Dressed in dapper wool through the streets of San Francisco

Edmonton’s First Tweed Ride!

Posted By Colin on May 19, 2009

Royal Heraldry of Canada

Royal Heraldry of Canada

Our fine Canadian neighbors to the north are breaking out their dapper duds for their very own Edmonton Tweed Ride!

This is admittedly not the first Canadian Tweed Ride — that honor goes to the  First Daffodil Tweed Ride and Picnic in Vancouver, British Columbia; however, it is the first in Alberta. I can only hope this means the Tweed movement is spreading eastward and we shall soon see Tweed appearing in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Québec, Labrador and Newfoundland! Then if the dapper is strong we can hope to see Tweed migrate north to the lovely expanses of Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut!

Edmonton Tweed Ride

May 24th

Start 6:30pm at the University of Alberta in the “quad

This will be a social ride with a bit of style. The proper attire for this ride will of course be expected. We will be taking a leisurely ride through the city and will be stopping for mid-ride fortitude and cheer.

There will be Contests for:

  • Most dapper chap
  • Most dashing dame
  • Award for most civilized behavior on the day

For more info visit A Lost Home’s Blog


Note: The herald shown above is borrowed from the excellent folks from the Royal Heraldry of Canada

Happy Bike to Work Day!

Posted By Colin on May 14, 2009

To all the fine people pedaling to work today, I salute you! And to any who missed out on this fine day for lack of a two wheeled steed, it’s not too late for every day is a fine day to ride a bike!

If you need any more convincing to buy a bike I suggest you watch the following charming animation…

Why only 4 shillings a week! I’m nearly tempted to buy a second bicycle for myself!


Hope to see some of you at the SFBC’s Bike to Work Day After Party and Fashion Show
6-10pm, Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell st (at Franklin).
Celebrate the day at SFBC’s Bike Away From Work Party and Fashion Show at Rickshaw stop and party down with fellow cyclists. Plus the parking’s a breeze!

East Bay Tweed Ride! June 4th

Posted By Colin on May 12, 2009

We are pleased to announce the first East Bay Tweed Ride — or eastTweed as the snappy eastTweeds are calling it! Our previous Tweed Rides had quite the showing of charming lads and lasses from the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay, and we sincerely hope to meet more dapper eastTweeds!

East Bay Tweed Ride, June 4th (photo by Bryan Kiechle)

East Bay Tweed Ride, June 4th (photo by Bryan Kiechle)

East Bay Tweed Ride, June 4th

6:30 pm – Sally Forth from Mosswood Park in Oakland

7:00 pm – Meetup with SF Tweed at MacArthur BART

End Point – Trappist, Belgian & Specialty Beer Bar

It of course goes without saying that there will be the most dashing of cyclists. As in past rides, we have more fun and games up our sleeves which shall be announced as we get closer to the date. I am certain that it will be a grand old time!

Whether you live here or there, I sincerely hope you do join us as we explore the wonders of the East Bay — in Tweed!

East Tweed Contests!

  • Most Graceful Mount & Dismount
  • Most Heartly Man-to-Man Salutation — Elimination Challenge*
  • Most Charming Woman-to-Woman Greeting — Elimination Challenge*

* During the Greeting and Salutation contests two people will step forward and greet each other like they both now each other but haven’t seen one another for a while. For an example of this I recommend watching this Peter Cook and Dudley Moore sketch from Beyond the Fridge. Both the Greeting and Salutation contests are elimination challenges which means the lesser greeter gets kicked off and a new challenger steps forward.

    Prizes

    Tea Pot Bell

    B.Spoke TailorThe winner of the Most Graceful Mount & Dismount will receive a lovely Tea Pot Bell donated by Josie Pokiedot. The winners of the Salutation/Greeting contests will receive a special prize from  Nan Eastep, of B.Spoke Tailer.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    The East Bay Tweed Ride is being organized by the lovely and talented eastTweeds: Morley Roarly, Josie Pokiedot, and Nan Eastep, of B.Spoke Tailer. We at SF Tweed are ever grateful that these fine lasses have stepped forward to help make the first East Bay Tweed Ride an adventure to remember!

    More Tweed in Chicago! Sept 12th

    Posted By Colin on May 8, 2009

    Winston's DMZV Tweed Ride, Sept 12th

    Winston's DMZV Tweed Ride, Sept 12th

    Due to the overwhelming success of the last Winston’s Tweed Ride, it seems our Windy City brethren are planning another outing! So if you find yourself in Chicago I highly encourage you to jacket up and ride along with this fine wheel-men and wheel-ladies.

    Winston’s DMZV Tweed Ride

    Chicago, IL. September 12th 2009

    Leaving from Bialystok Pub @1pm, we’ll make our way at a genteel, civilizing pace to the 89th Annual German-American Festival in Lincoln Square. And of course we’ll be stopping in some damn fine bars representing British allies during that unpleasantness in the 30s & 40s!

    More info on Bicycle Diaries

    As this Tweed Ride coincides with the German-American Festival I assume there will be plenty of fine beer and food. Also it goes without saying as proper gentlemen and ladies all should abide by DMZV — Don’t Mention Zee Var!!!

    Winston's Tweed Ride, photo by Da' Square Wheelman

    Winston's Tweed Ride, photo by Da' Square Wheelman

    Bike-In Movie Screening

    Posted By Colin on May 6, 2009

    I thought I may pass on a word to all you dashing cyclists about the Disposable Film Festival Bike-In Movie Screening on Wednesday May 13th, 8pm-11pm at the parking lot across from the Good Hotel on 7th and Minna. I do believe it will be a lovely way to spend an evening — oh and don’t worry if you are counting your pences as it is free!

    I myself learned of this wonderful screening from the excellent shutterfly cyclists of Velo Vogue. They of course will be in attendance with their cameras so look sharp!

    Bike-In Movie - Disposable Film Festival

    Bike-In Movie - Disposable Film Festival

    DFF BIKE-IN MOVIE SCREENING!
    Join us for some outdoor disposable film fun as we present the best of DFF!

    Bring your own radio so you can listen in on the program (you know, just like at the drive in). And for some extra comfort bring something to sit on.

    Immediately following the screening we’ll be moving inside for an awesome after party hosted by the SF Guardian!

    And did we mention the event is FREE? So no ifs ands or buts – you gotta be there!

    Where: The parking lot across from the Good Hotel on 7th St. @ Minna.

    When: Wednesday May 13th, 8PM-11PM

    Bike valet by SF Bike Coalition

    More info on the Disposable Film Festival Events page

    UPDATE: The CremeBruleeeCart will be at the Disposable Film Festival at 7:30pm serving up delicious… you guessed it Creme Brulee!

    Hazzah! San Francisco Feels the Tweed!

    Posted By Colin on May 1, 2009

    The second SF Tweed Ride was a rip roaring success!

    I am still overwhelmed by how warm and wonderous the entire evening was. Dashing cyclists waving cheerio to all passersby as we rolled down Market and along the Embarcadero.

    SF Tweed Riders roll, photo by Audrey Penven

    SF Tweed Riders roll, spin, and twhirl photo by Audrey Penven

    And nothing can compare to the magical feeling of seeing Corpus Callosum play at the end of the Maritime Park Pier as dusk settled around us and the San Francisco skyline began light up.

    Corpus Callosum play on the Maritime Pier, video by Colin Fahrion

    Once again, we ended our ride at the lovely Tosca Cafe, who warmed us up with their delicious hot choco and brandy.

    Lanky Joe and Nifer high on Tweed, photo by Audrey Penven

    Lanky Joe and Nifer high on Tweed, photo by Audrey Penven

    Sheila Moon, photo by neiltron

    Sheila Moon, photo by neiltron

    The chaps were dapper and the lasses snappy, with the most dashing awarded by the gracious and talented Sheila Moon, who donated several chic — and amazingly comfywool cycling caps.

    Thanks Sheila for sponsoring the SF Tweed contest! I must say it was a pleasure to have you along for the ride, and I’m more than happy to promote your made in San Francisco quality cycle fashion — truly any cyclist would be doing themselves a favor by casting an eye on SheilaMoon.com!

    What’s next?

    We already have plans ruminating for our next tweed outings: an East Bay Tweed Ride, a Sunday Tweed Picnic (most dapper kidlet contest!), and more! So sign up for the Jaunty Mailer and follow @sftweed on twitter

    Also keep an eye on the SF Tweed website for more tweed highlights. Over the next coming days, we will be showcasing some of the amazing tweed cyclists, photographers, artists, and more. We also have an eye out for guest writers, so if you have any tweed and/or cycling expertise you’d like to share please contact us.

    Cheerio!

    Sydney Tweed Ride – Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend

    Posted By Rubin on April 26, 2009

    From the other side of the grand Pacific, we’ve gotten word of a ride being formulated down under. Overheard on Rocket Fuel vintage cycling style haberdashery

    Sydney Tweed Ride

    Sydney Tweed Ride

    Following the fine style of London, San Francisco, Auckland and soon Chicago. Sydney is having it’s very own Tweed Ride.

    So gather your most dapper or ladylike apparel and join us for a spin around the city and a fine cup of tea!

    Charm over the orignal post or the Sydney Cyclist Events for more details!

    Winston’s Tweed Ride — Chicago gets tweedy!

    Posted By Colin on April 20, 2009

    Winston's Tweed Ride

    Winston's Tweed Ride

    The spirit of tweed is spreading! The fine dapper folks of The Chainlink in the Windy City are hosting their own Winston’s Tweed Ride Saturday May 2nd at 1pm!

    The 2nd of May 2009 marks the 80th anniversary of Winston Churchill’s invention of his exquisitely dry martini: copious amounts of gin poured over crushed ice while he observed the vermouth from across the room. The route, designed by the Right Honorable Lee Diamond, is 10 civilized miles meandering past (and into) some of The Windy City’s most infamous (and still open) speakeasies.

    The Winston Tweed Ride will leave from Jake’s Pub, 2932 N. Clark, Chicago, at 1pm on Saturday, May 2nd.

    Like our first SF Tweed Ride, the Chicago Winston’s Tweed Ride will host contests for: Most Dapper Chap, Most Snappy Lass, Most Stylish Noble Steed, Most Inspired Interpretation of Tweediness, and Best Mustache (open to both lads and inventive lasses).

    For more info, visit The Chainlink, Chicago Bicycling Online Community.

    SF Tweed Rides Again! April 30th

    Posted By Colin on April 15, 2009

    Reed Unsettled, by Rubin

    Reed Unsettled, by Rubin

    Get ready to toss your tweed caps in the air because SF Tweed Rides again!

    April 30th Thursday Tweed Ride II

    6:30pm — Gather at Union Square
    7:00pm — Join with East Bay Tweed at Powell St. Station*
    Ending — The Majestic Tosca Cafe!

    Once again, we fine bastions of tweed bicivility will gather to show the city how to really ride in style! Fortunately, Spring is upon us, and the night has begun to be pushed back by the day. As such, the sun shall still grace our ride, giving all passersby a chance to bask in our grand tweediness!

    Our last ride was a joyful time with games, contests, and of course the sharpest dressed company a cyclist could ask for. What does this ride have in store your ask:

    • Will there be more jolly games? …But of course!
    • Will there be wonderful contests? …I’m glad you asked — contest details will be announced later. Stay tuned through our fair web site’s RSS feed, our Jaunty Mailer, or our twitter @sftweed
    • Will there be dapper chaps and smashing ladies? …You have to ask? Just look photos of all the dashing cyclists from the last tweed ride.

    UPDATES!

    Corpus Callosum, post-industrial-folk-noir

    Corpus Callosum, post-industrial-folk-noir

    The route has been settled! We will be enjoying a fine ride around the city following the Embarcadero towards the Fisherman’s Wharf and then winding back to the majestic Tosca Cafe, with a secret location halftime performance by the fabulous musical stylings of Corpus Callosum!

    Contests

    Once again we will have contests! Along with the two old favorites Most Dapper Chap and Most Snappy Lass we have two fresh new categories:

    • Most Dashing Neckwear — open to both men and women of course; not open to winners of either of the above contests
    • Most Stylish Pairing of Habiliment & Steed — to properly win this contest you and your two wheels must work together to create a more fashionable (or strange) whole.

    We also have a lovely new SF Tweed Ride flyer which I will be passing out at Critical Mass this evening. If any people would care to help pass out flyers please let me know. It’s fun and a great way to meet people!

    SF Tweed Ride, April 30th

    SF Tweed Ride, April 30th

    Sign Up For The New Jaunty Mailer!

    Be sure to sign up for the Jaunty Mailer to stay abreast of future Tweed Rides and all things Tweedy!

    * The earliest BART that allows bicycles from southern East Bay arrives at Powell St. Station at 6:39pm and the earliest train from northern East Bay arrives at Powell at 6:57pm. Also note that BART has an unfortunate bias against Penny Farthings.