Just in on the slow moving radar... another fine and proud offshoot of the Slow Bicyle Movement worth a mention.
SALSA - Slow & Low San Antonio!
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5 comments:
yer movin kinda slow. better post some more. I like the idea!
Do you have a hi-res photo of teenagers slow bike racing? I received a request from an educational publisher in search of such a photo. Anyone know where she might find one that can be published in a book for 7-11 year olds in August 2010? Email slowbicyclesociety@gmail.com for details.
slow bicycling
Like slow cooking, slow bicycling might be coming into its own. Just as the classic bicycles, like the Dutch bikes are popping up everywhere, you now see more people cycling at a leisurely pace, sans spandex and colorful cycle jerseys.
Form follows function. The upright position of the cruiser, the city bikes, and the classic bikes don't lend themselves to the aerodynamic, forward leaning racing position. These bicycles can have similar gearing as the road bikes, and can be almost as light, but their design is more comfort and practical based. They sport fenders, baskets, bells, wider, more comfortable seats, fatter tires, and, as mentioned, are more upright. As such, one tends to focus less on speed, and more on just getting comfortably from A to B, or being able to pick up groceries using your bike, or riding with the kids to school.
One might say these bikes are a reflection of the aging Baby Boomer generation; could be! Whatever the reason, it's happening. And, as it happens, it is my hope we get a wider diversity of people taking up cycling; not just as recreation, but as part of what Todd Lipman, Director of the Victoria Transport Institute, refers to as Active Transportation. What he is talking about is becoming less car-centric, and using human power and public transportation as our preferred mode of transportation.
This doesn't mean we have to abandon the car, nor does it mean we should approach traveling by bicycle, or walking, with a hair shirt attitude;of saving the planet. It simply means opening ourselves up to the possibility of getting places in a more leisurely, healthier, and less stressful manner.
It's one thing to watch the great videos on Youtube of people in the Netherlands and other places cycling and walking on wide sidewalks and protected bike lanes. It's quite another thing to have watched an elderly woman gliding along a busy street in Rome with cars, motor scooters and taxis whizzing by. As I watched this woman wending her way down the shoulder of the boulevard I was amazed at the grace of her motion, almost floating along, and how the motorized vehicles gave her wide birth in spite of their erratic maneuvering. The frenetic motion of the cars, scooters, and taxis, were in sharp contrast to the measured motion of the cyclist. It doesn't take a genius to figure out which mode of transportation is healthier for the mind and body!
Of course the nay sayer will say this is all silly and idealistic because we live in Vermont which is cold and rural. True enough. And many of these same nay sayers will drive to the nearest ski slope and suffer the cold for a glorious day on the slopes, spending a goodly sum on a season pass and a small fortune for equipment. Or the snow mobiller who will spend a small fortune for their machine and recreation. Yes, it's cold in Vermont and we are rural, but that doesn't mean we can't take a fresh look at how we get around.
Phil
Burlington , VT
Good post Phil. Do you mind if I use it as a guest post on my blog? Say hi to the folks at The Alpine Shop in So. Burlington for me.
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