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World Bicycle day

The World Bicycle day was on 19^th of April from 1985 to 2018. In April 2018, the United Nations changed the day to 3^rd of June thanks to the support of 57 countries. Leszek Sibilski directed the international campaign and associations such as the World Cycling Alliance and the European Cyclist Federation which encouraged it. But why did the World Bicycle day was initially declared on 19^th April?

Albert Hofmann, the Swiss chemical, was the origin of it. He was the first person who synthesized, ingested and experimented the effects of LSD in 1943. At first, he ingested it in a casual way. Next, he carried out an aware LSD ingestion three days after. As a result, he experienced a more powerful trip than the easy return journey home by bike. He simply went crazy!

Going a step further, bicycles have improved the gender equality. For instance, it allowed women to travel by themselves without the need of any man. According to the suffragette Elizabeth Cady Staton, bicycle is a tool that motivates women to gain strength and assume an increasing role in society. Moreover, the suffragette Susan B. Anthony believed bikes as the most important to emancipate women in the world. However, it is not now just plain sailing.

When women started pedaling, it was said that bikes produced a rare illness called ”bicycle face”. The stupid diagnosis was invented by several doctors in a mixture of ignorance and machismo at that time. Indeed, they feared pedaling would cause women fertility lost, female tuberculosis or even an increment in women libido (this was dangerous in single women, what a nonsense).

Fortunately, these ideas disappeared and we enjoy biking no matter your gender nowadays.

Soldiers and bicycles

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If a person thinks about the Overlord operation in the Second World War, he probably imagines soldiers, ships, tanks, guns and so on. Very rarely would he come across bikes on battlefields, and they were indeed because armies have been using the most advanced technologies close at hand in modern wars.

Britain paratroopers landed with folding bikes beyond Germany lines in the D day. They weighted about ten and a half kilograms plus guns, military uniforms and additional equipment. Imagine how strong they were. The Airborne Folding Paratrooper Bicycle was the chosen bike model to produce sixty thousand of these bikes between 1942 and 1945. They participated at least in the D day and in the Arnhem battles, and were used by British and Canadian soldiers.

Why did they used bicycles in such important days? Bikes are ideal vehicles to cover large distances without being identified. Thus, they contributed to win these battles. In some occasions, bicycles were abandoned in the middle of nowhere when soldiers considered them nuisances. Once paratroopers landed, special bike supports allowed guns to be attached and even fired in seconds.

The Canadian 9^th Brigade Infantry landed directly riding bikes. Canadian soldiers had successfully used them in the Sicily invasion in 1943. Indeed, British and Canadian soldiers were not the only armies that used bikes in the Second World War. Japanese servicemen advanced long distances in Malaysia with heavy loads thank to bicycles in 1942. German soldiers used them in Poland back in 1939. However, nazi soldiers bound bikes with ropes to motor vehicles in order to tow them without making effort.

All in all, the Normandy invasion was the operation in which bicycles were used in a massive scale. A lot of these bikes were abandoned in battlefields in France and Norway, and you can find them in museums and private collections.

Bike bells

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Bike bells were originally thought to prevent crashes with other actors in streets or roads. Moreover, you can heard the sound it produces when a biker says hello to a friend or relative without opening her mouth, or just when she wants to attract attention on whatever subject. In most cases, bikers use the traditional bike bell which consists on clinking a piece of metal or plastic and produces sound on an additional piece of metal.

A different version of bells is done when the biker pushes a small lever that activates the internal mechanism to produce the same target, but an easily appreciated, distinct, prolonged sound.

The above mentioned models have been used for ages and there is at least one more bike bell type. It consists in using the power of compressed air as a source to produce a more powerful sound. Some models overcome the impressive figure of 100 dB. Such compressed air can be provided by specific compressed air bottles or some models even allow you to produce it by using your bicycle pump. What is more, a biker can refill the compressed air bottle and thus protecting the environment. This last type of bike bells are quite more expensive than the traditional ones, but on the long run it can save money. Furthermore, the louder sound that it produces can be used to take advantage on other issues such as taking your noisy neighbor to task or alerting somebody, for instance whose bicycle is being stolen.

Rail trail

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In previous centuries, rails were used as a way to democratize transport of most people to long distances. This is specially true in the rural Spain. As a result, long infrastructures crossing forests and mountains were built. This intelligent idea lasted for decades, but ultimately the bad economic situation provoked a massive migration from villages to cities. Some stretches of railroad stopped being use and lack of support made the rest. Alternatively, the rise of alternative ways of transport, mainly the car, reduced the use of rails.

Under so dismal situation and thanks to open-minded people, these infrastructures which are the backbone of large rural areas have became a good boost to promote cycle tourism. Some EuroVelo are indeed rail trails. Of course, they set up them since some were deteriorated as time went by. There is an additional point which makes it possible: only bicycles and pedestrians are allowed to enjoy them, giving them extra safety. Moreover, the spectacular landscapes, the suitability of curves plotting, the environment, forests, mountains or even cheering, happy people you meet in rail trails constitute all points in favor.

At the time I am writing this post, you can find the sections Where to go, What to do, Plan your trip, Calendar of events and Travel safe with a lot of information in the Green Paths webpage.

There are also rail trails at least in Bermuda, Canada, US, Germany, UK, Ireland, Belgium, Finland, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. Thousands of kilometers are waiting for you and your bike.

Conbici

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Conbici (https://conbici.org, in Spanish) is the Spanish coordinator in defense of bicycles. It gathers 65 Spanish associations and groups, and promotes the use of bikes in a day-to-day basis, no matter how the biker genre or age is. Moreover, Conbici works in order to promote positive legislation to protect everybody, including bikers and pedestrians, who are the weakest actors in streets. Local groups focus on their cities as it comes to urban biking and it has work groups in legislation, mobility, training, health and cycle tourism.

Conbici was born in 1990 and has contributed to the bike movement. It organizes the Iberian Congress “Bicycle and city” together with Portugal since 1996 and promotes the Cycle tourism and urban bikers meetings in Spain or Portugal every two years. Furthermore, it is a member of the Technician Scientific Committee in the European Mobility Week, participates in the Higher Traffic and Circulation Council, work group 44, representing the bikers collective, sits on the European Cyclists’ Federation, became a founder member of the National Bicycle Table and writes and spreads national and international summaries about politics examples which foster bike use as well as sustainability. In addition, Conbici promotes the intermodality of bike plus public transport. What is more, in the Conbici webpage you can read recommendations about how to move on bikes at both, cities and cycle tourism.

One of the key points Conbici has is the wide profile of collaborators. Indeed, it counts with professional people in fields such as urban planning, infrastructures, economy, tourism, legislation, health, education, you name it. This fact makes it possible that Conbici contributes with ideas on a variety of subjects, just like this blog.

As it comes to internal affairs, the General Assembly of Conbici meets to decide the necessary decisions on the addressed issues by consensus twice a year. The General Coordination Council and the Permanent Office are in charge of management.

European Cyclists’ Federation

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European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) was born in 1983 with one target: To promote cycling as a sustainable and healthy means of transportation and recreation. They believe their roots are in Europe, but the challenge is worldwide since bicycle is the solution to many world woes. It is partially, financially supported by the LIFE Programme of the European Union.

This European federation determined the following goals:

Raise the status of cycling
Encourage consideration of cyclists’ needs
Support member groups
Undertake scientist research
Enhance information and advice regarding bikes and more
Promote the exchange of information and expertise
Provide information and expertise

They work in several domains such as new technologies, economy, policy, tourism, EU cycling strategy, global policies, health, environment, parking, road safety, urban mobility or EuroVelo. Moreover, they participate in European projects to promote biking.

Scientific research is offered by free to whoever need it. Scientists for Cycling is composed by a global network of academics and individuals actively engaged in applied research, teaching and dissemination from all disciplines interested in cycling or cycling-related topics.

Although there are not all European countries members, some of their members are not European, though is does not matter because bicycle is worldwide.

How does it place in the European bike movement? Imagine a bike group or bike association in Valencia, Spain. Then, there is the Spanish association (federation) Conbici with the Valencian bike group under it. And finally, ECF acts as an umbrella with Conbici and much more bicycle groups to improve bike movement.

EuroVelo

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Imagine bike lines to ride throughout European countries, from north to south, from east to west. This awesome idea is EuroVelo. EuroVelo improves European cycle tourism among countries. Indeed, one can cycle from one point to another just enjoying the landscape and cities you encounter in your path. EuroVelo is a project of the European Cyclist’ Federation. When completed, the EuroVelo network’s total length will almost be 90,000 km (55,923 mi). The routes are made of both existing national bike routes as well as existing general purpose roads. In addition, there are new stretches of cycle routes to connect them.

EuroVelo routes do not look for fast cycling, rather they are appropriate for relaxing pedaling while imbuing with the essence of the places you visit. All the routes are appropriate to bikes, but you should be prepared in case of bad weather. Moreover, you can book routes in the EuroVelo web with important information such as route duration, difficulty, elevation, tour type or suitable types of bicycles.

There are nineteen international routes in EuroVelo: Atlantic Coast route, Capitals route, Pilgrims route, Central Europe route, Via Romea (Francigena), Atlantic-Black sea route, Sun route, Mediterranean route, Baltic – Adriatic route, Baltic sea cycle route, East Europe route, North sea Cycle route, Iron Curtain Trail route, Waters of Central Europe route, Rhine cycle route, Rhone cycle route and Meuse cycle route. Each and every route offers bikers a myriad of possibilities to know new cultures, cuisine, monuments, nature, people, museums, castles, you name it. Just get inspired.

Rosario Pino

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Rosario Pino (1870-1933) was a bike pioneer in Spain at the end of the 19^th century. She worked as actress and first appeared in a painting in the magazine El deporte velocipédico (The Velocipede Sport, a velocipede was a type of 19^th-bicycle) in February 1896. At that time, bicycles were expensive devices that only high-class people, mainly men, could afford it.

Her image represented a terrible blow to the macho and patriarchal mentality since they claimed against women in trousers on infernal machines. The very same magazine published where Rosario appeared also showed a journal article in which the French doctor Lèon Petit explained a positive view of women riding bikes. For instance, he denied the absurd legends of relating women infertility, hirsutism and lack of sexual desire to bicycle. To the contrary, he approved women on bikes in order for them to enjoy a healthy life which in turn will contribute to bring more babies to the world.

The provocative picture of Rosario Pino boosted the Spanish women to use bicycles and is considered part of the fight for female civil rights. In fact, Susan B. Anthony, the American Suffragist Association president, affirmed “I think [the bicycle] has done more to emancipate women than any one thing in the world. I rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a bike. It gives her a feeling of self-reliance and independence the moment she takes her seat; and away she goes, the picture of untrammelled womanhood”. Bicycles are symbols of equality because if men could make bike rides, women also could. For example, Marthe Hesse ascended the mythic Tourmalet mountain, France, without setting foot on the ground in 1902. Moreover, there were female bike competitions in Buffalo, Paris, Aix-les-Bains (France), Manchester (England) or Glasgow (Scotland). Female racers used the bloomers trousers, by Amelia Bloomer. In Spain, the first female bike race took place in 1935. The Ventas Cyclist Club organized the 22 kilometers race and Angelita Torres won it.
However, Rosario Pino rode in a relaxing way to go to wherever she wanted without the help of a man. She rode to the end of her days.

From the financial assistance to the bike movement in order to promote biking

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When we were in the worst state of pandemic, some governments gave financial assistance to citizens to buy environmentally friendly ways of transport, mainly bicycles. Bikes allow private, mostly individual displacements while maintaining safety distance with other actors in the road, two good points in favor of fighting against Covid19 as we know. Another area covered by this money was the transformation of a conventional bike into an electric one. This point has sense specially in hilly or too extensive zones. And data showed a boom in the use of bikes in the next months.

A different impact of such an action could have been an increment in the cost of bikes. Since people have more money to spend, bicycles could cost more. This is an immoral approach because the financial assistance did not cover all the petitioners, thus many could have been expelled from the interesting assistance. I do not even like to think about what could have happened if a piece of news explained that the bike shop X or the bike manufacturer Y had increased the cost of bikes in these days. Surely, the branch would have need to invest substantially more money than the extra gained income as a result of the bike movement which only wants to populate roads with bicycles. Regarding its influence, the bike movement has made possible happier people, taking care of the planet or, indirectly, looking after bikers health. Concrete events like the Critical Mass, the European Mobility Week or the Iberian Congress, just to name but a few, have contributed to promote the bike use.

More and more people ride their bike every year. Thank you!

Blind cyclers

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Suffering a vision impairment or becoming blind can change your live. Your plans and future projects can be disrupted, but new doors can be opened. Blind cyclers are not allowed to drive a car or a motorbike because of security purposes. However, they can continue practicing cycling with the help of a driver. Such a person comprises a key point in promoting biking thanks to their big heart.

Blindness has not stopped brave women and men to compete and win medals in Paralympic games. In such cases drivers are essential for them. Thanks to their solidarity and good hearts, tandems ride without envying not-blinded bikers. They act as their eyes, guiding them throughout the race track under a previously agreed, specific language so that the impeded person knows what to do all the time, if they need to turn to right or left, the soil they ride on and so on.

Such a challenged purpose requires drivers to be sportspersons, better if they are previously riders, if the partner wants to compete. A lot of visually impeded persons claim that practicing a sport is a fundamental tool to feel integration in society, even if it constitutes an important effort.

You know, experiencing a vision impairment is a shock at the beginning, but once the period of mourning is passed, bike gives a lot of fun and pleasure.