Cycle Revolution

18 November 2015 - 30 June 2016

Cycle Revolution at London’s world leading Design Museum celebrates the diversity of contemporary cycling in Britain from every day commuting to Olympic level competition and looks at where design and innovation may take the riders of the future.

"Design Museum's bike exhibition is a dream for all who love two wheels." The Guardian

"If you aren't already in love with the world of cycling, this exhibition will change that." ★★★★★ Londonist

"Fascinating." ★★★★ The Telegraph

"It's not just a display of cool bikes" ★★★★ Time Out London

What's in the exhibition?

Highlights of the bikes on display include:

Sir Bradley Wiggins’s 2015 Hour Record bike and 2014 World Championship Time Trial bike
A number of Team Sky’s Pinarellos from the 2015 Tour de France, as well as kit and equipment from the team’s 2015 Tour de France win
Sir Chris Hoy’s Great Britain Cycling Team London 2012 Olympic Track bike
The Lotus Type 108 ridden by Chris Boardman at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games
Eddy Merckx’s 1972 Hour Record bike
Francesco Moser’s 1984 Hour Record bike, loaned for the exhibition from the personal collection of Sir Bradley Wiggins
The earliest prototype Brompton in existence
A 1978 Breezer Series 1
A 1969 Raleigh Chopper.
Bike builder’s workshop – showing the tools, materials and skills that combine to create a bespoke machine. Six independent British bike builders are profiled - Donhou Bicycles, Toad Custom Cycles, Hartley Cycles, Robin Mather Cycles, Mercian Cycles and Shand Cycles.
High profile cyclists including Lord Norman Foster and Sir Paul Smith discuss their passion for cycling and hopes for its future in the closing film.

Pre-book your ticket now

Please note that the second floor is now closed. Tickets will be discounted to the following prices for entrance to Cycle Revolution on the first floor:

Members and children go free.

£9.10 Adult
£6.80 Student
£4.55 Children (6 to 15 years old inclusive)
Free child under 6

For group bookings, contact +44 (0)20 7940 8783.
Prices include optional donation. Tickets are subject to a £0.50 booking fee.

Gift tickets can be purchased by contacting the ticket office on +44 (0)20 7940 8783 or using the enquiry form below.

There are a small number of cycle racks outside and beside the museum, and limited space to park bicycles along the riverside railings. The museum has a cloakroom with limited space for folding bikes, helmets and panniers.

What's the exhibition about?

The last decade has seen a revolution in cycling, on a scale not witnessed in the UK since the Second World War. Cycle Revolution celebrates the diversity of contemporary cycling in Britain from every day commuting to Olympic level competition. It brings together bicycles, clothing, accessories, equipment, film and photography to explain where cycling is now and where it might take us in the future.

The exhibition looks at cycling subcultures through four ‘tribes’ – the High Performers who reach Olympic speeds, the Thrill Seekers who take on all terrains, the Urban Riders who pedal our cities mile by mile, and the Cargo Bikers who work on two wheels. British bespoke bicycle frame building is showcased in the exhibition in a recreation of a bicycle making workshop featuring artisans from across the UK.

Cycle Revolution closes with a glimpse into the future of cycling – how it is changing the infrastructure of the city, and how architects, designers and urban planners are responding to the needs of twenty-first century cyclists? Enjoy the ride!

Don’t miss the specially-commissioned Ben Wilson bicycle sculpture in the museum’s Atrium, cycling films in the 1.5 Gallery and series of cycling related talks and events.

Continue the conversation on social media and feature on the exhibition’s Social Wall @designmuseum #CycleRevolution.

Share your cycle memories to feature in Cycle Revolution

The museum is asking you to share your cycling memories with a picture. The best ones will be featured in the exhibition. Share your images with a quote on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram using #CycleRevolution then come along and see yourself featured on the social wall

"Aged 10, my first bike and my first introduction to the freedom of cycling." - Paul Smith

Cycle Revolution looks at cycling subcultures through four ‘tribes’

High Performers

Thrill Seekers

Urban Riders

Cargo Bikers

Meet the Ultimate Urban Rider

The Design Museum put out an open call to cyclists in cities across the world to find the Ultimate Urban Rider. Meet the #CycleRevolution Ultimate Urban Rider Lucy Granville.

“I am the ultimate urban rider because I have ridden London from birth, not a single accident. From child to teen, student, professional and now mother, my bike is my freedom pass. Riding is liberation, and sanity. My son says ‘wheee!’ when we corner, and greets our bike every morning.”