One person's squeezy toy is another's bicycle bell

Canberra's bike culture, unlike much of Australia's is not dominated by the Lycra set with expensive carbon fibre racers. Here the typical bike is more likely to be a humble city cycle with an aging pannier stuffed with work clothes or veggie shopping. 

But, like their equivalents in other cities, they often sport colourful mods so they can be easily spotted in the racks. Custom colour schemes, faux flowers, stickers and unusual 'accessorising' are common. A favourite practice is sentimental: conversion of globe trotting touring frames that have seen thousands of kilometres to hauling new families