Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Guest Blogger: The Fabulous Katherine

Pretty Panniers and Handsome Helmets

April showers bring May – biking?  I had my bike tuned up a few weeks ago on our first sunny spring like day and I have been eager to be out and about on my bicycle ever since.  The weather has not been cooperative (rain, snow, freezing temperatures) but I did sneak in my first ride to work last week and realized that I am missing a bike accessory – a pretty pannier so that I can stop worrying that my laptop is going to fly out of my basket. 

It turns out that the Dutch make the prettiest panniers by far!  What we can get here in North America is so incredibly dull (read: black) nor do they particularly lend themselves to urban biking (popping in to do shopping or matching my cute outfit and heels).  What is an urban cyclist to do?  I want pretty and functional and apparently the only way I can do that is to pay crazy shipping fees and import one directly from Europe.  Maybe I need to get into the import business... 

Pretty Petty Shopper – environmentally friendly as it’s made out of recycled PET bottles!

 Basil Mirte – I did actually see this model at Sporting Life last summer so they may have them again this year
 Basil Baboushka Bowling Bag


 Kitsch Kitchen Cherry Bike Pannier


The other aspect to complete my new spring chic cycling look is a new helmet.  My favourite by far are the helmets made by Yakkay.  Expensive but they look like real hats!  It seems so obvious that this should exist and I’ve chatted about it with girlfriends in summers past and apparently there goes my million dollar idea.  :)  Other brands that are worthy of a check out are Bern and Nutcase.