For all things bikes

Bicycles are more than a way of moving from one place to another. They represent a lifestyle. Imagine a city where only bicycles are allowed as vehicles… well, this city is under construction. It is called Bicycle City and it will be located in Lexington County, South Carolina in the United States. A team of engineers, lawyers, landscapers, designers, surveyors, environmentalists and volunteers among many others are currently putting all their efforts into the realization of this project, of which the original idea was born in the 1990s but for which funding came only during the last decade.

The purpose of having bicycles as main vehicles in this city is to build a completely car-free community, utterly based on eco-friendly practices. The city will be designed along miles of walking paths, hiking trails and cycling lanes. In the same logic of using bicycles, the city will use clean energy such as solar or wind power, in the aim of virtually eliminating all Carbone dioxide emissions. Fauna and flora will be protected, eco-friendly houses built and organic foods consumed. Residents will have no choice but to be environmentally-conscious and youngsters will be educated as such in schools.

Saving the environment is one of the goals of having bicycles as the sole means of transport. Saving people is another. Using bicycles and bicycles only will eradicate pollution within the city as well as decrease lung damage and skin or eye irritation, among other repercussions associated with non-human-powered vehicles. Not only that but this project will reduce, if not eliminate deadly accidents, decrease noise pollution and finally enhance the population's heath and fitness.

Many cities do not even consider alternatives for cyclists, others have made efforts to make small parts available to cycling while yet others are seriously becoming more bicycle-friendly. Cycling in cities however remains a dangerous activity as cars, traffic and relatively small numbers of designated cycling lanes prevail. Bicycle City however is entirely based on the idea that cycling should be the main vector for mobility and not an alternative to other modes of transport. Whether this idea will be sustainable or not, only time will tell…