The urban bike magazine

The smart city of the future – Cologne launches the “Smart Bicycle Traffic Challenge”

There’s a parade and the whole city centre is one big traffic jam? A overflowing underpass and no way through? Pop-up building sites adding unexpected detours? No problem for the smart city of the future: the "Smart Mobility Platform" provides real-time information. This is the vision of one Portuguese company. The EU is supporting the project. Cologne is the test site. At the heart of it all: Bike Citizens’ expertise and bike navigation app!

Recent Articles

Community

Faster, higher, further: Just slow down a bit please. Why fast bikes and cycle express paths no longer mean quality of life

If you want to get from A to B, you want to be uncompromisingly quick. Whether it’s by bike, car or train. But in reality, you don’t actually gain any time. Slowing down trumps everything when it comes to quality of life. A manifesto!

Does Prague really want to ban cycling in the Old Town?

Recently, a report on local politics from Prague caught the interest of international media. It said that cycling had been banned in the city centre. Is this really the case?

Cycle food delivery services in the gig economy – precarious employment 2.0

The fully integrated business model developed by companies such as Foodora and Deliveroo has completely revolutionised the takeaway delivery industry. However, even though their profits are rising, these companies are failing to offer their couriers fair pay and working conditions. The couriers are in turn beginning to express their discontent which the companies do not like at all, and now labour disputes are starting to rage in the digital economy. On the other hand, these developments have also produced a number of positive effects.

What about family biking? Eight benefits for families who cycle.

Cycling is good. Everyone knows that. Most people know biking helps a body stay strong, improves balance and burns calories. Mentally, cycling can boost your mood and zap stress. But what about family biking? What are the benefits of cycling together? Here are the facts.

When you cycle alone, you have to do everything yourself

The cycling proficiency test and the first cycling trip alone are important rites of passage for both children and their parents. In Austria, children can be entered for their cycling proficiency tests from the date of their tenth birthday. After passing the test, they can be seen happily brandishing an official certificate which sanctions their new-found freedom. This is an achievement which makes everyone feel very proud. So, is it now time to head off on the road? The following interview with 10 year old Amélie will awake memories and provide encouragement for both parents and children.
All articles on Community

Events & Bike Culture

Velo-city 2017 in Arnheim-Nijmegen: The world’s largest cycling conference in the home of cycling

Cycling experts and decision-makers from all over the world are coming together in the Netherlands for the Velo-city 2017celebrating The Freedom of Cycling. 1,500 participants from more than 80 countries are expected in Arnheim-Nijmegen, the country’s second largest urban agglomeration, to learn from the world's pre-eminent cycling nation and to exchange information and ideas. Alongside urban development and planning of cycling infrastructure, the focus this year will be on social justice, social participation and the economic viability of cycling.

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Bringázz a munkába! Hungary is cycling to work

The Hungarian bike to work campaign has been relaunched in 2018 after a short break in the past few years. Now the campaign has been fitted with the Bike Citizens app, with which participant can win prizes just by logging into the app and cycling at least 50% of their individual work days to work.

Hamburg embraces the multi-mobile age by promoting cycling and introducing the Bike Benefit System

To the moon and back by bicycle!

720,000 kilometres by bicycle in 6 months? The citizens of Bremen are confident that they can rise to this challenge. They have been warming up for what is probably the longest cycling trip in the Universe.
All articles on Events & Bike Culture

Politics & Urban planning

“PING if you care!” – At the Touch of a Button. Making a strong impact. Achieving exciting results!

Cyclists in Brussels take an active part in the “PING if you care!” urban planning initiative. The results have now been published and they provide an exciting insight into the current state of the transport infrastructure from the cyclist’s perspective. The city can now quickly and efficiently plan appropriate measures.

Burden of proof – How vehicle-first laws curb cycling levels

From Sweden to Germany, presumed liability has been a staple of cycle-friendly regulation. But some European countries, including the UK, still refuse to introduce the rule. Why?

“A vision to deemphasize cars” How Los Angeles is trying to reinvent itself – and why bikes are so important for that.

Ernesto Hernández-López is not just Professor of Law at Chapman University in Orange, CA, he’s also an avid cyclist. Combining profession and passion, he examined how Los Angeles’ vision for its future, the Mobility Plan 2035, is trying to change how Angelinos will live in the future and why it created major opposition among citizens.

The Top-10 Bicycle Friendly Cities 2017
All articles on Politics & Urban planning

Gear & Fashion

Prepare Now. Pedal on! London tested and approved tips for cycling in autumn and winter

For whatever reason, autumn in London always tends to spark a feeling of existential dread - doubly so if you’re a cyclist. Well, no more I tell ya! Cycling in London in the dark and grey season is still very much doable. Here are my best tips to making it work!

How to do a folding bike – The world’s first folding bike etiquette guide for mobile togetherness

Folding bikes are no longer a big secret. They guarantee mobility in the urban space. However: How should folding bike users actually behave? Find out with the world’s first book of folding bike etiquette for considerate, mobile togetherness!

Which cycling shoes would suit me the best?

Whether you are on the way to an appointment or meeting friends in the park, your outfit needs to be just right. The right footwear is naturally a key element of any stylish outfit. People who ride their bikes every day will certainly have asked themselves at some point whether such a thing really exists. Is there such a thing as the ‘right’ shoe for cycling in the city? Bike Citizens has asked around and has compiled a list of the most important points to consider.

The Bike Defilee at the Milan Fashion Week

For the first time the bicycle entered the traditional catwalk at the Milan Fashion Week and brought dynamism and design to the streets of Italian's international fashion capital. Ludovica Diligu, cycling passionate designer and founder of Labo.Art, is sharing her thoughts on fashion and cultural change. Story by Pinar Pinzuti, Bike Citizens reporter based in Milan.

Choosing Your First Commuter Bike: 5 Essential Things to Keep in Mind

Finding a bike to take on your daily commute is not that hard, if you keep in mind some basic things. Here you will find five tips that will help you choose your first commuter bike. So, if your last bike ride was twenty years ago and you're trying to figure out how to approach the unfamiliar world of using valuable commuting time to keep yourself in better shape, look no further.
All articles on Gear & Fashion

Tips & Technology

Dr. Bike #1: My girlfriend only likes really big bells. Is that a problem?

“Dear Max, Thank you for your question. Lots of young people at your age wonder whether their bell is big enough or if their partner likes it. After all, they do come in all shapes and sizes: small ones, big ones, thick ones, loud ones, quiet ones, pierced ones and colourful ones. Perhaps your girlfriend has spent a few more hours in the saddle than you have and thinks that big bells are easier to see and hear. But actually that’s not always the case. Small bells can also be surprisingly loud. The important thing is that they ring properly and that you can be heard. What they look like or what colour they are is really not as important as you might think, you’ll realise this over time. I hope that you and your girlfriend continue having fun ringing your bells and enjoy lots of new experiences. Enjoy your rides, your Dr. Bike.”

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How can I see if a vintage bike is worth it’s money?

Vintage bikes, especially steel racing and track bikes, have always had their fans and collectors. In the 2000's, a new generation of riders have also taken interest in owning, collecting and in the best case, riding these beautiful machines as an everyday commute or in events like L´Eroica or Tweed Rides. If you consider buying a vintage racer for yourself, make sure you are spending your money on the right one.

Why sweat and rain should be no barrier to cycling to work

All you need to know about how to do a bike service yourself

When you own any piece of equipment that has some kind of mechanical parts then it will eventually have to be serviced or even repaired at some point, particularly with a bicycle. Bike service is very important, and it’s not only available in the bike shop. Take a look at some useful tips to get you started…
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Routes & Travel

Bike Citizens Guide to Budapest 
- Explore Hungary’s capital by bike

Budapest is not just the capital of Hungary, the city on the Danube is also one of the fastest-growing cycling cities in Europe. The Bike Citizens Guide to Budapest gives tips for a short break for bike-enthusiasts and reveals the community’s secret hot spots. Everything you need to know about Budapest bike culture, compact and in-brief!

Think global. Stay local: Three families holiday in the Uckermark

Breaks from everyday life are important. Since the noughties, there has been an unspoken consensus about holidays: the farther away, and the cheaper, the better. Yet paradise is often waiting on our doorsteps. Bike Citizens Berlin spent a few days testing regional holidays, catching a total of zero flights to get to the outskirts of Berlin: the Uckermark!

Coffee, bouldering and music combined at this bike tour through Kreuzberg

Do you wonder how to create a perfect idyll of a day in Berlin? Come join us on an autumn bike tour through one of our favorite neighborhoods in Berlin – Kreuzberg with Refinery’s High End Coffee barista Edoardo and iHeartBerlin team. “I love cycling through Kreuzberg which is a pure bizarre! It’s ever changing and there is always something odd to discover,” – introduces Edo his bike trip choice.

Travel tips: All you need to know when travelling with your bike to Asia or the Pacific

If you plan your next trip in the Asia-Pacific region, consider taking your bicycle. Travelling by bicycle is a great and inexpensive way to see new places. This article aims to take the guesswork out of travelling by plane, train, and bus within selected Asia-Pacific countries.
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