Slow Bicycle Philosophy from 1892

“As a means of pleasure, cycling stands in the foremost rank, but in common with all the great pleasures, it may easily stand in the foremost in abuse. The desire to ride at an unreasonably high speed may become morbid…The ever lasting scorcher, bent like a hoop, and with sunken cheeks, ought to be quite sufficient warning against this abuse.”
Slow Bicycle Philosophy from 1892.
In the book "How to Bicycle" by L.F. Korns.
Via my mate Carlton over at Quickrelease.tv.

Really now, who wants to be called an everlasting scorcher riding at unreasonably high speed, bent over like a hoop [my mother taught me to sit up straight] and with sunken cheeks? Not me.

Slow Ride in Chicago!

This was posted on the Slow Bicycle Movement's Facebook page, so we thought we'd add it here for good measure.

The Slow Bicycle Society of Chicago [lovin' the name!] is hosting a Slow Ride.
Here's the info:

Bring yourself, your bicycle, your friends and their friends to the Slow Bicycle Society summer ride. We'll meet at Jane's Restaurant, where you can pick up a $10 boxed lunch prepared especially for our group. Select the option of vegetarian or carnivore and you'll get a sandwich, a side and a little something sweet. We'll depart from Jane's at 10:30 a.m. and ride to Lincoln Park, where we'll dine al fresco. Route specifics to follow. See you then!

Date: 11 July 2009
Time: 10:00 - 12:30
Location: Jane's Restaurant - Here's a map.
Street: 1655 W. Cortland (at Paulina)
Town/City: Chicago, IL

Slow Bicycle Race - Copenhagenize.com vs Amsterdamize.com

Copenhagenize.com vs Amsterdamize.com in the world's first Copenhagen Invitational Slow Bicycle Race.

New Orleans, Jazz and Slow Bicycles!

A Slow Bicycle Ride

Last summer saw the inaugural Slow Bicycle Ride here in Copenhagen. A group of people from several countries who, through the bicycle development organisation Baisikeli, went for a relaxing 'slow' through Copenhagen. An hour or so of bicycling and then back to Baisikeli for a little street party in the warm, dreamy Copenhagen summer evening.

There were locals and tourists alike in the bunch and it was a fine kick-off to the Slow Bicycle Movement.


Slow bicycling is a lifestyle in Copenhagen, where 500,000 people cycle each day to work or school. Interestingly, the average speed of this mass of two-wheeled humanity is 15.3 km/h. That's not decided by consensus or by implementation of speed limits. That is simply the organic speed that half a million people settle upon when given the chance.

For more on Copenhagen bicycle culture visit Copenhagenize.com and more a look at the fashionable combination of streetstyle and bicycles visit Copenhagen Cycle Chic.

For Slow Bicycle Merchandise there is always the online shop and everyone is welcome in the Facebook group, which is now rounding 1000 relaxed members.

Slow Christmas

With the inherent stress of the yule season, it's nice to know you can go slow when fetching the family yule tree. Here's yours truly heading home with the kids and the tree on the Long John.

Using a trailer is helpful, too, if the tree is rather tall.

Size doesn't matter, but Slow is important.

Classic Copenhagen transport. His wife and two kids were riding behind him on the bike lane.

Happy Slow New Year

A happy new year to everyone in the Slow Bicycle Movement. The blog is, indeed, slow, but there is loads of action over at the Facebook group. We're quickly approaching 1000 members.

I'll get the results of the voting on the slogan and manifesto up and running quicksmart.

Have a lovely 2009.