Originally Posted by
livedarklions
I like the idea of having more threads about true advocacy, i.e., actual promotion of cycling as an activity.
Moe Zhoost 's post made me realize how thoroughly we're letting "advocacy" become a synonym for complaining about dangers and deaths to the exclusion of giving people any reason they actually should want to ride.
I just finished the book, Just Ride, by Grant Peterson. Review at
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9189678-just-ride
Just Ride is a revelation. Forget the ultralight, uncomfortable bikes, flashy jerseys, clunky shoes that clip onto tiny pedals, the grinding out of endless miles. Instead, ride like you did when you were a kid—just get on your bike and discover the pure joy of riding it.
A reformed racer who’s commuted by bike every day since 1980, whose writings and opinions appear in major bicycling and outdoor magazines, and whose company, Rivendell Bicycle Works, makes bikes for riders ready to opt out of a culture overrun by racing, Grant Petersen shares a lifetime of unexpected facts, controversial opinions, expert techniques, and his own maverick philosophy.
I share his opinion on the negative effect on overall bicycling use by the emphasis on racing derived design and rider objectives (speed, weight, distance) by bicycling industry marketeers and press/social media pundits and cycling enthusiast exclusivity.
Note: I don't think Mr. Peterson's overpriced bicycles and emphasis on aesthetics, geometry, bar tape and other snobish quirks are the answer to getting a higher proportaion of the public to consider bicycle riding as a practical means of transporting oneself about town.