bicycle culture and style velo 2nd gear by gestalten

‘the human bike’ by jan gunnewag (pp. 230-231)image © JGstudio

velo—2nd gear: bicycle culture and styleeditors: sven ehmann, robert klantenformat: 24 x 28 cmfeatures: 256 pages, full color, hardcoverlanguage: englishISBN: 978-3-89955-473-1

________________________________________________________________________________________

designboom rating: (must have)
________________________________________________________________________________________

across the globe, an omnipresent bike culture has emerged over the past years, with cities like amsterdam and copenhagen having already pedalled this particular style of living into motion as early back as the 1970s. in recognizing this, gestalten’s ‘velo—2nd gear’ (the follow-up to the first ‘velo’ volume which looked more at the role of the bicycle in art), not only explores the function and practical purposes of using this mode of transportation, it also presents the social influences it has had on our contemporary lifestyles.

‘the human bike’ by jan gunnewagimage © JGstudio

the book celebrates the diverse bicycle scenes present today and offers a showcase of some unique two-wheelers—from the old-fashioned city bicycle, to high-tech machines, fixies, beach cruisers, and those designed for more specific purposes such as mountain, cargo or touring bikes—discussing the associations made with those who ride them. in addition, ‘velo—2nd gear’ documents the range of accessories which have been created in response to the prevalence of bike usage and introduces the various manufacturers, specialized boutiques and events which have transpired as a result, detailing how each particular ‘bike scene’ has cultivated its own distinct codes through the choice of particular apparel (jerseys, caps, bags etc.). also noting specific events and key establishments related to biking on both a leisurely as well as professional level, ‘velo—2nd gear’ looks to why more and more individuals have turned to bicycles to get around, and how they have come to be an expression of one’s identity.

‘the wooden 2-track’ by true unique (pp. 96-97)from velo—2nd gear, copyright gestalten 2013