Vancouver Sucks for Cycling
Zine, Hari Yams, 42 pgs, [email protected]
Hari Yams is a bit of a zine scene lifer, or a partial lifer, at least. Back in 2014, we reviewed Bike Rides from SW Montreal. Nothing cutesy or glib here: this was literally a zine about biking and bike routes. A practical guide with substance.
Now, we have Vancouver Sucks for Cycling, also about biking, but clearly less enthusiastic than past works. The title is a tad sharp, but it’s coming from a place of passion. This is an attempt at constructive criticism, and seems fair, based on the level of detail provided as evidence.
Yams discusses and dissects different regions and paths in and around Vancouver. Lots of detail on infrastructure, barriers to be aware of, and what opportunities exist to make things cleaner for friends and family on two-wheels.
It also provides photos, hand-drawn maps and other visual aids to pull it all together, and overall it’s pretty darn cute.
Between the practical bits is some strong commentary on urban affairs and politics. But this could also serve as a valuable guide for tourists or newcomers for the region, because it paints a thorough picture of Vancouver’s landscape and what to expect if you venture within, with a bike or otherwise.