The Life-Sized City Blog

It's not every day you get a legendary environmentalist with a rock star status visiting town, but last week Copenhagenize/Copenhagen Cycle Chic were quite pleased to have hosted David Suzuki, his daughter Sarika and a film crew from the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. [CBC]. David Suzuki, 72, hosts Canada's longest running documentary programme The Nature of Things . He is in Europe filming an hour-long programme on sustainability in Europe and Copenhagen's bike culture will feature prominently. We spent two days cycling around the city, with me leading Suzuki and his daugther, Sarika, on a tour of our bike culture. The goal of the programme, he said, is to highlight how far behind Canada is compared to European countries with regards to sustainability and to encourage Canadians to wake up and smell the renewable energy. Suzuki is a scientist and environmentalist and if you're in Canada, Japan or Australia, you've probably heard of him. When we were down in the tourist...

The City of Copenhagen announced yesterday that 117 intersections throughout the city will be altered so that the stop line for cars and trucks will be pulled back by a minimum of 5 metres. Vechicles turning right and hitting bikes is the most common form of accident for cyclists so Copenhageners can now look forward to increased safety around the city. Here's a photo of the main intersection next to the City Hall Square in Copenhagen, taken from the City Hall tower. Hans Christian Andersen Boulevard and Vesterbrogade. In all haste I coloured the car lanes orange where the new stop lines would be placed. I don't know if this intersection is one of the 117 chosen and I merely guessed at the five metres distance, but it is an interesting indication of how far back the cars will stop from the zebra crossings. There is a truck, coloured red, waiting to turn next to a wide bike lane, which is perfect for this illustration. The idea is that all motorists, but especially tru...

The Danish cargo bike market is a feisty affair. "Ladcykler", as they are called in Danish, are popular and practical. There are so many different brands all competing for the attention of city dwellers who use the bikes for transporting kids, groceries and basically everything else. Nihola , Esimex , Winther , Bellabike , Sorte Jernhest , Triobike , Christiania Bike , Long John , Short John , to name the main players. Above is a photo of the Mercedes of cargo bikes - The Triobike - shiny and black as a mare. In the background, a rare Dutch-made Bakfiets. For some reason, Danes prefer three-wheeled cargo bikes. With the exception of the Long John, you only really see three-wheeled trikes on the bike lanes. Cornering isn't an issue since nobody is out to break land speed records in cargo bikes. The pace is relaxed and casual, so cornering is hardly an issue. Upon closer inspection of the Bakfiets in the background, it is adorned with two hand-made signs. They both read: ...

My mates at Baisikeli borrowed a custom-made bike used in film shoots for possible usage in a Canadian tv-crew that Copenhagenize.com/Copenhagen Cycle Chic are hosting this week. They're doing a documentary on sustainability that includes Copenhagen. I'm trying to get them to film by bike so we'll see what they say to this Buddy Bike. It's a custom-made bike for use in the Danish film and tv industry. One steers the bike and the and the cameraman shoots from the buddy seat, while helping to pedal. He has handlebars, too, but they don't move. They're only for resting on. There is a front rack for gear and the camera can also be placed in the middle of two handlebars for stabilisation or resting. What a cosy ride. This bike is perfect for The Slow Bicycle Movement . We were discussing how it can be used in other ways. Among the ideas were a footbath on the front rack, a bucket of ice filled with beer, etc. Any other good ideas for The Slow Bicycle concept? How co...

Here in Denmark there are currently two debates going on relating to headwear. One is the muslim headscarf and the other is the bicycle helmet. The similarities between the two debates are striking and not a little unsettling. Not least because Denmark is experiencing an unfortuanate wave of helmet promotion that is putting our wonderful, advanced bike culture at risk. The headscarf, like other religious symbols such as the christian cross or the jewish kippah, is worn because of one's faith and beliefs. The individual wears such symbols in subservience to their god and in the sub-conscious hope and belief that this symbol will somehow protect them from evil, danger or what have you. The bicycle helmet is also worn because of a belief that this polystyrene shell will protect the wearer from percieved inherant dangers involved in cycling, including serious head injury or even death. Bumper sticker from International Safety Union for Cyclists As an atheist – which is really ...

So... on the basis of the overwhelming positive response to what was in essence a spontaneous idea... The Slow Bicycle Movement is launched. Herewith and henceforth, and all that, The Slow Bicycle Movement can be found here . Come one, come all. Join the peloton. It's not moving that fast, so you can easily hop into it.