Saddle up

WORDS Debbie Loots

With the last week of the 100th Tour de France upon us, and our very own Daryl Impey becoming the first South African to wear the yellow jersey, we have good reason to overlook cycling’s lycra-fashion faux pas and get into these cool bicycling illustrations. Designed by French illustrators Roman Bourdieux and Thomas Pomarelle, Cyclemon depicts the weird and wonderful personalities of cyclists and the bikes they choose to ride. Which one are you? If you can’t identify with one, you may have a problem rants VISI’s Debbie Loots.

Listen, if you don’t own a bicycle by now, you may have a problem. You’re not in with the in-crowd, you’re not hipster and if that’s not all: your cycling friends, who are cool and green, grow beards and push those damn bicycle pedals, even up the steepest of city hills, may find your urban car parking problems boring.

And, the worst is, now the lot may think you don’t have a personality. Because, you see, when they jokingly jostle each other about their various Cyclemon alter egos, they may turn to you, quiet little you and frown. They suddenly don’t know you, can’t place you! Are you a cougar, a warrior, a grand pa (God forbid!), a baby doll, a gangsta, a freestyler? Maybe a weirdo, or a fake? Geez, it’s better than nothing! Then they just look away, shake their heads. And sigh.

So, if this is you, quiet little you, get up, get out there, get on a bike and be someone!

Cyclist, faker or couch potato, you can order screenprints on the Cyclemon website cyclemon.com.

Cyclemon from Thomas Pom on Vimeo.