A Century of Bicycling History in 17 Pictures

The 102nd Tour de France begin this week, and so far, this have been pretty interesting. (There was a quite intense crash on Stage 3 yesterday. where they actually stopped the race. See more here.)

To honor the event, National Geographic dove into their archives to find the best images of the power of bikes, and the variety of ways they’ve been used for the last 100 years. 

But it’s not all just spandex and flip brim caps, or even beacons of childhood freedom. Throughout their history, bikes have been, and remain, symbols of women’s empowerment, sole modes of transportation, and tools that allow many to work, feed their families, and participate in community. 

It’s a good collection, and the accompanying descriptions put each photo in a context that just makes you want to get out and ride… like, right now. I’ll see you later. 

Allez, allez! A Century of Bicycling History in 17 Pictures [NationalGeographic.com]