Scenes from Bogotá's Bike Week

A rider on a trick bike at Jorge Tadeo University.

Crazy wheels and idealism, but not so much practical mobility: Last week Bogotá held its seventh-annual Bicycle Week, when cycling and its advantages are supposed to receive lots of attention. Unfortunately, perhaps, the week focused more on cycling's eccentricities than its potential for moving people cleanly, healthfully and sustainably.

To his credit, Mayor Petro has supported cycling, with both media events (worth little) and some concrete advances, such as several new bike lanes, the IDRD's bike lending program on Carrera Septima, the Universidad Nacional and Virrey Park. However, plans for a city-wide public bikes program are stalled. And Petro has done little to address systemic problems, such as pollution, traffic congestion and chaotic streets, which can make cycling unpleasant and even dangerous.

More photos and details on my Bogotá bike blog.

César Salamanga, founder of Pazicleta, which provides bicycles to poor rural children, to enable them to get to school and keep them out of Colombia's armed conflict.

Street bikes from Mejor en Bici, Bogotá's best-known cycling advocacy organization.

Reading the book on bicycling, published by Bogotá's City Hall. 

Juan Camilo of Bicisi, which builds affordable custom-made bikes 'so that nobody has an excuse not to ride a bike.'

Several bamboo bike makers have sprouted in Bogotá over the last few years.

Clowning with colorful bikes at the Bici-Expo.

Santa, a circus bike rider, shows his stuff in the Parque Nacional. The banner announces a competition of 'ecological bicycles.' But aren't ALL bikes ecological?

The Bici-Expo was held at the Gran Estación shopping mall.

The Gran Estación lends out these bikes during La Ciclovia.

A happy cycling couple at the Bici-Expo.

Masked against pollution: Sadly, many Bogotá cyclists feel the need to protect themselves from the city's air.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Scenes From La Ciclovía

Holding hands, a couple pedals down Ave. Septima. 

Recently, Bogotá's famed Ciclovia has been packed. And it's not just cyclists, but also walkers, joggers, and skaters. And folks aren't out just out exercising: they're also advertising products, campaigning for candidates and demanding rights for their pit bulls. 

Riding room only: A packed Ciclovia. 

Not only for two-wheelers. A couple skates past a mural on Calle 26.

On Calle 26, a bicyclist and a TransMilenio bus pass each other. When the TM line was created on 26th, city officials worried that the buses' draft would endanger cyclists. But I haven't heard of any accidents. 

Near the Parque Nacional, cyclists pass left-wing political banners. 

Learning to ride on training wheels. 

I've seen lots of these green Gran Estacion bikes recently on La Ciclovia. The shopping mall must be either lending or renting bikes. 

Swingin' in the Recrovia in the Parque Nacional. 

Cyclists carry flags for the Union Patriotica, a political party.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

What a Difference a (Car-Free) Day Makes!

Left, Carrera 30, near the Universidad Nacional, on a normal day,
and, right, today on Car-Free Day.

You can take a lot of conclusions out of these pairs of photos of Bogotá avenues on 'normal' days, left, and today's Car-Free Day, on the right. (I didn't necessarily take the photos at the same time of day, but the scenes are typical.) One thing is clear, however, on those 'normal' days traffic often barely moves. Today, there was room to move.

Left, Calle 26 on a normal day, and, right,
today on Car-Free Day.

While the streets were clearer, the air wasn't necessarily cleaner - underlining the city's lack of control on vehicle emissions. El Tiempo editor Ernesto Cortés wrote a scathing column about air pollution today.

I saw many more bicyclists than on an ordinary day.
These are riding on the bike lane on Ave. Septima.

Environmental officials reported that ozone and nitrogen dioxide levels dropped compared to normal day. But concentrations of tiny particles suspended in the air actually increased in the morning, before leveling off to 'normal.'

Buses moved considerably faster and both TransMilenio and SITP buses carried more passengers.

Liberal Party political campaigners pedal
down Ave. Septima. 

Environmental officials set up 9 air pollution measurement stations, where they measured the emissions of almost 600 vehicles - about 100 of which failed. As far as I can tell, Car Free Day is the only time when officials actually measure vehicle pollution in the streets (whether those vehicles are actually punished is another issue). By their probably non-too-strict standards almost 1 out of 5 vehicles failed. If they would only do such measurements on a regular basis and actually remove these vehicles from our streets, Bogotá's air quality, health and quality of life would rise notably.

Bogotá environmental officials reported that the number of cyclists sextupled today. I'd take that statistic with a grain of salt, but numbers did rise.

The city created a temporary bike lane along the length of Ave. Septima - it should be there every day. These costumed bicyclists found the new lane useful. 

TransMilenio buses were packed. 

But SITP buses were, as always, almost empty. 

Not just cyclists - skateboarders also used the bike lanes.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Greenman's Cow Manure Art

Greenman displays a cow manure painting.

Greenman, a friend who is an artist and environmental activist, has this very unique workshop located inside a greenhouse on the campus of the National University, La Nacho.

Greenman, who generally paints himself green, dresses in green clothing and rides around on a green bicycle, incorporates his green philosophy into his art. When we visited him during today's bike tour, he showed us some tiny fish which he'd found, some still alive, discarded in trash along the polluted Ave. Caracas. A fish seller had thrown out the tiny animals because they weren't sellable. He also had a snake which had been killed by the university's lawn mower. All those animals were to become part of Greenman's artwork.

Greenman makes his 'paint' out of cow manure. He says it's very durable, and more importantly is environmentally sound. For Greenman, the manure represents a cycle of life, from grass to the cow and then fertilizer.

"This completes the life cycle," Greenman told us.

From this cow manure will emerge great art.

Greenman grabs his green bike. 

This little snake, killed by a lawn mower, will become part of an artwork. 

Greenman's materials.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Scenes From Bogotá's 2013 Bicycle Week

At the Bike Expo, a French tourists lifts a lightweight bamboo bike. 

Bogotá's annual Bicycle Week, consisting of events intended to promote cycling, wound up today. The week also included bicyle shows, circus performances and races.

Environmental activist Greenman with students in the Parque Nacional.

'Fewer Cars, More Bikes.'

A performer and bike tourist meet. 

A bicycle tourist from the States gives a dancer a lift.

Bici-Tante, a young Bogotá cycling magazine. 

Trendy new bikes, including one made of bamboo, on display.

Unicyclists at work.

Kids, participants in the Al Colegio in Bici (To High School by Bike) program. 

Bici-Cupid, who's supposed to make one fall in love with cycling.

Welcome to Bicycle Week. 

Racers fly downhill in the Parque Nacional.

Where did Guy Fawkes come from?

Harley-Style bikes. 

Bikes, and bicyclists, from yesteryear.

Women cyclists race uphill in Bogotá's Parque Nacional.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours