You may not like bicycles, you may not be that keen on cyclists, but the history of cycling and its impact is fascinating, and radical. In the second of this two-parter we talk to Les Doherty of the mighty pedal4progress about that history .
We talk about the connection between the Dreyfus affair and the the birth of the Tour de France, why the UK bourgeoisie feared young men on bicycles as a dangerous bunch the way small-town America did the prospect of a visit from Marlon Brando's Black Rebel Motorcycle Club from The Wild One, how they tried to ban cycling in groups for decades, why we need an integrated transport policy and what can be done about cycling gear looking so irredeemably dorky.
Les talks about pedal4progress's future plans and talks me me into cycling across Ireland this year and in North Korea in 2023, and I hate cycling!
Find out more about the work of pedal4progress here:
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/f/pedal4progress-cyclists-saddle-help-range-socialist-causes
https://pedal4progress.wordpress.com
Cycling is one of the many things that is more complicated, and more interesting than you think, have a listen.