City Cycle Style coming to Smithfield Market next month

The City of London’s historic Smithfield Market is gearing up to host a new event next month, City Cycle Style, aimed at “celebrating cycling as a fashionable form of transport in the City,” with a focus on fashion, food, beverages and of course, bicycles, as well as live music.

Hosted by the City of London Corporation and curated by designer Karta Healy, the event takes place from 6pm to 10pm on Friday 17 September on the market’s Grand Avenue – thankfully, covered, given the weather we’ve been having – and is backed by Abel & Cole and Clif Bar and run in partnership with the City Cycle Challenge, which is aiming to raise money for the charity, Re-Cycle.

Entry costs £5, payable on the day, although you can pre-register in advance, which gives you two drink tickets and one food ticket, and during the event there will be the chance to win prizes from Clif Bar and Barclays Cycle Superhighways.

Bike parking is available, although the event is aimed at cyclists and non-cyclists alike, with organisers saying that “if you’re not currently a cyclist all the more reason for you to come and see why people love their bikes.”

They add: “Cycling is not only a great way to get around town but also a very stylish mode of transport. Look at great cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam where people cycle in suits and dresses. The City of London wants to encourage cycling in any clothing,” which should give you a hint of where the event is coming from.

That’s further emphasised in the list of participants in the show, which includes TwonFro,
Dashing Tweeds,
Cycle Chic,
GoCycle,
Bobbin Bicycles,
Bill Amberg,
Tim Slack,
Michaud Panniers,
Brooks Saddles,
Pashley
and Moulton.

Some of the money raised during the evening will go to Re-Cycle, the charity that collects second-hand bicycles and passes them on to partner organisations in Africa which distribute them and teach bike maintenance skills to their new owners, typically schoolchildren or health workers.

Abel & Cole, besides providing the food and drink at the event, has also set itself the goal of collecting 650 bikes for Re-Cycle, and is holding a pedal-powered party at its depot in Wimbledon on Saturday 25 September from 11am-3pm where people can drop off unwanted bikes and linger to enjoy food and drink, music and bike-related entertainment.

You can get more details and pledge your bike at Abel & Cole’s Wheelie Big Bike Drop website, or send an email to bigbikedrop [at] abelandcole.co.uk.