The Life-Sized City Blog

Steve from Bristol sent us an amusing email stemming from the recent Every Time a Bicycle is Stolen a Fairy Dies post . As he puts it, Every Time You Buy Lycra, a Polar Bear Dies. He explains: "It's worth noting that since 2004, Lycra and coolmax fabrics have been owned by Koch Industries . The brothers who own most of this company don't believe in global warming - and also think if it is true, it could be good for the planet. Ironically, they are one of the top 10 air polluters in the US, according to a report from last year by the University of Massachusetts at Amherst’s Political Economy Research Institute. Here's an article about the brothers from NPR . And here's an article about the brothers and their support of right-wing causes, including the bit about air pollution from The New Yorker . The conclusion is: if you own old Lycra or Coolmax you are untainted. If, however, you bought stuff after 2004 then you fund Sarah Palin and other mad people,...

Unless you've been living in a shoebox (or Prague) for the past three or so years you've probably noticed that cycling levels have been rising in cities all over the world. This is a good thing. Through this blog and through numerous journeys I've done to four continents over the past two years I've seen in great detail how various people in various countries and cultures are working to promote urban cycling. One thing I've noticed by haven't really commented on at length is how cycling promotion is largely divided into two schools. Two genres, if you like. For the purpose of this article I'm not going to get into how far too much bicycle advocacy leans up against environmentalism with its preachy, jehovas witness messages about health and saving the planet and fun . We're here to talk about these two aforementioned genres. They are: Bicycle Commuting. Bicycle Culture. To many they may sound like the same thing, pedalling hand in hand dow...

Week in and week out I get inundated with emails from people who want to advertise either here on Copenhagenize.com or over at Cycle Chic . It's quite amazing that most of the emails are for products that have nothing to do what I write about or take pictures about. Goes to show that one pops up in a Google search and the person in question doesn't bother to do their research. Even after writing posts like this at Cycle Chic , or this one , two days later I get an email from someone wanted to pay to advertise their "cycling trousers" for urban cycling. "Avoid chafing and wear and tear!" Oh bother, as Winnie the Pooh would say. Anyway, this email arrived today, from China. Perhaps the products are of interest to some of you, out there. Seriously. Maybe Carlton can get cheaper lycra gear for his I Pay Road Tax cycling clothes or some of you out there want to get some kit for your local club. Who knows. Being multilingual and having made major embarassing faux...

Here's a campaign from South Africa. A chain of fashionable cafés - Vida e - have placed these signs on their doors. No helmets. The amusing blog 2 Oceans Vibe posted about this campaign against socially unacceptable behaviour such as wearing a bicycle helmet whilst dining. Here's a shot of the door of their Kloof Street establishment in Cape Town. 2 Ocean Vibe also has an ironic, ongoing theme where readers send in photos of other shocking examples of what they deem "socially unacceptable behaviour". Generally focusing on people wearing those helmet thingys indoors. And 2 Ocean Vibe also reports about another establishment that refuses to serve 'cyclists' in 'cyclist clothes'. "Due to numerous complaints from customers..."