Bikes!

Text: Billy Bride


Nothing mends a broken heart like a USD$12,000 custom-made Chanel ‘City’ bicycle – or so says Courtney Cox who splashed out on the two-wheeled wonder to fill the Brad-Pitt-shaped hole left in Jennifer Aniston back in Summer ’08. Now the rest of us might find the hefty price tag hard to stomach without the colossal heartbreak to rationalise rarefied retail therapy, but I’m sure we can dream up some very similar pretext for wanton fiscal abandonment…

For instance, the Gucci ‘Cruiser’ would certainly spare our weary atmosphere a tonne or two of carbon monoxide contamination – can you put a price tag on that? And, if we were to ride our Hermes/Batavus to and from work each day we would surely save on personal training and pilates fees (looking into the long-term). The Fendi ‘Abici Amante Donna’ is almost like a teeny tiny home away from home – why you can just pack your worldly belongings away in the twin fur saddlebags and set-off upon a spiritual sabbatical, needing nothing more than your custom fit GPS, and trademark Selleria leather thermos to service your dietary needs (and store a little of the ol’ liquid courage for when times get tough, as they so often do on sabbatical).

But if selling your soul to the Devil for a bit of steel and rubber isn’t really what you signed up for, check the chic (and cheap) rides available from The Mud Factory, Pashley, Velorbis, The Flying Pigeon or Acne x Bianchi. Classic, enchanting, and won’t bust the budget.

Check back each Thursday for more on the fashion world from Billy Bride