I came across Biciosos in a curious way: an article about cycling in Madrid.
At the end of the article, there was a link that took me directly to the book, and I didn’t hesitate for a second to click on it.
My first impression upon starting to read it was a mixture of joy and satisfaction.
Joy because I felt I had finally found a book that resonated with my “tribe,” urban cyclists. And, on the other hand, I thought Biciosos is an ideal educational book: a perfect way to explain to others what those of us who cycle around the city every day feel.
The interesting thing about this book is that, even before I had a definitive name, it was key to developing the communicative perspective of Libertad Avenue, the project I’m developing. Biciosos gave me a solid foundation for how to talk about the bicycle not only as a means of transportation, but as an agent of change in society and, above all, in urban mobility.
Pedro Bravo achieves something very powerful: taking the phenomenon of urban cycling and turning it into a profound reflection on how bicycles are transforming cities and their inhabitants.
This book is not only for those of us who already cycle in the city, but also for those who don’t yet, but could start.
Biciosos invites us to question why more people don’t get on the saddle, and in the process, reminds us that not only does nothing serious happen when we do, but many pleasant things happen to us that we sometimes struggle to admit from the height of our “progress.”
What struck me most was how Bravo addresses the changes in Western societies, which we are experiencing in the midst of a transformation. It often seems that the changes we are experiencing are negative, but the use of the bicycle as a means of urban transportation is a clear example of a positive change, and the most unique of all. In a world where technological revolutions occur at a dizzying pace, the bicycle, an invention more than a hundred years old, remains the fashionable vehicle and, it seems, one of the ones that will stay with us the longest. The irony is that, despite all the advances, it seems that this humble vehicle remains one of the most advanced in terms of sustainability.
Biciosos is a book that, through stories, anecdotes, and reflections, makes you feel like a true protagonist of sustainable mobility. Pedro Bravo not only talks about bicycles, but also about what they represent for social, cultural, and urban change. It’s a work that excites and motivates all of us who are already part of this movement, but also invites those who are not yet to take the plunge.
I recommend reading it if you want to understand not only why the bicycle is a means of transportation, but also why it has become a symbol of a profound, necessary, and, in many cases, inevitable change. A book that not only informs you, but makes you feel like an active part of a positive transformation in the way we move around cities.
In short, Biciosos is one of those reads that leaves something special in you, a mark on you. And, although it’s not always easy, reading it takes you to a deeper place within yourself. So, if you haven’t already, I invite you to pedal through its pages with me!
You can find this book at Libros en Ruta or local bookstores throughout Spain.
If you don’t live here in Spain, you always have the option of ordering it from Amazon.
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