For everyone without tattoo’s, beat-up fixed gear bikes, or a U-lock weapon you may not know what a Critical Mass is. Critical Mass is an event in which cyclist from around the area meet up, usually once a week or once a month, to reclaim the streets, proving the old saying that “There is strength in numbers”. With the increased gas prices these mini-demonstrations have been becoming more and more policitally and environmentally dirven. On April 20th, thounsands of bikes in Budapest joined together and raised their bikes in protest of our increasing consumption of fossil fuels (picture below). One way that these groups are spreading information about their causes and their rides is through the power of the online map. The Chicago Critical Mass Website has maps of routes and starting locations, video of their rides, and a forum where people can exchange ideas. All in all, the mixture of online resources and people passionate about bicycles makes critical mass events a grassroots-force to be reckoned with. To view the Chicago Critical Mass Website, click the link below.

http://chicagocriticalmass.org/

Budapest Critical Mass “Put your bikes where I can see them”

Chicago Critical Mass: February 2008 (Now that’s dedication!)