ABSTRACT
This chapter considers riders’ actions for the ways in which their self-presentation projects a public image and expresses aspirations for change in more subtle ways than can be expressed in organizational lobbying. It examines manifesto produced in Mexico as a declaration of the possibilities that cycling presents as a different means to engage with public space and politics. The chapter provides an overview of cycling advocacy, both at grassroots and institutional levels. The bicycle one chooses to ride, purchase or borrow, even if simply functional, is nevertheless a statement of identity. In Taipei City, riders taking part in a festival ride bring out their best machinery to show off. The accolade of “cycling city” is used internationally as a deliberate promotional tool, as well as a key focus of academic research aiming to collaborate with municipal authorities in their advocacy of more cycling-friendly cities.
