Style Over Speed - A Success

On last Friday night around 100 stylist cyclist descended on King George Square for the "Style over Speed" ride 2012. It was a great night and one that proved that wearing normal clothes is always an option when riding a bike.

As usual I turned up unfashionably on time at the 5.15 as requested but I was dressed up in nice shirt black pants and black leather shoes. I have to say it was an event where if I had turned up in anything else I would of felt very strange and out of place. I have to say the women put the most effort in to look good. It was quite a cool night which made it a perfect night to dress up. Many people were dressed in coats that added to the fashion & sense of the night. It was quite amazing to see the numbers continue to swell as the time drew near for the departure from King George Square.

As it was a night for fashion on bikes the ride left fashionably late at 5.45 from King George Square. With so many people riding slowly we were on a sight to see and hear with people ringing there bells (me included). It was a slow procession rolling across to the Three Sisters Cafe in West End. Bikes lined the little Fish Lane where the cafe sits. It was an area where the size of the group really became obvious, overwhelming the little cafe. It was here that prizes were given out. There was some very unfashionable reflective strip things but then there was some very stylist Basil Wicker Baskets that I would of really liked to of won. Both of these were won by two well dressed women. It was here that I had to leave but the ride did continue on to another Bar where a very cool ladies bike with Mudguards & chainguard was won.

What I found best about the night apart from everyone dressing up was the bikes. There was such a mix of not just types but of ages. There would of easily been some bikes there that were well over 30 years old sometimes being older then the rider. There were cargo bikes, something not that common in Brisbane. At least ten people rode Citycycle which have to say are the perfect bike to ride in an event like this. There were traditional women's bikes and new dutch Gazelle brand bikes. It was blast and highlighted the fact that the stereotype of road bikes is just not true.

All in all it was a great night and I am looking forward to the next one.

Photos of the event can be found here
http://www.facebook.com/BrisbaneStyleOverSpeed

Here is a You Tube clip made by one of the guy that attended the event