Bicycle Utopias

Bicycle Utopias investigates the future of urban mobilities and post-car societies, arguing that the bicycle can become the nexus around which most human movement will revolve. Drawing on literature on post-car futures (Urry 2007; Dennis and Urry 2009), transition theory (Geels et al. 2012) and utopian studies (Levitas 2010, 2013), this book imagines a slow bicycle system as a necessary means to achieving more sustainable mobility futures.

Cosmin Popan is Research Assistant in the Department of Sociology at Manchester Metropolitan University

Chapter 1, Prologue: Imagining a slow bicycle system The new 'structure of feeling' The end of neoliberalism: embracing the slow The urban form Bike + train + cargo = love Cycling as mobility policy From subculture to culture The bicycle economy and big data Know-how and technology transfer Innovations in bicycles and accessories Broader societal and economic changes Steps from 2016 to 2050 Chapter 2, Introduction: Tips of the cycling iceberg Chapter 3: How to imagine biketopias Utopia as method Conclusions: Enacting the social Chapter 4: Beyond autopia The elephant in the city From autopia to Carmageddon Electric, autonomous, networked, shared The mobility growth paradigm Going car-free Careless car-free? Conclusions: Beyond cars, beyond growth Chapter 5: Utopias, dystopias, biketopias In praise of slowness Early biketopias of modernity and progress Fast cycling for urban regeneration and growth Slow bicycle utopias Mad Max on a bike Convivial biketopias Bike spaces of hope Conclusions: A break from growth Chapter 6: Senses On growing pedals Velomobility at a glance Grow ears, awaken the whole body Working the inner body: balance and movement Pain festivities: 'sufferfest' How to achieve eurhythmia? Conclusions: Flowing towards eudaimonia Chapter 7: Sociabilities Cycling as interaction order and sociable practice The Ride-Formation Swarm sociabilities Conversation sociabilities Carnivalesque sociabilities Club sociabilities The chain-gang The accordion Conclusions: Fluid Ride-Formations Chapter 8: Slowness Need for speed Tactics of slowness Affecting the slow Slowness, sufficiency, de-growth Conclusions: A norm of sufficiency Chapter 9: Conclusions