Girls in Amsterdam wearing high heels see their shoes damaged by the pedals of their bicycle.
Because taxis, public transport and cars are not really a good alternative to the bicycle, the shoes are inevitably damaged sooner or later.
The pedal damages the sole just before the heel when extra force is exercised (for example when crossing a canal bridge) and the tips of the shoes are damaged when the pedal is put in the right position before taking off.
Solution: the fluffy bicycle pedal. A little similar to the toe clip on racing bicycles, but compatible with any kind of shoe. It is just a strip of soft plastic, with a soft fluffy interior side, that can be attached to any pedal. Just the toe gets inside. The exterior side come in a huge variety of nice fashionable patterns, hooking into the fashion to decorate bicycles with plastic flowers.
To install it the pedal is detached from the crank and the threaded end of the pedal axis goes through an eye in the flexible plastic strip. On the other end of the pedal the strip is clipped on the axis of the pedal.
In emergency situations the entire thing gives way a little where the clip goes on the axis. Afterwards she can just clip it back on herself.
It should not cost more than 5 euro.
Through the website you can also order it customised, with your name or other details printed on it, to prevent theft by category 2 bike thieves.-- rrr, Sep 08 2007 bicycle flowers http://www.flickr.c...tvandijk/377286958/The fashion to decorate bicycles in Amsterdam with plastic flowers [rrr, Sep 08 2007] Three categories of bike thieves (in Dutch) http://www.fietsendiefstal.nl/8.html"Who steals bicycles? Professional thieves 40%, Oppertunistic thieves (young people/students) 30%, drug addicts 30%" [rrr, Sep 08 2007] Blog: women on biycles in Copenhagen. http://copenhagengi...bikes.blogspot.com/Some of whom [thanks, DrC] are wearing about 2" heels. [jutta, Sep 08 2007] Are you serious? High heels on a bike? Really? Honest? People do that?-- the dog's breakfast, Sep 08 2007 If people have to ride bikes, they usually wear sneakers and carry their good shoes with them, but I'll vote for a fluffy pedal. +-- xandram, Sep 08 2007 Nice link, [jutta]. Women on bicycles site. Life is good.-- normzone, Sep 08 2007 Really Xandram? Where is that? I have never seen women carrying a plastic bag with their shoes to a party here.
I do have witnessed women walking in the streets of Manhattan wearing sneakers in combination with a business outfit. I am told they change their shoes in the ladies' room just before they go to work.-- rrr, Sep 08 2007 With matching furry hand-cuffs for the police bike riders common in Amsterdam ? +-- xenzag, Sep 08 2007 rrr: the women wearing sneakers to and from work thing started in the 70s as a street safety thing, and now that the streets are safe again persists as a comfort thing.-- DrCurry, Sep 09 2007 Thank you [DrC]--I didn't say I saw girls riding bikes to *parties*, I just meant whenever. One doesn't need to put them in a plastic bag if you have a basket or leather bag on your bike.-- xandram, Sep 09 2007 That's it - I'm moving to Copenhagen.-- noncompliance, Sep 09 2007 I can't do anything at all in high heels. Humph.-- squeak, Sep 11 2007 Boysparks, yes that sounds like an improvement. More people will buy it when it is that easy to fix on the pedal. But on the other hand, it will be easier to steal or vandalise them I assume...-- rrr, Sep 16 2007 I'm going to Amsterdam at the end of the month. Looking forward to seeing the police bike riders wearing furry high heels with matching furry hand-cuffs.[+]-- jtp, Sep 16 2007 random, halfbakery