On Thursday (6/7) the United States Post Office (USPS) put out a press release on their newest stamps to celebrate bicycling. According to the press release: "One of the nation’s most popular outdoor activities gets its stamp of approval today from the U.S. Postal Service with the issuance of the Bicycling Forever stamps. The four stamps feature a young child just learning to ride with training wheels, a commuter pedaling to work, a road racer intent on the finish line and an airborne BMX rider."

When I saw these the first thought I had was why don't they show a normal person riding a bicycle with regular clothes, as if to simply ride from one place to another? Considering that "nearly 60% of all bike trips are 1 mile or less", why not show that type of bicyclist? The second image is supposedly of a commuter but here we have a woman riding with front and rear panier bags, spandex shorts, cycling jersey, and gloves, which really looks more like a touring cyclist.

I think this isn't a surprise since bicycling isn't really thought of as a regular form of transportation in the U.S. Here it's a sport for a healthy lifestyle, not a part of everyday work. If it were, I think they would have designed the commuter to wear normal clothes, riding a bike that isn't designed for hours in the saddle. Not a big deal, but a clear reflection of the state of bicycling in the U.S.