To wit, in recent months Chappelli Cycles has been beefing up our collaboration with Le Coq Sportif Australia.

Thanks to our partnership with the cycling-mad French clothing brand, you can find our sleekly designed bicycles, such as our three-speeds and award-winning NuVinci on display at the Le Coq Sportif store in Sydney, as well as in the shop windows of their partners.

Our bicycles will also be featured during Le Coq Sportif Australia events, such as Bastille Day, the photo exhibition celebrating the 100^th edition of the Tour De France in Sydney, and the Gold-Sprints competition in Sydney and Melbourne (see photos from last year), among others.

Of course, it’s only natural that Chappelli becomes friends with Le Coq Sportif Australia. Just like Chappelli, the brand has a proud tradition of cycling, particularly linked to the Tour de France.

Le Coq Sportif was an official sponsor of the iconic French race from 1951 to 1988 and has again been since 2012, with most cycling legends over these decades having at one point worn a yellow Le Coq Sportif jersey.

The brand has also sponsored the last three editions of l’Eroica in Italy, a vintage cycling race where competitors must race on bicycles that are 25 years or older – though the race is more about scenery, beautiful moustaches, good food, and having a good time than actual riding.

Bike polo is also another area that Le Coq Sportif gets involved with. The brand sponsors bike polo teams throughout the world including the winning team at the 2012 World Hardcourt Bike Polo Championship in Geneva, and also sponsors Sydney Bike Polo.

And let’s not forget they are also a handy supplier of cycling apparel, which includes Tour De France Replica jerseys, a performance cycling range, an urban cycling range replete with water repellent and technical chino short, chino pants, and jackets for every day commuting, and vintage cycling jerseys for the class acts among us.

Find Le Coq Sportif on the web at www.lecoqsportif.com
And Facebook Le Coq Sportif Australia

The single-speed bicycles absorb sunlight during the day, which is then released in the dark to create the unique glow effect that can last for several hours.

The bicycles represent another first for Chappelli Cycles, which in 2012 won an Australian Design Award for its infinitely-geared NuVinci® bicycle.

Along with the glow-in-the-dark bikes, our new range will include three-speed women’s bicycles in champagne and emerald green, as well as single-speeds and three-speeds in chrome and matte black versions.

In fact, it’s a busy month for Chappelli. We’ll soon be unveiling a new showroom and collection point in Botany, Sydney, and another one in North Melbourne.

The Chappelli glow-in-the-dark range, as well as the NuVinci® and more great new-season stock is now available.

The glowing bicycles mix style with safety.

The first glow-in-the-dark bikes in Australia.

Buy the Chappelli Cycles single-speed glow bikes

We’ve opened a pop-up store in Redfern Sydney, in an awesome old mechanics garage.

The store features our fixies (fixed-gear) and single-speeds, our new Caballero – the pimpest randonneur in town, and our award-winning NuVinci infinitely geared bicycle. We’re also offering a wide range of accessories.

All orders picked up from the shop get a free helmet and lock whilst stocks last.

The store is open 4 days a week, Wednesday to Saturday.

Address: 131 Regent Street, Redfern, right opposite Redfern Station.

Adriana and Leo at the Chappelli pop-up shop in Redfern, Sydney

The online store will complement our Swedish operations, helping us to service the whole European continent.

Earlier this week we caught up with Guillaume Adriansen who explained why the time is ‘parfait’ for Chappelli to bring our new bikes to the old continent.


What makes the time right for Chappelli to launch in Europe now?
Two things:

1. First, seeing the progress made by Tom and Pablo in the last 3 years with Chappelli Cycles has been a profound source of motivation in launching the brand in France.

They have proven Chappelli Cycles is not only a strong trendy, brand that can sell a lot of fixies and single speeds, but is also a brand with a long-term strategy of diversification. Already we’ve seen 3-speed bikes, men’s and women’s multi speed bikes, and the award-winning NuVinci, and there are many more in the pipeline. In short, Chappelli is more than a fashionable brand of fixies; it’s a fashionable bicycle manufacturer.

2. Second, the context in Europe is very favourable to city bikes right now. A combination of factors has contributed to an increasing demand for city bikes:
- Free or cheap rental bikes in main cities such as the Vélib in Paris have pushed people back on to bikes,
- the price of gas is skyrocketing,
- society is under pressure to exercise more,
- and bikes are definitely back in fashion as a cool way of commuting (- just so long as the bike itself is cool!)

Why set up in France in particular?
France is the 4^th market worldwide for bicycles. This is where the Tour De France started in 1903. France is also the home country of classic brand of bikes such as Mercier or Peugeot.
The country has a love affair with fashion, as long as it is classy and understated. France is made of many cities with most people commuting every day to work making short-distance trips on public transport.

For all of these reasons it is obvious to us that Chappelli Cycles will one day be successful in France.

How can people in Europe buy a Chappelli bicycle?
We will be selling a range of Chappelli Cycles bicycles via our online store at www.chappelli.eu, and also distributing them at a few targeted retailers (both bike stores and fashion stores).

The Chappelli NuVinci at Le Coq Sportif in Paris.

The Guardian reportedthat a bicycle belonging to the team sprint medalist was stolen when thieves ransacked his Manchester home over a weekend in late August. They also stole his car, which was found burnt out on a local highway.

Philip Hindes (photo The Guardian)

Not wanting to be the next Philip Hindes, one European Chappelli customer in Sweden took extra precautions when he went on holiday. As he told Christian from our European office:

“I was worried someone would break into my apartment while I was on summer holiday. So I locked my Chappelli to my dirty washing basket so that it would be harder to steal.”

Christian posted the message on the Chappelli Cycles Swedish Facebook page, noting afterwards: “Luckily there was no break-in; but incidentally we love that the Chappelli bicycle was his most precious possession.”

We hope that any owner of a Chappelli fixed-gear or multi-speed internal hub bicycle would agree…

Though we also note that no mention was made as to the value of the dirty washing basket.

What are you best bicycle theft prevention secrets (of course, feel free not to disclose them!)?

Following our efforts to pay this cyclist’s fine(still unsuccessful, but we live in eternal hope) to raise awareness about bike helmets and cycle safety, we were contacted by the Freestyle Cyclists.

Australians abroad cycle helmet-free with impunity (picture via hubalabike.com)

The Freestyle Cyclists group launched an online petition in June seeking to repeal the laws that they say discourage people from realising the public health benefits of cycling.

We spoke to Kathy Francis about her motivations for getting started with the group, and what she thinks it can achieve.

What made you decide to pursue helmet reform as an issue?

I grew up without helmets in a country town where it was very safe to ride. I thought the helmet law was a crock and was fined repeatedly. I refused to pay, and was eventually was put in jail, pregnant, for 24 hours. After that I thought the fight wasn’t worth it so I gave it up.

Now that my kids are older now, they are facing the same issue, and so I have decided to fight it again.

What has changed between 1990 when the laws were introduced and now?

Back in the 1990s we felt we weren’t going to get anywhere, and that the rest of the world would follow us (by introducing helmet laws). This hasn’t been the case.

There is so much more research out there now that is showing that Australia has made a mistake. Bike share schemes worldwide have also been influential things, as has also Sue Abbott, who has challenged the laws in court. But getting politicians to listen is frustrating for us.

What level of reform are you hoping to achieve?

We’re hoping that politicians start to take this seriously. We don’t think the (safe cycling) infrastructure will ever be completed. We’re quite desperate in Victoria because fines are upwards of $146 dollars and police have zero tolerance.

Any reform would be good, even if it’s just for adults only.

The Freestyle Cyclists will officially launch their campaign on October 6 in Victoria, with a helmet-optional ride along the Yarra. In the meantime, you can visit their site and sign their petition here.

(As this irate Facebook poster made note, that distinction has not been apparent).

But you also might not be aware that one of those other sports is fixed-gear bike riding.

To wit, this week at London’s purpose-built velodrome, track cyclists are pushing their cutting-edge fixed gear bikes to faster and faster speeds. (Australia’s Anna Meares being just one of many to have suffered having Australia’s hopes for gold riding on her.)

The original fixed-gear bicycle

Sure there are differences between track bikes and fixies such as Chappelli’s. For one, track cyclists can reach speeds well in excess of 100 kmh, which you’re unlikely to attain you’re completely out of control going down one of Sydney’s hills.

Then there’s the gear ratio, which on an Olympic track bike is about 60 teeth on the front cog to 12 on the back (we stand to be corrected). This is 5 times the ratio of a Chappelli, which is 44/18.

Another thing, track cyclists typically have enormous muscles; though these tree-trunk thighs seem excessive even by Olympic standards.

If you’re more interested in seeing less competitive and body-punishing fixie riding at the Games then perhaps you could consider attending – or participating in – Berlin’s Hipster Olympics. See the slideshow.

For a rundown on track cycling events at the Olympics, check out this guide in the UK’s Telegraph.

Read this Wired article for more on what makes Olympic track bikes special.

> Download the press release

The Chappelli NuVinci® is the first Australian bike equipped with continuously variable gearing. Riders can select their preferred gear ratio as easily as turning a radio dial and without fear of jarring gear changes or body jolts.

Tom and Pablo with the award.

Accepting the Award, Chappelli co-founder Pablo Chappelli said it was “an absolute honour.”

“We are immensely proud to win this recognition for the NuVinci® and also for Chappelli which we only started two years ago.

“Given the quality of this year’s competition, including esteemed design companies such as Nokia, Range Rover, Bose and Dyson, we are particularly honoured. This award proves that the spirit of design is alive and well in Australia.”

The bicycle is the result of a 12-month collaboration with US-based Fallbrook Technologies, pioneers of the world-first ‘infinitely variable internal hub’ gear system. The system’s 360° ratio equates to the equivalent of 10 traditional gears.

Getting their 15 seconds...

In addition to the unique gearing system, the Chappelli NuVinci® won praise for its

simply design aesthetic and smooth ride. The bicycle has a hand-crafted and hand-painted lugged CRMO frame, deep dish chrome rims, leather grips and seat, and an integrated lighting system that allows 360° degree visibility for the rider.

The NuVinci® was also nominated as one of nine finalists for the overall Australian Design Award and has been selected by the Australian PowerHouse Museum to be displayed in an exhibition of Australian design excellence.

The Australian International Design Awards is a showcase for the best-designed products from Australia and around the globe.

Bike share schemes would be near the top of the list; followed closely by well anyway I digress.

Saturday marked not only France’s national day, Bastille Day, but the 5th anniversary of the pioneering Velib’ bike share scheme in Paris.

Despite initial scepticism, 138 million people have used the 23,000 rental bikes to date, whose name is a contraction of ‘velo’ (bike) and ‘liberty’.

The system has redefined public transport in the city, aided no end by Paris’ heavily concentrated population, small circumference and relatively flat gradients.

The lack of helmet laws also mean chic Parisians can take a bike without fear for their careful coifs.

‘Independence and freedom in transportation’

“Five years ago, I could not have imagined that Vélib’ would have such good results,” Bernard Delanoë, who launched the scheme as mayor of Paris, told Tierramérica.

“My goal was to try out a different policy, to help Parisians recover their independence and freedom in transportation, and at the same time, to reduce air pollution.”

Velib’ has served as a model for 34 other French cities, not to mention, Melbourne, London, San Francisco and New York. No, not New York – we’ll get to that, hang on.

In London, the popularity of the bikes have been a boost to mayor Boris Johnson, and even Prince William and Kate have admitted to using them – one of the rare occasions when Royals being involved in a scheme turned out to be a good news story!

Bike share in Australia

In Melbourne, the scheme is showing signs of life, despite the odd damning television evidence to the contrary. The Melbourne Bike Users’ Group is currently rallying support to exempt the bike share scheme from mandatory helmet laws, which are widely seen as hindering its take up.

Meanwhile in Sydney, Lord Mayor Clover Moore plans to introduce a bike-hire scheme “as soon as possible”.

“In practice we will revisit it as bike links are finished. From looking at bike-hire schemes in other cities, we know a safe network of bike paths must be in place to make it work,” Moore told Chappelli in an exclusive Twitter interview late last year.

What’s up New York?

Which brings us to New York. The news this week was that the roll-out of the highly anticipated Citibikes would be postponed, again, this time till August. @mattseaton in his Guardian blog ruminated on whether the full 7,000 bikes would be rolled out at that time, or an initial few working demo stations, with an incremental rollout.

What do you think about bike share schemes? What are the chances of Sydney starting one?

These blogs offer some different views on the Tour de France, from the couch, to cows, to Cadel himself.

Share with us your favourites in the comments below.

1. Les vaches du tour (cows of the tour)
   Celebrating the unsung heroes of the Tour de France. That’s right. The cows.
2. Tour de Couch
   Cycling…from the couch up
   A left of centre look at cycling, which has previously included such blog posts as “Bad cow puns, underwhelming performances and press conferences”.
3. Blazin’ Saddles
   Eurosport’s blogger keeps his tongues firmly in cheek in his coverage of this year’s Tour.
4. The Sydney Morning Herald
   The time difference is a bit of a drag, but still worth seeing TDF veteran Rupert Guinness report his 24^th edition, even if only for his wardrobe of Hawaiian shirts and on-camera tanties.
5. Cadel Evans official Tour diary
   Lastly, if you’re tired of reading about the Tour from the eyes of cows or armchair critics, read about it in the words of the man himself…

Feeling routed?

Lastly, if you haven’t already seen it, check out this video of the tour route: