Media Analysis

Article: Bike life: How a subculture turns bikes into tools of escape, and cities into playgrounds

1.    What is this news story about and how does it relate to this week’s topic?

The article discusses cities while emphasizing and boosting the niche bike culture, where most people use the subculture as a means of escapism. As a result, the bicycling culture encourages a sense of camaraderie among bikers on the road and in cities as a whole. Even though males predominate in the Bike Life scene, they are by no means the only ones tearing up the roads (Magg, 2019). More females have begun joining the scenes recently, performing wheelies and stunts and riding out in fashion. Bike Life is, unfortunately, getting more policed as it becomes more commercial, prominent, and politicized. But like so much else in civilization, the epidemic of hard and long overdue confrontation with social justice has impacted Bike Life culture (Magg, 2019). As such, casual enthusiasm over the niche has evolved into something more.

2.    What did you learn from this article? Was this idea or topic something you had heard about (or thought about) before or was this all new information?

The article stresses that one needs to be committed to having fun, be dedicated to riding, and keep a good outlook. As such, it would be naive not to highlight the merits of the subcultures that have adorned civilization over ages when discussing the advancement of culture and what renders it the spectacle it is today. For instance, the emergence of Bike Life showcased a combination of life and biking (Magg, 2019). Similar to other social and culturally connected activities, it is a subculture founded out of suffering and later transformed into creativity. Despite this, the culture has had to endure the growing pains of acceptability as they have come under fire from the media's and other people's refusal to perceive the positive viewpoint (Magg, 2019). On the other hand, Riders show off their abilities, always inventing new feats and honing their riding skills. It's an approach to life (Magg, 2019). The article emphasizes that one must be passionate about riding, maintain a positive mindset and be serious about having fun.

References

Magg, C. (2019). Bike life: How a subculture turns bikes into tools of escape, and cities into playgrounds. Northjersey.com. https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/columnists/christopher-maag/2019/09/27/inside-bike-life-underground-culture-two-wheeled-danger-and-fun/2646715002/.