You Never Bike Alone (2007)

Documentary looks at the development of vibrant bike culture in Vancouver, Canada, and how the city's self-propelled population mobilized to promote the bicycle as a viable for of transport... See full summary »

Director:

Robert Alstead

Writer:

Robert Alstead

Stars:

Russell Adams, Fred Bass, Jane Buker

Cast

Credited cast:
Russell Adams	...	Self - Cycle Activist
Fred Bass	...	Self - Vancouver City Councillor (as Dr. Fred Bass)
Jane Buker	...	Self - freak-biker
Gordon Campbell	...	Self - Premier of British Columbia Canada, Canada
Larry Campbell	...	Self - Mayor of Vancouver
Richard Campbell	...	Self - Director of Active Transportation, B.E.S.T.
Derek Corrigan	...	Self - Mayor of Burnaby
Kevin Falcon	...	Self - Transportation Minister, British Columbia, Canada
Bonnie Fenton	...	Chair, Vancouver City Council Bicycle Advisory Committee
Jim Hoehnle	...	Self - Director of Pedal Play
Steve Kisby	...	Self - bike activist
Peter Ladner	...	Self - Vancouver City Councillor
Carmen Mills	...	Self - Organizer of Commercial Drive Car-Free Festival
Gordon Price	...	Self - Urban Planning Consultant
William Rees	...	Self - Professor, University of British Columbia, SCARP. Founder of Ecological Footprint Analysis.

Storyline

Documentary looks at the development of vibrant bike culture in Vancouver, Canada, and how the city's self-propelled population mobilized to promote the bicycle as a viable for of transport. You Never Bike Alone shows how the foundation for today's burgeoning bike scene in the city was set in the early Nineties when cyclists risked arrest by cycling en masse to publicize unsafe road conditions and rides of the mid-Nineties which were sometimes characterized by arrests. Rides with mutant bike collective MC3, The Wholesome Undie (an underwear ride where cyclists protest the Molson Indy), and the World Naked Bike Ride, provide amusing and entertaining spectacle, while film also shows how cyclists are dealing with road rage and the political struggle at municipal and provincial levels to create a more livable city.

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Plot Keywords:

protest | world naked bike ride | cycling | bicycle | pubic hair | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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Did You Know?

Trivia

'You Never Bike Alone' features 4 Vancouver mayors: Gregor Robertson (mayor 2008-), Sam Sullivan (mayor 2005-2008), Larry Campbell (mayor 2002-2005), and Gordon Campbell (mayor 1986-1983).

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Quotes

Conrad Schmidt - Organizer of the World Naked Bike Ride, Naked cyclist, Naked cyclist, Naked cyclist, Naked cyclist, Naked cyclist, Naked cyclist, Naked cyclist, Naked cyclist, Naked cyclist: Less gas! More ass!

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Connections

References The Passionate Eye: Naked (2005)

User Reviews

You Never Bike Alone is Vancouvers very own Critical Mass Bikeumentary plus more. The latest installment in the worldwide bicycle resurgence.

In the vain of Ted White's 1991 Bikeumentary "Return of the scorcher" famed for having created the label "Critical Mass". Robert Alstead's "You Never Bike Alone" is Vancouver's very own record a parallel resurgence in urban bicycling.

Since Return of the Scorcher, we have seen a number of bike documentaries, mainly themed around Critical Mass, some simply an attempt to highlight police crackdowns (San Francisco's "The Truth Is Out" and more recently "Still We Ride" from New York City) But You never bike alone is much more than just another Critical Mass documentary. It's a well constructed historical sequence of events spanning the last 15 years in bicycle advocacy and activism. In fact, Critical Mass in Vancouver is just the beginning chapter of a colourful history of bike culture community development in Vancouver.

This film is comprehensive in its coverage of the evolution of Critical Mass. Robert is openly honest about the mixed feelings that some have about the relative ineffectiveness or outright counter productiveness of the rides. Beginning with a look at conflict in the early years, to a more positive and creative methodology as Critical Massers learned how to push their cause more effectively. It is clear that Critical Mass has informally spawned an impressive showcase of spin off events and community projects.

The breadth of this film is also impressive, from bike punks to city councillors the political history of the bicycle in Vancouver is analysed at a variety of levels.

This is where the documentary sets itself apart from every other I've seen, in fact I'm reluctant to call this "A Critical Mass" documentary per se. The focus substantially shifts forward to community projects and events like the world naked bike ride and chopper rides, events with a hint of Critical Mass but because of the new angle, none of the negative spin.

All in all, Vancouver and the cyclists of the street should be proud of "You Never Bike Alone" as it moves out into the world to tell the next chapter in the re-emerging age of the bicycle in western society.

Details

Official Sites:

You Never Bike Alone Official site

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 January 2007 (Canada)

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

ICYCLE.CA Productions

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1