Fur stoles and suspenders may not be typical garb for Canberra cyclists, but the city's bike paths were packed with old-world fashion during the Canberra Tweed Ride yesterday.
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The annual event is part of the growing Tweed Run phenomenon, which has gone global since its humble beginnings in London four years ago.
Riders from Toowoomba to Toronto now don their hunting caps and blazers for the annual ride ''with a bit of style'', four of which have been held in Canberra.
Despite the array of vintage attire, organiser Steven Callahan said the ride was about more than just looking the part. ''We're rejecting the idea that cycling in winter is too cold,'' he said. ''It's Canberra at its best at this time of year.''
Canberra doesn't attract the hundreds that roll out in London, but Mr Callahan said interest in the event was increasing. ''It's gone from about 40 in its first year and now we're up to about 60,'' he said.
The well-dressed ensemble started its ride in Lyneham yesterday, passing through O'Connor, Braddon and Civic before stopping for lunch and a spot of bike polo at Reconciliation Place.
And while the event was as much about riding as fashion, Mr Callahan argued that there were benefits of cycling in a suit.
''It's warm, it's practical and it looks good,'' he said.