"Those who wish to control their own lives and move beyond existence as mere consumers—those people ride a bike." —Wolfgang Sachs
Some time ago we had a little chat about marketing. We talked about how car manufacturers had become experts at selling people the lifestyle, but conveniently gloss over the realities of motoring. However, we also came to the depressing realisation that nobody is really trying to sell us utility cycling, or the benefits of seeing the cycling as a mode of transport. Even the pro cyclists on our screens were selling us cars. Until now that is...
Just a quick note to point out an excellent new resource for those interested in making Cardiff even better than it already is.
I sit here, feeling as though I missed a great party. Having only discovered the magazine fairly recently it feels like those moments when you've binge-watched a TV show only to discover it has been cancelled; or you've exhausted a late author's back catalogue.
In a sea of cycling magazines focused on selling expensive bikes adorned with the latest incremental tweak, to people who already have bikes, Boneshaker was a breath of fresh air.
We're big fans of Cardiff Cycle Workshop. Not only do they give old bicycles a fresh start, they train people to fix their own, or even to fix others.
They recently sat down with Lynsey and Richard from the Seismic podcast to talk about what they do.
Great video here from GCN, which should be required viewing for the men out there. Apparently there is a women's version in the works too.
The folks at Uneven Earth tracked down and re-published this essay from 1973 by André Gorz, a philosopher and journalist. It's as relevant today as it was back then. People rushed to buy cars until, as the working class began to buy them as well, defrauded motorists realized they had been had. They had been... Continue Reading →
It has been a surreal couple of days. Cycling has been thrust into the public consciousness once again, but for a good reason this time. Our man Geraint.
Whilst not strictly about cycling, as users of sustainable transport we have a role to play in making our world a better place. This rather fascinating piece in the New York Times is required reading. Grab a coffee, perhaps utilise your browser's reader feature (because the white text on black is tough on the eyes)... Continue Reading →
To some the idea of spending all day riding your bike and getting paid for it would be a dream come true.
But factor in the low pay, the danger and the weather and it takes a unique bunch of people to stick to a bike messenger job.
At a time when the UK is quietly losing its mind about a bit of snow, a bit of perspective is always helpful.
