August 31, 2012 in Cycling Accessories, Reviews
It’s a poignant and emotional time of year. The dog days of summer didn’t even materialise. It’s a mix of excitement and terror at the thought of the holidays coming to an end, and The New Term beginning for young whipper snappers. And then for the rest of us who are too old for all that (and for whom life is sadly one long term time), there is a sense of real nostalgia… Clarks (sensible) shoe fitting machine, trips to Woolworths to buy a new pencil case with magnetic hidden compartments, Aertex PE shirts and envy at a friend’s beautifully sewn-in woven name labels (think mine were done with ballpoint). I only have to see a few dead leaves newly fallen on the pavement to get that whole thrill of the Back to School week. Of course it all wore off by week 2, the new shoes were already scuffed and you’d already lost half of your new and much cherished four-colour Bic biros but hey-ho! The fabric of life and all that.
So, whether you are getting ready for a super-smart return to the classroom, starting uni or traipsing back into the office – again(!) – next week, be the smartest kid on the block whatever your age with one of our old-school BEG leather satchels. For hiking or biking, our satchel collection will make sure you’re really kitted out in style. Made from beautifully soft, top grain tan leather that has been treated with a blend of oils and waxes to create vintage character and embossed with the BEG logo on the front, you’re sure to be top of the class from day 1! (Available in a range of sizes and styles. Prices from £45.00. See here for the full collection and details).
May 3, 2012 in Press, Reviews
A press round-up is long overdue, so here’s the first of some wonderful spring press to feature us recently.
First up, a great big thank you to Elle Italia magazine for thinking pink and featuring our Bella model in Persephone Pink in their 2012 May edition!
March 10, 2012 in Reviews
Undoubtedly, the single most pleasurable thing about being involved in the bike biz is getting to know the people who will ride the bicycles you sell… and make that bicycle an everyday part of their lives.
We have met some wonderful people – and wanted to introduce you to some of them in a regular series of BEG Bicycles Bell(e)s… and Beaus, of course, too! (By the way, if anyone can come up wit ha better title, we’re all ears!)
First to take to the stage is Cathy Olmedillas, the founder of The Anorak Press, an independent kids publishing house, makers of the endlessly creative, beautifully put together happy magazine for kids, Anorak Magazine and PLOC, a magazine aimed at younger children and illustrated by 60s French legend Alain Gree.
Cathy lives and cycles in East London.
Tell us a bit about you and your bicycle?
Cycling is in my DNA, as I spent every weekend of my childhood cheering my dad in cycling races or going on rides with his cycling club. I have been cycling in London for ten years and I love the new cycling scene that’s appeared in the past few years, with its cafes and shops.
I chose a BEG bicycles (a BEG Bella in green) having seen it when one of our Australian stockists, Lark featured your bikes on their blog and it was love at first sight! I had had ‘sit-up-and-beg’ bikes in the past, but they were all vintage and required a lot of maintenance. I thought that if I got a new one, I’d spend less money in the long run having to fix this and that. That was my way of justifying buying a new bike anyway! A couple of weekends later, I travelled to Cambridge to test it and I bought it! Nothing was going to stop me!
How do you use your bicycle in your day-to-day life?
It’s my number one method of transport around London. I do the school run with it and cycle to meetings with it too. I used to ride with my son at the back in a child seat but in the last four years, he has been riding his own bike.
How would you describe yourself as a cyclist?
I am a leisurely (and happy) cyclist. I am lucky enough to live and work in a borough like Hackney, which is brilliant for cycling, as it is not that congested and it has a nice canal to cycle along. Because I have cycled since I was a young child, I am very comfortable on any roads. Although, when cycling in central London, I become a tad edgier and a lot less leisurely but then, you have to be very confident to the point of almost arrogance, because often other vehicles are quite happy to just pretend you don’t exist and force you to cycle too close to the pavements. I have many times bashed the side of white vans to make my presence felt!! Which of course attracts torrents of insults, but I am used to it!
Do you have any little rituals or techniques with regard to your cycling habits?
My son pointed out that when I brake, I take my right foot off the pedal and swing it back to forth. Until he mentioned it, I hadn’t realized I was doing that! Don’t ask me why, although I suspect I got that habit from an old bike which brakes probably didn’t work too well… Eeek.
Do you wear any special cycling gear when you’re out and about on your bicycle? If not, what do you wear?!
No I never wear anything special to go cycling. I may wear something loose and some flat shoes if I go on a long ride, but for day-to-day, I always wear whatever I plan to wear. It’s especially easy to do that with a BEG bike because you are in a sitting position, so heels and dresses work perfectly fine.
Have you bought any accessories (not necessarily BEG ones of course) specially for this bicycle – or for you personally as a cyclist?
Bella came with everything I needed: a great bell, wonderful saddle and chunky lights. I bought a red satchel last year to carry my laptop around.
What’s going through your head when you’re on your bicycle?
Generally plain happy thoughts! Cycling is such a wonderful experience, it’s cheap, fun, keeps you fit, it doesn’t hurt the planet and it gets you there quicker than walking!
How does cycling make you feel as a person?
Free. Happy. Good.
Any tips you’d like to share with people – ie regarding safety on your bike..? How you lock the bicycle…? How you look after it…?
Unlike in Copenhagen where you see unlocked bikes everywhere, London is not safe for bikes. In the last ten years, I have had three bikes stolen. I have three locks on Bella, one for the saddle, one for the front wheel and the back one that comes with the bike. I prefer the U-locks because they are much harder to break and they are cheaper.
Any ambitions involving your bicycle…?
I would love to go on a cycling holiday in Denmark. I love the family cycling culture in Copenhagen and would love to discover more of Denmark on a bike.
Your favourite ride…?
I have great memories of cycling races when I was a kid, although I never took part in them, it’s all the rituals I vividly remember like the men’s shaved legs, the smell of camphor oil, the gross injuries and the muddy winters with cyclo-cross. My favourite ride as a grown-up was with my friends Marcus and Rob last year. We cycled to Dungeness. We had fish and chips there and then cycled to beautiful Rye. Such a wonderful landscape, and believe me, we had plenty of time to appreciate it because the winds were so strong, it felt like we were cycling backwards! When we thought we were over the worst, a hailstorm broke over our heads. We were soaked and tired for most of the journey back, but we had a great laugh. I definitely want to find the time to do more of that this year.
Illustration (of Cathy and her bicycle!) courtesy of { Katie Jean Harvey }
Thank you, Cathy!
February 29, 2012 in Bike Candy, Reviews
Some things like dentist appointments and Sunday evenings seem to come round so quickly. And some things don’t. Here’s one of those things we’ve been dying to talk about for a long long time – and having waited for what feels like an eternity, finally can! And we have a competition to announce too.
It all started about a year ago when we were on the lookout for an artist to do a stylish little illustration of our bicycles for us. We were immediately taken with Bristol-based illustrator Clare Owen’s gorgeous work, and felt the fit with Beg was great. So we contacted Clare, and as it turned out, by great coincidence, Clare had just been commissioned to illustrate an entire book dedicated to cycling for women. We sent Clare some of our Beg bicycles images to use as inspiration, and then the wait started.
And now here – ta-dah – it is!
Written by style journalist and style cyclist, Katie Dailey, Heels on Wheels: A Lady’s Guide to Owning and Riding a Bike is making its bookshop debut today. Perfectly timed for the joy of Spring cycling, Heels on Wheels is a compendium of information for women about everything to do with cycling, including lots of practical advice from choosing the right bike for you (of course, we already know the answer to that!), understanding what type of cyclist you are, and learning how to fix a puncture. Every page is full of sugar almond colours, Clare’s delightful illustrations – including a few that bear more than a passing resemblance to our very own wheels – making the whole book a real visual treat. It’s clear from the moment that you set eyes on this book, that maintaining one’s sartorial integrity is as important as stopping at traffic lights. We couldn’t agree more.
Here’s what the publisher, Hardie Grant Books says;
“Learning to ride a bike is easy, but getting back on one if you’re over the age of twelve – and particularly if you have developed a penchant for a tricky shoe– can be a daunting task. Katie Dailey offers the modern girl some sage advice for getting into the saddle either for the first time, or for the first time in a long time. Heels on Wheels uncovers all things bike-related from how to choose your ‘Trusty Steed’ to the more practical details of how to navigate the busy streets, how to avoid accidents, and how to protect your bike from thieves. Beautifully illustrated throughout, the delightful pictures alone will inspire you to give two wheels a go. So whether you see yourself as a ’Speed Demon’, ‘Earth Mother’, ‘Fashion Victim’ or a ‘Retro Rider’ on two wheels, Katie Dailey’s charming and practical advice will help you fall in love with cycling either for the first time, or all over again.”
This is such a useful little book, but it is also witty, inspiring and just a jolly nice thing to own or give as a pressie to a practicing or wannabe cyclist.
And on that note, we’re really pleased to say that HOT off the press, we have a signed copy of the book to give away to one lucky person! We’d simply like you to tell us what your dream outfit and heels of choice would be for a ride on your wheels. Please email us at hello@begbicycles.com by Friday 16th March and we’ll announce the winner shortly after.
Heels on Wheels by Katie Dailey is published by Hardie Grant Books and is available to buy online here.
