Before any of us were afforded the privilege to drive a car, bicycles were our go-to mode of transport. Whether a boy or a girl, most everybody has fond childhood memories of somewhere they went riding their beloved two-wheeled friend. Bikes allowed us to escape the watchful eyes of our parents and explore new found territories. They also made it easier to get to your best pal’s house who lived a few blocks away. Whatever the case, bicycles have played a significant role in our lives. You need look no further than the big screen for evidence. Movies often hold a mirror up to society, so it should come as no surprise that tons of flicks have woven bikes into their plots. Here are ten of the most memorable. (Special thanks goes to Mike and Jay from the Gunaxin Podcast for helping compile this list.)
10
The Bike Rider
European Vacation
Eric Idle channels a little Monty Python playing a frightened bicyclist who continues to fall victim to the zany antics of the bumbling Griswold clan. Including getting run over while riding his bike.
9
BMX Madness
Rad
Local boy Cru Jones must defy the odds to win a BMX race called “Helltrack” versus a douchebag pro rider. It’s pretty much The Karate Kid on bikes. Except not as good.
8
Costner on Wheels
American Flyers
Kevin Costner sports a pornstache to play a doctor who talks his troubled brother into joining him on a race through the Rocky Mountains. Oh, and he has a brain tumor.
7
Bike Breakdancing
Quicksilver
Remember the awful Tom Cruise movie Cocktail? It made bartending look like the best job in the world. Quicksilver does the same for bike messengers who work in New York City. It’s classic ’80s fluff.
6
Tricycle Race
Revenge of the Nerds
Toshiro Takashi never gets the pub that Booger and Lamar and Poindexter do, but his beer guzzling tricycle race scene is one of the funniest in a flick chock full of laughs. Nerds rule.
5
Wicked Witch
The Wizard of Oz
When Miss Gulch rides her bike up the road to take away Toto from Dorothy with that famous music playing on the soundtrack, the word “bitch” comes to mind. It’s a great scene from a great film.
4
Viva Italiano
Breaking Away
Dave Stoller loves bicycle racing and Italy. He also loves his fellow “Cutters,” which is the name given to the lower class townies by snobbish Indiana University students. The climactic Little 500 race still kicks ass.
3
To the Moon
E.T.
Little E.T. was a great pal. He was handy around the garden and could turn bikes into flying machines. He and Elliott’s trip to the moon accompanied by John Williams’ rousing score still gives chills. Ah, to be a kid again.
2
Crime Doesn’t Pay
The Bicycle Thief
Vittorio De Sica’s neorealist classic is without question one of the greatest films ever made. The father and son search for a stolen bicycle through the streets of Rome is storytelling at its finest.
1
A Rebel and his Bike
Pee-wee’s Big Adventure
Pee-wee lives for his bicycle. And why shouldn’t he? It’s got a shark fin spoiler, fancy bell, a lion roar horn and rocket boosters. Best movie bike ever? Name one that’s better. Can’t, can you?
—- Taken from Gunaxin
