Bicycles in the Movies
Below are our picks for the best movies featuring bicycles in the plot. It's amazing to us, but Hollywood doesn't seem to think of the bike as a worthy theme. Many of these movies are foreign language and non-Hollywood productions. See any good bicycle movies not on the list? Let us know.

Dramatic Movies
2 Secondes (1998)
A French film about a woman downhill racer who moves from Canada to Paris and gets a job as a bicycle courier while finding herself.

El Amateur (1999)
A Spanish language film (English subtitles) about a guy who tries getting into Guiness Book of World Records for longest time pedaling on a bike. The local council and mayor see this event as great publicity for the town.

American Flyers (1985)
Starring Kevin Costner & David Grant. 2 brothers reconnect over bike racing. OK, this movie is strictly "B" material, but much of it was shot near our HQ in Golden, Colorado.

Boy & Bicycle (1965)
Ridley Scott's first movie (a short) while in film school. Definitely a student film and not like Alien, Blade Runner or Gladiator. But the story captures a little of the freedom our bikes gave us as kids. The young rider featured is Ridley's younger brother Tony. He skips school and explores his industrial town in England.

Breaking Away (1979)
Starring Dennis Quaid. An interesting coming of age movie. Bicycle racing is featured prominently.

Bicycle Thieves (Ladri di Biciclette) (1948)
A classic movie about the importance of one bicycle for the life of a man in post war Italy.

Clockstoppers (2002)
A light hearted science fiction adventure film about a boy who finds his scientist dad's time stopping watch. The boy just happens to be a trick rider and uses his mountain bike to get out of difficult situations.

The Cyclist (1988)
An Iranian Language Film (English subtitles) about an Afgan refugee who decides to ride his a bike for 7 days straight to earn money for his sick wife's hospital bills. The plot thickens as he rides throughout the week as the locals bet on the outcome and then try to help or hinder his efforts. The movie also shows an interesting look at Iranian society.

The Flying Scotsman (2006)
Starring Jonny Lee Miller & Billy Boyd. Based on the true story of Graeme Obree and his off beat quest to break the world one-hour record. he battles depression and other odds to succeed.

The Middle of The World (O Caminho das Nuvens) (2003)
A Portugeuse language film (English subtitles) about a family that travels 3200km across Brazil on bicycles. One of the kids is still in diapers. They have little money, but find a way to survive. This plot also explores family dynamics between a husband, wife and 5 children on the road. Anyone craving a life on the road by bicycle should see this film.

Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)
An early Tim Burton film that helped launch his career and also Pee-wee Herman's now faded career. Pee-wee's bike get's stolen and he obsessively embarks on an adventure to recover it.

Quicksilver (1986)
Starring Kevin Bacon. About life as a bicycle messenger.

The Day I Became a Woman (2000)
An Iranian language film about a woman who enters a bike race and the male dominated obstacles she must face to race. Also presents a good look at female life in Iran. Like the Islamic female dress the women must ride in doesn't appear to be very aerodynamic. Although many of the racers have newer looking full suspension mountain bikes.

Documentaries
24 Solo (2007)
Follow World Champion Chris Eatough and other competitors as they race 24 hour solo mountain bike races. The video gives a good sense of just how gruelling these races are.

Bicycle Dreams (2009)
Cronicles the Race Across America or RAAM. Surprisingly dramatic plot line, and it's real.

Blood Sweat & Gears (2008)
The movie follows our own Boulder based Slipstream Garmin Chipotle Cycle Team from start up to first Tour de France. The story focuses on the team's desire to race clean (without performance enhancing drugs) while working towards a first invitation to the Tour de France. Surprisingly candid and indepth interviews with the owner, team manager and individual team riders are interwoven with great race prep and race footage. Rider's wives and other family members are also interviewed. This movie also explains how a cycle team works in better depth than many other race oriented documentaries.

Discoveries America: Wisconsin (2006)
Essentially this is a travel DVD. But it features a tour of Trek Bicycle Company in the town of Waterloo. Filmed during the height of Lance Armstrong's Tour de France winning streak, this film explains the logistics of designing building one of Lance's racing bikes. Also shows many areas of the Trek manufacturing plant and process.

Hell on Wheels (2004)
German language with English subtitles. A unique look at the Tour de France. Explores the racers on and off the race. Also shows a little of the carnival atmosphere and history of the event. A couple scenes are rather enlightening if you've never been to an event like how the racers urinate during a race.

Joe Kid on a Sting-Ray: The History of BMX (2005)
The history of BMX from the early 1970's kids who modified their Schwinn Sting-Rays to the birth of an Olympic sport. Some great historic footage and footage of trick riding.

On the Road with Charles Kuralt (2009)
During his travels across the country, Charles Kuralt interviews Jethro Mann, who has a fleet of bicycles he loans out to children free of charge in a small town in North Carolina. He also teaches them how to repair bicycles.

Red Zinger/Coors Classic (2006)
3 disks containing footage of the Red Zinger Classic and its offspring the Coors Classic from 1977 through 1987. Also includes features from CBS sports, NBC Sportsworld, commercials and other interesting footage centered around these great races and the people involved. Lots of footage of Boulder, Estes Park, Denver and Golden where these races were held. Also features Lemond, Phinney, Carpenter and other racers of the era. From this actual footage of the races it's easy to see why they billed these races as the toughest bike races in America.

Road to Paris (2001)
Follow Lance Armstrong and the U.S. Postal Team as they prepare for the Tour de France. In interesting look at the racers, how they train and think about racing.

The Sean Kelly Story (2002)
Watch the Irish cycling legend in action and learn about his life. As expected the movie features Irish scenery and music. Good historic footage of the Tour de France and other classic races.

Share The Road (2005)
Follow along with a band of bicycle gypsies who travel across the US and then down to Mexico.

Still We Ride (2008)
Out here in Golden and Boulder Colorado we have an accepted bike culture. Yes mild conflict between drivers and bikers flair up occasionally. But apparently its nothing to what riders face in New York City. This documentary cronicles the Monthly Critical Mass bike ride as police arrest and downright harrass the riders. New York City police appear to be very scarry compared to the reasonable constables in Colorado. It looks like something out of the 1960s or worse. Is bike riding a right or can the police stop riders and confiscate their steeds if they feel its a form of protest?

Vietnam: Long Time Coming (1998)
World Team Sports gathers together a group, including Vietnam veterans from boths sides of the conflict, to ride 1200 miles across Vietnam. Greg LeMonde comes along to help, as does Golden's own Erik Weihenmayer with his dad who was a veteran. An emotional journey as well as physical. The veterans ride through areas they once fought through. Ultimately they pedal towards self healing and bonding with the very people that were once their enemy.