Celebrating Global Cycling Culture Through Photos

The best gift I received as a child was a brand-new bicycle. I went everywhere on it. It was a source of pure joy, but it was also practical—I rode it to school and used it to explore the surrounding countryside of my hometown, Coventry.

In the 1960s, there were far fewer cars on the roads, so cycling felt relatively safe. For me, it was the closest thing to flying. As I raced down hills, I would imagine myself soaring through the air—it was a thrilling escape from the darker edges of the world.

Pedal power is universal, found in every corner of the globe, and these photographs celebrate that enduring spirit. As H.G. Wells once said, “Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race.”