Bike Films to Keep You Warm This Winter
Sometimes it’s cold. Or windy. Or raining. Or sometimes, we’re just a little…unmotivated to hop back on the saddle and set out on a ride. For the inside times of winter, we bring you our favorite biking documentaries and videos to cozy up to. We hope they inspire you to get back out there -- you know, when it warms up again.
Beautiful biking short firms
Patagonia makes spellbinding short documentaries (all free to watch), including some worthwhile bike propaganda. ;-) One of our favorites is Life of Pie ― a short that is less about mountain biking and more about the people of a small town in Colorado embracing change and bonding as a community. Another good short - Becoming Ruby - profiles mountain biker, skier, and artist Brooklyn Bell, who fights for a place to belong in the outdoor community. Dirt Magic and The Last Hill also make our favorites list.
The Bikes of Wrath
The Bikes of Wrath chronicles the journey of five Australian friends as they attempt to cycle from Oklahoma to California, tracing the westward migration undertaken by John Steinbeck's Joad family in his seminal novel, The Grapes of Wrath. The five friends must travel more than 1,600 miles on only $420 (the modern-day equivalent of what the characters in Steinbeck’s novel had) over the course of 30 days. ...Will they make it?
WATCH THE TRAILER AND FIND A SCREENING
Bikes vs Cars
The New York Times critics’ pick, Bikes vs Cars, examines the high cost that urban centers pay for prioritizing cars, and the bike as a tool for change. Hear from activists and thinkers who are fig hting for better cities, who refuse to stop riding, even when where they ride isn’t safe.
MOTHERLOAD
If you’ve been following us for a while, you know we love MOTHERLOAD, an inspirational documentary exploring how biking connects us to our environment, our communities, and ourselves.
Funny bike videos
If documentaries aren’t your thing, fall down an internet hole with some funny bike videos we’ve sourced. They’re short and should make you smile.
- The first, Danny Daycare follows professional street trial rider and mountain biker Danny MacAskill on the day he babysits for friends.
- Next, we loved watching Stephen Colbert demo how to fix a flat. In the spring of 2020, The Late Night Show host posted an informative (and of course hilarious) video tutorial on how to remove a flat bike tube and replace it with a freshie. Although we do not recommend using a screwdriver as a tire lever, we do admire Colbert’s ingenuity!
- We also think Home Office is pretty good, especially if you like ridiculous bike tricks using everyday household items.
And if you’re just looking for gorgeous shots from those who shred...
Then check out Pinkbike’s “50 Best Edits of the Decade.” There’s some great stories there too, but mostly it’s mountain bike and trail ride goodness.
Stay toasty, everyone. And remember, if you have any bike questions, need advice, or just want to say hi, send us a note at srpgo@stanford.edu or anna@bikesmakelifebetter.com (for more direct service).