riding around Paris. Maybe one day I'll hop on one, but as of now I'd be scared to ride my bike around Paris..I feel like the cars tend to get a bit too close aha.
These bikes would never work in NYC because people in NYC are not yet bipedal. They are still walking on 4 legs :(
Ha I love Parisian subway actually! Since I've been here I've never been lost, except in huuuge stations like Châtelet or Saint Lazare which are a nightmare to avoid as much as possible.
I get your point but I don't feel comfortable using bikes in the city, I'd be scared by the cars really..perhaps I'd use it on bike lanes...
Yet I admit it's a great innovation, it provides more conmfort and it's eco-friendly !
Don't know about NYC, but we're getting the rental bikes here in Nice too! Those of us who live here are worried about accidents, considering how irresponsible many vehicle drivers are... they're adding bike lanes, but as anyone who's witnessed southeastern French and Italian driving knows, just because something isn't a car lane, doesn't mean cars won't drive in it!
London has just approved the same system. Ab fab. Can't wait!
cool bike, and like the shirt and jacket..... find it very difficult to appreciate the little shorts though.
montreal has the bixi...and it is a great success! ;)
One thing I admire about Europeans is how comfortably and casually they wear collars, blazers, and button shirts. We have too many rules in America for style (and for everything else) and we say if you are doing this, you must wear that and so on.
I hope NYC is going to get more classical rental bikes than Paris.
By the way, I love your blog though this is my first comment in years.
I guess it is motivated by my big appreciation for riding a bike in all those megacities.
I recently saw a presentation by Janette Sadik-Khan, NYC's fab Transportation Commissioner, laying out the currently queueing-up initiatives of her department - a Paris style bike rental is in active development and they have been comparing proposals from contractors - so it should be real in the next two years or so assuming that Bloomberg remains Mayor. (His opponents are very much less keen on bicycles, pedestrians, and forward-thinking urbanism.)
Don't think that bike riding in Europe directly translates to bike riding in NYC. The mindset is totally different here and it is totally dangerous.
NYC is a city of beasts... many of those beasts are behind the wheels of cars who are not sensitive and sophisticated enough to share pavement with vulnerable cyclists.
Without socks, and in summer in more… when it starts to perspire of the feet, l' odor n' in will be that more immonde.
They have rental bikes inn the big cities in Norway, so I would assume that NYC at least is in the process, I mean, that's a much larger city. But you should definetly come to Norway as well to take som photos, there's a lot of stylish people here in Oslo, though we're not as famous for it as Stockholm is.
reverses on shorts are a good thing. just a shame that men from province doesn't wear it with more facility in everyday life..i think it's so smart!
I like shorts, but prefer to go on foot - summer city is so plenty of beauty: buildings, trees, people - take pause to see all of them, stop at the cafe, get your order, and simply look around - you will be suprised what you'll see, I bet & I'm sure. For me summer in Moscow is pure luxury time.
You must be joking. I hope you are. Pee Wee Herman would be spinning in his grave.
Vive Paris!
=)
"challenging subway system"!?
You must be kidding... Paris subway is ten times better than Nyc!
Well, if any man has the legs for those shorts it would be him, ha ha.
Does anybody know where to find slippers/loafers like the ones he is wearing? I think they look really cool.
From a style perspective, I still prefer the old-school Schwinns and Raleighs that you can buy on Craigslist.
Hopefully a similar bike program will be in NYC soon. Check out www.bcycle.com for a stateside version of the same concept.
The problem with bikes and fashion in NYC (in any borough) is that you need to carry an enormous U-shaped lock with you that will take up a good portion of whatever fashionable bag you decide to carry.
Any half decent bike will be stolen within 5 minutes unless you are extremely lucky.
The NY - Bixi developer, Clear Channel, is in my city, Zaragoza, here in Spain bikes are taking control of the cities... xDDD
I love that Paris' bikes, by the way...
So much style!
There have been many articles about these bike rental programs, but the first that came to mind was something I read in The Globe and Mail.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/travel/the-new-key-to-the-city-bikes/article1149090/
They are looking to spread some love in NYC but it's clearly a very costly endeavor. Also, bicycle lanes in a city doesn't necessarily equal "bike friendly". It's exciting, but everyone has to work together to make it efficient and, more importantly, safe.
How to be an elegant cyclist
apparently, Mr Bean had a son...
My close friend and I rented Velib when we were in Paris over July 4th weekend/week and absolutly loved it. Started out from our flat in Saint Germain and biked to the Luxemburg Gardens and then to Etoile and just explored and enjoyed our ride...if only this concept would make it back to Southern California
Bike and Roll NY- a rental company in New York...I work for the one in Chicago. Check it out.
I think he looks even more elegant be cause the cumbersome basket that is usually in front of the handelbars has broken off. My guess is he chose this bike on purpouse for that reason...Parisians are, above all, conscious of aesthetic details!
the company is JCDecaux http://www.jcdecaux.com/
the Velib is an excellent way to see Paris, good for the environment, etc. but I have had a few experiences where there were no available spots left in stations within a couple hundred metres radius, it has started to rain, etc....I think not even this elegant parisien would look si beau in that case!
if NYC gets a bike rental system and some more bike lanes, i will be in heaven. im moving there at the end of the month.