Bike Art// Geoff McFetridge

I'm a big fan of the LA based artist Geoff McFetridge. I especially like his bird's eye view pieces because they remind me of riding open top busses. I spend a lot of time looking at the world from behind my handle bars so it is nice to see things from a different perspective up high. 

You can see more of Geoff McFetridge's work at championdontstop.com. For all his latest drawings and illustrations, follow him on Instagram: @mcfetridge

A few years ago I was doing some work in Mexico and I took these bird's eye view pictures of Ecobici riders.

 Does that remind you of one of those 'guess what this is?' drawings everyone used to do at school?

FYI, it's a Mexican on a bike.

Happy 5th Birthday Ecobici

 So Mexico City's public cycle hire scheme, Ecobici, celebrates its 5th birthday. I have such fond memories of my time riding around that amazing city with them so here is my homage in photographic form. Cue music....

Dia de los Muertos

Bringing some Latin colour to the streets of London. Here's my pimped up BMX. 

The day after Halloween is not only a hilarious time to watch witches do the walk of shame, it's the Mexican Day of the Dead festival. As my blog is refusing to change back from Mexican time I thought I should give it a Dia de los Muertos post.

My uncle in Mexico City sent me this picture of someone painting some bike street art.

This was a gift from my friend Natasha last time I left Mexico. It takes pride of place on my wall.

This guy hangs out on one of the Ecobicis on Reforma.

Remember this guy from last year?

Mexico's Bikes & Beetles at Look Mum No Hands

When you go around with a name like 'Jude' you get A LOT of Beatles references thrown/ sung at you.  It's no wonder I feel an affinity with VW Beetles. I feel like they understand.

If you drop by Look Mum No Hands on Old Street you can say 'Hello" to my pictures of Mexico's Bikes & Beetles that will be on display until the end of October.

I first visited Mexico in 2000 as an excited 18 year old on a gap year and fell head-over-heels in love with the country. Over the last decade (plus a few years) I’ve been lucky enough to return to Mexico several times. While I was cycling around Mexico City a year ago, I noticed that there were many more bikes on the road than VW Beetles. 

In the 1960s a Volkswagen Beetle factory opened in Mexico and they soon became the country’s standard box car. VW Beetles, or ‘Vochos’ as they are lovingly nicknamed, were a symbol of modernity and Mexico’s economic growth. Green and white Beetles (vocho verdes) even became the official taxi.

I thought it was interesting how over the years these cars have begun disappearing while cycling has taken off. I started taking pictures wherever I saw a bike and a Beetle together. The car usually represents modernity while the bike is seen as traditional. These pictures question that perception.

Look Mum No Hands, 49 Old Street, London , EC1V 9HX

Bike Street Art// Mexico City Road Signs

Here are some things that caught my eye as I was riding by.

Perro Peloton// Dogs and bikes

I thought my blog needed a bit of cute. Then I saw some dogs and it got a bit out of hand and, well, here is a whole lot of cute. The last dog has panniers. How adorable is that?

Next week cats. Maybe something with bikes and cats in dreamy soft focus a la this photo shoot of men and cats by my sister.

Bikes from a Bird's Eye View// Ecobicis

I had to google 'bird's eye view' to see if it had an apostrophe. It does. It's just one bird. 

I was being a massive tourist the other day and went on an open top bus. YES I was that girl wearing a 'I heart DF' t-shirt. I heart 'I heart' t-shirts. I recommend doing a tour bus in every city you visit. Every year I do it in London with a few friends and we have so much fun. It's nice seeing a city from a different perspective even it it is your own. 

I've spent a lot of time recently looking at DF from between my Ecobici handles so it was nice to see those handles from high up. I hope those dudes without hats or helmets remembered to put sunscreen on their heads.