Huma's road to commuting

Huma hadn’t ridden a bike since she was seven. Bike commuting was not part of everyday life for women in Pakistan. After moving to DC and making friends in the area she was interested in riding again. In early 2012 she took an adult riding class through WABA and left feeling confident to get out riding on her own. Soon she discovered how fun and convenient riding in the city is by using Capital Bikeshare. In 2014 she got her own bike and began riding everyday!

In addition to the fun factor, bikes help Huma reach parts of the city that aren’t easily accessed with public transit. Being in Bloomingdale, the G8 was a common source of frustration and the Bikeshare station was all too popular, she would often arrive to empty racks. Now with her own bike the city is at her fingertips.

Huma seeks out bikes whe she travels, recently riding in Vancouver, San Francisco, London and Istanbul. Huma is grateful for having bikes in her life and hopes life for bike commuters here in DC will only improve. Given the recent SafeTrack work, Huma hopes more attention can be focused to maintaining and expanding bike infrastructure. Follow Huma's life as commuter @humaimtiaz

What's been your road to commuting? How do bikes enrich your life? Let us know in the comments.

The Creme Molly

We are pleased to announce that Creme Cycles, once only available in Europe, are now available in the DC area exclusively through BicycleSPACE!

The folks at Creme Cycles have stayed true to the bicycle tradition and captured the spirit of a grand adventure, even if it’s just going out for a coffee in style.  The bikes are configured in a way that is at once comfortable and intuitive, and forgiving of all the little, or big imperfections in the road.

We recently road-tested the Molly 3 Speed model, and here’s what we found:

• It’s got a cruising feel to it as opposed to a racing feel. Instead of being aggressive, it’s more like a calm oasis in the city streets. It takes you back to a time when things were simpler and less stressful.  To this end, there is a drum brake on the front wheel, which means the brake workings are internal to the hub. This accomplishes two things, it cleans up the look by having fewer exposed cables, and it all but eliminates the risk of accidentally locking the front wheel by braking too hard.

• The rear brake is a coaster brake, and this cleans up the look significantly too. The cables have a braided steel housing, which is an extra step Creme took to make their bikes look sharp. 

• When you put your foot down on the pedals, you’ll see that they’re just like they used to make pedals – no pointy, technical edges for gripping onto your shoes, you could ride barefoot with these pedals and still they seem to grip just fine.

• Another fine detail is the chainguard, which covers both the top and bottom side of the chain, and the fenders. The fenders fit nicely over the tires and give the bike an elegant sweeping appearance, like fenders on a late1920s Bugatti, with the functional purpose of keeping your personal appearance above the fray while negotiating the city streets.

• There is a basket with the bike that easily attaches and detaches to make stops along the way more inviting, and who wouldn’t want to be seen carrying a smart looking basket though the market? Yes, a real shopping basket, not one of those modern day plastic contraptions.

• The final thing that Creme gets right is that when your foot is in the far forward position on the pedal, and you make a sharp turn, the fender is spaced far enough away so that it clears your foot easily. So many modern bikes have a toe/fender overlap problem, and it’s refreshing to see a bike maker get it right.

If you’re looking for a bike which looks as good as you do, and you appreciate a streamlined sense of elegance, a Creme Cycle just might be "The One."  We encourage you to drop in and take one for a test ride.

"We are 99,9% sure that riding a bike makes you more creative! It's worth a try, and that is a FACT!" - Creme Cycles