2012 EDITION An editorial project that brings together the most significant initiatives, organizations and riders that share our vision of cycling and life.
Ride a bike. And discover it’s not only a form of transportation, neither a way of life. Look around. It’s a common pleasure. Something the richest person on earth and the most humble man can both enjoy. And when you enjoy something, pleasure turns into energy. Energy that not only takes you from one place to the other, but also turns the world into a better place.
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A place where everybody chooses to burn calories over burning fuel. Where people make things happen instead of clicking the “Like” button. Where the thing you love the most can push you forward. Finding this place is up to you. It’s not on your couch, It’s not on TV. It’s not at your door. It might be hard to imagine two wheels and a chain making a difference. But we do! worldwidecyclingatlas.com
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Supported initiatives 1 Aeolian
Ride Worldwide, 12
2 Smarter
Than Car China, 76
3 Team
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Rwanda Rwanda, 44
Selected initiatives 4 2wheels4change Germany, 110 5 Bamboosero Ghana, 112 6 Boda
7 Casey
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Bodas Kenya, 114 Neistat USA, 116
Colectivo Haz Ciudad Mexico, 113
9 Dekochari Japan, 117 10
DJ Trike Canada, 118
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Heinz St端cke Germany, 122
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National Innovation Foundation India India, 120
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Nuru Energy India, 123
Supported and selected initiatives 2011
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Aeolian Ride Worldwide 44
Team Rwanda Rwanda 76
Smarter Than Car China
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Aeolian Ride Worldwide
A wind-inspired adventure Inspired by a love for bikes, city cruising, critical mass, costumes, silliness and things that inflate, Aeolian Ride is a free event that is open to everyone with a love of biking and a sense of humor.
Photos by Marina Rosso and Jessica Findley Website www.aeolian-ride.info
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Brazil info
Rio de Janeiro
196,655,014 Total population (2011) 21.4% Poverty headcount ratio 168,628,697 Urban population 12% Population in the largest city
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It inspires those who are riding and delights those who watch them go by, while transforming local landscapes into a playground of wind-blown shapes. The ride is the brainchild of artist Jessica Findley, who was inspired by the monthly ‘critical mass’ bicycle rides through New York. These are spontaneous gatherings of riders who come together to celebrate biking. In Findley’s words, “They transformed a street into a playground, a community space and an adventure.” The idea of adding a costume that inflates with the wind consummates the experience of the Aeolian Ride: “When your shape is changed, you are invited to expand your inner self as well.” The cyclists are all volunteers and come from all walks of life, a mix of dedicated bikers, art enthusiasts, commuters and others who simply want to participate in this kinetic happening. The fifty-two Aeolian suits used for the rides come in three whimsical styles (bubble, bunny or teardrop—it’s up to the rider) and are handmade in ripstop nylon. They are designed to inflate while riding at low speeds. True enthusiasts can also design their own Aeolian suit for the ride. For those who happen to be on the path of an Aeolian Ride, watching the bikers pass can be a journey all on its own. Some gasp, others clap, and still others call out their impressions to the cyclists. “Angel!” “Sperm!” The maiden voyage of the Aeolian Ride took place in New York City in 2004. Since then, it has cruised on to cities across the world. “When I thought of this project,” says Findley, “I had no idea how far it would go and how many places it would visit. It’s strange when a dream becomes a reality.” Anyone interested in making the dream come true in their city can contact the artist for more information. Jessica was invited to Rio by her friend Liana Brazil and her design company SuperUber. The two had met in New York ten years ago, right when Jessica had come up with the Aeolian idea. SuperUber chose to host the ride in Rio. They wanted to reconnect the people to the south and north areas of the city. A big part of the ride is changing the way the people see the city.
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Jessica Findley is the brainchild of the Aeolian Ride, a cycling project that blurs the line between spectator and participant. Interview with
Jessica Findley
Jessica Findley lives in Brooklyn, where she works as a “freelance designer, illustrator and animator.” This brief description hardly encompasses all of Jessica’s many activities and talents: she makes animated movies and reversible dolls; she draws and sews; she is a web designer and an artist whose work has been shown at the New Museum (New York), the Issue Project Room (New York) and the Dublin Museum of Science. Her work takes her far beyond traditional venues for art, however: Findley also organizes performances and interactive installations around the world. Please introduce yourself. My name is Jessica Findley - I am the artist behind the world traveling inflatable bike ride, Aeolian Ride. I am an artist because of love and I make my living as a designer. Sometimes these two things merge into one. On your website there is a section entitled “Work” and another is “Art”. What is your art for if it is not for work? Is it just a question of what pays the rent? Are you happy with that equilibrium or would you rather focus only on the art? This is always a difficult challenge. In a dream world it would be great to focus on the art all the time, but a girl needs to eat. It is also nice not to have to think of the monetary value of my art when I make it. I would love to have less work and do more art. Or at least more interesting work and do more art. I have been very happy doing illustrations and work for museums and educational programs. It would be great to take a break to just focus on the art for a while, then go work, then do art. For now both art and work seem to need to be in a constant process.
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Do you have something against cars? Cars are pretty useful - but they do not compare to the elegance of sustainable design that a bicycle has. Our planet - our future - is in immediate peril. Just imagine if the cars (and all designs in general) in use today could be as energy efficient as a bicycle and provide the element of health, joy and wellbeing that a bicycle does! Tell us how the Aeolian Ride project was born. Do you have a funny/interesting story about it? There are several events that brought the Aeolian Ride into being. I had already collaborated on an art project called FRONT with the Millefiore Effect - we made voice-activated inflatable conflict suits - where the spectator is also invited to become a performer. This opened up my concept of art and performance forever. I was commuting to work on my bike with a weird windbreaker on wondering what it might look like flapping around behind me. I forgot about this idea until a friend later asked me for project ideas for Burning Man. I had never been there but I knew they had a lot of bikes laying around. I essentially told him my idea for the Aeolian Ride. He thought it was great but built a giant octopus instead. Again, I forgot about the ride. A year later, the twin towers had fallen and I had lost my job and was feeling depressed when the same friend called me just to tell me I had to do the Aeolian Ride idea. I spent three months, $3000 on materials and tools making the first prototypes and suits. I lost my mind a little when sewing 50 suits. Later, I would receive a couple of grants that payed back the expenses. When I tested the ride, only two of the ten friends I asked to help showed up so I was worried the ride wouldn’t have enough people. The day of the ride we had more than 50 people - all by word of mouth. We didn’t have permission - this was before the Republican National Convention made it really hard on bikes. It was funny because my dad was there and he charmed the cops that showed up with his fatherly enthusiasm. We went to lower Manhattan - to bring senseless joy to a place that had experienced senseless pain. I have been doing the rides ever since then in cities around the world. Who designed the Aeolian suits? That would be me. I had some help from some friends who
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tested them, and helped me by transferring my ideas to paper patterns, but I designed and sewed all of them. What are the positive/negative things about NY, where the Aeolian Ride is based? Riding in the city can be very fun and fast and saves you money - there is a growing love for bikes here and the bike lanes just seem to multiply. There was a race between a person on a bike, a taxi, and a woman on a bike from lower Manhattan to Upper Manhattan and the woman on the bike won. I love that. The car pollution is pretty gross, and the risk of getting killed is there - the ghost bikes (bikes painted white) remind me to wear my helmet and not get careless. I have had two friends fall without their helmets and it has changed who they are mentally. I am pro-helmet. It was kind of a nice coincidence that you can’t wear an Aeolian Ride costume without a helmet. It just doesn’t work. Do you have any interesting story about the countries/cities you’ve visited in the Aeolian Rides? I find that riding a bike in a city is such a wonderful way to get to know its landscape. The people are what make the place for me. It’s interesting who comes to the ride. It often depends on the connection who brought me to the city. It’s usually a combination of different cycling cultures, every day cyclists, commuters, advocates, artists, messengers... anyone with a bike is welcome! I am always looking for people willing to organize and find funding to bring the ride to their city. I call these people champions. Each ride has had great champions who made it happen. The responses vary from city to city. New York was the first ride, it was rainy so I wasn’t sure if it was going to happen and I didn’t have a permit so I was nervous when the cops showed up. Funny, my dad was there and he is such a charmer—he gave the cops a couple of Aeolian buttons and told them about how excited he was for his daughter’s art project and they left. I worked with Bike Summer’s Dave Benoff to bring the Aeolian Ride to LA. That was our first night ride with lights in the suits and we had a magical moment where mostly just the riders got to see the effect of the lights. During our ride through the bright city most of us didn’t notice or remember we were wearing lights inside the suits. When we arrived at the dark park all the riders softly gasped and oohed at the forgotten
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surprise that they were glowing. Halifax was wonderful, my connection, a great photographer Francesca Tallone is embedded into the arts there. It was great fun and there was tons of enthusiasm for the ride. The Aeolian Poster was on the cover of their local weekly happenings paper all around town! The waterfront there is magical. I never expected that I would get to experience the bike cultures of the world – it’s really great and diverse. I have a special place in my heart for the enthusiasm for the growing bike culture in Lisbon. Lisbon looks and feels like the beautiful grandmother of San Francisco with the gorgeous buildings on steep hills bathed in rays of sunlight. When I was there, they got excited to see other people biking, or another bike locked to theirs. I am excited for that culture to grow there. How can someone join the next ride? There are two ways to join the ride. You can sign up online for news of the next ride: www.aeolian-ride.info or invite me to your city / connect@aeolian-ride.info How do you choose the city for the next Aeolian Ride? I am either invited or I already am living in that city - or I have a connection there. What was the difficulty that, in the end, helped strengthen the group the most? Sometimes I lose momentum to keep this project going but it is a project that requires life to exist and it has a life of its own. When I see the joy that comes out of each ride I get my momentum right back. The Kids Ride was really something special - I see that starting a whole new momentum. How does your group contribute to society? The Aeolian Ride creates a feedback loop of joy for those riding and those watching. It allows people to play and be silly. It turns a normal street into a place where art can happen at any time and you can be that art. How the group funds its activities? The Aeolian Ride is supported by the organizations who host the ride or individuals who fundraise to bring me to their city. It’s for the people and by the people.
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Can you imagine where your group will be five years from now? I think I will keep doing this for as long as it wants to keep happening. I found a way to make joy contagious. I heard a great interview with Bobby Mcferrin the other day. He said “I feel like that I’ve been entrusted with a talent; it’s my job to take care of it, to do my best, to give the audience my best. And by best, it means I’m myself; I’m as close to myself as possible. I’m as close to my genuine self.” I think and know it will evolve - starting with the kids’ rides. Design, animation, illustration, interactive installation… You seem to jump effortlessly and with talent from one medium to the other. Is there anything you are bad at? My strength is definitely my weakness. I love learning new skills and working in different mediums, but sometimes this can be fragmenting. I really envy people who know exactly what they want and have a path to get there. I chose this path, to explore, and it can be really challenging not to lose sight of what I really want. I try to follow my heart and eat my dessert first. And more seriously, what do you find rewarding about each of these mediums? I am most interested in the idea first, then the materials and medium second but they definitely inform each other. Every medium provides me with a way to explore my ideas in different ways.
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Extra contents
San Francisco 06.05.04 San Jose 09.18.10
NYC 06.05.04 / 09.08.07
Ria de Aveiro 07.02.11
Bridgeport 05.30.09
Tokyo 05.16.09
Bremen 10.30.10
Omaha 10.30.10
Milan 11.27.09
Capetown 01.15.04 Los Angeles 09.10.05 Santa Barbara 10.01.09
Rio de janeiro 07.28.12 Halifax 09.10.06
Vulcan, Sicily 07.16.11
Lisbon 11.10.09 / 10.07.10
The Aeolian Ride involves fifty-two people in wind-inflated suits riding bicycles through cities around the world.
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Melbourne 03.11.06
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When I thought of this project, I had no idea how far it would go and how many places it would visit. It’s strange when a dream becomes a reality. Jessica Findley
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When your shape is changed, you are invited to expand your inner self as well. Jessica Findley
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The Aeolian Ride creates a feedback loop of joy for those riding and those watching. It turns a normal street into a place where art can happen at any time and you can be that art. Jessica Findley
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Who comes to the ride? It’s usually a combination of different cycling cultures, every day cyclists, commuters, advocates, artists, messengers... anyone with a bike is welcome! Jessica Findley
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That was our first night ride with lights in the suits and we had a magical moment where mostly just the riders got to see the effect of the lights. Jessica Findley
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Team Rwanda Rwanda
Hope on Two Wheels In spite of the violent episodes of its recent past, Rwanda is a country that is pedaling forward towards the future with the help of a team of young and inspiring cyclists.
Photos by Chris Saunders Website www.teamrwandacycling.org
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Rwanda info
10,942,950 Total population (2011) 44.9% Poverty headcount ratio 2,007,937 Urban population 57% Population in the largest city
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Rwanda is a country that is automatically associated with one of the most concentrated acts of genocide in human history. In just three months in 1994, nearly one million Rwandans were murdered when ethnic tensions exploded between the Tutsi minority and the Hutu. Since then, however, Rwanda has grown steadily and has become one of Africa’s “biggest success stories,” and an important international tourist destination. Like other countries in Africa, bicycles are ubiquitous across Rwanda. Locals often fashion their own two-wheelers out of wood to get from place to place or haul cargo such as coffee, food and firewood. For the past few years, though, a new kind of bike rider has emerged from the mist of the tropical highlands: professional bike riders donned in sky blue and yellow shirts, the members of Team Rwanda. The shift towards professional riders dates back to 2005 when Tom Ritchey visited Rwanda. Moved by the stories of hope he heard from Rwandans, he founded Project Rwanda. As part of the project’s goal to increase awareness about the country, the Wooden Bike Classic was held in 2006 and young Rwandans took to bike racing for the first time. A retired American cyclist by the name of Jonathan “Jock” Boyer had come a long way to see the race. When Boyer saw the talent of the young men in the race—including Adrien Niyonshuti, who won the event that year—the plan for Team Rwanda began taking shape. The first team members came from families torn apart by the violence of the previous decade. Although money was tight, especially at the beginning, Boyer secured enough foreign donations to get every rider a bike. The training paid off at the 2007 Cape Epic, where Adrien took twenty-third place. Later that same year, the first Tour of Rwanda was held and one million Rwandans flocked to the streets to show their support for the riders. Since then the team has grown by leaps and bounds. With each turn of the pedal, they pump hope into their country. One milestone that all of Rwanda is excited for is coming up at the London Olympics: Adrien Niyonshuti will be riding in the XC Mountain Bike Race. When he surgest forward at the start, his team mates and an entire country will be cheering him on.
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Team Rwanda’s Marketing Director shares the dedication of all those involved with this singular cycling team. Interview with
Kimberly Coats
Can you tell us about the history of the Rwanda Cycling Team? The Rwanda Cycling Team started in 2006 when Tom Ritchie came over and invited Jonathan Boyer to come over and help run a race. That’s when they saw Adrien Niyonshuti and a couple of other riders. They decided to form the Rwanda Cycling Team and in 2007, Jock Boyer came back and tested riders and that was the beginning of Team Rwanda. And what brought you to Rwanda, originally? I came to Rwanda in April of 2009 as a volunteer for the organization Project Rwanda, which is about the bicycle as a tool and symbol of hope. So that’s when I met the team and Jock Boyer. I started trying to help wherever I could and since I had a business background, that was useful. Then Project Rwanda offered me a paid position so I decided to stay . And what is your position with the team now? Technically, I’m the director of marketing and logistics but I also do laundry, make meals, do yoga, handle nutrition, fundraising, passports, visas... Anything Jock Boyer doesn’t do, I do. What was your idea of Rwanda when you first came and how has it changed? I didn’t have a real impression of Rwanda because I had never really traveled very much prior to this. I had been to Africa only once before this. I had read an excellent book by Philip Gourevitch about the Rwanda genocide, but that’s was it. I had no idea what to expect, and I still don’t. Every day something new comes at me. What I’ve realized is that I can’t help the world. I can’t change Rwanda. All I try to do is focus on changing it for one person. And if I focus on changing it for
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one person—whether that’s an Adrien or a Nathan or a Rafiki— and their life is better, then I’ve been successful. And that’s it. I think that as Americans, we have this grand ideal that we can change the world, we can lift everyone out of poverty and change their life for the better... that’s a complete misconception. I think you just have to focus on what you can do for one person. And if I can do it for one person, then the next day I try to do it for another person. Can you tell me a little bit about the history of Rwanda? I know that people in Rwanda find it difficult to talk about it... Well, Rwanda has a long history. Actually, they are just celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of their independence, that is, the end to colonial rule from Belgium. And this week they are also celebrating Liberation Day, which is when Kagame’s forces came in and restored order to the country in 1994. The Belgians had a systematic method of separating the population and they separated them into two main groups, Tutsis and Hutus. And over the years, there were conflicts between these two main groups—conflicts whose causes I think that none of us totally understand—and in 1994, after the Hutu president was assassinated, the genocide started in April and in one hundred days, almost a million people were killed. And in July of 1994, Kagame came in and restored order. But since then, the country has totally evolved. Conciliation is a word that you will hear over and over again. It’s safe here. I’m not Rwandan and I don’t know what will happen but I hope it continues to grow the way it has because it is an amazing country to work with. We have a Cycling Federation here that is top notch and that makes doing our work really easy. They are also very helpful and supportive of the team. They help us when they can with plane tickets and we get a lot of support from the Minister of Sports as well. Not a lot of financial support, but they do support us because this team has really become the Rwandan team. This is their team, their riders, their boys. Tell us a little bit about Rwanda and sports. Do you consider Rwanda a sporting nation? Well, they love football—soccer, that is. And really, cycling. This is a cycling crazy country and it’s become even more so. Every year at the Tour of Rwanda, there are more and more spectators. Last year, there were three million people who came out for it. So I think it really is a sporting country and I’m just really happy that cycling is part of that.
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I’d like to talk a little bit about bicycles in Rwanda. Is it easy to get bicycles in Rwanda? I’m interested in both regular bikes and racing bikes. The answer is no to both. Getting bicycles into Rwanda is just really difficult--I’m talking about the kind of bicycle that any American just goes into Walmart and buys. The bicycles here are generally cheap single speed bikes imported from India or China. And they carry around hundreds of pounds of cargo! I said they were cheap, but in local terms, they are really expensive when you consider their quality. And it’s really the only option. There are no bike stores here. If you want anything other than your regular working bike, you have to bring it into the country yourself. For the team, all of the bikes and all of the tools we have pretty much all came here in somebody’s suitcase... from America or South Africa! So it’s really difficult. European and American riding teams have no idea how good they have it. If something breaks, it’s fixed within an hour. If something breaks on one of our guy’s bikes, it might take three months to fix while we wait for someone to bring us the part! So that’s the brutal reality of it. What motivates the team? Good question! Every rider is different. Adrien rides to forget. When he gets off the bike, that’s when his problems begin. The headaches. Because that’s when he starts to remember. I think that’s why Adrien rides. Nathan rides just to have a nice life. He just built a beautiful house and he’s really good with his money. In terms of cycling, he knows that he’s never going to make the Tour de France; he’s already thirty-one years old. Now some of the younger kids like Jean de Dieu dream of being the first black Africans to ride in the Tour de France. They talk about it. And I think that all of them do it to take care of their families. Because culturally here, if you are successful, you take care of your family. One of our youngest riders just bought a house for his family. And he’s twenty! It’s a tiny little house that eight people sleep in. But he built that house with his earnings from Team Rwanda. So they all ride for different reasons, but one thing they all have is the desire to take care of those around them and share their success.
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One of the extraordinary members of Team Rwanda reflects on life, cycling and the team is a part of. Interview with
Abraham Ruhumuriza
Tell us a little bit about yourself. My name is Abraham Ruhumuriza, and I am cyclist with Team Rwanda When you were growing up as a boy in Rwanda, did you ever ride a bike? As a matter of fact, I did. I was lucky because my dad had a bike. He would lend it to me to run errands or to just take a ride. I didn’t have my own bike as a boy, though. Do you remember the first time you competed in a bike race? I remember it very well. It was in 1999. I was riding single speed bike, my first race bike, and I finished a sixty-five kilometer race. How does cycling make you feel? That all depends on when and where I am cycling. Training, for instance, is very different from competing. When you’ve been riding regularly and training, competing is easy, but that also depends on who you are competing against! Sometimes you come up against tough competitors and sometimes you come up against people who are easy to beat. That’s the nature of competition. In your opinion, what has changed in Rwanda during your lifetime? I mean both in terms of cycling and people’s day-to-day lives. When I was a child, the only foreigners I saw in Rwanda were from Tanzania. The only people who visited our country were Tanzanians and Congolese. What has changed is that Rwanda now receives regular visitors from over eighteen
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countries, places like Kenya, Uganda, Algeria, South Africa... This shows how much we’ve developed. In terms of cycling, when I first started riding, cycling was not that big of a deal. But now cycling has become a really important sport and a way to improve people’s lives. When did you start with Team Rwanda and what was it like for you when you started? I started with Team Rwanda in 2008. An American named Jock Boyer had come to Rwanda and he was training the national team. We started to train with him. We no longer had to use just any old bike we were able to get our hands on; he got us new professional bikes. Jock entered us into national competitions every chance he got. Then we went from the national level to the international level. This is how Team Rwanda evolved; now we are all professionals. How do you train? What is your training schedule? All training is done in our training camp here in Ruhegeri. This where the team comes to train every Monday. We all ride here on Monday. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays we ride out to different locations across Rwanda, all riding together. Then on Fridays, we get on our bikes and ride home. This is how we train. What is on your mind when you are racing? When I’m racing, there is only one thing on my mind: my desire to win. How do you think Adrien will do in the Olympic Games? I think he will be spectacular at the Olympics, especially since he competed in the race in India, finished third and brought home a bronze medal. He is a great athlete and I believe that he is going to take one of the top spots at the Olympics. He always comes home successful!
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Extra contents
Races Countries
Ireland
USA
Morocco Algeria senegal
Egypt
Ivory Coast Cameroon Gabon
brazil
Eritrea Rwanda Malaysia
Namibia
Cyclists training
Rwanda Team Awards
6 days/week
5 stage wins in Tour of Cameroon.
2-5 hours/day
1 stage win in Tour of Rwanda.
South Africa
Adrien 3 rd in Namibia at Continental Championships 2009 Sleeping
and 3 rd in this years CC in Mauritius mountain bike.
8 hours/night
Abraham won this year's Kwita Izina.
Eating 3 times/day Cyclists 18-22 total 6 for international rides Ages 17-33 Races 100 / 5 years Salary $100/month
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In terms of cycling, when I first started riding, cycling was not that big of a deal. But now cycling has become a really important sport and a way to improve people’s lives. Abraham Ruhumuriza
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When I’m racing, there is only one thing on my mind: my desire to win. Abraham Ruhumuriza
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I think that the team members ride to take care of their loved ones. Because culturally here, if you are successful, you take care of your family! Kimberly Coats
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Smarter Than Car China
Pedal Powered Beijing 自行车动力北京 Silently flowing through the streets and lanes of China’s cities, an ephemeral army of cyclists pedal their bicycles and tricycles to earn a living.
Text by Robin Chubb Photos by Matteo de Mayda Website www.stcbj.com
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China info
Beijing
1,344,130,000 Population, total (2011) 2,8% Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty line
600,683,425 Urban population 3% Population in the largest city
Robin Chubb is an urban designer from Toronto who has lived in Shanghai. His website bricoleurbanism.org reflects on the city landscape, with a particular focus on bicycles and
These men and women work hard, moving heavy loads in all kinds of weather conditions to make deliveries, sell products and services, find and collect recyclables, move furniture and other goods, and clean up the streets. They are the survivors of the fast-eroding Kingdom of the Bicycle. The fact that motor vehicles were hard to come by before the economic reforms meant that cycle power prevailed in China. Cycling was used for many functions and jobs that otherwise would have been motorized. However, the use of pedal power for jobs was largely confined to official functions since labor controls were strict and even street vendors and other informal workers had a hard time avoiding sanctions. In terms of bicycle ownership, up to the mid-1970s most Chinese were not earning enough to purchase a bicycle, even when there were bikes available. The Golden Age of cycling in China was the 1980s. Economic and market reforms had greatly improved the purchasing power of the average Chinese and industrial modernization allowed production to boom. However, Chinese were not wealthy enough to afford cars or other motorized transport and so the bicycle was the most popular vehicle. This was when individual and private use of bicycles floured along with cycling for livelihoods and trades. Foreigners reported extensively on the “floods� of cyclists in Chinese cities in the 1980s. Despite the significant decline in bicycle ridership in China since the 1980s, bicycles are still ubiquitous in cities. While bicycles are primarily used for commuting, shopping and other utilitarian purposes, there are also a bewildering variety of cycle-based livelihoods and trades that have survived, many of which make use of customized tricycles. Cycling for leisure, health, sport and entertainment is increasing rapidly. But the question remains as to whether the cycling livelihoods of China can survive the changes in bicycle culture, urban fabric, technology and cost of living.
bicycle culture.
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Since 2010, Liman Zhao and his two partners have been hard at work to keep China’s Bicycle Kingdom alive and well. Interview with
Liman Zhao founder of Smarter Than Car
Tell us a bit about yourself and Smarter Than Car. I’m the founder of STC, Smarter Than Car, an organization that I founded three years ago with Shannon Bufton and Ines Brunn. We promote urban mobility by using bicycle. We want to let people know that riding in the city is a better way of going around. How did Smarter than Car get started? It’s a funny story. Shannon has planned a surprise party for me one evening. He told all my friends to go to a friend’s place. That night, we realized that most people who came on bicycle all arrived on time and the people who drove were all late. They finished work, they got in their cars, they all arrived late and they hadn’t had time to eat and they were all starving. And that make me think that driving the car in the city is the perfect way to show people that driving is not a good way to get around the city. That made us think that we should do something to let people know that we should start using bicycles in Beijing instead of getting stuck in the car. That’s how we got the name Smarter Than Car, because we believe that using bicycle is a smarter form of transportation than the car. What is unique about bicycle culture in China? The bicycle culture in China has a long history. I grew up in Beijing, and when I was young everyone rode bicycles to go to work and do the shopping. In the 1980s, Beijing had the highest bike use rate in the country. I think it was 65%. Beijing has really good bicycle infrastructure as well. It is flat and the weather is nice. It does get a bit cold in winter, but for the rest of the year it’s just perfect for riding.
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Much has been said about the decline of the Bike Kingdom– what is the bicycle culture in China like today? What do you think about the future of bicycling in China? I’m still optimistic and that’s why I’m doing this work to promote the use of the bicycle. One of the reasons is that I can see there is no future for cars. China has a big population and in cities like Beijing, the population density is very high. Given the urban conditions and high populations, I think that bicycles should be the way to go. And secondly, I believe it is becoming popular because biking is the new cool thing among young Chinese. You can have a colorful bike; you can have a customized bicycle, so that becomes a personal identity. Plus, riding a bicycle can symbolize that you’re a progressive thinker. I believe that biking will become popular again. What are the pedal-powered livelihoods? Right now, there are still plenty of people using bicycles or pedal-powered vehicles in Beijing. That is, the bicycle is a business tool for them. For example, they make deliveries, they use the back of the bicycles to transport goods, they provide services from the back of the bicycle. Another group of people use the bike for transportation, like to go to school, go to work, pick up the kids from school, go shopping and run other errands. In the older section of Beijing, bicycles are widely used, but if we talk about the newly developed area, bike use is not as widespread. Bicycling for leisure and exercise is on the increase in China, correct? As a new bicycle culture evolves, are pedal-based livelihoods in danger of disappearing? Cycling for leisure is definitely on its way up, more and more people are taking up bike riding for recreation. I guess this is because people have more money and more time and are thus enjoying leisure and recreation more. But I wouldn’t say that this jeopardizes the bicycle livelihoods. The pedal-based livelihoods are facing a whole different problem which is infrastructure related. Urban planning is not designed well for the bicycle livelihoods. Take the new city block at the center of Beijing: it’s a big block with a wide road and it’s build for automobiles, not for cycling. I think this is the real danger to bicycle livelihoods, not the fact that more
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people are taking up cycling for sports and leisure. But I also think that people are taking up cycling for leisure because riding in the city isn’t what it used to me. There are too many cars, the roads are too narrow, the cycling lanes have no protection, and this makes people think, “Oh, it’s better if I ride on the weekend in the countryside where there are no cars driving past me or parked in the bike lanes.” It’s a better experience. What are the biggest threats to the preservation of the pedalbased livelihoods in Beijing? One threat is encouraging the use of the automobile in the city. Now automobiles take up the entire road; they park on the side of the road and in the bike lane and they drive everywhere. When there is a congestion, the cars drive in the bike lane and basically leave no room for the cyclists. Riding in the city has become very dangerous because of those vehicles. Encouraging the use of cars is the biggest danger. Another danger is city planning. The new urban planning philosophy is only about the city getting bigger and bigger and bigger. Again, the city is designed for people to live really far away and than come into the city by car. The planner does not consider a city as a place where there are businesses, there are services, there are residences and commercial buildings. It’s not mixed usage. So they develop these huge areas to serve just one function i.e. “only for business” or “only for residences” and people has to move from their residential area to the business area everyday and they’re too far away to get back and forth on bicycles. This, again, doesn’t help encourage people to use bikes. But if the planning change and they make small areas where the different functions are combined, this will make it easier for people to bike to work, to shop and to get home. And this would encourage people to ride bikes. Because otherwise, people think “Oh my home is so far away from the office— I can’t get there on bike!” And the third threat, again, is government policy. There are a lot of things they could do to protect the pedal livelihoods. For example, in many outside offices, no bike parking is allowed. And therefore, even if people want to ride to work, there is no parking and a lot of people don’t ride because they say “I have a good bike but I have nowhere to put it and I’m worried it will get stolen.” Plus, they have to put an end to car parking on the bicycle lanes or on the pedestrian paths. This also discourages
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people from using the bicycle. Another thing involves facilitating the use of foldable bikes. They have to allow people to take foldable bikes in the subway— right now, that’s not allowed. A lot of people use public transport, but when they get out of the subway, they have a long walk to the office. If they could take a bicycle with them or rent a bike, maybe they could ride the bike that last stretch. I think the pedal-based livelihoods should be considered in urban planning because, as I said before, today’s urban planning is designed for cars. The blocks are huge and the roads are wide because the whole thing is designed for cars. So if these pedal powered livelihoods is integrated into the urban planning, I think that would be closer to what people’s life should be. Right now, you go to the office somewhere, spend eight hours there and then you’re out of the office and you’re in the car for another two hours and then you’ve arrived to your residential neighborhood where you sleep and eat. And I don’t see this type of life as natural. It is a modern life, but when you think about it, it’s just not natural life, it’s really unnatural! You spend most of the time in the office, in the car and then back home. So when do you see the sun? When do you see any plants or trees or vegetables? So I think that a new type of urban planning should return to nature and replace this unnatural plan. It’s clear that the people at Smarter than Car feel passionately about cycling – the use of electric bicycles and the conversion of cargo tricycles to electric motors is becoming widespread in cities like Shanghai. What kind of effect will electric bicycles have on the cycling culture? The use of electric bicycles and tricycles is increasing in the city, especially among small retailers. This is because when they have to travel longer distances, electric bicycles and tricycles require much less effort. So there’s an increasing use. This poses some issues for cyclists, though, because all the electric bicycles and tricycles drive on the same road as cyclists. So this means more accidents. But from what I see, cyclists who ride bikes use them differently than people who use the electric bikes. Right now, the use of the electric bicycle is mainly limited to people doing small business or deliveries—and for commuting. Some people use it for commuting.
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The classic bicycle, on the other hand, is still considered a leisure or recreation item. It’s also considered cool and no one thinks that about electric vehicles! The air quality in Chinese cities is notoriously bad - how much does it affect the cyclist’s health, particularly for people who spend their working days on a bicycle? Is it getting better? The air quality is a major problem and I think it does affect the health of people on bikes, but it is important to note that it affects everyone, not only people on bikes. Anyone who lives in the city is breathing this city air. So many people say, “The air is so bad that I can’t rise a bike,” but even if you don’t ride, you are still breathing contaminated air. Again this is a problem and the government should fix it, meaning they have to reduce the number of cars. It is bad, but it’s bad for everyone, not just bikers. You did some very interesting research about Beijing Bicycle Livelihoods (www.stcbj.com/en/research), are you doing something specific with this research? We will present this research to the Planning Department but there is a major lack of coordination at the government level here. There is the Planning Department, but there is no coordination with the mayor, the Transportation Bureau or the other departments. The Planning Bureau can say, “this is the policy that we suggest you implement.” Then the Transportation Bureau says, “OK, we agree and the policeman has to enforce this and that.” So, it’s about coordination and it has to come from the decision and policy makers. Thanks for your time. Do you have anything you’d like to add? Everything we do is about helping the government realize that bicycles are the best type of urban mobility, so they take more measures to promote bicycle and encourage people to ride. We hope the government will act soon—and swiftly. That would improve and preserve cycling.
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Extra contents* 3% street cleaning
5% mobile craft and retail 10% rickshaw services for elderly
44% MOBILE BUSINESS
11% Mobile craft service
% Retail items
% type of service 4 hairdresser 3 bike-repair 3 knife-sharpener 3 cooking 2 locksmith
27% Transport and delivery % goods 6 produce (flour, rice) 5 furniture 5 milk/YOGURT 3 styrofoam 3 stove (parts) 3 Not identified/packed 2 eggs 2 paper waste 2 recycled cardboar d 2 BOTTLES/WATER DISPENSER 2 plastic boxes 2 propane bottles 2 empty plastic bottles
*Source: "Bicycle Lifestyles in Beijing and Their Relevance for a Benign Development of Future Cities" by Florian Lorenz and Shannon Bufton, Smarter Than Car, Beijing, China
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1 0 sweet/snack foods 8 vegetables/fruit 5 newspapers 5 birds (pets) 3 F RESH FOOD 3 ornamental fish 3 bike locks 3 h ot food 2 nuts 2 saddles 2 rabbits (pets) 2 pet food 2 bakery/brea d 2 incense
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My service is for people who can’t afford the hair salon. My service is cheaper. Sometimes old people call me and I go to their house to cut their hair. Wang, 57, Hairdresser 王女士，57岁，理发师
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Taxi drivers can be really rude when they come down the alleys and I’m working in the middle of the street, but I am not worry about it that much, because I believe in God. Li Ji Guang, 37, Tree Man 李继光，37岁，绿化工人
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I ride for an hour and half to reach the Hutong market where I sell my plants. Everyone knows me here, they call me “the old grandpa.” Wan, 71, Plant Seller 万师傅，71岁，卖花老人
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I work everyday from 7am to 9pm, repairing bikes and shoes and also cutting keys as a locksmith. I am also on duty serving the community. Yesterday I helped an old woman that was lost. Lu Zhong Hu, 38, Bicycle Repair Station 鲁仲虎，38岁，自行车修理工
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2wheels4change
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Bamboosero
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Colectivo Haz Ciudad
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Boda Bodas
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Casey Neistat
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Dekochari
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Dj Trike
Germany
Ghana Mexico
Kenya Usa
Japan
Canada
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National Innovation Foundation India
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Heinz St端cke
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Nuru Energy
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2wheels4change www.2wheels4change.com Photo by 2wheels4change
2wheels4change began in the spring of 2009, when Tyle met Felix and Lena. The project stemmed from their interest in working with children, performing music on the street and building crazy bikes. The group organizes workshops for building experimental music instruments and bicycles where people can learn new skills and bring their ideas to life, and participate in open circus training. During the group’s projects, the goal is to encourage new ideas and promote the feeling of accomplishment among the kids and adults they work with. Fun is the key element to all of the group’s activities. There is a focus on projects that deal with issues connected to sustainability and environmental protection, to help raise awareness of the ongoing destruction of the planet. Location info Germany
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Bamboosero www.bamboosero.com Photos by Jason Cruz
Bamboo bicycles are renewable, hand-crafted and comfortable. Bamboosero establishes and supports micro-manufacturers of bamboo bikes in the developing world. Bamboosero builders are currently located in Ghana, Zambia, New Zealand and the Philippines. Craig Calfee, a frame designer who has built bikes for Greg Lemond and other professional racers, started Bamboosero with the idea that teaching men or women to build bikes is a long-term solution that can have a lasting impact. Using bamboo makes this possible. It grows in most of the developing world and makes it far easier to supply a bike builder with raw materials, and it makes a common resource more valuable. The Bamboosero idea is simple: connect bike builders in developing countries with bike buyers like
Location info Ghana
you. Buying a Bamboosero Bike doesn’t just get you a great bike, it also helps working families support themselves, injects badly needed foreign currency into struggling economies and creates the production capacity for an incredibly efficient form of local transport - bicycles!
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Colectivo Haz Ciudad www.hazciudad.blogspot.com Photos by Aarón Borrás
Mexico City is one of the five most polluted cities in the world, and it has a lot of traffic. In 2007, the Mexico City municipal government pledged to build 300 km of bike lanes around the city by 2012. However, the city still only has 22.2 km because most municipal funds go to infrastructure for motor vehicles, overlooking non-motorized mobility. That’s why many activists decided to show how easy and economical it is to set up solid infrastructures in the city. They bought paint, brushes and rollers to paint five km of bike lanes, spending 8 hours of their time and less than a thousand dollars. The Colectivo Camino Haz Ciudad is made up of organizations and individuals who exercise their citizenship to regain space for pedestrians, trying to build a sustainable and less car-dependent city with more public spaces. A city with a human face. Location info Mexico
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Boda Bodas Photos by James Mollison
China produces 58 percent of the world’s bicycles, and after cheap televisions and tools, bikes are one of the country’s biggest imports to Kenya. They end up on the busy streets of Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and small towns such as Machakos, where some are then converted into bike-taxis: boda-bodas. Boda-boda means “border to border”, an expression used by smugglers in the 1990s who would use their bicycles to move goods nd people across the Kenya-Uganda border. This story was shot by James Mollison for the Transport issue (No. 81, summer 2011) of COLORS, a quarterly magazine about “the rest of the world”, published in six bilingual editions and distributed internationally. www.colorsmagazine.com Location info Worldwide
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Casey Neistat www.caseyneistat.com
Born on March 25, 1981, Casey Owen Neistat is an American film director, producer and creator of popular YouTube videos. Neistat came onto our radar in 2011 when he made a video to show the NYPD’s ticketing of cyclists riding outside of marked bike lanes. In the first of these videos, he is arguing with a policeman who is telling him that bikers must always use the bike lane. Neistat then proceeds to ride his bike in the lane and crash into various obstructions to highlight his argument that the lanes are not always the safest place for cyclists. The second series of these videos shows Casey Neistat stealing his own bike in different settings and in various ways to highlight how easy it is to steal bikes in New York City in public, even during the day.
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Dekochari Photos by Tony McNicol
The ‘Dekochari’ or ‘decoration charinko’ is a form of bike art indigenous to Japan that dates back to the mid 1970s. ‘Deko’ in Japanese is short for decoration and ‘Chari’ is slang for bike. Dekochari was a reaction to the enthusiasm produced by a movie series called ‘Truk Yaro’, which featured chrome giant trucks with flashy lights. Inspired by them, children started decorating their bikes likes Dekotora (‘Tora’ is short for Truck). Almost all current Dekocharis have elaborate light displays and many include hi-fi audio systems and cup-holders. There are currently several Dekochari bike gangs in Japan, including the All Japan Hishyomaru fleet, the All Japan DC Club Ryumaki and the All Japan Kyokugenmaru Gang.
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Dj Trike www.thedjtrike.com Photos by Dj Trike
The DJ Trike is a vehicle for urban play and exploration that transforms a neutral public space into a collective, memorable place. Inspired by bicycle and tricycle cultures worldwide, the DJ Trike was created as a vehicle and platform for urban communication and interaction, as well a method to transcend common perceptions associated with current pedal powered transportation. By appropriating a utility tricycle from Beijing and re-introducing it into the context of contemporary urban street culture, this musicinspired trike enables DJs to freely roam the city streets. Powered by a rechargeable marine battery and a power inverter, the DJ Trike is designed to house the audio/visual equipment you need to create sensory-filled social interventions, project onto architecture and infrastructure, and use public space for play. Thanks to its mobility, the DJ Trike’s can reclaim, activate and enhance public space. By creating catalysts for social interaction and public engagement, the DJ Trike redefines the urban experience by directly connecting with city street life.
Location info Canada
A project by Jonathan Igharas of MAKEUSE
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National Innovation Foundation India Photos by National Innovation Foundation India
NIF is an autonomous body in the Indian Department of Science and Technology, whose goal is to help India become an inventive and creative society and a global leader in sustainable technologies and find solutions to the social and economic roadblocks that are preventing the evolution and the spreading of green innovations. The association boast the following patents: - Amphibian Bicycle - Washing Cum Exercise Machine - Multi Purpose Bicycle - Bicycle Water Pump - Bicycle Mounted For Agricultural Use - Tricycle Mounted Sprayer For Agricultural Use - Pedal Operated Pump For Lifting Water - Bicycle Operated Animal Shaver - Cycle Operated Water Lifting Pump - Innovative Brake System In Bicycles
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Heinz Stücke www.heinzstucke.com Photos by Heinz Stücke
“If you are on a bike, you can’t be a bad guy!” A bike becomes a kind of passport, a business card for Heinz Stücke. For him, the bike is the best mode of transport, giving riders independence in addition to being sporty and cheap. Stücke has travelled more than half a million kilometers on his bicycle since 1962. He was registered as the most travelled man in history in the Guinness Book of Records. Some of Stücke’s numbers: traveled to 5 continents and visited 257 countries; spent 48 years pedaling and covered 593,625 km (368,861 miles); had held 20 passports and owned 2 bikes (6 stolen and recovered); travels from 80 to 120 km (50 to 75 miles) per day.
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Nuru Energy www.nuruenergy.com Photo source www.ashden.org
Nuru Energy has created a unique off-grid recharging platform, the POWERCycle. This uses human power to recharge 5 of Nuru Energy’s portable LED Lights together, in just 20 minutes. The goal is that these recharge kiosks will aid in the development and sustainable livelihood of female entrepreneurs and their families. Nuru also aims to improve health and safety by reducing kerosene consumption, which is the leading cause of fires and injuries from burns and causes respiratory disease accounting for up to one out of four child deaths in rural India alone.
Location info Africa and India
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travelers and publishes a magazine for members about bike-related initiatives, tours and other
2Wheels4Change
bicycle-travel news.
Germany
www.adventurecycling.org
2Wheels4change started when two young men decided to combine their interests in working with children, making music performances on the street and building
Aeolian Ride
crazy bikes. The group supports sustainable theatre and
Worldwide
music on bikes for people around the globe—over 54
The Aeolian Ride involves fifty-two people in wind-
people in 21 countries have rode with them.
inflated suits riding bicycles through cities around the world. It is a free event that is open to everyone with a love of biking and a sense of humor, transforming local
350.org
landscapes into a playground of wind-blown shapes.
USA
www.aeolian-ride.info
350.org is a grassroots global movement working to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis the solutions that science & justice demand. 350 is you,
African Bicycle Network
and the thousands of people like you who take it upon
Kenya
themselves to inspire your communities to action.
The goal of this network is to inspire more African
www.350.org
citizens to cycle, to form more interest/social groups more often and for more reasons in order to meet many of Africa’s challenges.
43Ride
www.africanbicyclenetwork.org
Poland 43Ride is the first magazine about extreme cycling in Poland, founded by a group of people united by
Africycle
the same passion. The magazine is all about biking
Canada and Africa
in Poland - from competitions to information and
Africycle is working to create sustained, responsible
curious facts.
development in Africa. Supported by Canadians,
www.43ride.com
Africycle’s model of development utilizes a holistic strategy to help communities get the most from all of their resources - money, time and people.
A
www.africycle.org
ADFC Germany
Alabama Bicycle Coalition
The ADFC is involved in continuously promoting
USA
cycling. It collaborates with all clubs, organizations
The mission of AlaBike is to promote cycling access,
and institutions that are committed to improving
education and safety, and to advocate for safer road
safety and environmental protection in transport.
environments for all users.
www.adfc.de
www.alabike.org
Adventure Cycling Association
Alaska Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance
USA
USA
Adventure Cycling Association is the largest non-
The organization promotes bicycling and walking as
profit biking organization in the U.S. with nearly
modes of transportation in Alaska through better infra-
45,000 members worldwide. The association
structure, programs, safety education and policies.
researches and produces cycling maps for bicycle
www.akpedbikealliance.wordpress.com
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Alliance for Biking & Walking
Austin Cycling Association
USA
USA
The Alliance for Biking & Walking is the North
The ACA is dedicated to furthering bicycle access,
American coalition of grassroots bicycle and pedes-
safety, education and enjoyment in Central Texas by
trian advocacy organizations. It unites advocacy
sponsoring weekly bike rides, training, informa-
leaders and helps them become more effective by
tional programs and an annual charity bike ride: the
sharing best practices and innovations, strengthen-
Armadillo Hill Country Classic (AHCC).
ing organizations through resource sharing and
www.austincycling.org
training opportunities. Alliance organizations are working together to transform communities into great places to bike and walk. www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site
B Bamboo Bike Project USA and Ghana
America Bikes
The Bamboo Bike Project is a project by scientists
USA
and engineers at the Earth Institute, Columbia
This is a national coalition of leaders from the bicy-
University. The aim is to examine the feasibility of
cle and pedestrian movement ensuring an increased
implementing bicycles made of bamboo as a sus-
role for bicycling as a healthy means of everyday
tainable form of transportation in Africa.
travel and recreation. On behalf of its 300,000
www.bamboobike.org/Home.html
members and the tens of millions of U.S. cyclists, America Bikes urges Congress to adopt legislation for complete streets, active transportation networks,
Bamboosero
and a fair share for safety.
Ghana, Zambia, New Zealand
www.americabikes.org
and the Philippines Bamboosero establishes and supports micro-manufacturers of bamboo bikes in the developing world.
Ann Wilson
www.bamboosero.com
UK Ann Wilson is an inspirational British female cyclist who set off on a Round the World Bike ride in 2009
Bay Area Bicycle Coalition
at the age of 59. Her cycling adventure began in
USA
2007 when a friend inspired her by giving her the
The purpose of the Bay Area Bicycle Coalition
book “A Bike Ride” by another amazing female
(BABC) is to promote safe and enjoyable bicycling
cyclist, Anne Mustoe.
for everyday transportation and recreation.
www.crazyguyonabike.com
www.bayareabikes.org
Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals
BeCycle
USA
BeCyCle is a community project (not a charity)
The mission of the Association of Pedestrian and
which is run solely by enthusiastic volunteers. Start-
Bicycle Professionals is to increase the pedestrian
ing from scratch they gather orphaned bikes, fix
and bicycle profession and its influence by facilitat-
them up and bring them back to life. They work to
ing the exchange of professional and technical
promote an urban bike culture.
knowledge, elevating practitioners’ skills and
www.becycle.wordpress.com
defining the field. www.apbp.org
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UK
BEN
Biciclown
Namibia
Spain and worldwide
BEN Namibia produces bicycle-pulled ambulances
Alvaro Neil is the “Biciclown”—traveling all around the
for use by HIV/AIDS Home Based Care(HBC) work-
world on bike and putting on his clown shows for free.
ers, HIV/AIDS self help projects, communities,
www.biciclown.com
clinics, and hospitals in rural Namibia. www.benbikes.org.za
La Bicla Loca Bucharest, Romania
Berliner Fahrrad Schau
Not only the friendliest bike shop in Bucharest, this
Berlin, Germany
shop provides accessories, equipment, recondition-
The Berliner Fahrrad Schau is an exhibition created
ing, storage and maintenance.
by cycling enthusiasts for cycling enthusiasts. It
www.labiclaloca.ro
takes place every year in Berlin and connects a passion for biking with the biking lifestyle.
Bicycle Association of Great Britain
www.berlinerfahrradschau.de/
UK The objective of Bike Hub is to generate funds from
Better Life Cycle
within the cycle industry to support the future of
UK & Worldwide
cycling in the UK.
The Better Life Cycle has a simple goal: to give some
www.ba-gb.com
of the world’s most disadvantaged children a better life. Dan Harrison set of from London in August 2009 and will be joined by several friends en route.
Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia
www.betterlifecycle.com
USA Promoting bicycling as a healthy, low-cost, and environmentally-friendly form of transportation
La Bici Verde
and recreation. The coalition make the region stron-
Cordova, Spain
ger by providing a place for healthy transportation,
This non-profit initiative promotes and facilitates
connecting our communities to greenspace, and
cycling as a means of healthy and sustainable trans-
making our neighborhoods more attractive places
port in the city, raising awareness about recycling
to live and work.
and the reuse of abandoned or unused bikes to keep
www.bicyclecoalition.org
them alive through the collection, repair and distribution of recycled bicycles to those in need.
Bicycle Film Festival
www.labiciverde.es
USA and worldwide The Bicycle Film Festival has been a major catalyst
Biciacción
for the urban bike movement, one of the most
Quito, Ecuador.
powerful and culturally relevant forces of the last
Biciacción is a non-governmental organization
decade. The BFF is sure to carry this momentum
created in 2003, and is made up of young urban
into the next decade.
cyclists, whose mission is to promote a new mobility,
www.bicyclefilmfestival.com
through the use of the bicycle for transport, sports and recreation while reducing pollution and the mass use of cars.
Bicycle Inter-Community Action & Salvage
www.biciaccion.org
USA Bicas is a collectively run community education and recycling center for bicycles that welcomes people
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of all ages and walks of life. Through advocacy and
children. The goal is to provide personal, athletic
recycling of the bicycle, Bicas promotes education,
and academic success through the bicycle, a tool to
art, and a healthy environment while providing
encourage children to pursue their dreams.
service and opportunity for those in need.
www.kidsofbike.org
www.bicas.org
Bike Across China
Bicycle Kitchen
China and USA
USA
On August 23rd, 2005, Fang Wen Guang, Wang Ray
The mission of the Bicycle Kitchen is to promote the
and Brad Weinberg completed a two-month, 5,000
bicycle as a fun, safe and accessible form of transpor-
kilometer bicycle/volunteer challenge across China
tation, to foster healthy urban communities, and to
to raise awareness and increase funding for autism.
provide a welcoming space to learn about building,
During this journey, they raised over $10,000 and
maintaining, and riding bicycles.
volunteered at eight schools in China for children with
www.bicyclekitchen.com
autism, promoting awareness of mental disabilities. www.biketheworld.org
Bicycle Portraits Africa
Bikes Belong
The Bicycle Portraits project was initiated by Stan
USA
Engelbrecht and Nic Grobler early in 2010. When-
Bikes Belong is a non-profit organization working
ever they can, they’re on the lookout for fellow com-
to make bicycling in the U.S. safer, better, and more
muters, and people who use bicycles as part of their
stress-free.
everyday work, to meet and photograph.
www.bikesbelong.org
www.bicycleportraits.co.za
Bicycle Transportation Alliance
Bike Albuquerque (BikeABQ) USA
USA
The mission of BikeABQ is to increase the number
The Bicycle Transportation Alliance is a non-profit
of bicyclist sin Albuquerque for transportation,
membership organization working to promote bicy-
health and recreation. It provides education, advo-
cling and improve bicycling conditions in Oregon.
cates for the rights of cyclists, and works to create
www.btaoregon.org
and preserve safe biking environments. www.bikeabq.org
Bicycle Transportation Union Russia
Bike Chattanooga
The primary goal of the Bicycle Transport Union
USA
is to increase the number of cyclists and of bicycle
Bike Chattanooga serves as the advocacy umbrella
trips in Russia while continuously improving the
for bicycling activities in the Chattanooga, Tennes-
safety in the streets.
see area. This organization works to promote bicy-
www.rctc.ru
cling for transportation, recreation and active living. www.bikechattanooga.org
B.I.K.E USA
Bike DFW
B.I.K.E. (Bicycles and Ideas for Kids’ Empower-
USA
ment) was formed for the purpose of providing
BikeDFW is a Texas non-profit organization working
opportunities and options for inner-city, at-risk
for safe, healthy, and more livable communities by
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promoting bicycling for transportation and recreation.
Bike Walk Virginia
Through a individual membership program, bicycle
USA
club and industry sponsor programs, BikeDFW repre-
A non-proďŹ t organization working to inspire more
sents nearly 2,000 cyclists in North Texas.
human-powered recreation and transportation on
www.bikedfw.orgÂ
bike and foot. www.bikewalkvirginia.or
Bike Fort Collins Bike Fort Collins has been involved with and contin-
Bikeleague (League of American Bicyclists)
ues to create new bicycle programs to encourage safe
USA
and enjoyable cycling in the Fort Collins, Colorado
The league promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and
community.
transportation and work through advocacy and
www.bikefortcollins.org
education for a bicycle-friendly America.
USA
www.bikeleague.org
Bike Maryland USA
Bikes Belong Coalition
The mission is to encourage and promote bicycling,
USA
increase safety, improve conditions, and provide a
The Bikes Belong Coalition was formed as the
voice for bicyclists in Maryland.
national coalition of bicycle retailers and suppliers
www.bikemd.or
working to put more people on bikes more often. With the aim of helping to create safe places to ride, Bikes Belong selects projects and partnerships that
Bike Roswell
can make a difference.
USA
www.bikesbelong.org
Bike Roswell strives to actively promote safe cycling, provide an advocacy platform for citizens of Roswell, Georgia and implement programs to encourage
Bikes for the World
participation with improved parks, roadways and
USA
private facilities.
The central mission of Bikes for the World is to assists
www.bikeroswell.com
poor people overseas to become more productive by providing them with affordable bicycles for personal transport to work, school and health services.
Bike Walk Connecticut
www.bikesfortheworld.org
USA Bike Walk Connecticut is a member-supported nonprofit organization making cycling and walking safe,
Bikes not Bombs
feasible and attractive for a healthier, cleaner city.
USA
www.bikewalkct.org
The Chicago-based Bikes Not Bombs promotes bicycle technology as a concrete alternative to war and environmental destruction.
Bike Walk Mississippi
www.bikesnotbombs.org
USA Bike Walk Mississippi (BWM) serves as the only state-wide bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organi-
Bizidibaia
zation in Mississippi.
Spain
www.bikewalkmississippi.org
Bizidibaia promotes cycling as a means of transport for travel and for everyday use, including sports,
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129
entertainment and the great outdoors.
BTT Sords
www.bizibidaia.net
Spain BTT Sords is a group of deaf friends in Barcelona, Spain with a great love for the great outdoors and
Boda Bodas
mountain biking. They organize outings to cycle to
Worldwide
out-of-the-way and magical spots and welcome all
China produces 58 percent of the world’s bicycles,
deaf riders to share their adventures.
and after cheap televisions and tools, bikes are one
www.bttsords.org
of the country’s biggest imports to Kenya. They end up on the busy streets of Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and small towns such as Machakos, where
C
some are then converted into bike-taxis: boda-bodas. Boda-boda means “border to border”, an expression
C.Y.C.L.E.
used by smugglers in the 1990s who would use their
USA
bicycles to move goods and people across the Kenya-
C.Y.C.L.E is a nonprofit organization working to
Uganda border.
promote biking as a lifestyle and a transportation solution that greatly enhances their quality of life at both the personal and community level.
The Bristol Bike Project
www.cicle.org
UK The Bristol Bike Project is the city’s biggest Community Bike Project, repairing and relocating
California Bicycle Coalition
unwanted bicycles. It is a welcoming and inclusive
USA
community-based project, encouraging skill-shar-
This organization creates safe, healthy and livable
ing, promoting sustainability and helping people
communities by promoting bicycling for transpor-
help themselves.
tation and recreation.
www.thebristolbikeproject.org
www.calbike.org
British Columbia Cycling Coalition
Cascade Bicycle Club
Canada
USA
The purpose of the BCCC is to represent the interests
The Cascade Bicycle Club in Seattle, Washington
of cyclists provincially and to secure their recogni-
is dedicated to promoting individual health and
tion in policy and programs affecting cycling for
recreation through bike activities. It is also involved
transportation.
in education and advocacy to promote a more
www.bccc.bc.ca
bicycle-friendly environment and a more livable community for members, bicyclists and the community at-large.
British Cycling
www.blog.cascade.org
UK British Cycling works to provide the support and encouragement people need to ride their bikes for
Casey Neistat
the first time. It is also home to the hugely success-
USA
ful Great Britain Cycling Team and works hard to
Casey Owen Neistat is an American film director,
represent cyclists’ interests at all levels, including
producer and creator of popular YouTube videos on
campaigning on important issues including road
the lack of facilities for cyclists.
safety.
www.caseyneistat.com
www.britishcycling.org.uk
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Charlotte Area Bicycle Alliance
around the world, usually held on the last Friday of
USA
every month. A mass of cyclists converge at a specific
CABA works to create a bicycle friendly community
location to ride through the streets of the city.
through cycling awareness, education, safety advo-
www.criticalmass.org.nz
cacy and promotion of bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation.
Crossing Greenland By Bike
www.charlottebikes.org
Greenland Juan Menendez Granados, an extreme sportsman,
Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists
is working to become the first person to ever cross
USA
Greenland on bike.
The mission of the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists is
www.jmgbiker.com
to promote efforts that improve bicycle usage and safety within the state of Arizona by addressing law enforcement and transportation engineering
CTC
issues through education, outreach and advocacy
UK
programs.
CTC has been protecting and promoting the rights
www.cazbike.org
of cyclists in Scotland since 1878. The group is com-
mitted to promoting cycling for all, looking out for cyclists on and off the road, and inspiring people to
Colectivo Camina, Haz Ciudad
cycle wherever they are.
Mexico
www.ctc.org.uk
The Colectivo Camina, Haz Ciudad is made up of individuals and organizations that exercise their citizenship to regain space for pedestrians. Under the slogan of #WikiCiudad, they support urban policies
Cycle Chic Denmark & Worldwide
and mobility constructed collectively for a better city.
Cycle Chic began when journalist, film director and
www.hazciudad.blogspot.it
photographer Mikael Colville-Andersen decided to put a number of his photos about Copenhagen’s bicycle culture on an Internet website.
Community Bike Cart Design
www.copenhagencyclechic.com
USA Aaron Wieler designs a simple, homemade, low-cost bike cart for car independence and communi-
Cycling Out Of Poverty
ties. These bicycle trailers are strong and versatile
Rwanda, Africa
enough to transport the cargo that you would use a
Cycling out of Poverty supports and promotes bicy-
car for and are simple and inexpensive to build and
cle entrepreneurship in Africa and aims to improve
decrease dependence on automobiles by making
access to essential services like education, water and
affordable cargo bicycle trailers available as a viable
health care by making bicycles accessible.
alternative.
www.cyclingoutofpoverty.com
www.bikecart.pedalpeople.com/
CyclingPei
Critical Mass
Canada
Worldwide
Cycling PEI provides education and leadership that
Critical Mass had its start in 1992 in the United
contribute to a vibrant and healthy cycling experi-
States, in the city of San Francisco, California. Today,
ence on Prince Edward Island.
CM is a global event held in over 300 major cities
www.cpei.ca
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E
Cycloteam.nl The Netherlands Cycloteam.nl is the official ambassador’s team for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and strives to protect and maintain the natural beauty of areas where we bike while enjoying beautiful scenery. www.cycloteam.nl
Easter Hill Country Tour USA The Easter Hill Country Tour is a three-day bike tour based in Kerrville, Texas that has taken place on Easter weekend since 1974. It is hosted by one of four bicycle clubs each year (the Fort Worth Bicycle Association, Houston Bicycle Club, San Antonio
Cyklokuchynˇa
Wheelmen and the Austin Cycling Association).
Bratislava Cyklokuchynˇa is a community of people who love
www.fwbaclub.org
to bike and meet new friends. They work to teach people how to build and repair a bike, combining the bike culture with fun and a healthy lifestyle. www.cyklokuchyna.criticalmass.sk
Electra Bikes Portugal Electra Bicycle Company is the leading brand in general fitness, lifestyle and leisure cycling sales,
D
and has now become a movement that celebrates individuals around the globe who are working to make the world a better place through environ-
Dekochari
mental conservation, volunteerism, education and
Japan Dekochari is a form of Japanese bike art that dates back to the mid 1970s. These glittery two wheelers
artistic expression. www.electrabike.com
are covered with chrome and flashy lights that bring to mind mangas, anime and wind-up robots.
Enciclika Spain Based in Barcelona, Enciclika is a media platform
Dynamo DJ Bike
that generates a collective creative projects of all
Italy An original roadshow performance, designed and created by Leo Beccafichi. A bike is connected to a
kinds with urban cycling as lifestyle. www.enciclika.com
dynamo. Just pedal and generate electricity, thus feeding the DJ console.
La Espiral
www.dynamodjbike.com
Spain La Espiral is a collective project to visit all of the provinces of Spain on a bicycle with saddlebags. A
DJ Trike
fun idea by a group of friends who enjoy bike riding
Canada The DJ Trike is a vehicle for urban play and exploration that transforms any spot into a collective,
and traveling. www.espiral.rodadas.net
memorable place. Inspired by bicycle and tricycle cultures worldwide, The DJ Trike wants to transcend common perceptions associated with current pedal-powered transport vehicles. www.thedjtrike.com
European Cyclists’ Federation Belgium The European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) has one goal: to promote cycling as a sustainable and healthy means of transportation and recreation. www.ecf.com
132
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F
achieve human rights and development goals. www.fabio.or.ug
Fahrräder für Afrika Germany and Africa Fahrräder für Afrika’s goal is to build bicycle workshops in Africa and train local residents in bicycle repairs, to form the basis for a new industry and sustainable income. www.fahrraeder-fuer-afrika.de
Follow the Women Middle East The Pedal for Peace in the Middle East program brings together women from all over the world to share an experience like no other. Participants come for different reasons, but all leave with a greater understanding of the region and its problems—and
Family on Bikes
with the desire to promote peace.
Worldwide The Vogel family (Nancy, John and twin brothers Davy
www.followthewomen.com
and Daryl) spent nearly three years cycling southwards from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina. The boys are now Guinness World Record holders as the youngest people to cycle the Pan-American Highway. www.familyonbikes.org
Fundación Tambien Spain This sports foundation for the differently abled works to understand how bicycles or tricycles can be adapted for greater comfort and independence of people with disabilities.
FAPDR
www.tambien.org
Africa FAPDR is a non-profit organization that organizes development projects in Rwanda to improve the living conditions of Rwandans, especially vulnerable groups like street children and orphans. Their supporters include the African Bicycle Network, Cycling out of Poverty, Ride 4 a Woman, FABIO and many more. www.fapdr.bplaced.com
Fun Zim Ride UK and Zimbabwe A dad of three is saddling up for a cycle ride across one of the world’s most volatile countries... dressed as a clown. Richard Pantlin is going to Zimbabwe to raise money for charity, but he also wants to help change people’s perception of this trouble-hit corner of Africa.
Federazione Italiana Amici della Bicicletta (FIAB) Italy FIAB strives to promote the use of cycling as a means of ecological transport, in a context of environmental restoration (both urban and rural). www.fiab-onlus.it
www.funzimride.co.uk
Future Shock Bike Crew USA Tobago natives Nicholas and Jessica Ragbir and Anil Bhimraj created the “stereo bike”— a massive feat of speakers and sonic wiring the likes of which the world had never seen.
First African Bicycle Information Organization (FABIO) Uganda FABIO is a Uganda based non-governmental organization that wants to empower people by creating access to bicycles, providing information, imparting skills and knowledge on issues of development, and advocating issues of non-motorized mobility to
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G Glasgow Bike Shed UK The Glasgow Bike Shed is a social community enterprise based in Glasgow, Scotland. Run by volunteers, the shed recycles bicycles from a variety of local
133
sources and promotes safe cycling in the city.
exciting sport of bike polo. With photos, videos and
www.glasgowbikeshed.org
links to bike polo events, this website has everything you need to know about this uncommon sport. www.hardcourtbikepolo.com/Hawaii
Global Wheeling South Africa The Global Wheeling Foundation is a non-profit orga-
Bicycling League
nization whose vision is to make a difference in the lives
USA
of disadvantaged youth. Working in the townships and
The mission of the largest cycling organization
small communities of South Africa, it provides environ-
in Hawaii is to promote bicycling for health,
mental education and bicycle empowerment.
recreation, and transportation through advocacy,
www.globalwheeling.org
education, and events. www.hbl.org
Greater Victoria cycling Coalition Canada
Heinz Stücke
GVCC is an organization that promotes and improves
Germany
conditions for cycling in Greater Victoria by facilitat-
Stücke has travelled more than half a million kilo-
ing communication between cyclists, government,
meters (355,000 miles) on his bicycle since 1962.He
and community groups, improving facilities for
has been listed as the most traveled man in history
bicycle use and working for the legal rights of cyclists.
in the Guinness Book of Records.
www.gvcc.bc.ca
www.heinzstucke.com
Green Mobility Network
Helmets.org
USA
USA
To make Miami-Dade County a healthier, more
Helmets.org is a small, active, non-profit consumer-
livable community, the Green Mobility Network
funded program that provides bicycle helmet infor-
uses education, events and information to promote
mation to consumers and promotes better helmets
transit use, bicycling, running and walking for daily
through improved standards.
transportation, leisure and fitness.
www.helmets.org
www.greenmobilitynetwork.org
Hungry Cyclist
H
UK and worldwide Tom Kevill-Davies loves riding his bicycle and eat-
Handcycling Singapore
ing. It’s really is that simple. As a journalist, author
Singapore
and photographer, he cycles to wherever he can find
The association has a mission to transform handcy-
delicious, locally produced fresh and traditional
cling into an established sport for differently abled
food and then writes about it.
athletes and to develop handcycling for all as a sport
www.thehungrycyclist.com
for recreation, rehabilitation and competition. www.handcycling.sg
I
Hard Court Bike Polo USA
Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP)
Doug D started his website in 2008 to share news,
USA and worldwide
tournament results and media coverage on the
The Institute for Transportation and Development
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Policy works with cities worldwide to bring about
off road-cyclists within the trail user community.
sustainable transport solutions that cut greenhouse
www.jorba.org
gas emissions, reduce poverty, and improve the quality of urban life
Johnson Country Bicycle Club (JCBC)
www.itdp.org
USA JCBC serves recreational cyclists in Johnson County,
Interface for Cycling Expertise
the Kansas City Metro area, and surrounding coun-
Holland
ties. The JCBC promotes bicycling safety, advocacy,
I-CE’s mission is to support the development of
and fellowship.
sustainable urban and transport planning while
www.kansascyclist.com
capitalizing on the rich Dutch culture on cyclinginclusive planning.
K
www.i-ce.nl
Keirin Berlin
International Mountain Bicycling Association
Germany Keirin specializes in refurbishing old retro track racing
USA
bikes, but also deals in road racing bikes and framesets.
The International Mountain Bicycling Associa-
It also organizes events and sells everything you could
tion (IMBA) is a non-profit educational association
ever wear to show the world you love the cycle culture.
whose mission is to create, enhance and preserve
www.keirinberlin.de
great mountain biking experiences. www.imba.com
L
Japan Bicycle Promotion Institute
Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition
Japan
USA
The Japan Bicycle Promotion Institute (JBPI) is a non-
This Nevada-based non-profit organization helps
profit organization involved in all aspects of the Japanese
build a more bicycle-friendly Lake Tahoe and a
bicycle industry, helping to foster the industry in close
world-class cycling destination.
cooperation with other actors and related organizations.
www.tahoebike.org
www.jbpi.or.jp
Japan Cycling Navigator
Landrad Austria
Japan
Based in Vorarlberg, Landrad is a research project
As a group of individuals who enjoy cycling more
that involved 500 electrically assisted bicycles to
than anything else, Japan Cycling Navigator pro-
demonstrate how to reduce car traffic.
vides a place where cyclists from the world share
www.landrad.at
their experiences and knowledge to allow those who speak different languages and come from different backgrounds to enjoy cycling in Japan.
League of American Bicyclists
www.japancycling.org
USA The League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation, representing the
Jersey Off-Road Bicycle Association (JOBA)
interests of the nation’s 57 million cyclists. The league
New Jersey, USA
works to bring better bicycling to the community.
JORBA is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving
www.bikeleague.org
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135
League of Bicycling Voters
London Cycling Campaign
USA
UK
The non-profit League of Bicycling Voters was
An 11,000-strong membership charity that makes
founded in Texas to promote safe bicycling in the
sure that everyone who cycles, or wants to cycle, has
greater Austin area. It has also been the chief oppo-
a voice in Greater London.
nent of mandatory bicycle helmet laws for adults.
www.lcc.org.uk
www.lobv.org
League of Illinois Bicyclists
Los de la Bici Argentina
USA
Los de la Bici is a group that seeks to promote the
League of Illinois Bicyclists is a not-for-profit
use of bicycles as a contaminant-free means of trans-
organization dedicated to improving bicycling con-
port and a way to connect with nature.
ditions in Illinois. This leagues serves as a statewide
www.losdelabici.com.ar
advocate for all Illinois bicyclists, promoting bicycle access, education, and safety.
Magnificent Revolution
www.bikelib.org
UK Made up of artists, musicians, designers, ecologists
League of Michigan Bicyclists
and engineers, MR has flourished into a cross-
USA
disciplinary organization. MR is aimed at helping
LMB is a non-profit statewide membership organi-
people understand their energy use, its links with
zation working to improve conditions for bicycling
power production and climate change. They guide
in Michigan. LMB supports many programs and
people towards positive solutions and aid them in
projects and cooperates with state and local agencies
the transition to low carbon lifestyles.
and other like-minded groups toward this goal.
www.magnificentrevolution.org
www.lmb.org
Make a Move Campaign
Livable City
Germany
USA
Rural and urban communities of the global south
This organization works for a balanced transporta-
often are restricted in their social, cultural, eco-
tion system and promotes complementary land
logical, political or economic participation due to
use for a safer, healthier and more accessible San
inadequate transport options. The Make a Move
Francisco for all.
Campaign works with worldwide communities suf-
www.livablecity.org
fering from a lack of mobility options. www.makeamovecampaign.com
Livestrong USA
Maya Pedal
With Team LIVESTRONG you can walk, run, ride or
Guatemala
tri in the fight against cancer. Team LIVESTRONG
In San Andrés Itzapa, the Maya Pedal Association
will participate in seventeen major athletic events
began recycling scraps of bicycles into “bicimáqui-
around the world, host four events in the United
nas”, pedal-powered blenders, washing machines
States and once again serve as a proud charity part-
and threshing machines, eliminating the need for
ner in the World Marathon Majors.
fuel and electricity.
www.livestrong.org
www.mayapedal.org
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Metro Bike Coalition (Bike Easy)
Since 2004, cities across the world have been expe-
USA
riencing the joy of the world’s largest event to pro-
Metro Bicycle Coalition (Bike Easy) is a local, grass-
mote naked cycling. A celebration of both the bicycle
roots non-profit in New Orleans that makes bicycle
and the power and individuality of the human body,
riding easier, safer and more fun.
the events also draw attention to the unique dangers
www.bikeeasy.org
faced by cyclists and pedestrians. www.worldnakedbikeride.org
Minimal Footprint Hedonists
Napa Valley Vine Trail
Worldwide
USA
Minimal Footprint Hedonist is a group of people
This group of volunteers have come together to
looking for initiatives that would build a better
build a county-wide walking and biking trail from
future. Many of those initiatives are bike-related.
Napa to Calistoga.
They embrace open and participatory design, upcy-
www.vinetrail.org
cling, fun and community. www.minimalfootprinthedonists.tumblr.com
Missouri Bicycle Federation
National Centre for Bicycling and Walking USA
USA
Since 1977, the National Centre for Bicycling and
The Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation is
Walking have been making neighborhoods, town,
a statewide, not-for-profit membership organiza-
cities, and regions more bicycle-friendly and walk-
tion that advocates advancement of bicycling access,
able places.
safety and education in Missouri.
www.bikewalk.org
www.mobikefed.org
National Innovation Foundation (NIF)
Moretta Team
India
Italy
NFI’s mission is to help create a just and equitable
The Moretta Team brings together those who are
society, by enabling marginalized communities to
passionate about mountain biking, nature and good
improve the quality of their own lives by improv-
company. It promotes mountain biking for people
ing the public understanding of social issues and
of all levels, group tours and biker meetings.
promoting social justice.
www.morettateam.it
www.nfi.org.in
Mountain Trails Foundation
New York Bicycling Coalition
USA
USA
Mountain Trails Foundation is a non-profit orga-
NYBC provides a voice for New York State’s bicyclists
nization that is Park City’s trails advocate. The
and represents the interests of all bicyclists – com-
foundation is dedicated to promoting local trails for
muters, tour riders, off road bikers, racers and so on.
non-motorized, recreational use.
www.nybc.net
www.mountaintrails.org
Niagara Freewheelers
N
Canada The Niagara Freewheelers strives to promote and
Naked Bike Ride
encourage recreation and utilitarian bicycling
Worldwide
primarily in and around the Niagara Region while
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137
working to protect the rights of cyclists.
Pedals for Progress
www.thefreewheelers.com
USA Pedals for Progress is a non-profit based in Central New Jersey that collects and distributes used
Nuru Energy
bicycles to third world countries. P4P collects 4,000
Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, India
to 7,000 bicycles annually and send them to those
Nuru Energy has developed a one-of-a-kind robust
who need them most.
and simple-to-use off-grid recharging platform, the
www.p4p.org
Nuru POWERCycle pedal generator. The generator provides reliable, clean, sustainable power anytime and anywhere and is hundreds of times more effi-
PedNet Coalition
cient than current solar-based solutions at a fraction
USA
of the cost.
PedNet consists of more than 6,000 children
www.nuruenergy.com
and adults, businesses and non-profits, schools, university departments, and government agencies
O
dedicated to creating and promoting the use of
Osocio.org
www.pednet.org
a pedestrian and pedaling network throughout Columbia, Missouri.
Osocio is a non-profit advertising and marketing organization for social causes, a place where marketuse of the bicycle too.
People’s Advocacy for Trails Hawaii (USA)
www.osocio.org
USA
ing and activism collide. It works to encourage the
PATH is a community-based non-profit advocacy
P
organization serving Hawaii County. Its mission is
Partners for Active Living
www.pathhawaii.org
to safely connect people and places on Hawaii Island with pathways and bikeways.
USA Partners for Active Living seeks to make Spartanburg County, South Carolina a healthy, more livable
People For Bikes
community by promoting walking, bicycling, and
USA
physical activity as a part of everyday life.
peopleforbikes.org is dedicated to channeling that
www.active-living.org
passion to improve the future of bicycling. Its goal is to gather a million names of support, to speak with one, powerful voice-to make bicycling safer, more
Patagonia Biking
convenient and appealing for everyone.
Patagonia and Worldwide
www.peopleforbikes.org
The Patagonia Biking organizes travel by mountain bike (MTB), treating its clients to a unique experience and an unforgettable vacation while showing
Phoenix Bikes
people how a bicycle can allow you to enjoy the
USA
wonders of nature and understand and appreciate
Phoenix Bikes empowers youth to become social
other cultures.
entrepreneurs through direct participation in a
www.patagonia-biking.com
financially and environmentally sustainable nonprofit bike shop that serves the community. www.phoenixbikes.org
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Pleasant Revolution Bicycle Music and Film Festival
spend hours each day walking to collect water and
USA
cally improves wellbeing as well as work and educa-
A series of approximately sixteen music/film
tion opportunities, bringing social change. Re~Cycle
festivals and eighty shows at schools and clubs along
has sent nearly 40,000 bikes to Africa since 1998.
the West Coast. The festivals will be delivered on
www.re-cycle.org
fire wood. A bicycle lightens this burden and dramati-
(and powered by) bicycles, as the Ginger Ninjas and supporting acts cycle down the coast toting all their instruments along with a human-powered sound
Reperages Velo
and projection system.
France
www.pleasantrevolution.net
Since 2001, Reparages is an integration project aimed at recycling bicycles. The site allows those who are temporarily unemployed workers to find
Prescott Alternative Transportation (PAT)
a way to work while receiving coaching to achieve
USA
their career goals or address personal problems.
PAT works with Arizona governmental agencies,
www.reperagesvelo.org
local volunteers and other organizations to create a Prescott where residents have real transport options. We would like developers and community leaders to
Richmond Spokes
spend just as much time incorporating bicycle and
USA
pedestrian facilities as they do parking lots.
Richmond Spokes empowers, engages, and employs
www.prescottbikeped.org
youth through cycling and green industries that benefit the local community. By creating a new youth cycling industry based on skill development
Project Rwanda
and green entrepreneurship, Richmond Spokes
Africa
guides participants to improve their lives and the
Project Rwanda is committed to furthering the eco-
health of the local and global environment.
nomic development of Rwanda through initiatives
www.richmondspokes.org
based on the bicycle as a tool and symbol of hope. The goal is to use the bike to help boost the Rwandan economy and to make Rwanda known as a beautiful
Ride 4 a Woman
and safe place to do business and visit freely.
Africa
www.projectrwanda.org
To economically and socially empower local women in the communities surrounding Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
Proyecto Buena Esperanza
www.ride4awoman.org
Spain and Africa This initiative involves traveling around Africa by bike to investigate and experience new tools
Rutas del Silencio
and methods of working and communicating. All
Spain
actions are based on social theatre.
Rutas del Silencio is an association started by José
www.buenaesperanza.es
Luis García, a deaf man who has traveled across the world on his bicycle. His goal is to increase communication between the deaf and the hearing and
R
ensure integration while promoting cycling and a world without limits.
Re~Cycle
www.rutasdelsilencio.com
UK People in Africa have no access to transport and
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S
and cycling for both transportation and recreation. www.schoolfoodtour.org
Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates USA SABA represents bicyclists. The aim is to increase the number of bike trips while improving safety. The vision: bicycling for everyday transportation is common, safe, convenient and desirable. www.sacbike.org
Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition USA Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition (SVBC) exists to promote cycling in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. To accomplish this goal, SVBC advocates for improved and expanded bicycle infrastructure and other facilities, including bike lanes, paths, racks,
Safe Routes to School National Partnership USA
lockers, accommodating traffic signals, capacity on transit, and more. www.bikesiliconvalley.org
The Safe Routes to School National Partnership’s mission is to advocate for safe walking and bicycling to and from schools. In addition, it works to improve the health and well-being of America’s children and to foster the creation of livable, sustainable communities. www.saferoutespartnership.org
Smarter than Car (STC) China STC was formed in Beijing in early 2010 by a small group of friends passionate about cycling and their city. They wanted to set up a platform for promoting cycling and preserving Beijing’s unique cycling culture.
Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective
www.stcbj.com
USA The mission of the Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective is to promote cycling as an effective and sustainable form of transportation and as a cornerstone of a cleaner, healthier, and safer society. www.slcbikecollective.org
SnappAtx USA SnappATX wants to create an easy and convenient way for people to express their opinions, learn from others, and decide on the most strategic options for transportation, mobility, and rail in Austin, while
San Diego Country Bicycle Coalition USA
improving bikes. www.snappatx.org
A non-profit organization dedicated to making bicycling better in San Diego. This is done through educational programs, promoting awareness of bicyclists and bicycling issues, reviewing infrastructure improvements, and representing bicyclists before elected officials and decision-makers throughout the San Diego region.
Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition USA The Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition promotes bicycling for transportation and recreation and works to educate the community about bicycle safety and the benefits of cycling, including good
www.sdcbc.org
health and protecting the environment. www.bikesonoma.org
School Food Tour USA The School Food Tour is a 6,000+mile self-supported bicycle tour that will promote healthy eating
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Sustrans UK Sustrans makes smarter travel choices possible,
desirable and inevitable. It’s a leading UK charity
Team Green Britain Bike Week
enabling people to travel on foot, by bike or on public
UK
transport for more of the journeys we make every day.
Team Green Britain Bike Week is the UK’s biggest
It works with families, communities, policy-makers
mass participation cycling event. It brings together
and partner organizations to help people choose
families, students and companies, everyone from sea-
healthier, cleaner and cheaper trips, with better
soned cyclists to those who have never cycled before.
places and spaces to move through and live in.
www.bikeweek.org.uk
www.sustrans.org.uk
Suwannee Bicycle Association (SBA)
TeamType 1 USA and worldwide
USA
Team Type 1 is a grassroots initiative to motivate
SBA is a non-profit membership organization
people to take control of their diabetes using cycling
formed to promote environmental awareness and
as a platform. It also is a global sports organization
family fitness through bicycling and other outdoor
changing the lives of people with diabetes around
activities in the Suwannee River region.
the world through racing, groundbreaking research,
www.suwanneebike.org
international outreach and philanthropic initiatives in developing countries.
T
www.teamtype1.org
TART Trails, Inc
Team Rwanda Cycling
USA
Rwanda
TART works to enrich the Traverse area by provid-
Team Rwanda Cycling searches for talent to
ing an interconnected network of trails, bikeways
empower, enable and inspire individuals, families,
and pedestrian ways; and encouraging their use.
communities and a nation through cycling.
www.traversetrails.org
www.teamrwandacycling.org
Tayler Hamilton Foundation
Technology for the Poor
USA
USA
Since 2003 the Tyler Hamilton Foundation has
Technology for the Poor’s mission is to develop,
taken riders of all abilities up and over peaks like the
innovate and disseminate sustainable technologies
Galibier, L’Alpe d’Huez, the Saint Bernard Pass, the
to the poor. The philosophy is that of George Wash-
Alpines at Lake Fedia and the Stelvio Pass. Cyclists
ington Carver, an African-American scientist who
are challenged to reach new heights riding alongside
taught sustainable agriculture to poor farmers.
cyclists diagnosed with MS and other diseases.
www.technologyforthepoor.com
www.tylerhamilton.com
Têtes De Bois - Pedal-Powered-Stage
Team Green Britain
Italy
UK
The first show in the world on eco-powered bicycle
Team Green Britain is a community bringing people
pedals. The electricity to light up the stage and the
together and sharing ideas for sustainable living.
sound is generated by 128 audience volunteers. By
The Team Green Britain heroes are ordinary people
simply pedaling, the audience produces the energy
working to reduce their carbon footprint and
necessary for the entire live show!
inspire communities to do everyday things better.
www.tetesdebois.it
www.teamgreenbritain.org
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Teton Valley Trails and Pathways
Urban Kansas City Community of Cycling
USA
USA
The goal of Teton Valley Trails and Pathways
The mission of the Urban Kansas City Community of
(TVTAP) is to build and maintain a complete, con-
Cycling (UKCCC) is to provide healthy cycling activi-
nected network of pedestrian and bicycle pathways
ties/opportunities for the urban community, with an
and trails throughout Teton Valley to create a
emphasis on African-American youth, and to provide
practical alternative to driving as a means for both
cycling equipment for those who cannot afford it.
transportation and recreation.
www.kansascyclist.com
www.cascade.org
Tour Divide
UWABA Dar es Salaam Cycling Community
USA
Tanzania
Tour Divide is an ultra-cycling challenge to pedal
An NGO made up of cyclists campaigning for better
solo and travel the length of the Great Divide Moun-
and safer road conditions for cyclists while provid-
tain Bike Route as fast as possible.
ing cycle safety education
www.tourdivide.org
www.uwaba.or.tz
Txalamobil
V
Spain The TXALAMOBIL is a project created by an artistic
Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition (HUB)
collective called Komando Trini. It brings together a
Canada
bike-car from Beijing and the idea of a txalaparta, an
HUB is a non-profit group that strives to make
ancient percussion instrument closely linked to the
cycling better through education, events and
Basque tradition.
collaboration. HUB is leading the way in making
www.txalamobil.blogspot.com.es
cycling an attractive choice for everyone in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
U
www.bikehub.ca
União de Ciclistas do Brasil (UCB)
Village Bicycle Project
The UCB is bicycle advocacy group that aim to repre-
Africa
sent cyclists throughout Brazil. The association has
Village Bicycle Project makes the difference for tens
a web-based forum to exchange information and
of thousands of Africans. Its successful program
generate synergy in its activities.
supplies bikes, spare parts and tools. It also trains
www.uniaodeciclistas.org.br
owners empowering whole communities by including women and girls in bicycle education. In Africa, a bicycle can take a person from poverty to prosperity.
Urban Bike Project of Wilmington
www.villagebicycleproject.org
USA A non-profit organization whose mission is to serve the community’s needs by educating and promoting
VillageTech Solutions (VTS)
cycling as a safe, practical and cost-efficient mode of
Nepal
transportation in Delaware.
VillageTech Solutions began as EcoSystems in 1996,
www.urbanbikeproject.org
with the goal of providing energy and access to rural dwellers in Nepal. www.villagetechsolutions.org
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W
World by Bike Worldwide
Washington Area Bicyclists Association USA WABA promotes bicycling for fun, fitness, and affordable transportation; advocates for better bicycling conditions and the use of alternative transportation choices. It also educates cyclist, drivers, adults
Many dreams could come true if we only would believe in them. The World By Bike is a project that involves crossing all six continents on bike, traveling through more than 100 countries. Its ultimate goal is to document the different cultures along the path and their ways of life. www.theworldbybike.com
and children about best safety practices. www.waba.org
World By Cycle Worldwide The World By Cycle project is a bicycle trip around
Wheels 4 Life
the world, partnering with organizations to offer
USA Founded by former Mountain Bike World Champion Hans Rey, Wheels 4 Life provides bikes for people in developing countries in need of transportation to get
Adventure Learning programs for elementary school children. www.worldbycycle.info
to work or to school, including health care workers. www.wheels4life.org
World on a Bike Worldwide In 2008, Harry Kikstra and Ivana Coria embarked
Wheels to Africa
upon an adventure: to bike from Northern Alaska
USA and Africa Wheels to Africa is a non-profit organization that works with local youth ages 10-18 to organize local bike collections and send the donated bikes to communities in Africa.
to Southern Argentina. They wanted to support the environment, but also bring attention to an excellent initiative to give hardworking people in developing countries a fair chance www.worldonabike.com
www.wheels-to-africa.org
Working Bikes Cooperative - Up Chicago USA The Working Bikes Cooperative is a not-for-profit organization which removes bicycles from the waste stream in Chicago by repairing them for sale and charity. www.upchicago.com
World Bicycle Relief USA Since 2005, World Bicycle Relief has supplied more than 80,000 bikes to poverty relief and disaster recovery initiatives around the world. WBR was founded in 2005 after the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. www.worldbicyclerelief.org
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Participate online www.worldwidecyclingatlas.com
The “Worldwide Cycling Atlas� website lists the most significant initiatives, organizations and riders around the world. Whether you are part of an organization that promotes cycling in your community, you ride to raise awareness about a certain disease or you just enjoy moving through your day on two wheels, we want to hear from you.
PRODUCED & CURATED BY
www.kerrigans-way.com
www.macrame.tv Creative Direction Fabio Fedrigo, Italy
Copywriting Lucas Daglio, Argentina www.cargocollective.com/ lucasdaglio Wendy Gosselin, U.S.A. www.e-verba.com Web Graphic design Emil Iosipescu, Argentina www.e1000.com.ar
Project Direction Darío Plée, Argentina
Video Edition Pablo Pastor, Argentina www.pablopastor.com.ar
Project Management Lorena Scarpatti, Argentina Matteo de Mayda, Italy
Music J. W. Castaño Montoya, Colombia www.cargocollective.com/jwcm
STORIES Aeolian Ride Marina Rosso, Italy www.marinarosso.com Jessica Findley, U.S.A. www.sonicribbon.com
Web development Flavio Vianello, Italy be.net/flaviovianello
Smarter Than Car Matteo de Mayda, Italy www.matteodemayda.com Robin Chubb, Canada www.bricoleurbanism.org Team Rwanda Chris Saunders, South Africa www.whatwasparadise.com
COLLABORATORS Alessio Romeo, Italy Lorenza Fornasiero, Italy Stacey Niu, China Phoebe Mutetsi, Rwanda Salvador J. Perez, Argentina THANKS TO Kimberly Coats, Shannon Bufton, Liman Zhao, Florian Lorenz, Serk Cycling Company, Mauro Bedoni, SuperUber, Marco Tavino, André Ferreira. PRINT Grafiche Zis S.p.a. www.zis.it
Selle Royal STAFF Roberto Bucci Monica Savio Francesco Belloli Worldwide Cycling Atlas is a Selle Royal Support Cyclists’ Editorial Project.
Selle Royal SpA Via Vittorio Emnuele, 119 36050 Pozzoleone (VI) Italy Ph. +39 0444 461100 Fax +39 0444 462025 mailto:mail@selleroyal.com www.selleroyal.com © 2012 All rights reserved.
Cycling is a mindset, a way to understand life and to live it. It means feeling free to choose whatever you want to do even when you are not. It means being an optimistic spirit, enjoying your beliefs. With this in mind, we in Selle Royal want to pay tribute to all those with the passion for riding. This Worldwide Cycling Atlas map reflects the most significant initiatives, organizations and riders that share our vision of cycling and life.Â