Bikes serve many purposes. They give us speed, agility, and utility; they help us exercise and grant us independence. They carry risks and can be dangerous in extreme situations. They can stimulate us intellectually and erotically (I'm not the only one, am I?). They also both give rise to and reflect local communities and cultures, and this might be their most magical and underappreciated quality. I was reminded of this recently when I attended two back-to-back bike events on opposite coasts this month: I was a juror for part of a bike design contest at the Oregon Manifest, and a guest at Bike Rides, a show at the Aldridge Museum in CT. The events and opening night parties highlighted cultural contrasts from two very different communities.
Portland is the bike Mecca of the US, and the Portland Manifest grows out of a bike community supported by a range of civic-minded biker groups with icon Chris King at the center. Bike performance, usually speed and racing, is at the heart of this bike cult, and the aesthetic has refined traditional underpinnings. We juried 27 handmade bikes designed to meet strict functional criteria, like carrying capabilities, portage, and special locking systems. The bikes also had to be put to the test of a 77-mile road and off road race the next day. The Pacific Northwest is home to more independent designer/builders than anywhere else in the world – thanks in part to nearby United Bicycle Institute.
The opening night Manifest party was a beer and burrito fest, with all the handmade, juried bikes on display. The downtown Portland venue had all the raw character of a SOHO art opening without any of the pretense, though I suppose you might have felt misplaced if not a biker. There were unadvertised contests as well - how big a backpack could be carried through the crowd, and how cute a cap could be worn. It’s mostly a guy thing. The party was a celebration of the people behind the bikes and of Portland as the epicenter of the US bike movement.
The Aldridge Museum event focused on the bike as cultural symbol rather than as performance object. Many of the bikes on display would not have made it through the 77-mile course required in Portland. Some were in fact immobile, like the bronzed still life from Cai Guo-Qiang, an amazing artist whose show at the Guggenheim was a tour de force. Lance Armstrong’s winning Trek was given celebrity placement, but was getting less attention than the Puerto Rican Schwinn Club’s cruisers. A community bike design contest – how to pimp up your ride – was held the next day in the parking lot. The prize deservedly went to some local kids who had decorated their bike with stuffed animals (presumably unaware of how close their work came to some by the Campana Brothers).
The opening party combined some Cirque de Soleil-like stunts, performers on mini-cycles, unicycles (replete with hula hoops), trial ride demonstrations and some amazing erotic dancers. Martinis and fine food were on hand to brighten the event and assist the museum in its fundraising. There were as many women as men in attendance, most dressed up in eveningwear. No cute hats (on men) or backpacks (on anyone) – this was a proper east coast social event.
The two events had little in common except the fact that they existed because of bikes, and in both cases the bikes reflected the local culture and brought the community together. Bikes can do that. They are as comfortable being appreciated as aesthetic creations as they are on the street or pounding along off road. The US is way behind most other modern industrial societies in terms of bike usage. We ride bikes about 80% less than do the citizens of most European countries. I know, Europeans are just Europeans, but they were right about cheese and wine and yoghurt, and hopefully events like these two will help focus our attention and wake our culture up to bikes and biking. Both events deserve a closer look and a visit if you are near.
We sold out of our signed copies of David Byrne‘s book immediately. This was a limited offer and there are no more. But we will sell you unsigned copies at the bargain price of $18.00 including shipping (US only). Check it out
Non-bikers Wanted
We are working on an online project to learn more about the reluctance many people have towards purchasing (and using) bikes. If you would like to be part of this focus group please let us know.
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