For well over a hundred years, people have hopped on bicycles for transportation, recreation, competition, and more. In many parts of the world, spinning pedals moves goods and generates electricity. While usually attached to two wheels, pedal power takes many forms, adapting to a wide range of needs. Globally, over 100 million bicycles are produced every year - over 60% of them in China - easily doubling world production of automobiles. Efficient, clean, and cheap, pedal power in all its forms can solve modern problems with basic technology, and offers a health benefit to those cranking away. And it's hard to beat the simple joy of riding a bike. Gathered here are images of people around the world as we pedal for a reason, or just because. -- Lane Turner (49 photos total)
A boy rides his bicycle near rice fields in Bago, Myanmar on February 20, 2012. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)
- Afghanistan
- afghanistan africa
- Ai Weiwei
- Aigle
- al-Qawalish
- Alan Dowden
- Alexander Joe
- Altlandsberg
- Amsterdam
- Android
- Anthony Bolante
- ANTONY DICKSON
- Appropriate technology
- Austin
- Bago
- Bangkok
- basic technology
- Beijing
- Belgium
- Ben Hurt
- Benoit Tessier
- Bicycles
- Bosnia
- Boston
- Boston Globe
- Brussels
- Bulgaria
- California
- Carlos Barria
- Chao Phraya River
- Charles Dickens
- Chiba
- Chile
- China
- China Daily
- clean transportation
- Colorado
- Congo
- Cycling
- Daniele Badolato
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Denis Balibouse
- Dieter "Didi" Senft
- Dina Rudick
- Dresden
- Durban
- electricity
- electronics
- Eliseo Fernandez
- Europe
- Felix Girola
- Fishing Creek
- France
- Franz Coquidor
- gas station
- Georges Gobet
- Germany
- Getty Images
- Gillette
- Green Bay
- Green Bay Packers
- Havana
- high-tech bicycle
- Ho Chi Minh City
- iPhone
- Italia
- Italy
- Japan
- Japan's Murata Manufacturing Co.
- Jilin
- Joaquim Rodriguez
- Jorge Dan Lopez
- Kim Kyung-Hoon
- Lahore
- Lane Turner
- Leon Neal
- Libya
- London
- Los Angeles
- Mark Blinch
- Mark Dadswell
- Mark Ralston
- Marvin Wang
- Matt Cardy
- May Day
- Melbourne
- Mexico
- Mexico City
- Mike Montgomery falls
- Minamisanriku
- Mohsin Raza
- mountain view
- Mushaki
- Myanmar
- National Football League
- New Delhi
- New Year's Day
- NFL
- NFL
- North Korea
- NY Times Co.
- Oregon
- Paris
- Pasig
- Patrick Lin
- PATRICK PLEUL
- Paul Reubens
- Pennsylvania
- Peter Macdiarmid
- Philippines
- Portland
- Portsmouth
- Recumbent bicycle
- religion science society sports technology
- religion science society sports technology
- River Elbe
- Robert Marchand
- Robert Michael
- Robin Utrecht
- Rupert
- Ryder
- Sam Yeh
- Sao Paulo
- Seattle
- Seattle Sperm Bank
- Shanghai
- SIMON MAINA
- Soccer Championship
- Steve Richardson
- Storkow
- Switzerland
- the 2011 Scream Awards
- the 2012 UCI Track Cycling World Championships
- The Denver Post
- the Tour de France
- Tidworth
- Toronto
- transportation
- Union Cycliste Internationale
- United Kingdom
- Vail
- Valparaiso
- Washington D.C.
- winter games
- Winter Olympics
- Wis
- Wisconsin
- Wonsan
- Wyoming