How Cycling Can Save The World

Peter Walker—reporter at the Guardian and curator of its popular bike blog—shows how the future of humanity depends on the bicycle. Car culture has ensnared much of the world—and it's no wonder. Convenience and comfort (as well as some clever lobbying) have made the car the transportation method of choice for generations. But as the world evolves, the high cost of the automobile is made clearer—with its dramatic effects on pollution, the way it cuts people off from their communities, and the alarming rate at which people are injured and killed in crashes. Walker argues that the simplest way to tackle many of these problems at once is with one of humankind's most perfect inventions—the bicycle. In How Cycling Can Save the World, Walker takes readers on a tour of cities like Copenhagen and Utrecht, where everyday cycling has taken root, demonstrating cycling’s proven effect on reducing smog and obesity, and improving quality of life and mental health. Interviews with public figures—such as Janette Sadik-Khan, who led the charge to create more pedestrian- and cyclist- friendly infrastructure in New York City—provide case studies on how it can be done, and prove that you can make a big change with just a few cycling lanes and a paradigm shift. Meticulously researched and incredibly inspiring, How Cycling Can Save the World delivers on its lofty promise and leads readers to the realization that cycling could not only save the world, but have a lasting and positive impact on their own lives.

Peter Walker—reporter at the Guardian and curator of its popular bike blog—shows how the future of humanity depends on the bicycle. Car culture has ensnared much of the world—and it's no wonder. Convenience and comfort (as well as some clever lobbying) have made the car the transportation method of choice for generations. But as the world evolves, the high cost of the automobile is made clearer—with its dramatic effects on pollution, the way it cuts people off from their communities, and the alarming rate at which people are injured and killed in crashes. Walker argues that the simplest way to tackle many of these problems at once is with one of humankind's most perfect inventions—the bicycle. In How Cycling Can Save the World, Walker takes readers on a tour of cities like Copenhagen and Utrecht, where everyday cycling has taken root, demonstrating cycling’s proven effect on reducing smog and obesity, and improving quality of life and mental health. Interviews with public figures—such as Janette Sadik-Khan, who led the charge to create more pedestrian- and cyclist- friendly infrastructure in New York City—provide case studies on how it can be done, and prove that you can make a big change with just a few cycling lanes and a paradigm shift. Meticulously researched and incredibly inspiring, How Cycling Can Save the World delivers on its lofty promise and leads readers to the realization that cycling could not only save the world, but have a lasting and positive impact on their own lives.

The focus of this zine is to argue that increased use of bicycles can positively impact the economy. Specific topics covered include public health, energy, freeway removal, and creating bike-friendly communities.

A revolution on the roads is approaching. Is it time for drivers to Give Way? Guardian news correspondent, Peter Walker, takes us on a journey around the world, exploring the varying attitudes to cycling on our highways. Visit the shining examples of Amsterdam and Copenhagen, where cycling culture is an intrinsic part of the approach of politicians and officials. How have these cities made provision for cyclists and what are the extraordinary benefits? And then take to the less welcoming roads of Britain, USA and Australia, where cycling can still be a terrifying experience. What are the tragic mistakes being made when planning and developing cities, and how do these mistakes lead to aggression towards the cycling community? Millions of us find ourselves frustrated by the motor mentality and fighting for our rights to ride. This brilliant, shocking investigation will prepare you with all you need to know to confidently claim your place on the road.

This fascinating, new book from the world of cycling is a great read for everybody. It covers topics as diverse as teaching very young cyclists to how a cycle culture was revitalized in China. It contains 25 articles detailing good practices coming from many parts of the world - from India to Amsterdam. The articles are written by expert authors with one passion in common û cycling and cyclists. You can discover how the cycle is impacting the lives of millions throughout the world - through integrated green transport systems, through healthy lifestyle choices, as a convenient, safe and cheap method of getting to school or work every day, as a way to increase income through the increased mobility a bike provides. Whatever your background, this great book will inspire and fascinate you as you read about how cycling has already affected so many lives and will affect so many more....a must read for all.

Almost all of you would have been on a bicycle at some point. Sadly, as with most childhood friends with whom we have lost touch, relating to bicycles as an adult can be an awkward challenge. Simply knowing how to ride a bike is not enough. Bicycles have adapted, matured and, for the most part, gotten better with technological developments. Yet we have come across so many unable to relate to this old friend - a machine that admittedly looks like it went through at least two makeovers during the authors' own lifetimes. Other obstacles to developing a new relationship with bikes as an adult can include changes in our own bodies, medical conditions, and mental blocks. This book will address these and other questions and take you a step closer to incorporating cycling in your life. Additionally, it will help you gain a better understanding of design changes in the modern bicycle, and simplify the process of selecting, riding and maintaining your bicycle.We believe that a lot of great things happen out of the comfort zone. This is especially true in sports, where comfort or the lack of it is very tangible, so to speak. When you exercise or exert yourself, the discomfort is very real: muscle soreness, heavy breathing, sweating, and what have you. Luckily, the results you get from persisting with cycling are also very tangible. We tell you all about the great benefits in this book. We were lucky enough to have mustered the escape velocity it takes to move from our couches and get on the saddle, and we hope to pass to the reader some of that escape velocity to break away from the comfort zone!Having been riders and competitors ourselves and having worked in the cycling industry with some of the biggest brands and pro cyclists and interacted with riders of all ages and sizes, we want to give back to the community. Between the two of us, we have been to the largest bike expos, seen the world's most important races, gone on countless glamorous and not so glamorous bike trips, met inspiring and crazy people, and worked our legs and lungs dry - to come out infinitely richer at the end. This book is a tribute from us to the cycling community at large - a very special group of people from whom we learned valuable life lessons. The book is meant as a handbook or reference for the basic questions a beginner might have about cycling and is divided into three main sections: 'Before Buying Your Bike', 'Before Your First Ride' and 'Becoming A Seasoned Rider'. You may be in any of these phases, so dive in wherever you think best suits your current experience and skill level. Then the book dovetails into a sample 50 km training plan that you can tweak to your needs. We close with the recommendations section, where we have curated a list of books and movies that influenced us the most.Last, but not least, the foreword to Escape Velocity is written by a very special young man from the pro cycling world: Victor Campenaerts. Victor is a 27-year-old Belgian pro cyclist. He was the Belgian and European Under-23 road time trial champion in 2013. Since that year, he became the men's time trial champion in the Belgian and European championships twice. On 16 April 2019, at the Aguascalientes Bicentenary Velodrome in Aguascalientes, Mexico, Victor broke the hour record (longest distance cycled in one hour), riding 55.089 km, surpassing Bradley Wiggins' mark of 54.526 km, a record that Wiggins held for nearly 4 years. Hence, at the time of publishing, Victor Campenaerts is the fastest man in the world.

""An investigation of the economic implications of the growth of bicycle transportation in personal health and fitness interests, contemporary social movements, and urban planning practices"--Provided by publisher"--

Are you looking for an exciting way to lose weight, lower your A1C, or reduce your blood pressure? Perhaps, you should consider cycling. In Just Ride, your guide to beginning or continuing a cycling program, Dr. Rita Claxton shows you how cycling can help you improve your health and even reverse disease. You will discover a variety of bikes you can choose from and learn which ones may be suitable for your specific needs and terrain. Dr. Claxton educates you about what to do before you take on bike riding, what to wear for bike riding, and how to tailor your bike riding program to safely achieve the best weight loss results, lower blood sugar levels, and reduce stress and anxiety. In this book, you will find that cycling has a plethora of benefits for both children and adults. Let's ride!

The book Bike City Amsterdam, How Amsterdam became the cycling Capital of the World , by Fred Feddes and Marjolein de Lange, is the first comprehensive inside history of sixty years of successful bicycle activism, policy and culture in Amsterdam. As any visitor knows, the bicycle is omnipresent in the streets of Amsterdam, in the rhythm of its people's lives, and in the city's image. To many outsiders, Amsterdam comes close to being a cyclist's paradise. It wasn't always that way. As in many other cities, bicyclists came under pressure due to the rapid increase of car traffic in the 1960s. It was through a unique combination of grassroots activism and municipal policy, supported by advantageous circumstances and driven by smartness and perseverance, that the bicycle managed to make an astounding comeback. Bike City Amsterdam recounts the story of this long-term transformation of a city that made way for the bicycle, while the bicycle in turn helped make the city liveable again. It highlights the accomplishments of the bicycle city, as well as its setbacks and its counterforces. Its story ranges from the everyday bicycling culture, to policy choices and street design, to the notorious battle for the Rijksmuseum bicycle passageway. Written from the inside, Bike City Amsterdam acknowledges the uniqueness of the Amsterdam bicycle city, but it does so without romanticizing, analyzing its success with a keen eye on all its imperfections. By telling a detailed case history of Amsterdam, it allows its international readers to distinguish the universal lessons from the local specifics, and to draw inspiration from both. Finally, it looks ahead to the next half century in which Amsterdam can contribute to tackling global urban issues as a 'bicycle laboratory'. More information on: https://bikecityamsterdam.nl

Every choice we make in our daily lives has an impact on the environment. As we humans have made our lives more comfortable and convenient, we have also polluted the air, destroyed forests and filled the oceans with waste. The climate is changing too and we are experiencing more natural disasters, such as hurricanes and floods, than ever before. Not only that, there are places on Earth where humans are at war with one another and children are being forced to do unfair work. What will happen if this continues? The Earth may no longer be inhabitable by the time we are adults. So, what can we do about it? In this book, I will share with you my ideas about the actions we can take to make this world a better place.