As eluded to yesterday, the springtime air portends a lot of bike-riding time. Although I confess to having trouble getting behind the mindset of biking without gears or brakes, I do appreciate the aesthetic simplicity of many fixed-gear/single-speed/track bikes, which are often put together as odes to minimalism and, as such, lack excessive cabling and hardware. Not long ago, I came across a picture of a Soma frame that had been built up with what I believe are some wooden deep Vs from Velocity.
A Soma frame built up with wooden rims makes for a charming commuter.
Coupled with simple leather accessories for saddlebag, handlebars and cages, this bike is totally charming and has a classic appeal. I imagine that the addition of a hand-decorated Brooks saddle from the artist I highlighted in my last post would be the ultimate addition to what is already nearing aesthetic perfection, in my mind. Doesn’t it look like fun to ride?
Of course, women and biking go back as long as both have existed, and treating the activity as one of not just recreation but of style and aesthetic import is nothing new, either – not to mention how transgressive bicycles were for women in the early days. Just take a look at Frances Benjamin Johnson for one early example:
A dapper Frances Benjamin Johnson dons masculine attire in preparation for a bicycle ride.
The Female Dandy 