Becoming Urban Cyclists: From Socialization to Skills

Description

Since the turn of the 21st century, cycling has been re-considered as utilitarian transport. Starting generally from a very low percentage of modal share, it has surged in many major cities of the Global North. Cycling is being progressively integrated into mobility and urban planning programmes and infrastructure, although allocated budgets remain small compared to those for motor transport. However, this is not enough to turn cities into cycling spaces. Becoming an urban cyclist requires a variety of skills and sets of knowledge achieved through different forms of socialization. “Becoming” expresses the focus on this process, which can vary with culture, gender and social space, but also with topography, technical developments like electrification, residential and occupational location, the social environments in which riders grew up and national or local campaigns to promote cycling. This volume uses qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods and is based on fieldwork conducted in Australia, France, Germany, Switzerland and the UK. It focuses on the acquisition of skills and competences and supplements existing work by linking cycling practices to individual life courses and to gender and social inequalities. Through a multidisciplinary approach utilizing the different perspectives of the authors as anthropologists, geographers, linguists, sociologists and urban planners, it sheds light on geographical and sociological differences to help understand factors likely to facilitate or curb urban cycling practices. Front cover Half title page Title page Copyright page Contents List of Figures List of Tables Acknowledgements Notes on Contributors Introduction - Matthieu Adam and Nathalie Ortar Chapter 1 - Becoming an Urban Cycling Space - Peter Cox Chapter 2 - Conducting Interviews with Maps and Videos to Capture Cyclists' Skills and Expertise - Matthieu Adam, Nathalie Ortar, Luc Merchez, George-Henry Laffont and Hervé Rivano Chapter 3 - Key Events, Motivations and Prior Experience in E-bike Adoption - Dimitri Marincek Chapter 4 - The Effects of a Promotional Campaign on the Practice of Utility Cycling: Bike-to-work in Switzerland - Patrick Rérat Chapter 5 - Promoting Urban Cycling: An Ecolinguistic and Discursive Approach - M. Cristina Caimotto Chapter 6 - Adult Beginner Cyclists in French Cities - Thomas Buhler Chapter 7 - Immigration Background and Cycling—Findings from Germany - Janina Welsch Chapter 8 - What Makes Women Stop or Start Cycling in France? - David Sayagh, Clément Dusong and Francis Papon Chapter 9 - Appropriating the Bicycle: Repair and Maintenance Skills and the Bicycle–Cyclist Relationship - Margot Abord de Chatillon Afterword - Rachel Aldred Back cover