Gone are the days when cyclists are confined to workout gear on bikes. There are now a wide range of brands that create their clothing, helmets and other biking accessories with cyclists in mind. Safety and style now go hand in hand.
The Student Health Advisory Committee will be partnering with the UO Bike Program to roll out a bike safety campaign, according to Nicolette Dent, co-chair of SHAC. The campaign will lead up to the bike share program that will hopefully commence later in the year.
One of the first projects for the campaign combined safety and style with the creation of a new helmet. UO Biking Program Coordinator Briana Orr went to SHAC with the idea of creating a helmet that was visually appealing and would encourage students to wear a helmet.
The creation of the new “O” helmet was targeted to reach those who wouldn’t normally wear a helmet. “People are worried about their look, which is part of the reason we designed these new helmets,” Dent said. The helmets were designed through collaboration between SHAC, the UO Bike Program, and Nutcase, a popular helmet brand. They are silver with a yellow and green “O” on the side. @@find people@@
“People love repping the ‘O’ so hopefully this will encourage them to wear a helmet,” Dent said.
Some students don’t see the need to wear a helmet, but others have seen the effects of not wearing one.
“I grew up wearing a helmet. No way would I get on a bike without one. When I came to the UO I stopped because it was normal not to wear one. After my brother got into a serious accident on his bike I decided that my brain was more important than my hair,” senior Ali Small said. @@find people@@
Style no longer needs to be compromised when it comes to bike safety.
“Bern and Nutcase are the most popular helmet brands from what I can tell,” graduate student Alex Page said. The helmets are available in a wide range of colors and patters catering to a wide audience. @@find people@@
The new “O” Helmets can be purchased for $75 at Arriving by Bike on Willamette Street and Paul’s Bicycle Way of Life located on Alder Street.@@google checked@@
Aside from helmets, there are other stylish ways to stay safe on your bicycle. Levi’s brand has created a line of clothing, ‘Levi’s Commuter Series’ which is designed with the cyclist in mind. @@levi’s website@@
The fabrics used are lightweight with stretch to ensure comfort and ventilation. The commuter series has jeans that are water and odor resistant and have reflective tape on the inside cuff to make sure the rider is seen in the dark. This line of clothing is comprised of pants, jackets and shirts, all designed to be able to ride and live in the same outfit.
Another brand, We-Flashy, has a clothing line of fashion-forward apparel that is also reflective. Clothing includes: T-shirts, sweaters, sweatshirt, scarves and more. @@We-Flashy website@@
There are many ways cyclists can stay safe on their bikes with out sacrificing their style.