Biking in NYC is about to reach critical mass with citibikes but leave it to some brands to really capture the essence of biking: the utility, the style and leisure of it as a sport and transportation mode.

The blog Downtownfrombehind has been capturing bikers in action for a while, at first from behind and anonymous. The blog started profiling subjects, like the guys of Saturday Surf:

I had a brainstorm session with Coach people and inspired this partnership last year. That was fun to brew up!

Fashion consultant and PR strategist Lorenzo Martone just launched Martone Cycling Co. He’s branded his bikes with a red chain and monochrome everything else, currently available in black, white, red, gold and silver. Especially cool is SRAM’s innovative duomatic gear system that automatically adjusts and changes gears based on the speed you’re riding. Of course I gravitated towards this one..

Oh, and you can stop by Free & The Brave at The Paramount Hotel this Tuesday from 6-8pm to say hi.

Are you a biker?

I’ve always wanted to buy a bike to call my own, to ride to and from work, early mornings to the green market and through Central Park, or after-dark, meandering through small West Village streets to clear my head.

The thought, though, of leaving what would be another limb on the sidewalk, waiting to be stolen – thats what has stopped me from investing in one. A handful of friends have told me that every moment on the bike is worth the risk of getting their bike stolen. Many more have shared stories of how their first, second, third bikes have been hijacked, some only minutes after picking up dinner, others, hours after stopping by a birthday party. Every second is a risk.

Now that I’ve admitted that I am risk-averse [I would say.. thoughtful] and cautious [ok fine, this I am]..

There is finally an option for those smart, calculated people out there: citibikes. The first bike sharing program, sponsored by citi, officially kicks of May 27 with thousands of bikes [a reported 6000] and hundreds of stations [just over 300] throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. I’m not sure how this is going to work out logistically, ie. too many bikes at one station, having to ride around 15+ minutes to find another, etc., but I’m ready to give it a go.

Now if only everyone could be as stylish as Yigal Azrouël while riding a bike..

I wonder who will be the first to take an outfit picture with these beauties? ;P

Not sure about the recommended ‘brightly contrasting shirt’, but to each his own.

[[ the sky burns for you ]]

[[ with the birthday god[dess] ]]

[[ delicious flan, even better sesame ice cream - scooped with a fork, naturally ]]

[[ happy birthday to the 'most kind, sweet, thoughtful, generous friend' we all know ]]

[[ talking about how amazing the cake was ]]

[[ i wonder how many bottles we went through.. ]]

[[ the midnight candle burns ]]

[[ this girl! ]]

[[ dvf represent ]]

[[ ok, good night ]]

Good luck beating that, London and Athens!

Del Toro makes spot-on, expressive slippers, perfect to transition into spring, day to night.