In the new issue of 16:9 - a Danish film magazine - there is an article in English called "Towards an Aesthetic of Slow in Contemporary Cinema". Just thought I'd post the link here.
Looks like the voting is done. I'll get onto that slowly.
Cheers, Mikael
28 November 2008
24 September 2008
Vote for the Manifesto! The Results Are In.
The results are in for the manifesto of The Slow Bicycle Movement. Thanks to all the suggestions here on the blog and on the Facebook Group.
There were humourous suggestions, poetic suggestions and practical suggestions. It was a close race really.
7% Please ride the bike you have, in the clothes you like, at the speed you enjoy.
5% If you see something interesting, stop to look at it.
5% Take spontaneous detours.
5% Notice something new about your neighbourhood each day.
5% Ring your bell for fun when travelling through tunnels or under bridges.
5% Ride calm, composed and courteous.
4% Refrain from road rage. When faced with road rage from others, please wave and smile.
4% Name your bicycle.
4% Our bicycles give us the freedom of the city and the keys to the country.
4% Please sigh and smile contentedly at least once a day on your bicycle.
4% Chat to somebody. Anybody. Whether you know them or not.
4% Recommended accessories for the Slow Bicyclist include, but are not limited to, a bell, a back rack, lights, fenders, chainguard and a skirtguard.
4% Hills and/or gradients may be walked.
4% Please enjoy any views you come across at a snail's pace or while stopped.
4% The recommended posture for slow bicycling is upright, straight-backed. Just like your mother taught you.
4% The average speed of cyclists in Copenhagen is 15 km/h. This is the maximum speed for the Movement. Unless going downhill and shouting Wheeeeeee!
3% Any driver you make eye-contact with should receive a conspiratorial wink and a knowing smile.
3% If you break a sweat, you're pedaling too hard... coast!
3% At least once a week riders should be so deep in thought and distracted by meandering that they forget where they are going.
3% Wave at passing trains or boats.
3% Blackberries found growing in the hedgerows must be picked and eaten before the ride can carry on.
3% Membership is contagious. Spread the slow word in low, sultry tones.
3% Yawn at traffic lights.
3% Ensure that some part of the bicycle creaks gently when in motion.
2% Try removing one hand from the handlebars, if you crash, you were going too fast.
2% The freewheel should tick at a rate that suggests it may be possible to count the number of clicks - though one should not be inclined to do so.
1% If you feel yourself going too fast, pedal with one foot for a while.
There were humourous suggestions, poetic suggestions and practical suggestions. It was a close race really.
7% Please ride the bike you have, in the clothes you like, at the speed you enjoy.
5% If you see something interesting, stop to look at it.
5% Take spontaneous detours.
5% Notice something new about your neighbourhood each day.
5% Ring your bell for fun when travelling through tunnels or under bridges.
5% Ride calm, composed and courteous.
4% Refrain from road rage. When faced with road rage from others, please wave and smile.
4% Name your bicycle.
4% Our bicycles give us the freedom of the city and the keys to the country.
4% Please sigh and smile contentedly at least once a day on your bicycle.
4% Chat to somebody. Anybody. Whether you know them or not.
4% Recommended accessories for the Slow Bicyclist include, but are not limited to, a bell, a back rack, lights, fenders, chainguard and a skirtguard.
4% Hills and/or gradients may be walked.
4% Please enjoy any views you come across at a snail's pace or while stopped.
4% The recommended posture for slow bicycling is upright, straight-backed. Just like your mother taught you.
4% The average speed of cyclists in Copenhagen is 15 km/h. This is the maximum speed for the Movement. Unless going downhill and shouting Wheeeeeee!
3% Any driver you make eye-contact with should receive a conspiratorial wink and a knowing smile.
3% If you break a sweat, you're pedaling too hard... coast!
3% At least once a week riders should be so deep in thought and distracted by meandering that they forget where they are going.
3% Wave at passing trains or boats.
3% Blackberries found growing in the hedgerows must be picked and eaten before the ride can carry on.
3% Membership is contagious. Spread the slow word in low, sultry tones.
3% Yawn at traffic lights.
3% Ensure that some part of the bicycle creaks gently when in motion.
2% Try removing one hand from the handlebars, if you crash, you were going too fast.
2% The freewheel should tick at a rate that suggests it may be possible to count the number of clicks - though one should not be inclined to do so.
1% If you feel yourself going too fast, pedal with one foot for a while.
Vote for our Slogan! - The Results Are In.
543 members voted on our slogan and here's the results:
26.52% Style over speed.
18.23% We're getting there. Eventually.
16.21% Life lasts longer if you take your time.
13.44% Choose the journey, not the destination.
12.71% Relax, enjoy yourself. You're on a bicycle, for heaven's sake.
6.81% Patience is a shortcut.
6.08% Transportation not Recreation.
Thanks to everyone who voted. Style Over Speed is, indeed, a cool slogan. I've been using it for a couple of years over at Copenhagen Cycle Chic. In order to give it more of a sloganish feel on this blog I added 'It's' on the graphics at the top of the page. "It's Style Over Speed."
Personally I fancy "We're Getting There - Eventually". It has more of a slogan ring to it.
The Slow Bicycle Movement - We're Getting There... Eventually.
Another proposal popped up after the polls closed.
The Slow Bicycle Movement - Enjoying the Ride.
With all that said, we're not locked into any one slogan. It's not like we need to settle on one because we're about to embark on a multi-million €uro global advertising campaign... :-)
26.52% Style over speed.
18.23% We're getting there. Eventually.
16.21% Life lasts longer if you take your time.
13.44% Choose the journey, not the destination.
12.71% Relax, enjoy yourself. You're on a bicycle, for heaven's sake.
6.81% Patience is a shortcut.
6.08% Transportation not Recreation.
Thanks to everyone who voted. Style Over Speed is, indeed, a cool slogan. I've been using it for a couple of years over at Copenhagen Cycle Chic. In order to give it more of a sloganish feel on this blog I added 'It's' on the graphics at the top of the page. "It's Style Over Speed."
Personally I fancy "We're Getting There - Eventually". It has more of a slogan ring to it.
The Slow Bicycle Movement - We're Getting There... Eventually.
Another proposal popped up after the polls closed.
The Slow Bicycle Movement - Enjoying the Ride.
With all that said, we're not locked into any one slogan. It's not like we need to settle on one because we're about to embark on a multi-million €uro global advertising campaign... :-)
6 August 2008
Community Spirit
What a pleasure to see so many people joined up, both here and on Facebook.
Now that I've muscled my way through the comments and added the post below this one with a looooong list of members, I'm thinking that this really is a community, more than a blog.
What we need are Slow Bicycle Rides all around the world. And we need you all to take photos or videos of them. Let's get this rolling, shall we?
Here's a video from a recent slow bicycle ride here in Copenhagen. A celebration of the bicycle for being the most efficient machine ever created.
Now that I've muscled my way through the comments and added the post below this one with a looooong list of members, I'm thinking that this really is a community, more than a blog.
What we need are Slow Bicycle Rides all around the world. And we need you all to take photos or videos of them. Let's get this rolling, shall we?
Here's a video from a recent slow bicycle ride here in Copenhagen. A celebration of the bicycle for being the most efficient machine ever created.
A Looooong List of Members
A List of Proud and Relaxed Self-Propelled Members of the Slow Bicycle Movement. Took ages to get it written out and cleaned up! Welcome!
Christie - Bloomington, Indiania, USA
"I am a slow bicycle fanatic, although this is a new love; I used to be a "cyclist" e.g. racer, and then I quit riding all together after burning out.
I'm a bike commuter, and one of few in town (although with US gas prices and not very good public transportation, I see more and more out there). And I usually ride in a dress and nice shoes."
Mark - UK
Cycling happily (and slowly) around Sandwich bay every weekday and glad to join in the slow revolution.
Johnathon - Tuscon, Arizona, USA
I rarely ride slow. That said, i'm rarely in a hurry; i just like the feel of the wind! (At 108°/42° wind is a good thing.) And i'm certainly not paying attention to my cadence, pace, heart rate or anything like that...though i do sometimes keep track of cars passed during rush hour traffic.
Also, i've never worn spandex...don't intend to change that. Just riding, everywhere i go, because it feels good. So much better than being stuck in a car surrounded by other antsy, road-raging drivers.
Bibliogrrl - Chicago, USA.
IN! I have 6 gears, but I only use 2. (I used to have more, but I totally got rid of the front derailleur. Who needs it?) Anyway. I'm in Chicago. And this is my ride.
Josè Marìa - slowbiker! - Esquel, Argentina.
Mason - Dallas, Texas, USA.
90% of my trips are by bicycle in one of the most spread out metropoli in the country. I'm a barista at a large health food store. I ride a beat up 1976 Columbia Sports 3 that I bought off the street for $20.
My bike is here. My bikerock band is here.
Amy - Tucson, Arizona, USA.
I ride a Breezer Citizen with three speeds and alternatively a 1974 Schwinn Suburban. My commute is along the Santa Cruz river in Tucson, Arizona. Slow riding allows me to spot hawks, road runners, squirrels, lizzards, spontaneous public art, and, occasionally, interesting fellow humans.
Anne - Seattle, USA
Love it. I'm naturally slow so this is perfect for me. I ride an Xtracycle (it has more than 5 gears but sometimes I need them when I carry kids and stuff) and an Azor Oma (it has 8 gears but I mostly use 3 of them). I usually have 2 kids with me either on the back of my Xtracycle or on their own bikes. We take in the sights, stop and look at butterflies and beetles and in general enjoy the freedom and simplicity of getting around on our bikes.
Robert - Virginia, USA
Sign me up for the movement! Nothing like having a bike you can hop on in whatever you're wearing, and go to the shops, library, etc, and carry it all back home. All the while enjoying the leisurely ride!
Stéphane Brault - Montreal, Canada
Montreal Cykler approuve le Slow Bike Movement. Cycle slow and live the trip. Think Slow!
BB - Georgia, USA
R.J. - Walla Walla, Washington, USA
I'll admit that I have a drawer full of spandex and there's a bit o' carbon fiber on my roadie..but I also moved out my apartment using a large bicycle trailer (bed, cabinets and all!), don't own a car, and find excuses to run errands just so that I can ride my Surly Long Haul Trucker/Xtracycle. I'm starting a ride called "Bicycle Thyme" for our local food co-op, Daily Market. It's a "picnic pace" ride with small farm or eatery destinations.
Kristian - London, UK
Hello Slow Cyclists! My name is Kristian and I'm a slow cyclist from London.
I whole heartedly support the no Spandex rule, and would like to add another suggestion - that no Slow Cyclist ever engage in any form of road rage, and that by responding to any abuse from other road users with a smile and a wave, we'll gradually get our point across!
Alan Preston - Christchurch, New Zealand
Kia ora! I'm pushing slow cycling in Christchurch( and the rest of ) New Zealand.
Bring back the bicycle bell !
Stormfilled - Hertfordshire, UK
Hullo everyone! I'm in Hertfordshire UK, and am proud to be overtaken by every other cyclist on the road. I have a cheap bike with too many gears that I don't understand. There are three on the left and six on the right, which I figure is just being fair to right and left handed cyclists. As a right handed person therefore I have six gears. I have two baskets and a lovely pingy bell. I'm proud to cycle in normal clothes and shoes that don't fall into the sensible category.
Anthony King - Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
Though I personally tend to ride a bit fast on my "slow" bikes(anything with fenders and tires over 25mm wide is perceived to be slow in the US) my prejudice is toward the slow and deliberate over fast and frenzied. I nominate Kundera's novel Slownessas one of our foundational texts.
Disgruntled Commuter/Town Mouse - UK
Hello - I used to be Disgruntled Commuter but I quit my job and moved to the country so now I'm town mouse & I'm definitely a slow cyclist, doggedly cycling to the nearest shop even though it's five miles away and getting overtaken by tractors. I have six gears, and I need them for the hills, but can I also nominate mudguards (fenders) as one of the desirable accessories for a slow bicyclist?
Aubree - Hillman City, Rainier Valley, Seattle, WA, USA
Slowin' down and enjoying the ride more and more.
rcp4 - Central Arizona, USA
Hola from sunny central AZ, USA. My bike is a Giant Suede with 7 gears. My rides are leisurely ones, filled with sightings of: antelope, jack rabbits & cottontails, coyotes, lizards, snakes, tumbleweeds, mountains, big blue sky, etc. We have lots of wind, so gears really help keep you from cycling in reverse!! I think slow cycling is all about being in the moment, losing yourself to smells, sounds, the sensation of wind on your face, the relaxation of the wheels spinning.
Xtiand - UK
Hooray for Slow Cyclists, count me in! I have two bikes a Pedersen, ridden in a slow and genteel manner, and a Raleigh Euro 2000 bike, sit up and beg style. Both have more than 5 gears but I don't use many of them. I'm happy to add the Slow Bike logo on my blog.
Nigel - England
Slow bicycling. It's not about the bike. It's about the view. Time to look. Time to think. Time to socialise with your cycling friends.
Marge - Seattle, USA
Bravo Slow Bicycle Movement. I don't have a web site or blog and my bicyle has more then five speeds. I love to cycle slow and enjoy the ride. I feel bad for the poor cyclist that drive their bicycles to a meeting location and then ride like the devil. what's the point?
Nick - Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
All the cars pass me. Oh yeah, so do all the bikes. Style, not speed, Baby! I am Nick, on a 7 speed with fenders, chain guard, rack, basket, bell, lights, and generator, no speedometer; in the 'Burque. I almost passed a 95 pound weakling on a Schwinn the other day but he hammered down and got away.
Margaret - N.E. Georgia, USA
I'm the ultimate slow rider... I've tried the 24 gear lifestyle, but have never enjoyed it... recently I discovered Copenhagen and the Trek Lime bike which has 3 gears. I'm protesting the gas prices/inefficient lifestyle here in the US. I live in a small town in NE Georgia.
Do you need a theme song? It's a bit nationalistic, but otherwise:
DrMekon - Cambridge UK
Mudguards, lights, chainguard and skirtguard are de rigeur. Unless exceptionally stylish, luggage should not be worn. That's what baskets, bakfiets, panniers or trailers are for. People who hang plastic bags from the handlebars need to see Mr Hembrow after school.
Kyle - Vancouver, Canada
Down with Lycra! My concept helmet for the slow, yet stylish cyclist.
Just Williams - UK
My sort of club. Count me in. Suggest informal local branches, organising slow outings for cyclists.
Tom - Bristol, TN, USA
I confession to make. I ride in tennessee and I sometimes go fast. Its not that I race... heaven forbid! Its just that the HILL brings this manical pleasure when i get to the top and look down the other side. Sometimes I stand up on my pedals and yell WOOO HOOO! Sometimes I ride with no hands for the sheer pleasure. For the most part I just cruise (with some meandering). I find blackberies, ride among the cars, smell road kill, sweat in the humidity, go up, go down, wait at lights, wave to pretty drivers, stop at starbucks, watch deer, get wet when it rains, freeze when its cold, and bum out when drivers yell at me. I'm a commuter. despite my downhill speed- can I join?
Tiago - Paris, France
I’m Tiago. Portuguese, living in Paris for a couple of years. I ride a Flying Pigeon every day, riding it’s one of my biggest pleasures. It’s always fun.
I love vintage bikes and gear. My ride it’s wonderful, it’s a Flying Pigeon from the 50’s (I think!), doesn’t have speeds, but sometimes I go fast… I love the wind…
You can check how lovely my bike is. Happy and proud to take part on this slow bike movement. Just Ride with Unashamed Elegance.
Marta - Poznan, Poland
Hi everyone, I got infected with biking virus whilst living in Madison, WI, USA :o)
I have an old silver Motobecane bought in a thrift store for $25 that is coming on a ship to me, as I just moved here. I don't have a car and I don't ever want one. I ride slowly, especially uphill ;o). I don't know how many gears I have, coz I mostly use one :o)
Lislynn - Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, USA
Oh goody. A new blog to obsess over! I don't even know what kind of bike I have-- yardsale treasure. I'm not sure how many gears it has (never counted), but I do use all of them-- the hills around here are killer. I also have a trailer for my two babies and you can see pics of the whole, very slow-moving rig at my blog.
What the Chuck - Pullman, WA, USA
I'm a bike nut in Pullman, WA. I don't race, but I do longer rides on a comfort race bike. I do all my riding in town (and shopping) on a city bike I brought back from Europe. Some "Suggestions" - You might consider having at least one basket on your bike. If you live in hilly terrain, you shouldn't feel any shame asking your bike shop to put a huge rear cluster on your bike.
Diane
Hi! I'm Diane. I bike to work because it's faster than walking, but not by much. Why go fast - you miss all the scenery!
Aaron - aka 2whls3spds - North Carolina, USA
I am definitely a charter member of TSBM! I hail from the Coastal Plain/Sandhills region of North Carolina, but ride where ever my jobs send me, currently in the N. Charleston, SC area.
Personally I don't think the bike is as important as the attitude. Most of my bikes are internal gears ranging from 2-7 speeds. I have a couple of dérailleur geared bikes for touring or hauling stuff. ALL of my bikes have fenders, most have racks, chain guards are preferred.
Megan - Dallas, USA
I love this concept! I make almost all of my trips around Dallas, TX in jeans and t-shirts on my $25 three speed with the crate zip tied to the rack. My dream is to someday ride (extremely slowly) across the Americas with no agenda.
Old Fool
I have been in the slow movement since before it had a name. I do everything slow and I have a rule. If while doing things slowly three things go wrong then the day is canceled and all tasks will be attempted some other day.
Old Fool suits me and Oldfool.org is my website.
No rules suits me. I ride a 1976 lady's Schwinn with full fenders, rack and 3 baskets. Multi-tasking is a moral weakness.
Tejvan - Oxford, UK
I like to cycle quick, but, sometimes I like to cycle more slowly when touring. When commuting to work on the tow path in Oxford, I'm pretty slow. But, I'm also a time triallist with every aero gadget to try and get that 30mph average :)
Riding Pretty - Berkeley, USA
Greetings. Calling out to the USA! Here in San Francisco... Slow Food Nation-- Aug 29th to Sept 1st. Come stop by. Check out my call out for ‘Slow Rides’ Social Clubs
Here in Berkeley I’ve been into the Slow Movement for some time now. SO proud San Francisco is hosting the Slow Food Nation Event!
Righteous Velo-Metal Broad - San Fernando Valley, USA
Count me in. I almost always ride slowly, or at least at a reasonable pace. I try to give myself a lot of time to run my errands or get to work so I don't stress myself out.
I ride a Raliegh Venture and the gears are quite messed up (never go to that bike shop again). And I ride in the San Fernando Valley, California.
Aaron - Singapore, Singapore.
In the tropical heat, the only way to ride is slow.
Marcia - Wisconsin, USA
So happy to find this blog! I studied abroad in Copenhagen and fell in love with biking around the city. Now back home in Wisconsin and commuting around on an '82 Schwinn Varsity...
I appreciate 'fast' riding as well, but feel that 'slow' and stylish bicycling makes it more accessible to the masses :)
Bob - Honolulu, Hawaii
I'm trying to break back into biking without breaking myself or anything. Like I tell my friends, it may only be a mile to work, but it was a mile I wasn't riding before! :-) Aloha from Honolulu! Bob
David Evans - Somerset, UK
Count me in: I'm David Evans, from Somerset in the United Kingdom. I've given up trying to better my average speed and started wondering who I know that will give me a cup of tea on my route.
I also find that a Brompton is the ideal slow bicycle.
Kate - New Orleans, USA
I'm Kate, I bike everywhere in skirts and heels, and I live in New Orleans. I think task rides are very, very important.
Cori - Copenhagen
Sweeeeeeet. I moved to Copenhagen last September, and I am loving that it is actually possible to bike year round here.
I have a police auction bike here that's totally thrashed, but I love it even more for all that. I've also got a hybrid in Chicago in storage that I hope isn't too lonely without me. So count me in. :)
CeleBlogger - USA
Count me in!
Lisa Kelly - Sydney, Australia
This is for me! Picked up moving slow in Singapore and now riding stress-less by back streets in Sydney. Thanks for the badge, Lisa.
SiouxGeonz - Illinois, USA
Just one more "well, you obviously don't want me in your club" person, even though I'm rather famous for riding slowly. Snobbery is snobbery, ya know... Personally, I'm about *honestly* being relaxed and inclusive, not polarizing.
Nick - The Netherlands
I'd love to join you if I could (I certainly travel at the right sort of speed), but my bikes got - at the last count - 27 gears, even though I only use about 3 of them (OK, 4 when it's windy).
BikeJax - USA
Count me in. We have 70 years of advertising and marketing to overcome here in the States telling us the bike is a toy for our hobbies and recreation pursuits.
The Slow Bicycle Movement is what it take to get joe & jane public thinking of the bike as source of transportation. Thanks for yet another great site.
Tina - Northern California, USA
I'm a lifelong slowpoke so this is perfect for me. Usually I never join anything because it bums me out to always be at the tail end of every new trend ... but if the whole point of the thing is to go slow, then I guess that's all right. I commute 6 miles round trip in rural northern California, usually in a skirt, and always very slowly -- I find so much cool stuff on the road, I don't want to miss anything by zooming along too fast. I have learned to carry just about anything home by bike and so that's my suggestion: if you're going so fast you think you can't handle four cartons of eggs or a 30 lb. bag of dog food, you are not riding slow enough to be considered a "slow cyclist." And I agree that the number of speeds shouldn't matter -- it's not what you ride, it's how you ride: slowly and with intense pleasure!
Beth - Melbourne, Florida, USA
Hi there. I'm Beth, commuting by bike in Melbourne, Fla.
Bought a nice hybrid/city/commuter/whatever with too many gears but good brakes two weeks ago, and have been spending every spare cent on it. The fenders were mounted a few days ago, and I ordered the basket tonight. Even found some pretty silk flowers to go on the basket.
Hooray for pleasure riding, even when commuting! I've not yet made it to riding in a skirt or dress, as I can't figure out how to dismount without flashing the free world. But that will come soon enough.
And I agree with others about not limiting the group based on too many gears or not enough other accessories. In the US, Dutch bikes are far from the norm. Thanks for another excellent blog to check frequently!
Marco - Lausanne, Suisse
Here I am! Marco, from Lausanne. I'm mainly a foot commuter, occasionally transit rider and bike rider. My motto: fun over speed!
Mackenzie - Minneapolis, USA
I'm poky too. I like to bike in whatever I am wearing at that very moment, and lycra/spandex exist only in my fashion tights and undergarments!
Thom - San Diego, USA
Hey, I think I posted a comment on the original post at Copenhagenize, but I'll say it again: the Old Bike Blog is proudly on board and already sports a logo widget (which are two words, said out-loud together, that sound completely ridiculous). We love Slow Bikes!
Smiling Dave - Bristol, UK
As more of a "foxtrot" cyclist ("slow, slow, quick, quick, slow"), maybe I'm not eligible, but I like so much of what this is all about, especially the promotion of courtesy and repsect bewteen different groups of road users. Bristol (UK) must have the angriest car drivers on the planet, probably because we also have the slowest moving traffic in the country.
Surly - Indiana, USA
I'm Surly. I live in NW Indiana, USA. Normal clothes. Handlebar grips above the top tube. Smiles.
Lynne - San Jose, USA
By number of gears and occasional wearing of lycra nicks (it gets hot here and lycra doesn't get as icky as cotton) and occasionally getting excited and getting to 20mph!!!, I don't qualify. By preferring not to hurry, using my bike for pretty much everything (carless) and having a hybrid bike that sits me up, I qualify.
Abhishek - Jacksonville, Florida, USA
The Florida summer is getting crazy humid these days and me riding in full (formal) gear almost begs to ride slow. My ride is only 2.2 miles, so I am not pressed for time either. I live and work in Jacksonville FL. I would like to get my hands on an old dutch bike.
Kristin - San Francisco, USA
Riding slow gives onlookers time to check out how hot you are on your bike, possibly even stop and chat. This happens to me all the time and I love it.
Chris - Hull, Massachussets, USA
I too feel the number of gears is irrelavent. It is not how many gears one has but how one uses them. Handle bar shape is probably more of a determiner than number of gears in ones ability to savour the ride. But then again why concentrate on limiters? Why not accept anyone that understands the concept of the slow movement into the fold regardless of race, creed, color or mechanism?
Shannon - USA
Two suggestions:
1. Name your bike! (bikes are people, too!) My boyfriend's bike is Rusty (because he is) and mine is Molly. Hi y'all!
2. Riding your bike (slow) helps you know how the small things in your neighborhood change and grow: weeds, flowers, front doors, cats hanging out, cows, construction sites, fruit trees, old ladies, gardens, etc.
Tinarama is an old friend and a long-time fellow skirt-bicycler. Check out her blog!
Pedalling Spells - California, USA
Joining the ranks! So happy this exists... I enjoy leisurely rides and a low-car use lifestyle down in southern CA.
Rat Trap Press - Fort Worth, Texas, USA
I've got 9 gears and a huge Wald basket. I've just recently discovered the joys of riding slow.
Rose Campion - Chicago, USA
I'm Rose and I'm a slow cyclist from the near west Chicago suburbs. I ride a single speed. Here's a not very good picture of it.
Lili Torres - Columbia/Miami/Kansas
Oh gosh, ever since i got a new phone with internet on it i check the Cycle Chic Blog religiously haha. Since i couldn't comment the day The Slow Bicycle Movement got a blog and completely spaced out about it, i'm glad i finally get to write in it now.
My name is Lili Torres. I'm from Colombia, live in the suburbs of Miami, and go to college in Kansas.
Normally people around florida don't bike much since the overly excessive highways and heat, but i loved biking, and ever since i moved here for college and got my 1970's raleigh bike i do nothing but cruise around this small college town.
Steph - California, USA
Fun! I'm so happy to see this blog!
Ok, you have met me through Flickr (I'm Young@Art) and know that I only recently have talked about how much I enjoy my bicycle on my blog. But I have a blog, yes, and I'll be musing more often about this because cycling for transportation, not just recreation, is dear to me. I am trying to spread this enthusiasm around me in California, the state in the US with the most cars :( We seem to have plenty of sport cyclists but not as many regular, everyday people like me just getting from point A to point B on bicycle. It's crazy! For that one would have to visit Portland ;)
I am a stay-at-home (so they say) mother with two children, and my husband commutes 30 miles a day in heavy traffic to get to work. We're currently cycling everywhere we can, learning as we go, and (it seems!) inspiring others to do the same (Damon's coworkers are gradually trying harder to commute by bike).
I would like to read articles here on cargo bikes! Currently I'm trying to build a cargo bike for kids and groceries, and find plenty of time during the week to steal away and pub-crawl with my husband. On bike ;)
Jeannie - Chicago, USA
I just got back from the Green City Market with my bike filled with vegetables, fruit, cheese and flowers, I was calling it a SUB, Sport Utility Bike, it is 10+ years old and looks beaten up but it gets me all around the city......I don't wear a helmet because I believe it makes me bike more slowly and carefully....anyways....yeah for Slowbikes!!!
John - Ireland
I have discovered lately that nearly everybody is passing me by on their bikes, it was upsetting at first but now i dont worry about it. I have a Dutch Bike now that i got from Work Cycles since September 07 and I really enjoy it. You can see my Bike on Flicker Norbert Malone is the Nom De Plume I use. I have put your Badge on my New Web Site - Slow Person on a Bike. I mostly Travel at 16 Kilometre Per Hour. I am from Dublin Ireland. I use my Bike for Transportation, and for Transporting Groceries , Timber and anything else. It is a big strong Bike with a Detachable front Carrier. it is an Azor Crossframe Preachers Bike/ Azor Kruisframe Pastoor Fiets.
John - Wichita, Kansas, USA
Wichita, Kansas - Cycling in Wichita.
Jackie Phelan - USA
former speedball is very approving. And proud to have founded a club 20 yrs ago that favored the wobbly, the uncertain and the scared. We were (and are) the WOMBATS. THANK YOU ZACK!!!
Christie - Bloomington, Indiania, USA
"I am a slow bicycle fanatic, although this is a new love; I used to be a "cyclist" e.g. racer, and then I quit riding all together after burning out.
I'm a bike commuter, and one of few in town (although with US gas prices and not very good public transportation, I see more and more out there). And I usually ride in a dress and nice shoes."
Mark - UK
Cycling happily (and slowly) around Sandwich bay every weekday and glad to join in the slow revolution.
Johnathon - Tuscon, Arizona, USA
I rarely ride slow. That said, i'm rarely in a hurry; i just like the feel of the wind! (At 108°/42° wind is a good thing.) And i'm certainly not paying attention to my cadence, pace, heart rate or anything like that...though i do sometimes keep track of cars passed during rush hour traffic.
Also, i've never worn spandex...don't intend to change that. Just riding, everywhere i go, because it feels good. So much better than being stuck in a car surrounded by other antsy, road-raging drivers.
Bibliogrrl - Chicago, USA.
IN! I have 6 gears, but I only use 2. (I used to have more, but I totally got rid of the front derailleur. Who needs it?) Anyway. I'm in Chicago. And this is my ride.
Josè Marìa - slowbiker! - Esquel, Argentina.
Mason - Dallas, Texas, USA.
90% of my trips are by bicycle in one of the most spread out metropoli in the country. I'm a barista at a large health food store. I ride a beat up 1976 Columbia Sports 3 that I bought off the street for $20.
My bike is here. My bikerock band is here.
Amy - Tucson, Arizona, USA.
I ride a Breezer Citizen with three speeds and alternatively a 1974 Schwinn Suburban. My commute is along the Santa Cruz river in Tucson, Arizona. Slow riding allows me to spot hawks, road runners, squirrels, lizzards, spontaneous public art, and, occasionally, interesting fellow humans.
Anne - Seattle, USA
Love it. I'm naturally slow so this is perfect for me. I ride an Xtracycle (it has more than 5 gears but sometimes I need them when I carry kids and stuff) and an Azor Oma (it has 8 gears but I mostly use 3 of them). I usually have 2 kids with me either on the back of my Xtracycle or on their own bikes. We take in the sights, stop and look at butterflies and beetles and in general enjoy the freedom and simplicity of getting around on our bikes.
Robert - Virginia, USA
Sign me up for the movement! Nothing like having a bike you can hop on in whatever you're wearing, and go to the shops, library, etc, and carry it all back home. All the while enjoying the leisurely ride!
Stéphane Brault - Montreal, Canada
Montreal Cykler approuve le Slow Bike Movement. Cycle slow and live the trip. Think Slow!
BB - Georgia, USA
R.J. - Walla Walla, Washington, USA
I'll admit that I have a drawer full of spandex and there's a bit o' carbon fiber on my roadie..but I also moved out my apartment using a large bicycle trailer (bed, cabinets and all!), don't own a car, and find excuses to run errands just so that I can ride my Surly Long Haul Trucker/Xtracycle. I'm starting a ride called "Bicycle Thyme" for our local food co-op, Daily Market. It's a "picnic pace" ride with small farm or eatery destinations.
Kristian - London, UK
Hello Slow Cyclists! My name is Kristian and I'm a slow cyclist from London.
I whole heartedly support the no Spandex rule, and would like to add another suggestion - that no Slow Cyclist ever engage in any form of road rage, and that by responding to any abuse from other road users with a smile and a wave, we'll gradually get our point across!
Alan Preston - Christchurch, New Zealand
Kia ora! I'm pushing slow cycling in Christchurch( and the rest of ) New Zealand.
Bring back the bicycle bell !
Stormfilled - Hertfordshire, UK
Hullo everyone! I'm in Hertfordshire UK, and am proud to be overtaken by every other cyclist on the road. I have a cheap bike with too many gears that I don't understand. There are three on the left and six on the right, which I figure is just being fair to right and left handed cyclists. As a right handed person therefore I have six gears. I have two baskets and a lovely pingy bell. I'm proud to cycle in normal clothes and shoes that don't fall into the sensible category.
Anthony King - Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
Though I personally tend to ride a bit fast on my "slow" bikes(anything with fenders and tires over 25mm wide is perceived to be slow in the US) my prejudice is toward the slow and deliberate over fast and frenzied. I nominate Kundera's novel Slownessas one of our foundational texts.
Disgruntled Commuter/Town Mouse - UK
Hello - I used to be Disgruntled Commuter but I quit my job and moved to the country so now I'm town mouse & I'm definitely a slow cyclist, doggedly cycling to the nearest shop even though it's five miles away and getting overtaken by tractors. I have six gears, and I need them for the hills, but can I also nominate mudguards (fenders) as one of the desirable accessories for a slow bicyclist?
Aubree - Hillman City, Rainier Valley, Seattle, WA, USA
Slowin' down and enjoying the ride more and more.
rcp4 - Central Arizona, USA
Hola from sunny central AZ, USA. My bike is a Giant Suede with 7 gears. My rides are leisurely ones, filled with sightings of: antelope, jack rabbits & cottontails, coyotes, lizards, snakes, tumbleweeds, mountains, big blue sky, etc. We have lots of wind, so gears really help keep you from cycling in reverse!! I think slow cycling is all about being in the moment, losing yourself to smells, sounds, the sensation of wind on your face, the relaxation of the wheels spinning.
Xtiand - UK
Hooray for Slow Cyclists, count me in! I have two bikes a Pedersen, ridden in a slow and genteel manner, and a Raleigh Euro 2000 bike, sit up and beg style. Both have more than 5 gears but I don't use many of them. I'm happy to add the Slow Bike logo on my blog.
Nigel - England
Slow bicycling. It's not about the bike. It's about the view. Time to look. Time to think. Time to socialise with your cycling friends.
Marge - Seattle, USA
Bravo Slow Bicycle Movement. I don't have a web site or blog and my bicyle has more then five speeds. I love to cycle slow and enjoy the ride. I feel bad for the poor cyclist that drive their bicycles to a meeting location and then ride like the devil. what's the point?
Nick - Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
All the cars pass me. Oh yeah, so do all the bikes. Style, not speed, Baby! I am Nick, on a 7 speed with fenders, chain guard, rack, basket, bell, lights, and generator, no speedometer; in the 'Burque. I almost passed a 95 pound weakling on a Schwinn the other day but he hammered down and got away.
Margaret - N.E. Georgia, USA
I'm the ultimate slow rider... I've tried the 24 gear lifestyle, but have never enjoyed it... recently I discovered Copenhagen and the Trek Lime bike which has 3 gears. I'm protesting the gas prices/inefficient lifestyle here in the US. I live in a small town in NE Georgia.
Do you need a theme song? It's a bit nationalistic, but otherwise:
DrMekon - Cambridge UK
Mudguards, lights, chainguard and skirtguard are de rigeur. Unless exceptionally stylish, luggage should not be worn. That's what baskets, bakfiets, panniers or trailers are for. People who hang plastic bags from the handlebars need to see Mr Hembrow after school.
Kyle - Vancouver, Canada
Down with Lycra! My concept helmet for the slow, yet stylish cyclist.
Just Williams - UK
My sort of club. Count me in. Suggest informal local branches, organising slow outings for cyclists.
Tom - Bristol, TN, USA
I confession to make. I ride in tennessee and I sometimes go fast. Its not that I race... heaven forbid! Its just that the HILL brings this manical pleasure when i get to the top and look down the other side. Sometimes I stand up on my pedals and yell WOOO HOOO! Sometimes I ride with no hands for the sheer pleasure. For the most part I just cruise (with some meandering). I find blackberies, ride among the cars, smell road kill, sweat in the humidity, go up, go down, wait at lights, wave to pretty drivers, stop at starbucks, watch deer, get wet when it rains, freeze when its cold, and bum out when drivers yell at me. I'm a commuter. despite my downhill speed- can I join?
Tiago - Paris, France
I’m Tiago. Portuguese, living in Paris for a couple of years. I ride a Flying Pigeon every day, riding it’s one of my biggest pleasures. It’s always fun.
I love vintage bikes and gear. My ride it’s wonderful, it’s a Flying Pigeon from the 50’s (I think!), doesn’t have speeds, but sometimes I go fast… I love the wind…
You can check how lovely my bike is. Happy and proud to take part on this slow bike movement. Just Ride with Unashamed Elegance.
Marta - Poznan, Poland
Hi everyone, I got infected with biking virus whilst living in Madison, WI, USA :o)
I have an old silver Motobecane bought in a thrift store for $25 that is coming on a ship to me, as I just moved here. I don't have a car and I don't ever want one. I ride slowly, especially uphill ;o). I don't know how many gears I have, coz I mostly use one :o)
Lislynn - Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, USA
Oh goody. A new blog to obsess over! I don't even know what kind of bike I have-- yardsale treasure. I'm not sure how many gears it has (never counted), but I do use all of them-- the hills around here are killer. I also have a trailer for my two babies and you can see pics of the whole, very slow-moving rig at my blog.
What the Chuck - Pullman, WA, USA
I'm a bike nut in Pullman, WA. I don't race, but I do longer rides on a comfort race bike. I do all my riding in town (and shopping) on a city bike I brought back from Europe. Some "Suggestions" - You might consider having at least one basket on your bike. If you live in hilly terrain, you shouldn't feel any shame asking your bike shop to put a huge rear cluster on your bike.
Diane
Hi! I'm Diane. I bike to work because it's faster than walking, but not by much. Why go fast - you miss all the scenery!
Aaron - aka 2whls3spds - North Carolina, USA
I am definitely a charter member of TSBM! I hail from the Coastal Plain/Sandhills region of North Carolina, but ride where ever my jobs send me, currently in the N. Charleston, SC area.
Personally I don't think the bike is as important as the attitude. Most of my bikes are internal gears ranging from 2-7 speeds. I have a couple of dérailleur geared bikes for touring or hauling stuff. ALL of my bikes have fenders, most have racks, chain guards are preferred.
Megan - Dallas, USA
I love this concept! I make almost all of my trips around Dallas, TX in jeans and t-shirts on my $25 three speed with the crate zip tied to the rack. My dream is to someday ride (extremely slowly) across the Americas with no agenda.
Old Fool
I have been in the slow movement since before it had a name. I do everything slow and I have a rule. If while doing things slowly three things go wrong then the day is canceled and all tasks will be attempted some other day.
Old Fool suits me and Oldfool.org is my website.
No rules suits me. I ride a 1976 lady's Schwinn with full fenders, rack and 3 baskets. Multi-tasking is a moral weakness.
Tejvan - Oxford, UK
I like to cycle quick, but, sometimes I like to cycle more slowly when touring. When commuting to work on the tow path in Oxford, I'm pretty slow. But, I'm also a time triallist with every aero gadget to try and get that 30mph average :)
Riding Pretty - Berkeley, USA
Greetings. Calling out to the USA! Here in San Francisco... Slow Food Nation-- Aug 29th to Sept 1st. Come stop by. Check out my call out for ‘Slow Rides’ Social Clubs
Here in Berkeley I’ve been into the Slow Movement for some time now. SO proud San Francisco is hosting the Slow Food Nation Event!
Righteous Velo-Metal Broad - San Fernando Valley, USA
Count me in. I almost always ride slowly, or at least at a reasonable pace. I try to give myself a lot of time to run my errands or get to work so I don't stress myself out.
I ride a Raliegh Venture and the gears are quite messed up (never go to that bike shop again). And I ride in the San Fernando Valley, California.
Aaron - Singapore, Singapore.
In the tropical heat, the only way to ride is slow.
Marcia - Wisconsin, USA
So happy to find this blog! I studied abroad in Copenhagen and fell in love with biking around the city. Now back home in Wisconsin and commuting around on an '82 Schwinn Varsity...
I appreciate 'fast' riding as well, but feel that 'slow' and stylish bicycling makes it more accessible to the masses :)
Bob - Honolulu, Hawaii
I'm trying to break back into biking without breaking myself or anything. Like I tell my friends, it may only be a mile to work, but it was a mile I wasn't riding before! :-) Aloha from Honolulu! Bob
David Evans - Somerset, UK
Count me in: I'm David Evans, from Somerset in the United Kingdom. I've given up trying to better my average speed and started wondering who I know that will give me a cup of tea on my route.
I also find that a Brompton is the ideal slow bicycle.
Kate - New Orleans, USA
I'm Kate, I bike everywhere in skirts and heels, and I live in New Orleans. I think task rides are very, very important.
Cori - Copenhagen
Sweeeeeeet. I moved to Copenhagen last September, and I am loving that it is actually possible to bike year round here.
I have a police auction bike here that's totally thrashed, but I love it even more for all that. I've also got a hybrid in Chicago in storage that I hope isn't too lonely without me. So count me in. :)
CeleBlogger - USA
Count me in!
Lisa Kelly - Sydney, Australia
This is for me! Picked up moving slow in Singapore and now riding stress-less by back streets in Sydney. Thanks for the badge, Lisa.
SiouxGeonz - Illinois, USA
Just one more "well, you obviously don't want me in your club" person, even though I'm rather famous for riding slowly. Snobbery is snobbery, ya know... Personally, I'm about *honestly* being relaxed and inclusive, not polarizing.
Nick - The Netherlands
I'd love to join you if I could (I certainly travel at the right sort of speed), but my bikes got - at the last count - 27 gears, even though I only use about 3 of them (OK, 4 when it's windy).
BikeJax - USA
Count me in. We have 70 years of advertising and marketing to overcome here in the States telling us the bike is a toy for our hobbies and recreation pursuits.
The Slow Bicycle Movement is what it take to get joe & jane public thinking of the bike as source of transportation. Thanks for yet another great site.
Tina - Northern California, USA
I'm a lifelong slowpoke so this is perfect for me. Usually I never join anything because it bums me out to always be at the tail end of every new trend ... but if the whole point of the thing is to go slow, then I guess that's all right. I commute 6 miles round trip in rural northern California, usually in a skirt, and always very slowly -- I find so much cool stuff on the road, I don't want to miss anything by zooming along too fast. I have learned to carry just about anything home by bike and so that's my suggestion: if you're going so fast you think you can't handle four cartons of eggs or a 30 lb. bag of dog food, you are not riding slow enough to be considered a "slow cyclist." And I agree that the number of speeds shouldn't matter -- it's not what you ride, it's how you ride: slowly and with intense pleasure!
Beth - Melbourne, Florida, USA
Hi there. I'm Beth, commuting by bike in Melbourne, Fla.
Bought a nice hybrid/city/commuter/whatever with too many gears but good brakes two weeks ago, and have been spending every spare cent on it. The fenders were mounted a few days ago, and I ordered the basket tonight. Even found some pretty silk flowers to go on the basket.
Hooray for pleasure riding, even when commuting! I've not yet made it to riding in a skirt or dress, as I can't figure out how to dismount without flashing the free world. But that will come soon enough.
And I agree with others about not limiting the group based on too many gears or not enough other accessories. In the US, Dutch bikes are far from the norm. Thanks for another excellent blog to check frequently!
Marco - Lausanne, Suisse
Here I am! Marco, from Lausanne. I'm mainly a foot commuter, occasionally transit rider and bike rider. My motto: fun over speed!
Mackenzie - Minneapolis, USA
I'm poky too. I like to bike in whatever I am wearing at that very moment, and lycra/spandex exist only in my fashion tights and undergarments!
Thom - San Diego, USA
Hey, I think I posted a comment on the original post at Copenhagenize, but I'll say it again: the Old Bike Blog is proudly on board and already sports a logo widget (which are two words, said out-loud together, that sound completely ridiculous). We love Slow Bikes!
Smiling Dave - Bristol, UK
As more of a "foxtrot" cyclist ("slow, slow, quick, quick, slow"), maybe I'm not eligible, but I like so much of what this is all about, especially the promotion of courtesy and repsect bewteen different groups of road users. Bristol (UK) must have the angriest car drivers on the planet, probably because we also have the slowest moving traffic in the country.
Surly - Indiana, USA
I'm Surly. I live in NW Indiana, USA. Normal clothes. Handlebar grips above the top tube. Smiles.
Lynne - San Jose, USA
By number of gears and occasional wearing of lycra nicks (it gets hot here and lycra doesn't get as icky as cotton) and occasionally getting excited and getting to 20mph!!!, I don't qualify. By preferring not to hurry, using my bike for pretty much everything (carless) and having a hybrid bike that sits me up, I qualify.
Abhishek - Jacksonville, Florida, USA
The Florida summer is getting crazy humid these days and me riding in full (formal) gear almost begs to ride slow. My ride is only 2.2 miles, so I am not pressed for time either. I live and work in Jacksonville FL. I would like to get my hands on an old dutch bike.
Kristin - San Francisco, USA
Riding slow gives onlookers time to check out how hot you are on your bike, possibly even stop and chat. This happens to me all the time and I love it.
Chris - Hull, Massachussets, USA
I too feel the number of gears is irrelavent. It is not how many gears one has but how one uses them. Handle bar shape is probably more of a determiner than number of gears in ones ability to savour the ride. But then again why concentrate on limiters? Why not accept anyone that understands the concept of the slow movement into the fold regardless of race, creed, color or mechanism?
Shannon - USA
Two suggestions:
1. Name your bike! (bikes are people, too!) My boyfriend's bike is Rusty (because he is) and mine is Molly. Hi y'all!
2. Riding your bike (slow) helps you know how the small things in your neighborhood change and grow: weeds, flowers, front doors, cats hanging out, cows, construction sites, fruit trees, old ladies, gardens, etc.
Tinarama is an old friend and a long-time fellow skirt-bicycler. Check out her blog!
Pedalling Spells - California, USA
Joining the ranks! So happy this exists... I enjoy leisurely rides and a low-car use lifestyle down in southern CA.
Rat Trap Press - Fort Worth, Texas, USA
I've got 9 gears and a huge Wald basket. I've just recently discovered the joys of riding slow.
Rose Campion - Chicago, USA
I'm Rose and I'm a slow cyclist from the near west Chicago suburbs. I ride a single speed. Here's a not very good picture of it.
Lili Torres - Columbia/Miami/Kansas
Oh gosh, ever since i got a new phone with internet on it i check the Cycle Chic Blog religiously haha. Since i couldn't comment the day The Slow Bicycle Movement got a blog and completely spaced out about it, i'm glad i finally get to write in it now.
My name is Lili Torres. I'm from Colombia, live in the suburbs of Miami, and go to college in Kansas.
Normally people around florida don't bike much since the overly excessive highways and heat, but i loved biking, and ever since i moved here for college and got my 1970's raleigh bike i do nothing but cruise around this small college town.
Steph - California, USA
Fun! I'm so happy to see this blog!
Ok, you have met me through Flickr (I'm Young@Art) and know that I only recently have talked about how much I enjoy my bicycle on my blog. But I have a blog, yes, and I'll be musing more often about this because cycling for transportation, not just recreation, is dear to me. I am trying to spread this enthusiasm around me in California, the state in the US with the most cars :( We seem to have plenty of sport cyclists but not as many regular, everyday people like me just getting from point A to point B on bicycle. It's crazy! For that one would have to visit Portland ;)
I am a stay-at-home (so they say) mother with two children, and my husband commutes 30 miles a day in heavy traffic to get to work. We're currently cycling everywhere we can, learning as we go, and (it seems!) inspiring others to do the same (Damon's coworkers are gradually trying harder to commute by bike).
I would like to read articles here on cargo bikes! Currently I'm trying to build a cargo bike for kids and groceries, and find plenty of time during the week to steal away and pub-crawl with my husband. On bike ;)
Jeannie - Chicago, USA
I just got back from the Green City Market with my bike filled with vegetables, fruit, cheese and flowers, I was calling it a SUB, Sport Utility Bike, it is 10+ years old and looks beaten up but it gets me all around the city......I don't wear a helmet because I believe it makes me bike more slowly and carefully....anyways....yeah for Slowbikes!!!
John - Ireland
I have discovered lately that nearly everybody is passing me by on their bikes, it was upsetting at first but now i dont worry about it. I have a Dutch Bike now that i got from Work Cycles since September 07 and I really enjoy it. You can see my Bike on Flicker Norbert Malone is the Nom De Plume I use. I have put your Badge on my New Web Site - Slow Person on a Bike. I mostly Travel at 16 Kilometre Per Hour. I am from Dublin Ireland. I use my Bike for Transportation, and for Transporting Groceries , Timber and anything else. It is a big strong Bike with a Detachable front Carrier. it is an Azor Crossframe Preachers Bike/ Azor Kruisframe Pastoor Fiets.
John - Wichita, Kansas, USA
Wichita, Kansas - Cycling in Wichita.
Jackie Phelan - USA
former speedball is very approving. And proud to have founded a club 20 yrs ago that favored the wobbly, the uncertain and the scared. We were (and are) the WOMBATS. THANK YOU ZACK!!!
30 July 2008
French Inspiration
We're still working on getting the site finetuned! Slowly slowly! Thanks for your patience and to everyone who has 'joined'!
We'll get this rolling soon so soon. I've even been on an unofficial Slow Bicycle Ride here in Copenhagen and have a little film to upload soon so soon.
In the meantime, here's some inspiration from a French-language blog Bike in the City. Chock full of cool drawings about the protagonist, Leah, and her cycling life in Paris. The drawing above is brilliant and perfect for The Slow Bicycle Movement. A little cylcoversion of The Thinker by Rodin.
See you all very soon.
18 July 2008
The Slow Bicycle Film
Still sorting through the proposals and following the exciting discussions. This is all very cool.
We're going to make a list or two of proposals and post them for you to vote on.
12 July 2008
Slowly Back in Town & Facebookishness
So here's me back from the Swedish summer house. What a thrill to see so many comments. Give Marie and I some slow time to read them and to start making lists of members and of suggestions for a manifesto.
In the meantime, the video above is a lovely example of Slow Bicycle, from the streets of Copenhagen.
Oh, and in a moment of concentration I actually started a Facebook group because that's what one must do these day. The group will be even slower than this blog, so stick to the present URL for slow updates. But it'll be nice to see you all in your profile photos and to get an idea of how many members we have.
I'll return casually in a day or so.
Cheers!
1 July 2008
Hello! Call For Members and all that
Hi.
So I figured it was about time that we finally got around to this Slow Bicycle Movement that popped up over at Copenhagenize.com. Not that there's any hurry, of course. Marie and I discussed it the other day and I took my time making this little internetty place that the Slow Bicycle Movement can call home. And, hours after launching it, I'm going on holiday to the summer house in Sweden. Appropriate, really, don't you think.
So. This is the first post. Um... go make a cup of coffee or tea or something.
Okay. Hi. So, I suppose it's official. The Slow Bicycle Movement is launched. Now go and have a beer a glass of wine or something nice.
Okay. Hi.
We figure the Slow Bicycle Movement is all about the journey, not the destination. The destination is, invariably, a fixed geographical point which isn't going anywhere... [okay, sure, the tectonic plates are in constant movement but they are thankfully even slower than us]... so you're going to get there eventually and anyway.
It's about riding your bicycle. To work, to play. Casually, in a relaxed manner. With time to enjoy the self-propelled movement that you and you alone generate. And, of course, to look around and see the landscape - urban or not - that you pass by at your leisurely pace.
It's time to take cycling back and place it firmly in the category "normal way to get to work, to the shops, to the cinema". Indeed, "normal things to do". This is for those who enjoy the ride. There are a kabillion websites/forums/blogs out there for those who enjoying riding fast/competetively [couldn't be bothered spelling that right]/in lycra and gear/what have you. THIS is OUR place.
Listen. What we need to do is twofold. We being Marie and I and all of you out there.
Let's get a list of members going. Write a comment and state your name and, if you have one, your blog/website. And add a graphic to your blog/website so we know you mean it and are proud about it. When I get back from hols, we'll post them on the right columny thing. The blogs/website links, I mean. We'll make a post with a running list of members.
Summa summarum:
Name/Location/Blog or Website [if applicable]
Okay... now we need to pen our Ten Suggestions. We're not going to go around Commanding anyone. We'll settle on Suggesting. What could these Ten Suggestions be?
Write a comment with your suggestions.
They should be bicycle related, of course. Nothing too broad. We don't want to step on the Slow Fish Movements toes.
I have a couple off the top of my head.
- Maximum five gears.
- Maximum 15 km/t [the average speed for cyclists in Copenhagen] unless flying down a hill... wheeee!
- Regular clothes.
We can vote on the best ones.
Capice?
Enough for now. These inaugural posts are exhausting. Besides, I'm going on holiday tomorrow, so I have to pack. Marie just got home from two months in Malaysia, so she's catching up with friends.
See you next week and let's get those comments rolling. Slowly.
Here's some badges for your blog or website if you have one. They're a bit updated compared to the first mention of the Movement on Copenhagenize.comOh, and we have merchandising!
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