Bipedal, By Pedal: Experiences and Thoughts around the Critical Mass Bicycle Movement!

In Bipedal, By Pedal, Joe Biel sets out to provide newcomers to Critical Mass with information about the ride. The zine covers a lot of ground, including sections on the history and organization of the movement, practical advice on traffic blocking tactics, and tips on how to start your own ride. Biel is especially interested in the controversy surrounding Critical Mass and its more aggressive participants. He encourages readers and riders to view it as a celebration rather than a protest, so that communities will embrace it and allow it to flourish. Yet he seems unable to commit to this argument as he often implies that, for many cyclists, the desire to demonstrate is what makes the movement so attractive. The zine would read more smoothly if Biel were to deal with this contradiction directly. (Norah Franklin)

zine, Joe Biel, $2, 222 S Rogers Street, Bloomington, Indiana, 47404, USA.