Florence’s Bike Festival: A Two-Wheeled World

With a brand-new emphasis, the sixth edition of the Florence Bike Festival at the Cascine Park from April 13 – 15 brings a brand new element to the table this year, as 2018 marks the first addition of the E-bike section.

The park is one of few places near the historic center that can host the thousands of bicycle enthusiasts in attendance. The traditional Race Village will receive a face-lift with the addition of a large exhibition space dedicated to e-bikes with an integrated electric motor usually powered by electric with the theme of this year’s festival. The e-bike section will host the premier brands of the industry, in everything from accessories to the actual bikes themselves. There will also be a section focusing on sustainable mobility in cities.

The village also displays all the latest traditional bicycle accessories, frames, and clothing along with food for sale. For the curious onlooker or enthusiast there will also be bike shows and tests. Kids are also welcome as there will be a children’s area with a sporting course designed for toddlers.

The festivities don’t stop there, however; there will also be events and itineraries through the city. On Sunday, April 15, the Granfondo Florence De Rosa invites bikers to take off from Piazzale Michelangelo to follow a choice of 134 km (84 miles) or 95 km (59 miles) of curves through Fiesole and Mugello and end along the “wall” of Via Salviati, followed by an awards ceremony and a pasta party.  Sign up online at www.grandfondofirenze.it.

New technology is not just limited to the bikes, however; for those who can’t go to the event in person, the so-called “Florence Bike Festival 2.0” will be directly streaming online, with coverage of competitions and presentations as well as a live talk show on Florence Bike Festival’s social channels.

Although this weekend is the official festival, events will continue into the summer, with the first one being the “Eroica” free wheel bike race through the hills of Tuscany on May 27 followed by other events dedicated to the two-wheeled universe. There are also plans for a ‘Bike Music Festival,’ to take place in the summer of 2019.

So why choose e-bikes as this year’s theme? According to the organizers, e-bikes, defined as bikes with assisted pedaling, are the future of the sport. Although it is a recent phenomenon in Italy, the exponential grown of this type of bike leads many to speculate at their potential for the immediate future. Many agree that their potential reaches beyond the competitive prospects to a high likelihood of urban use.

Bikes are already a popular alternative to cars and other private (or even public) means of transportation, as they provide an ecological, healthy, tax-free vehicle that is often a faster method of reaching a destination than attempting to navigate the frustrating city traffic.

With the increased interest in two-wheel transportation throughout Florence and the surrounding metropolitan areas, new resources have been committed to the development of new cycling paths and the completion of old trails.  These latest developments have sent Florence pedaling down the road towards a new era of sustainable, eco-friendly transportation. (milan loaicono)