Category Archives: Reviews

Motordom and the Mohawk Trail

Relentless promotion, political and business manipulation by “motordom” (follow the money…) have been held largely responsible for the triumph of motoring in  the USA in the early 20th Century. Peter Norton’s book Fighting Traffic is the best-known work making this … Continue reading

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A review of the film Bikes vs. Cars

I knew I’d have a problem with the film just based on the the title. There can be animosity between people on bikes and in cars, but bikes and cars are machines, which have no feelings and generally don’t get … Continue reading

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About Grant Petersen’s book, Just Ride

This post is a review of Grant Petersen’s book Just Ride, partly in response to a New York Times review. The basic premise of Petersen’s book is that racing culture is bad for bicycling. My main goal with this book … Continue reading

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Some Commie Kitsch

This bright red shirt — with a design like a poster in “Soviet Realism” style, a mock Soviet propaganda message, “Ride Your Bike for the People!” in fake Cyrillic type, and a portrait of Vladimir Lenin himself — was a … Continue reading

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Review of Pedaling Revolution: How Cyclists are Changing American Cities by Jeff Mapes

Review of Pedaling Revolution: How cyclists are Changing American Cities by Jeff Mapes I bought my copy of this book at the 2009 National Bicycle Summit, a conference and lobbying event organized by the League of American Bicyclists. Jeff Mapes … Continue reading

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Classic bicycling instructional film now online

The classic instructional film Bicycling Safely on the Road is now online, thanks to League of American bicyclists instructors Martin Pion and Dan Carrigan. The film is 25 minutes long. Dan has asked me to compose this announcement, as I … Continue reading

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Street Traffic Regulations: classic book online

My friend Bob Shanteau writes: Another reason scofflaws give [to justify their behavior] is that traffic laws are intended only for motorists, reflecting a total ignorance of the origins of those laws. Google has made the 1909 book “Street Traffic … Continue reading

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Alleycat racers

A British cyclist who goes by the online name gaz545 on YouTube has posted a version of one of Lucas Brunelle’s “alleycat race” videos, with voice-over commentary. Bravo gaz545! Lucas Brunelle is, or was, a bicycle courier, but he distinguishes … Continue reading

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Safety in numbers: if and when so, why?

I write here in response to an online article in the Grist blog, which addresses the concept of “safety in numbers” among cyclists and pedestrians. As is all too common, the article takes this phenomenon for granted, and ascribes it … Continue reading

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Review of The Birth of Dirt

Review of The Birth of Dirt By Frank J. Berto I’ve just read Frank Berto’s book The Birth of Dirt (second edition), about the origins of the mountain bike. It’s a quick, fun read, and offers quite a thorough review … Continue reading

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