Bicycle fashion. These two words evoke images of bright spandex, stiff-soled shoes with pedal clips, Livestrong bracelets, and of course helmets. It is important to note, however, that bicycle fashion has evolved over time and by activity. The outfits we wear today differ greatly from those of 100 years ago. Similarly, differences in geographic region greatly affect the fashion and styles of bicycle riders. No matter what your style, it’s always in vogue to wear a helmet whenever and wherever you’re riding. Bell makes the safest, and in our opinion, most fashionable bike helmets in the world. Here are some fast facts on bicycle fashion from around the world:

1) In Copenhagen 37% of the population ride their bikes every day. Bicycle riding is an inherent feature of Danish culture and reportedly 1.1 MILLION km are bicycled in Copenhagen EVERY DAY! CopenHagenCycleChic.com details the best of Danish bicycle street style. Personalizing your bicycle is all the rage with bouquets of flowers, painted frames, interesting bells and horns, decorated skirt and chain guards and much more. We recommend checking out their multi-part Cycle Chic Guide including #2 Buying Cycling Clothes and #3 Cycling in Skirts and Dresses.  Follow them on twitter: @_Cycle_Chic.  (Wikipedia.com/Copenhagen)

2) Riding a bicycle to work in a suit and tie is the norm for the people of Shanghai, as China is the nation with the largest fleet of bicycles in the world. (ImperialTours.net)

3) In New York City, “beautiful bicycle girls” are good and plenty, according to The New York Observer. Fashion designers, models, graphic designers, and high-profile celebrities like Naomi Watts, Julia Roberts, Gisele Bundchen, and Chloë Sevigny have all “championed the green life in this most public and only incidentally calorie-burning way.” (Observer.com)

Bicycle Helmet slip-on cover. (Photo courtesy RidingPretty.com)

4) In the San Francisco bay area bicycle fashion is also alive and well. Check out Riding Pretty – Cycle Chic California for some great photos of bicycle fashion from the Golden State. Another popular Bay Area fashion blogger is Velo Vogue. It’s “where the bike lane meets the runway” as photoblogger Lilia takes photos of stylish cyclists she sees in San Francisco. For women looking to spice up the look of their helmet, Riding Pretty features helmet slip-on covers, offering a stylish look on top of safety.

5) We think it’s safe to say that women are to thank for the bicycle fashion revolution. In 1878, the first bicycles were manufactured in America. Very quickly, women began to experiment with riding the new personal vehicles. And just as quickly, “fashion and medical experts found that bicycle riding was a bad idea for women.” The voluminous, ankle-covering skirts that were fashionable at that time made it not very safe for women to ride bicycles. Women would not stand by and let so-called “experts” push the myth that “it was not healthy for delicate, fragile womankind to trust herself to a mechanical device.” And so came a bicycle and fashion revolution. By the 1890’s bicycles became a way of life for all Americans, and women wore so-called “bicycle costumes” which allowed them to basically buckle the skirts around their legs while riding! It was a small step for womankind, but an important one to the extension of basic freedoms and women’s suffrage. (About.com)

What kind of bicycle fashion do you find most appealing? Is there something that you wear to set yourself apart from the rest of the cycling crowd? Have you seen a cyclist that caught your eye, positively or negatively? Let us know by leaving a comment here or on twitter @BellTrueFit.

As many of you may (or may not) know, Google Maps unveiled a “bicycling directions” feature last Wednesday.

The new feature offers turn by turn biking directions with trails and bike lanes directly on the map, and just like traditional Google Maps there’s an option to drag and drop points of interest to customize your route.

“Bicycling directions” has been met with some criticism, however, as one New York Post reporter used it to plot a few routes through New York City, and it led him into some heavy traffic along the way.

The article starts out with, “A helmet may not be enough to protect cyclists from Google Maps’ latest feature.” – We disagree.

Google bicycle directions might take you into traffic jams and unfamiliar neighborhoods, but wearing a Bell helmet has proven time and again to protect riders and prevent serious head injury. Did you know that Bell  offers a GPS enabled helmet? No it’s not a helmet with a global positioning system, rather it’s a Geared Positioning System where all you do is reach back and turn a dial and it either tightens or loosens the molding around your head. Check out the Influx for more information on Bell’s Geared Positioning System technology.  Or if you’d prefer the easiest fitting helmet, check out one of Bell’s many True Fit models that make the proper fit a snap with one easy adjustment.

Not all of the reviews have been critical however, and a few outlets, like Wired.com, are asking for your input in helping them determine whether the new feature is “pretty awesome” or “full of potential fatal flaws”.

Google is currently running a twitter contest – Share Your Ride Sweepstakes – for the chance to win a $2,500 voucher for use at American Cyclery.

To enter, simply log on to Twitter and create a Twitter entry which includes the hashtag #bikewithgoogle

Above is a screenshot of San Francisco from “bicycling directions”– with the green lines representing bike lanes and trails. The Bay Bridge isn’t currently highlighted with any green lines, but people are working hard to get biking lanes spanning the length of the new bridge, once construction is complete and it is opened to traffic. In the mean time, biking across the Golden Gate Bridge makes for a great outing.

What do you think about Google’s new feature? Will you use it to find new routes? Weigh in on this by leaving a comment below.

As a provider of safety helmets for a variety of sports from professional to novice for adults to toddlers, we take pride in bringing innovation to our customers to create a safer experience on the hill, bike path, slopes, or just out on the driveway!

Bell True Fit helmets are designed for biking, however the Bell family also offers customized helmets for a variety of activities including power sports,  bicycling, and … skateboarding. Normally we blog about bicycling and all of the elements that surround it, however over the course of February 2010 we’ve been discussing skateboarding, in particular Tony Hawk, a whole lot.  

Since February 1, 2010 we’ve given away two Bell Hawk skateboarding/BMX helmets, and two versions of the new video game Tony Hawk: RIDE – one for X-Box 360 (congrats @MomMostTraveled) and one for Nintendo Wii (congrats @davesniadak).

While we don’t have the ability to give everyone a helmet or video game, we do have one more game/helmet combo to give away to a random – and may we add, in our opinion, lucky – twitter participant. Today marks the end of our third and final giveaway contest, and we’d like to say CONGRATULATIONS @MissingLynxx. You have won a new Bell Hawk helmet and Tony Hawk: RIDE for X-Box 360!

Thank You – everyone – for participating in our February twitter contests. We hope you’ll stick around to read our blog, and just want to say: be on the lookout for future contests!

Sincerely,

The Bell True Fit Team

Skateboarders and gamers rejoice! Bell True Fit and Activision are announcing the third and final video game/helmet contest giveaway! Today through Monday, February 22, 2010 we’re offering you the chance for you to win a Bell Hawk helmet and Tony Hawk RIDE for X-Box 360.

On February 1^st we announced the first of three contest giveaways, each for the chance to win a Bell Hawk skateboard/BMX helmet and, the latest and greatest skateboarding video game, Tony Hawk: RIDE. At the end of the first week we gave away a helmet and RIDE for X-Box 360. Last week we offered the chance to win a helmet and RIDE for Nintendo Wii.

Everyone’s participation in the first two contests has sent thousands of people to our blog, and helped us grow our twitter following exponentially. Thank you all very much for your participation.

Today we are happy to announce the winner of last week’s contest: Congratulations @davesniadak of Eagan, Minnesota! You are the lucky recipient of a shiny new Bell Hawk skateboard helmet and Tony Hawk: RIDE for Wii.

With February more than half way over and with two contests in the books, we still have one more helmet/game combo to giveaway …

For the next seven days we’re giving you the chance to win Activision’s Tony Hawk: Ride for X-Box 360 and a Bell Hawk Helmet! A value of more than $160! This is your last chance to win an X-Box version of Tony Hawk: Ride and a Bell helmet. 

Skaters will enjoy using the game’s unique skateboard peripheral (shown above) which is covered with motion sensors to simulate riding an actual skateboard.Similar to using the balance board in Wii Fit or Shaun White Snowboarding, the peripheral means you’ll have to ollie through challenges, pump for speed in the half pipe, and balance to accomplish tricks. There’s no sitting your way through levels in RIDE.

Entering the contest is easy: All you have to do is follow (@BellTrueFit) on twitter and retweet (RT) this link: http://bit.ly/cC37op

We’ll announce a winner on Tuesday, February 23, 2010.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the first and second rounds, and good luck in the third and final round! Tweet ya later!

The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21^st Winter Olympics, kicked off this morning in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The games run from February 12–28, 2010, and more than 80 nations are competing in 15 winter sports events. At least 10 of these sports require participants to wear helmets, including ski jumping, snowboarding, speed skating, luge, and bobsled. Canadians, Olympics groupies and winter sports enthusiasts alike have been anticipating today and the next two weeks since 2003 – when Vancouver was announced as the host city. If you are unable to make the trek to the Pacific Northwest to cheer on your country’s athletes, we’ve assembled a few facts and resources to help you stay up to date on the games from the comfort of your home.

Read the rest of this entry »

What comes to mind when you think about the upcoming holiday season? Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Eve are obvious first thoughts. But what about that other thing involving retail stores, product deals, and gift wrapping? Yes, we’re talking about holiday shopping sales! – Finding the perfect gift for someone is almost as fulfilling as receiving the perfect gift. To help assist you in your quest to find these perfect presents, check out some of these tips for seeking out the best deals, coupons and other discounts available on the web.

MSN Money has thoughtfully reviewed the 8 top sites for online shopping deals, which includes general bargain sites like Overstock.com, deal aggregators/coupon sites like Fat Wallet and shopping bots such as Shopzilla. Shopping bots allow you to quickly search for merchandise across a wide variety of sites, making your gift hunting easy and painless!

At The Washington Post, The Web Hostess (a.k.a. Monica Hesse) answers shoppers questions on how to score deals and find merchandise this season, and she also welcomes people to share their best online shopping secrets tips and tricks. Here’s an excerpt between a reader in Arlington, VA, and the Hostess:

Q: “I’m a big fan of Consumerist’s Morning Deals feed, which aggregates sales from across the Web.”

A: “The good thing about Morning Deals is that it contains sales on everything from computers to clothes, meaning it’s nice if you’re not sure what you want to buy or for whom. Just browsing can spark some ideas. If you’re looking for something specific, it can be a little hit-or-miss.”

Paid Content’s Tameka Kee recently pointed readers to Groupon, a social, online deal-finding service that spotlights coupons from local businesses – be it a restaurant, massage studio or even a theater. There is one catch though…there is a minimum number of people that need to sign up, in order for the discount to take effect. To help move this along, Groupon makes it easy for people to quickly notify their friends about the deals through Twitter, Facebook and e-mail.

Need a helmet tip straight from the source? Bell True Fit helmets are available online for purchase at retail sites including Target, Toys R Us, Wal-Mart and Sears.

Visit Where To Buy for a complete list of stores carrying Bell True Fit helmets.

Do you know of any online shopping deals? Have a favorite site to find coupons that we might have overlooked? Leave a comment below or send a tweet to @BellTrueFit letting us know where you go online for your holiday shopping! 

The Great Cyclist/Motorist Debate: Over the past few years there seems to have been a brewing debate between motorists and cyclists over who commands control of the roads. We all know that cars and bikes are supposed to “Share The Road” with one another in theory, but it has proven to be harder said than done. Cyclists get mad at motorists for speeding past and driving too closely to them. Motorists get mad at cyclists for riding too slow or coming dangerously close to their lane.

In order to protect cyclists and help ease the tension between the two groups, there have been laws passed in recent years in cities throughout the country. While there may or may not be bicycle/automobile laws in your area, we wanted to share a few examples of what’s happening in cities across the U.S. to both inform and inspire you to do something productive around this issue in your neighborhood. 

1) In Austin, Texas, a new city ordinance recently went into effect requiring motorists to give at least three feet clearance when passing cyclists in the same lane.  Trucks and larger vehicles must allow six feet. (News 8 Austin)

2) Austin might have got the idea from the state of Colorado, which passed a statewide law also allowing bicyclists at least three feet of space when vehicles pass. In turn, motorists enjoy more freedom to safely pass a bicyclist by crossing the center line only when safe to do so. (BicycleColorado.org)

3) Starting on Sept. 29, 2009 and lasting for six weeks, San Francisco closed six blocks of busy Market Street to personal vehicles. Busses, taxis, and delivery vehicles are exempt, and of course pedestrians and bicycles are encouraged. (SFExaminer.com)

4) In New York City the Bicycle Access to Buildings Law goes into effect on December 11, requiring many building owners or managers to provide bicycle access by freight elevator so they can be stored in the employer’s leased space. The law applies only to commercial buildings with at least one freight elevator where tenants have requested access. (NYC.gov) 

5) While all helmets are made according to regulations put forth by safety laws the Bell True Fit Helmets are made not just for safety, but for comfort and ease, too! And Bell offers more than 30 different style True Fit helmets. (Bell Sports)

These are only a few examples of laws and ordinances designed to accommodate bicyclists and make the roads safer for all. To be perfectly clear, the best way to be safe on the road is abide by your state, city, or town’s helmet laws.

Are there any interesting or new bicycle laws in your area? Are there any being proposed? Leave a comment below and let us know if there are! And of course, you can always find us in real time on twitter @BellTrueFit.

Let’s face it: music is a major motivator in many aspects of life. At the gym, on the trail, in the office, on the bus – no matter the activity or location, people can be spotted with headphones on jammin’ to their favorite tunes.

Crafting a playlist takes some careful consideration. It might not be too pleasant hearing heavy metal first thing in the morning, but then again, it might help you pedal that extra mile during your bike ride.

We’d previously asked our Twitter followers to tell us what they listen to while exercising or riding a bike, here’s a sampling of some of their responses:

Heavy metal group Godsmack, electronic music duo The Chemical Bros, English hip-hop recording artist Tricky, and Grammy-winning Jamaican musician Ziggy Marley were choice options from twitter peep snoopy_magoo.

And the opposite of metal? alimd11 prefers the sounds of the birds chirping when riding outside. And, of course, whatever the spin people select when riding on an exercise bike at the gym.

Not all of us are so easy going however, and could use some suggestions on building out a solid playlist for a good ride. So to help in crafting your next epic playlist, here are some of the songs that could be found on a few professional athletes’ playlists:

Cyclist Liz Hatch likes the metal/grunge hit “My Own Summer” by Deftones. (TheAdventureLife.org)

Professional racing cyclist Sarah Hammer offered the early 1990’s hit “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. (Self.com)

Australian surfer Steph Gilmore mentioned “Love Her Madly” by The Doors. (TheAdventureLife.org)

Ironically, seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong likes the song “Loser” by Beck. (InTheGym.net)

And American skateboarding icon Tony Hawk has “The Beginning of the End” by Nine Inch Nails at the top of a playlist that he breaks out whenever he needs “a little extra energy during a skate session.” (TheAdventureLife.org)

One of our favorites is a song by The Beastie Boys in which they refer to Bell, well the Bell telephone system called “Get It Together” anyway.

We would love to hear what you think of these recommendations, and encourage you to leave a comment or fire us off a tweet with examples of your favorite exercising/biking songs.

twitter is quickly becoming one of the biggest micro blogging platforms out there, and of course (as you likely already know), Bell True Fit loves to be a part of all the chatter around bicycles and helmets! We’re there too, letting you know about the cool giveaways, bike trails and fun things to do outdoors. This week, however, we’d like to recognize some of the purely more entertaining tweets out there. The “twitterverse” is full of very funny folks, and some of these tweets are too good not to share!

Here are just a few of the many bicycle and helmet tweets out there that we found to elicit a good chuckle on our end!

• @dwippo: Deer on creek bike path this morning on way to work. Deer not wearing bike helmet. Bad deer.

• @ivortossell: Forgot bike helmet by Al Waxman statue. Returned to find it strapped to his head. Best city ever! http://twitpic.com/5ypyu

• @geraldromine “Life is like riding a bicycle – in order to keep your balance, you must keep moving.”

• @KiyoRay: want to go bicycle shopping today…does Mercedes make bicycles?

• @KramCostello: ‘s son Finnegan insisted that Kram wear a bicycle helmet while reading the newspaper.

• @kylieriot: why is bicycle pronounced “bi-sickle” instead of “bi-cycle”?

• @Davesegal: In case the bike thief follows my Twitter, it was a blue Trek touring bike with blue helmet. Give it back and I’ll totally #followfriday you.

• @heidibrianne: Attention bike riders! Having your head smashed open will mess up your hairdo a lot more than a bike helmet will.

Seen any funny or interesting bicycle tweets recently? Or maybe a few of your own make you chuckle? Please, tweet, tweet, tweet away, below! And don’t forget to leave your twitter handle, so we can follow you!

Where are you, Bell? There are several places we’re out there sharing our story, and yours too when you share with us (see Your Stories Told on the front page of the community site).

Obviously, if you’re here on our blog reading this you’ve found the Bell True Fit Community site and blog. However, we thought we’d point you to a few other places you can find us too!

Some of you already follow @BellTrueFit on twitter, and you can also access our feed by clicking on the “Latest Updates” twitter feed bar on this page.

Then there’s facebook, heard of it? We’ve got a fan page and good community going there too. You can access it here. For example, right now, we’re polling folks on what they listen to when they get their workout in. We encourage you to go weigh in with your contributions too!

And most recently, we’ve been added Alltop, an “online magazine rack” of popular topics, in the cycling news section. You can find us there by heading over to http://cycling.alltop.com/.

Now you know a variety of places you can engage with us and listen in on the stories we have to tell. But this is a two way street and we hope to hear more of your stories! That’s what motivates us…hearing from you, about your experiences in cycling, so please do share – whether it’s here, on twitter or facebook!