ABSTRACT
In this chapter, consideration is given to examples of cycling activism that primarily engage with wider publics through the temporary occupation of public space. The first example, often used as an archetype for understanding contemporary cycle activism, is Critical Mass. From its genesis in San Francisco to the proliferation of both unsanctioned and officially sanctioned mass rides, the flexibility of interpretation to which Critical Mass (CM) is open allows both activists and scholars to make a range of analyses of their own positions and experiences. A second means to transform perceptions of mobility spaces is provided in the example of Ciclovía where temporary motor traffic prohibitions open up opportunity to experience city space in new ways. Carnival and heterotopia are suggested as ways in which to interpret these mass actions and their transformative potential linked to declarations of the right to the city.
