On Bicycles : 50 Ways the New Bike Culture Can Change Your Life

Amy Walker, who has been at the forefront of the urban cycling trend, presents stories by a diverse group of cycling enthusiasts and activists that, accompanied by the illustrations of bike culture artist Matt Fleming, reminds readers why biking is fun. They say you never forget how to ride a bike; this collection helps us remember why we ride. Bike culture is exploding in cities like Portland, OR, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Montreal, and Vancouver, BC. Whether people are riding folding bikes to the commuter train, slipping through traffic on streamlined single speeds, or carrying children and groceries on their cargo bikes, bicycles are making urban life more dynamic and enjoyable simply better. Amy Walker has been at the forefront of this trend as cofounder of Momentum magazine, which chronicles and inspires urban bike culture and transportation cycling. In On Bicycles , she gathers a wide-ranging group of cycling writers to explore the ways that biking can change, and is changing, peoples lives. From utility bikes that are becoming the primary mode of transportation for entire families to the artistic creations of freakbike riders, On Bicycles has something for everyone who has ever ridden a bike. Topics include: * cargo bikes * bike parties * a history of bike advocacy * the bike-craft boom * folding bikes * recumbents * biking with kids * handmade bikes * car-free streets * relocalizing * bike style * collective bike shops * women and bikes * and many more Once the quaint province of European cities such as Amsterdam, daily cycling is currently exploding in North American cities. People ride folding bikes to the train, slip through traf?c on tricked-out ?xed-gears, and carry children and groceries on their utility bikes. Commuters are giving up their cars Monday through Friday, bike lanes and bike parking are sprouting up all over, and Talking Head David Byrne has designed arty bike racks for various New York City neighborhoods. It’s healthy for riders and clean for the environment, but is it fun? Amy Walker, who has been at the forefront of the urban cycling trend, knows that the answer is yes. She presents stories by a diverse group of cycling enthusiasts and activists that, accompanied by the illustrations of bike culture artist Matt Fleming, show readers why. They say you never forget how to ride a bike; this collection helps us remember why we ride. A wide-ranging group of cycling writers explore ways biking can change lives, including coverage of biking with children, collective bike shops, and the artistic creations of freakbike riders