With just a few days left in a Tour de France that has captivated many Americans, the United States Postal Service has announced a new series of stamps. The “2012 Bicycling Forever Stamps” were made available via preview today through Facebook and Twitter.
USPS plans to preview several stamps in the coming weeks and is asking people to vote on their favorite.
About the “Bicycling Forever” stamps, Stephen Kearney, manager of Stamp Services for the USPS said this:
“We are excited to promote one the nation’s most popular outdoor activities with the issuance of these four Bicycling stamps. These days, increasing numbers of Americans ride bikes to work or use them to run neighborhood errands. Many travel organizations offer cycling tours, from leisurely half-day jaunts to weeks-long excursions. No matter how long the ride, choosing to bike rather than to drive cuts down on traffic congestion, fuel consumption and vehicle emissions, which benefits the environment and helps improve air quality.”
As an added bonus, the Postal Service says they are “helping the environment” by delivering the mail by bicycle in locations throughout Arizona and Florida.
For more on the bike stamps, visit BeyondthePerf.com.
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Of course they chose a bike with time trial bars. OF COURSE! Ugh.
If only the stamps depicted people commuting or running errands… unfortunately they reinforce the American notion that bikes are either toys or sporting equipment.
I agree, they should have had somebody dressed normally on an upright bike…
but it’s good that they’re making bike stamps…
And you can tell those people aren’t commuting or running errands because……?
Because people around here are very intolerant of lycra (and sport cycling in general), I think. If you don’t look a certain way, clearly you don’t live up to their stereotype of what a cyclist “should” be.
-1. See all kinds of cyclists all over town all the time.
You DID notice that the road bike has panniers on it, right?
Now wait.. the men’s bikes, are designed for performance (road) and rugged adventure (MTB). The woman is also on a road bike.. complete with drop bars.. but hers has saddle bags & baskets? I guess she just rode out to go grocery shopping while her guy was out riding performance?
Yep, institutional sexism. That’s all I could see when I looked at this stamp. We should boycott it. That’ll show em’.
How is a woman on a touring bike “institutional sexism”?? The truth of the matter is way more men than women ride bikes of any kind in this country. That’s not sexism, that’s statistics. You try coming up with a cross-section of cycling in just four stamps.
I figured the “panniers” were actually her sweet bike stereo system, with main speakers up front and subwoofers in the back. It looks to me like she’s rocking out to the White Stripes but perhaps the artist intended to portray her as more of a Bowie fan.
Or this could be a portrait of a successful beer run. We’ll just never know.
Is it sad I was just happy two of the stamps HAD women (well women and girl)?
Unsurprised also by lack of civvies but happy with the woman touring!
and why does ther word forever have a line running through it?
over all. if I used stamps I would probably get some if I was at the post office and they were there.
I think the woman at top right is most likely touring. Commuting is also a possibility, but front panniers for commuting seems like overkill.
The lady is actually riding across the country unsupported and the dude with the time trial bars is a rich dude that has never ridden a time trial or triathalon before, but he is signed up for the blue lake sprint tri, so he had to buy the bike. BTW, the BMX rider is also a female… well I can’t actually tell, but there is no reason she isn’t – right? Oh and training wheels are so last year, why isn’t the child on a skoot bike? Everything is wrong, they should cancel the whole project. Seriously people is there ever anything positive, can anyone do anything right, complain complain complain.
+1
Oh wait, I should have read the last part of your comment. If only I could revoke my +1.
You people are ridiculous. It’s just a stamp. Quit all your complaining. I know someone’s going to try to make some counterargument about how it portray’s cycling, the image it creates, marginalization, blah blah… Go out and ride. It’s a nice day!
Me thinks you doth protest too much. 😉
How many of your bikes have TT bars on them?
I’ll take a run at that. Out family has five bikes. Two have aeorbars on them. They get used a lot. I love aerobars – I find them very confortable for longer distances.
I don’t have them on my commuter though.
I know personally I would like one that was a kind of vintage commuting one. Maybe harking back to the old schwinn or sears days. Upright city riding with a basket on the front!
cycling community: “Everyone should be cycling!!”
USPS: “Here are some stamps promoting cycling”
cycling community:
It was suppose’ to say “OUTRAGE” 🙂
I’m still waiting for the Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin stamps.
& john lennon on a postcard stamp– he was a big fan of sending postcards 🙂
yes at least one image clearly showing use of a bicycle as adult transport — sit-up bike, regular clothes. next issue!
I for one am outraged that African Americans are being sidelined again. The only person of mixed decent is a token Asian child. As if they are unworthy of full-sized representation. I am burning my stamp collection in protest
And I am outraged and take serious umbrage at your characterization of an Asian child as being of “mixed descent”. For all you know, that child is a full-blood Han Chinese (or other Asian ethnicity of your preference), as ethnically pure as the palest Finn. For shame, Kittens, for shame.
FYI – the line through forever appears on non-functional copies of stamp designs to protect against forgeries. I knew that my stamp collection skills would come in handy someday. That day is today.
Also, the lady tourer is going to be suffering from some serious heel strike on those panniers! Hope yer not goin’ far…