Saturday, June 12, 2010

Bike Obsessed!

To complete my Dutch experience while living here, I've decided: IT'S TIME TO GET A BICYCLE!!

The weather now is too good not to bike around town, plus I'm also fed up of walking everywhere. I don't get very far. HAHAHA!

Now that I'm on a bicycle-hunting mission, I've also had Queen's song playing in my head the past couple of days. Y'know the one... Bicycle Race... "I want to ride my bicycle... I want to ride my bi-cyyyyy-cle!"

Here's an apt video I found of someone cycling around Amsterdam. See what I mean by how pretty it is?



Because the government here encourages the use of bikes, I found out that they'll actually reimburse you half the price of any bike you buy as a tax break. WOW! Progressive innit.

SO... my bike obsession has led me to discover the coolest store. This dude actually customizes recycled bikes. It's much better marketing than saying he sells second-hand bikes. HAHAHA! And he's very clear that he doesn't sell stolen bikes coz he doesn't wanna support that "industry". Also, it's illegal to buy a stolen bike here. Apparently the cops can stop you on suspicion of riding a stolen bike and if you can't produce a receipt as proof, your bike gets confiscated.

I got really excited when I saw some of the bikes he has customized before.





I mean... HELLO?! They look better than any brand new bike! Plus, the best part is not only am I being environmentally friendly by riding a bike, I'm reducing my environmental impact EVEN MORE by getting a recycled bike (and did I mention even with the customized job, it's still half the price of a brand new bike?!)

Hello, McFly? I'd be an idiot not to do it!

So I've been eye-balling bicycles in the street even more than usual... just figuring out what I want my very own bike to look like.

I know I want a traditional Dutch bike.


BUT... of course it's gotta have the Jaime take on it. HAHAHA! I'd probaby swop out the wicker basket for a mesh one in the front:


And I want the rims and spokes in hot pink. Maybe the seat too. Or the basket. Kinda like this bike, but I'd make the white bits black. I was thinking of white and hot pink like this bike... but it's a little bit too Barbie. Just a tad.


I kinda like all-white tyres too, but that would be too much. Maybe black tyres with the white edge like this.

That's probably pushing it too. I just wish I knew how to work proper Photoshop so I could have a proper play. In any case, it's still fun dreaming up what my bike's gonna look like.

If I get somewhere with a colour palette by Monday, I should be able to be riding around town in my new swanky bike a week later. WHOOHOOO!!

Oh... Did I mention that once the dude's done with the paint job that I'll probably be sticking rhinestones on the handlebars too? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Might as well go all-out, guns-a-blazing BLING!!

Right? :)

9 comments:

  1. Cool bring on the bling. I love cycling, although my legs have enjoyed a rest this week. I usually commute to all my classes by bike. I love how it allows me spend more time outside. Are you planning on staying in Amsterdam a while then?

    Is the bike thing connected with largu? Just wanted to say that I did not find my cycling helped, could just be me. You'll get there though!

    Sorry we did not get a chance to meet again this time. Look forward to seeing your new bike! Amsterdam sounds like an amazing place to cycle and a great way to explore.

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  2. YES Bike BLING!! I found your space through Brooks (Yogic Muse) #ff tweet (i'm coffeeandyoga). :)

    I heart my second hand bicycle VERY much and have been really bikin' it up in the city.

    Those bicycles look so darn AWESOME.

    what would be a completed picture? A friggin' ridiculous BELL. 'dringdring.ca' has hand painted, non-toxic metal bells and I love mine very much. :)

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  3. Hey Helen - the bike thing... I've been wanting to get a bike a while now and always thought "but i'm only here for 6 months, it's not worth it". But now that the weather's turned so beautiful, it seems silly to not get a bike just coz I was only planning on staying here for a short while. I mean second hand bike at €60 (before the customized job) - I can always sell it later, right? Gotta live a little. :p

    And no, the bike wasn't connected to Laghu, but since Arturo mentioned it a few days ago and I'd already been thinking about a bike already anyways, it seemed like a no-brainer. :) Hope to see you again in July/ August. I'll probably be spending more time in London AGAIN!

    Hello EcoYogini! Welcome here, and I'm following your tweets now too. Dringdring bells are AWESOME! Thanks for the link. I'm thinking of the pink one with the cat & paws. Hehe. :)

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  4. Nice one, yes you have got to live a little and I think you have a wonderful way of liain't a lot! Would be lovely to see you again. Do not think I will be in London much July and august though, except the first weekend in July. Going on retreat in august, hooray!

    Cycling is great, looking forward to getting back to my bike this evening. Summer cycling so much fun x

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  5. dear Skippetty
    i saw a pink bike today and it made me think about you. it was worthy of Barbie, but was driven by a middle age guy. guys don't have hangups on the color here.

    hugs
    Arturo

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  6. oh, cycling didn't help Helen's laghu. hmm. i just know i have powerful thighs and they bring me up in laghu, so maybe you need to build up the strength of the thighs. that's why i thought of cycling. cycling brings problems to certain asanas, maybe to those that require long muscles that allow bending a lot forward. cycling makes the muscles learn to compress.
    hugs
    Arturo

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  7. HAHAHAHA! That is so awesome! Such a Kodak moment - where was your camera?

    I have a (female) colleague here who's got flowing tassels hanging from her handlebars and loads of plastic flowers entwined around the front of her basket. A (male) colleague borrowed her bike one day to run an errand and he said he got LOADS of weird looks from people in the streets! And I mean... we're living in the LBGT capital of the EU, right? With lots of people with open minds. And he STILL got lots of gawkers. :)

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  8. Oh, and cycling - I'd probably need one of those bikes with the pedals that are waaaaay in the front (so it almost looks like you're lying down as you're cycling). It's those bikes that work the quads out more, I reckon? At the rate my skinny chicken legs are, ANY form of cycling will help me bulk up, I'd imagine. :)

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  9. I actually enjoyed reading through this posting.Many thanks.

    Second Hand Bikes

    ReplyDelete

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