There’s an elegant, vintage bike propped nonchalantly outside the Boulangerie on the corner of Rue Poitou. It’s there every day and gone every night. I assumed it was used by someone riding to work there (the elaborate facade of the bakers shop with its gold lettering and country landscapes is now the entrance to a boutique hotel), until I noticed that the chain was rusted solid. This bike isn’t transport, it’s window dressing.
The sturdy delivery bike with its bright yellow rack is in working order and regular use. It stands outside the organic grocer’s until someone asks for their shopping to be delivered. It’s practical but not just functional. The yellow metalwork matches the shopfront and the eco transport enhances the image of the shop.
I’ve started noticing interesting combinations of bikes and buildings, stylish or quirky, deliberately placed or haphazard. Often there’s a car in the way of a photo, or I’m pedaling past in the rain, but my collection of ‘bikes by doors’ is growing. Here are the best so far.
Click on any bike to view the gallery.
Beyond the Window Box 
February 9, 2016 at 1:33 am
I feel like there are bicycles in so many shots from overseas! They are such a charming prop!
LikeLike
February 9, 2016 at 1:36 am
A useful one too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 9, 2016 at 1:38 am
One Instagrammer I follow had so many photos with bikes – I finally realized it was HER bike that she was putting in every picture!
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 9, 2016 at 1:42 am
I only ride the public Velib bikes in Paris, so none of those in the pictures is mine. A small part of my identity is locked up with my two bikes in York!
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 9, 2016 at 2:26 pm
I love the idea of the public bikes. Some cities in the U.S. have them, but not Hartford (CT’s capitol city).
LikeLike
February 9, 2016 at 3:16 pm
Paris now has around 18,000 of the Velib bikes. It’s a great system, providing you allow for its limitations. You have to dock the bike into a stand at the end of every journey which means finding a parking space. Generally no problem, but hopeless if you’re going to a big event, free concert in the park or anything else popular with Velib riders. Also it’s much easier finding a bike at the bottom of a hill than at the top. A lot of people seem to only cycle downhill!
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 10, 2016 at 12:31 am
That’s funny – I can just imagine!
LikeLike
February 9, 2016 at 4:55 pm
Lovely. Bikes and doors, made for each other. I’ve got a couple in my gallery as well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 9, 2016 at 4:57 pm
Hi Judy,
I loved your photo and piece about the bicycle in front of the Boulangnerie.
You set me off on a fool’s errand. Somewhere in the UK is a modest train station that we have passed through (the train did stop) that has used bicycle parts in all its decorative garden items. Not just one bicycle with flowers in its carriers of which I think there are quite a few. However, I can’t even remember which trip we saw them and given the number of lines we have been on in the past 5 years it is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Google searches did bring up some other interesting images and a huge amount of information about available bicycles. Time well spent even if I haven’t filled the gap in my memory.
Ruth
>
LikeLike
February 9, 2016 at 5:44 pm
Hi Ruth,
I’m glad you enjoyed this post, though puzzled that you mention liking ‘the photo’ when there are nine in the post. When it shows up in your e-mail does only the first picture appear?
I don’t think I’ve ever been through the station you mention, which might narrow your search a little!
LikeLike