Bicycle quotes explained

Where do these bicycle quotes come from? If you’ve ever done any research, you’ve noticed most quotes are apocryphal, paraphrased or entirely fake. So, we investigate the origins of some famous bike quotes, verify their accuracy, and put them into historical context. We think you’ll see that bicycle quotes, like our selection of quotes about the Women’s Suffrage Movement, reflect how human society has evolved over time.

Famous Paraphrased Quotes
Citing quotations is difficult. Even though I know better, I still have gotten it wrong. One quote I used to love to use was: “Be the change you want to see in the world.” The actual quote by Mahatma Gandhi is: “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him… We need not wait to see what others do.”

Another example is: A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle. And an embarrassing and expensive mistake I made was publishing a Lance Armstrong quote in my book that was most likely paraphrased or invented by his co-author; either way, the ensuing controversy regarding his doping scandal turned this section of my book from inspirational to embarrassing. I have subsequently released an anniversary edition and downplayed this section, though I admit it was inspirational at the time.