David Byrne, leader of the enigmatic art pop group Talking Heads, has become a bit of a celebrity spokesperson for the bicycle. His outspoken love for the bicycle isn’t just lip service either; he is a longtime bike commuter and recreational rider.
So it makes sense that he showed up to the Met Gala with a bicycle, right? Right.
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Byrne manages to make his love for bicycles known all over the place. Most recently, in the trailer for A24’s re-release of the classic Talking Heads concert documentary Stop Making Sense, Byrne picks up his characteristic ‘big suit’ from the dry cleaner and rides a bicycle to the theater, suit in tow.
The 2023 Met Gala theme was called “Karl Lagerfield: A Line of Beauty,” in commemoration of the late Chanel designer. The theme itself led to some controversy around the late Lagerfield’s comments about the #MeToo movement and other things. Byrne’s insistence on not only bringing his bike but adding a vehicle placard to the bike’s basket brought a bit of levity to the evening.
Oh, and what was Byrne’s bike of choice? Sadly, nobody at CyclingTips was there to ask him for a bike check. But based on photos, it looks like a Budnitz titanium commuter bike. The bike features a Brooks saddle, a Gates belt drive, an adjustable Wald basket, and a set of well-used Schwalbe Little Big Ben tires.
