Nowadays, the bicycle is an indispensable part of the streetscape. Thanks to the wide variety and affordable price of this mode of transport, there's a bike for everyone. But that certainly wasn't always the case.
Yet, over time, the bicycle's popularity grew, and an ever-wider audience took to the pedals. From young women who wanted to venture out without a chaperone to workers who used them to shorten their daily commute. And for some young men, there was the dream of being able to say goodbye to the factory thanks to fame on two wheels. In short, the advent of the bicycle made people's lives easier and more equal, and at times even became a vehicle for protest.
Klein Verzet exhibition shows how different groups in the past used the bicycle in various ways.
This exhibition was organized on the occasion of Velo-City, a multi-day conference on cycling that took place in Ghent from June 8 to 21, 2024.
A brochure accompanies the exhibition. This publication compiles the exhibition's visual material, enriched with interesting contributions on the history and impact of cycling in Flanders, including contributions from Bieke Purnelle of RoSa vzw and Wies Callens of the Cyclists' Union.
