The Life-Sized City Blog

When we at Copenhagenize were discussing the title of the photo exhibition Monumental Motion we got onto the subject of actual bicycle monuments or sculptures. Permanent artistic works celebrating the bicycle and/or Citizen Cyclists. At many festivals - Burning Man comes to mind - temporary bicycle-related sculptures are constructed. Then there are monuments, large and small, dedicated to cyclesport racers . That's all well and good and brilliant, but we were thinking about permanent works - monuments, if you like - that were commissioned and paid for and that serve as a permanent symbol and celebration of the bicycle. We figured we dish up our Top Five Bicycle Monuments. Let us know yours. Add a comment or use the Twitter hashtag #bikemonument . #1 - Aseaströmmen Location: Stora Torget (Main Square) in Västerås, Sweden . Artist: Bengt-Göran Broström (1947-2004) Date: 1989 Aseaströmmen has long been a favourite of ours. It commemorates the thousands of cycling workers who...

The final negotiations are underway about the proposed bridge from Denmark to Germany - the Femern Belt Bridge between the Danish island of Lolland and the German island of Fehmarn. Copenhagenize is wondering if we'll be third-time lucky. When the 17.5 km long Great Belt Fixed Link - linking the islands Zealand and Funen - was being planned in the 1990's, there was talk of adding bicycle infrastructure but it never gained any ground. When the bridge was completed in 1998, cyclists who previously could ride onto the ferry were then forced to take the train or a bus in order to cross between east and west Denmark. The next massive bridge project was the 15 km long Öresund Fixed Link between Denmark and Sweden , completed in 2000. Again, there were voices in the wilderness calling for bicycle infrastructure to be added to the construction. Again, nothing came of it. Cyclists who could take their bicycles on ferries from Copenhagen and Malmö now had to take the train. It must be...

Bikerakk is a New Zealand product - a bicycle rack made from steel and covered in a softer outer layer made from four used car tyres. The rear wheel is a glass disk that can be used for signage. To be honest, the production process seems to be a trifle overcomplicated just for a bike rack. A rubbery outer layer made of car tyres is a gimmick that doesn't serve much purpose unless you have some fancy, expensive wonderbike, which most people don't. Sheesh, if I was worried about scratches on my bicycles in this city, I would bubblewrap them and leave them in the cellar. BUT... with all that said, it's symbolism, which we like here at Copenhagenize. It's the bicycle as a symbol in cities and towns. The more symbolism the better if we're to reestablish the bicycle as a feasible, respected and accepted transport form. The Bikerakk is bold and oversized which is all the better. It's a sculptural addition to the cityscape. The "I used to be a car tyre" sloga...