The Great Big Naked (Bike Ride) Bike Blog Roundup

Did you miss it? Yes, the sun came out this weekend and so did the naked cyclists (at least nobody will complain about them wearing hi vis) - Bike Portland answers (some of) your questions about the event. Perhaps it's all part of changing the descriptive norm - although pointing out that cycling is the lazy option mightn't be exactly the best way to do that. Meanwhile, in Canada, Urban commuter and Modal Mom went for a weird bike ride with some of Canada's politicians - perhaps they should be grateful the pols kept their clothes on.

Of course, one advantage of riding naked is avoiding the whole 'cycle chic' vs lycra debate altogether... Kennington People on Bikes sees little progress in the way cyclists are depicted, Bike Shop Girl points out how fashion in cycling offers 'emotional safety'. Wisob (that's Woman in a Suit on a Brompton to you) wonders if looking 'normal' helps encourage a motorist to act more safely, while Total Women's Cycling is showcasing portraits of real women out on the road.

Back in the safely and decently clad world of cycle campaigning, Joe Dunckley caught up with our very own Mark Treasure new chair of the Cycling Embassy in London. In Manchester, campaigners try and put the 'park' back into car park - it's a nice touch that they bought tickets for it first - and that way they may not end up in jail as one man did for painting his own crosswalk in the US. Velomondial urges everyone to sign up for a Europe-wide 30km speed limit, Chicargo enjoys traffic-free cycling in Chicago (for one day only - clearly the totalitarian bike lobby has fallen a long way since the 1890s...) while another missed climate target leaves can't stand up for falling down wondering what the point is. Perhaps we should all give up and just take up virtual cycling instead?

As we all recover from the shock of learning that the UK is the tenth most cycle friendly country in Europe - according to the ECF Cycling Barometer, anyway, there was widespread discussion on policy this week. Fresh from the Cycling Embassy's Newcastle trip, As Easy as Riding a Bike wondered why we don't listen when people show over and over that they don't want to cycle in traffic. While Dead Dog Blog wonders why bike infrastructure has to be bid for but road spending just happens, &Bike argues that consistency of spending is important (and not happening) - but at least there might be some good news from Europe. Rachel Aldred considers planning for bikes at the scheme level - instead of cities advertising their own incompetence. With traffic possibly starting to rise again in London, Buffalo Bill reports from the Hackney Cycle Conference. In Scotland, kids are certainly no more likely to cycle to school than five years ago - while in America, it's increasingly something for the 'new majority'.

A week in to New York's bike share scheme and - despised by all right thinking people for being a bit French - the Wall Street Journal wonders what all the fuss is about while Brooklyn Spoke attempts to demolish some straw men and Streetsblog plays spot the satire (you know bikes have hit the mainstream when The Daily Show is covering it). Meanwhile those actually riding the bikes seem to be enjoying them - although how long that will survive encounters with actual New York traffic is anyone's guess. And elsewhere the bikelash continues unabated - with cyclists likened to the devil incarnate in Australia, while in the UK even the wildlife is fighting back.

One day we dream of a cycling network where we don't have to follow homeless people to work out the secret shortcuts - one where even the drains are designed with bikes in mind. But until that time we'll get bike tracks blocked by parking meters and one of the worst junctions in Edinburgh for cycling actually forming part of the national cycle network (and just wait until the trams get going - Great Gas Beetle considers their impact in Sheffield). Urban Movement looks at Poynton and finds much to admire - but not much for cyclists, while the Ranty Highwayman looks at the consultation responses to the Cycle Superhighway 2 extension. Pedestrianise London looks at smaller junctions where there isn't room for a dedicated turn lane and Bike Portland considers what infrastructure to use when. In Bristol a good cycle track is marred by poor maintenance (not to mention dumping cyclists onto an arterial road, while at least in the US a cycle path obstruction eventually gets removed.

Meanwhile the economic arguments for cycling continue to pile up with more cycling halving sick days - no wonder Calgary businesses are lending them out in lieu of a bike share scheme. Cyclists can now bike in instead of drive thru - maybe Newcastle should subsidise some of those instead of city centre parking - while in Brooklyn bike vending machines are making an appearance. With Dave Horton encouraged to holiday locally by bike instead of car, it seems the only businesses not benefiting from more cycling are removals companies...

Back in the UK it it looks as if change is coming to Leith Walk. Road.cc reports on the demise of the cyclist blender and Greener Leith offers a cautious welcome but the Alternative DfT wonders just who it's for ... perhaps when Mikael's in town for the Edinburgh Festival of Cycling he can referee? I Cycle Liverpool launches a map of UK bike bloggers while Tufton or Death gets promised some paperwork (you can feel the enthusiasm from here). Phil Ward finds a flood damaged route near Stirling has been improved and in Cambridge a trail first proposed in 1998 comes one step closer but Belfast cyclists get told nothing new will be done about illegal parking and plans are afoot to make things worse in Richmond on one busy road. And it was 'news of the weird' week in more days that none - with a haunted bike lane, roundabouts designed by aliens and Birmingham announcing a city cycling strategy - this must be what happens when you encourage Glastonbury festival goers to come by bike.

Elsewhere around the world, an Australian looks forward to Velo-City Vienna (just leave the helmet advocacy at home) while Austria gets its first bicycle street and Crowize Vienna looks for feedback on the 'Dutch Bicycle Brunch' route. As the US government withdraws an exaggerated claim on helmet effectiveness, bike lanes are becoming the new normal for cities in the US - with Republicans embracing change in Indianapolis, Oregon prioritising its top 16 projects, and a crumbling bridge getting its life extended by taking space from cars and giving it to bikes (although to be honest, Boston cyclists would probably prefer a spectacular new one). As Jonathan Maus contemplates two biking wonders of the modern world, the Dutch get ready for visits from politicians from Scotland, Bristol and Manchester. The bike lane painters of Baltimore look like they could do with a bit more practice while New Zealand tries out cycle lane separators and Paris just prioritises people

As a 14-year-old boy is left critical after being knocked off his bike on his way to school, the CTC launched its Road Justice campaign - and a judge immediately proves their point for them. Buffalo Bill provides a summary of the Cyclists and the Law conference while London's new road safety plan is launched with an emphasis on vulnerable road users. Magnatom would like to see a culture of responsibility but it's business for usual for Cambridge Cyclist - and in Boston where cyclists are wrongly blamed for most collisions. Still, at least if you're a bike thief you will be fine. As long as you're white, that is...

And finally, for anyone who thinks cycling is just for the fit and the fearless, we bring you a fine example of cycling for everyone. Whatever they happen to wear.