Tweed Run

A year or so back I learned about the Tweed Run. Here's the concept:

"The Tweed Run is a group bicycle ride through the centre of London, in which the cyclists are expected to dress in traditional british cycling attire, particularly tweed plus four suits. Any bicycle is acceptable on the Tweed Run, but classic vintage bicycles are encouraged. Some effort to recreate the spirit of a bygone era is always appreciated."

This just seems so fun to me. Combining the pleasures of beautiful bikes, vintage fashion, and a leisurely group of fellow riders. I don't pretend that life was necessarily better in the old days, but I certainly think there were some things going on style-wise that's its a shame to have lost. Wool, leather, canvas, wicker, steel, silk...

Turns out Tweed Runs are turning up all over the place, including Boston, but I didn't catch wind of this until after it had already happened sometime last fall. Maybe the next time around.

I think what's so fun about this is that it humanizes riding a bike and makes it playful, in total contrast to the pretension of "performance" get-ups and it appears to me that there is enough creativity going on to keep this business from becoming too pretentious itself.

Goofy? Even a little embarrassing? Sure. Fun? Yep.


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