A Bit of Amsterdam on the Bike Paths of Perth
I’m not one for making over-the-top statements, but this bike has honestly changed my life. I cannot count the number of times I’ve bemoaned having to bring a change of clothes to the pub / cafe / party because I don’t want to hang out in my cycling shoes, shorts, etc. (a problem a lot of guys won’t appreciate but I can guarantee other girls will understand!). This is THE bike to ride for any occassion - the flat, wide pedals can handle anything from ballet shoes to heels or boots, the skirt guard and step-through frame allows me to wear any type of frock, skirt or trouser I want and the huge rack (all natural, I’m told) and go-anywhere headlight mean I never have to worry about how to carry the handbag ot how to get home at night.
The posture took a bit of getting used to after a decade of riding road bikes and if you’re not accustomed to being overtaken, this can be a very humbling experience, but it’s such a joyous thing to be able to sit up and take in the world, go your own pace and turn up looking fresh as a daisy.
This is the perfect bike for ladies who lunch, commute, socialise or shop and don’t want to worry about getting in a car or using public transport. The step-through frame gives the whole bike a low centre of gravity and makes it difficult to drop - a very handy feature if you’re partial to a snifter of pinot grigio when out and about. Even my 69 year-old mum loves to ride the Juliette - although I’m not sure she appreciates the funky Euro styling and leather handlebar / saddle featues quite like I do.
The only problem I’ve had with this bike is having to stop and chat with people who ask “cool bike - where did you get that?!” or want to ramble on about not having seen a bike like that since Berlin in 1965…. but that’s a small price to pay for being able to go anywhere, wearing whatever I want and get home safely at any hour. I really don’t know how I lived without this bike - seriously!
