Portland’s own Jeff Mapes has done what many would like to but few have the skill, time or energy to do- document America’s 4th bicycling golden age and compare it to the bicycling meccas of Europe.  The book is a comprehensive chance for us to drag our eyes off the pavement ahead of us and see how our local scene fits in with other places in the US and Europe.  The bottom line-we’re way behind, but catching fire quickly.

Mapes includes a lot of great statistics for an objective look at where we all really stand, but he also tells a lot of stories of the people who are shaping the “Pedaling Revolution” and pulling more people out of their cars every day in this country.  I learned a lot about the culture in my own town, and a whole lot about the happenings in New York, Chicago, Boulder, Davis, Copenhagen and of course the big daddy, Amsterdam.  Being a seasoned political journalist, Mapes knows how to tell a story and still keep it succinct.

I’d recommend this book for anyone who’s interested in getting a quick yet indepth look at where we are today in biking and where we might be going.  After all, by this time next year we’re all going to be on bikes (I wish).