What is it about the bike?

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Published by Harriet Phipps

Sunday, October 9th, 2016

The 2016 Cycling and Society Conference here at Cemore has been inspiring. Thank you Cosmin, Katerina and Denis!

One of the things that has me thinking is the relationship between technologies of mobility, power, the good society and utopian momentum. The question ‘What is it about the bike?’ raised a number of really interesting responses. Here’s a list from my notes:

Autonomy
Lets you see hidden bits of the city
Pain
Rhythm
Simplicity with a history of simplicity
Balance
Exposure
Inclusive
Becomes part of you
Almost human
Touched by you
Independence
Eccentricity
Freedom
A wider roaming range
Mundane
Out of synch with the momentum of automobility
Authenticity
Affording the joy of flow
Continuous movement
Playful, associate with childhood
Risky
Zen-like self-abnegation
Challenges hegemonic things
Fixed gear means you’ve got to keep moving
Skill
Un-gendering
The histories of all these things

If you think of things to add, tweet @mbuscher #aboutthebike

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54°00’16″N 2°47’15″W

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Visiting Researcher post: Elisa Mozzelin came to Cemore in June 2024, to work on her doctoral research in Political Philosophy focusing on walking.