The writers behind the Invisible Cyclist blog, Julian Agyeman and Steve Zavestoski, posted a literature review of popular press and academic musings about bikes and transportation equity.

You can check it out here  (full disclosure: I am cited)

Although the collection of new literature on the topic is helpful to anyone interested in biking and gentrification//equity//sustainability, it also suggests that advocates need to shift focus. Our voices have been heard through community meetings, dialogue with other cyclists, and  discussions with our neighbors. It appears that less and less people scoff when you combine bikes with the concepts of gentrification, classism, or racism. I have also had multiple undergraduate students contact me to discuss their research on this very subject.

We have certainly made progress, but we still have a lot of work to do. For example, I am still disappointed in the lack of data collected on people of color bicyclists–from the U.S. Census to local bike advocate organizations. I hope to work with local organizations to experiment with common data collections sites such as Bike Counts and focus groups to see where we can improve research.

All of this to say that this is an exciting time where we can shift our focus to some strategic planning to make sure equity is a part of all bicycle advocacy discussions.

Helmets, M.