There has been a longstanding fascination with motorcycling culture in popular mainstream North American media, but this culture has only recently become the focus of rigorous, contextualized academic research. While smaller research projects have studied specific aspects of motorcycling culture, few academic researchers have investigated the exclusionary discourses that underpin motorcycling culture and none have done so in a methodical manner. Using a series of columns published over a thirty-five year period in the popular Canadian motorcycle magazine, Cycle Canada, I have analyzed the discourses through which motorcycling culture comes to have meaning to its participants and I have elucidated the socio-historical understandings of masculinity that are present in North American motorcycling culture. This thesis provides a historical sociological analysis of motorcycling discourse through a feminist lens. I view gender as a relation that must constantly be (re)negotiated amongst socially constituted subjects and I pay particular attention to how technological discourse is made socially durable and sustainable by the interface of material (motorcycles) and organic (human) beings. Longitudinal analysis of Cycle Canada illustrates the presence of heteronormative discourses that constrain readers' choices of gender identification and sexual orientation to traditional notions of masculinity. In an effort to create solidarity with their readers, the magazine editors cater to the perceived interests of an idealized male audience by performing these masculine identities. Though motorcycling culture in Canada is increasingly diverse, Cycle Canada has only begun to reflect this diversity in the past two years of publication. Explicating the social, political, economic, technological and historical context which gave rise to particular masculine identities in motorcycling culture allows us to focus on the positive agency involved in the performance of masculine identities, while still recognizing that there remains room to include other figurations of identity beyond traditional concepts of heteronormativity and homosociality. / Thesis (Master, Sociology) -- Queen's University, 2008-05-07 06:21:18.665

Staring to explore the fashionable biker jacket from the fifties lead to the discover that it hasn’t changed much since its origin. The stereotyped biker jacket with the genuine black leather and raw details is an impact model and thought the jacket no longer is worn while riding a bike is it still presenting an image of a rebellious life.The aim of this work is to explore our traditional view of the biker jacket through material and shape. Discovering that the bikers riding position has big similarities with a standing cow gave background to the material used in the classical jackets, the cow. A living animal, a material that once lived. To use the cows and the biker’s upper body as a model, recreating its shape into biker jacket’s to develop the shape of the biker jacket further. By experimenting with untraditional non-textile materials instead of using leather hopefully develop the traditional view of a jacket and bring alternative material and construction forward. Conclusion of the work is that when the materials with strong associations are mixed with the biker shape the materials take over and the definition of the biker jacket becomes more complex. New questions that has arise could be the use of other technical materials, what happens when giving the jacket other functions, is it still a biker jacket then. / Program: Modedesignutbildningen

The first part of the thesis The measurement of the location of centre of gravity of bicycles is firstly about history and division of bicycles, about the legislation in the Czech Republic concerning the cyclists, about the analysis of accidents of cyclists and lastly about the analysis of the method of the measurement of the location of centre of gravity. The second part of the thesis describes the procedure of calculation of the location of centre of gravity in the chosen incline method and the proposal of measure apparatus. The third part of the thesis occupies with the measurement and processing of concrete values for chosen sample of cyclists on the bicycles which are selected in the way that the results of the location of centre of gravity in the final part of the thesis are compared with the respect to their application during the expert opinion.

The diploma thesis was preceded with the specification of specialised atelier TG02 of which the purpose was to prepare an urbanistic study of sport area Hněvkovského territory that is found in the municipal district Brno - Komárov. The urbanistic design was aimed to create an important territory for sport professional as well as relax activities. The specification included also the design of current BMX area and creation of background for sportsmen as well as visitors. The diploma thesis that deals with the building of cycling stadium in form of a study links to this theme. The stadium is situated in the North-East part of the areas, near Hněvkovského road. The design regards sufficient scattering surfaces around the building, simple orientation in the building´s surroundings as well as in the building itself is emphasised. Its glass façade is an important expression element of the building as well as the video mapping systems proposed for projection and lighting of this façade. The attractiveness of the whole area is underlined with parking areas, refreshment point of current cycling track and new area of sport activities (dirt park, ball games).

A specialized project of „Architectural study of modification of the bicycle stadium Favorit Brno in the BVV area and urban design of the Hněvkovský sports complex in Komárov“ preceded the diploma thesis. The aim of the project was preparation of the area for cycling stadium with all the necessary facilities and functional connections. The diploma thesis develops a previous project and elaborates the compound of the cycling stadium in a form of a study. The building should recpect to the current demands of this sport, such as a closed roof of the building, siberian pine track material and a 250-meter track length. The building will be situated in the area adjacent to the current biker complex in Brno Komárov.