A Quiet Velorution is Taking Place
Covering Interbike 2007, the largest bicycle trade show in North America, Wired magazine notices an emerging trend:
Some people believe that, right now, a quiet revolution is taking place. In cities like London, San Francisco, Boston and New York, the ranks of bicycle riders are swelling with the rise of a new breed: the urban biker.
Traffic snarls, soaring gas prices and worries about global warming have prompted a big boost in cycling, affecting even places like Los Angeles -- America's freeway capital -- that have traditionally given bicycles the cold shoulder.
"What's really happened in the past year is a cultural shift," says Monica Howe, 31-year-old outreach coordinator for the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition.
At Interbike 2007, the bicycle industry's giant annual trade show, the shift toward the urban rider is loudly evident. Fancy road and mountain bikes are clearly no longer king of the roost -- or road. It's the scads of fixed-gear, town, single-speed and other urban bicycles that are drawing the crowds.
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog New York City
What to Say When Someone Claims ‘No One Bikes or Walks in Bad Weather’
Yes, sustainable modes are more vulnerable to bad weather. But that's why we should invest more in them — not less.
NYC Transit’s New Operations Chief Wants To Fight ‘Ghost Buses’
One-time transit advocate and current MTA Paratransit VP Chris Pangilinan will oversee bus and subway operations for the whole city.
Friday’s Headlines: Gimme Bus Shelter Edition
The days of the Landmarks Preservation Commission reviewing every proposed bus shelter in landmarked districts may be no more. Plus more news.
Deal Reached: Hochul Says ‘Sammy’s Law’ Will Pass
The bill, though imperfect, has been four years in the making.
Komanoff: A ‘Noise Tax’ Can Ground NYC Helicopters
A proposed $400 “noise tax” on “nonessential” flights is a start — and it will work.
