“Just as the ideal of classic Greek culture was the most perfect harmony of mind and body, so a human and a bicycle are the perfect synthesis of body and machine.” -Richard Ballantine
A man on a bicycle is in many ways a cyborg. Man and machine become inseparable in body and mind. The bicycle was created to be completely compatible with the body, and thus the recent popularization of the customized bicycle. It is the synergism of man and bicycle that maximizes the power of each. With the advent of the clipless pedal pictures below (a shoe that allows you to attach your foot to the petal), a rider is able to feel “more at one with his bicycle.” With each slight movement of a limb or sway of the body, the machine responds respectively. On a bicycle, a rider becomes a different person, capable of a whole new set of skills and providing a new perspective on the landscape.
The comparison of a man standing next to his bike to a man on his bike is vast. The change in mindset of the man once he is riding must adapt to the speed, power and space that the synthesis of his muscles and the machine provide. The man's perception of himself and the environment around him have completely changed paralleled by these new abilities. As my personal anecdote exemplifies, an outsider will view another person differently when they become a rider on a bicycle. This affiliation with the machine puts a person into a category, whether it be based on social group, athletic ability, or environmental beliefs. The bicycle also allows for that open-air intimacy ideal for creating those interpersonal connections in the first place. The presence of interaction changes is evidence of this transformation upon unity of man and machine.
Bicycleapparel.com
"Bike Cult" By David Perry
a bicycle powered shower
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