The Life-Sized City Blog

Copenhagen. 1932. Thanks to @laxbikeguy (James) on Twitter for the link. "Cyclists in hundreds - thousands (millions it seemed to our cameraman!) throng the City of Copenhagen." Wild how there was only 12 views on this film when I clicked on the link from James. Feels like archeology. :-) Here is Copenhagen in 1937. When I found this in 2011 there were only a dozen views or so. Glad it got out to a wider audience. Copenhagen in the 1950s. Copenhagen in 1923.

I found this letter regarding the founding of a new cyclist organisation in the City of Copenhagen's archives. I love the name of the association. The Cycle Track Association. The association, it says on the letter, was founded on 18 May, 1897 . "At a public cyclist meeting on the 18th of this month it was agreed to form an association with the name The Cycle Track Association (Cykelstiforeningen). The goal of the association being lobbying for better conditions for road cycling in Copenhagen and surrounding area. The association will also work towards establishing cycle tracks, especially along Strandvejen (the coast road north of Copenhagen). It is also under consideration to establish, for use only by members, air pumps and repair equipment along the roads in the vicinity of Copenhagen." The fee was anything you like, as long as it was at least 2 kroner. So don't go thinking this quest for safe infrastructure for Citizen Cyclists in our cities is some n...

Here's a travel film from Copenhagen in 1937. The first third and the last third are all about our bicycle culture. What's interesting to note is that in the 1960's and 1970's, car culture was killing off cycling in the city and it was first really in the early to mid 70's that we started giving it a heart massage to get it back up to speed. We've never achieved these levels since, though. But we're working on it. Regarding the film, there's a bit of outdated speak that rings quite racist in our modern ears. The speaker mentions also that there is one bicycle for every three citizens. These days there it is 1:1 and then some. After the first couple of minutes there is a section about Copenhagen and Denmark in general and then we return to "a demonstration of bicycle traffic that is unparalled in any of the world's great cities." It starts at about 6 minutes in. Beautiful footage and watch for the sofa being transported on a cargo bike!