How can the social sciences help us to understand the past, present and potential futures of cycling? This timely international and interdisciplinary collection addresses this question, discussing shifts in cycling practices and attitudes, and opening up important critical spaces for thinking about the prospects for cycling. The book brings together, for the first time, analyses of cycling from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds, including history, sociology, geography, planning, engineering and technology. The book redresses the past neglect of cycling as a topic for sustained analysis by treating it as a varied and complex practice which matters greatly to contemporary social, cultural and political theory and action. Cycling and Society demonstrates the incredible diversity of contemporary cycling, both within and across cultures. With cycling increasingly promoted as a solution to numerous social problems across a wide range of policy areas in car-dominated societies, this book helps to open up a new field of cycling studies.

Cycling is a key everyday mode of mobility in the developing world and parts of northern Europe, and one which is being promoted by governments of car-dominated societies such as the UK. This book provides an overview of the significance of cycling to contemporary social and political debates and of the diversity of approaches to cycling research.

'This is a very timely book by an impressive list of contributors and it will go a long way to put cycling very firmly on the serious policy agenda. Cycling has an enormous amount to offer to a broad range of societal and policy objectives ranging from improving health to local economic regeneration and combating climate change. This book exposes the full glory of cycling's potential and is most welcome.' John Whitelegg, editor of World Transport Policy and Practice '...so diverse that even those that feel well versed in the history of one of the world's most celebrated inventions will find lots to entertain and new information...every reader will have favourite chapters but all give valuable insight to areas that are not generally known about...an insightful read that leaves one feeling positive about the future, with a good look at the past and how cycling has fitted in...recommended reading for those that like to see how cycling was at the centre of much technological and social change in the past and how it may become so again in the future.' Cycling and Society 'Cycling and Society would make a learned addition to any cyclist's bookshelves, and should certainly be in the library of any institution dealing with social history or urban and transport planning.' Velovision, Issue 28, December 2007 'This volume offers a very positive step forward - providing greater needed academic scrutiny to the subject of cycling - and promotes the notion that cycling can and should take a greater role in transport policy discussions.' Carbusters 'Historians of technology should find the text well written and provocative.' Technology and Culture '... the diverse contributions are inspiring, effectively demonstrating the central point of the volume, raising pertinent questions and suggesting interesting possibilities for further research.' Transfers