We are not sure, opinions seem to differ. There are probably as many aims of CM as there are participants. Each person comes there with his or her own idea of what it’s about, and the sum of this makes up the Mass. We have no organisers and no planned routes and this website does not try to be representative of CM in any way.

Critical Mass achieved its international name following the first ever ride in San Francisco back in 1992, where it was christened ‘Commute Clot’. It was then “noted that, in China both motorists and bicyclists had an understood method of negotiating intersections without signals. Traffic would “bunch up” at these intersections until the back log reached a “critical mass” at which point that mass would move through the intersection”. Film ‘Return of the Scorcher’ also features the scene which led to the adoption of the name “Critical Mass” for the rides which now occur around the world.

The London monthly rides started in April 1994. 1995-96 reports. Videos from the 90s. It isn’t just for cyclists, sometimes there are wheelchairers, skateboarders, roller bladers, roller skaters and other self-propelled people. Cycle sound systems often play music on the ride.”