Make Biking Cool (Again)!

What It Covers

Reporter Kendra Pierre-Louis examines how car-centric propaganda displaced bicycles from American culture, explores the historical dominance of cycling before 1950, and presents evidence that biking offers accessible, joyful, climate-friendly transportation for diverse populations.

Key Questions Answered

• •Historical infrastructure shift: Wealthy cycling clubs lobbied for paved roads in the early 1900s, then abandoned bikes for cars and redirected their political capital toward automobile infrastructure, leading to the 1956 Interstate Highway System that banned bikes on many roads.
• •Transportation emissions reduction: Over 50% of US car trips are under six miles one-way, roughly 30 minutes by bike. Replacing these short car trips with cycling significantly reduces the 25% of greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, including emissions from EV manufacturing.
• •Dutch bicycle design advantages: Upright Dutch-style bikes with swept-back handlebars, fenders, chain guards, lights, kickstands, and cargo racks enable comfortable commuting without spandex or helmets. The upright position prevents forward falls and allows conversation while riding, making cycling practical for groceries and transporting children.
• •Disability accessibility expansion: Cycling provides mobility for people who cannot drive due to vision impairments, intellectual disabilities, or physical conditions. Adaptive bikes including tandems, recumbent bikes, trikes, hand cycles, and electric-assist models offer transportation independence where public transit is inadequate.