Critical Mass Xerocracy: San Francisco 1992-93

Primary Source

This is a collection of "xerocracy," or photocopied flyers, from the first year or so of Critical Mass at its point of origin in San Francisco, starting with the very first flyer that invited people to meet at the foot of Market Street and ride home together. It starts in September 1992 and goes through 1993.

First-ever flyer inviting people to ride together, September 1992

This flyer by Steven Bodzin went out simultaneously in mid-September 1992. Ironically, the back side was an advert to join the SF Bicycle Coalition!

Critical comments on Critical Mass after the first two rides by Chris Carlsson

October 1992: This image by JR Swanson was used many times during the first months and became an iconic representation of the early Critical Mass

Joel Pomerantz made this elaborate chart and distributed it at the 3rd Critical Mass in November to address many of the issues that had already emerged from the start

Silly invite to the December ride, 1992

Another silly invite to the January 1993 mid-winter (and mid-drought) ride

These were produced as flyers and as sheets of small stickers in February 1993

flyers and stickers of these, too, along with 4-5 other "sign" designs

The theme of banning cars on Market also became a recurrent one, starting here in March 1993

March 1993 proposed route and handout

April 1993, two-sided with "We're Sorry!" Later became small handbills handed out for a couple of years

Flipside of Get Off Your Asphalt, April 1993

Hand-painted with a tire and red paint by Beth Verdekal, March 1993

First appearance of "Critical Mass Missives" which would appear monthly into 1995

Solidarity with the first person whose bike was wrecked by a motorist during the April 1993 ride

Proposed routes started to become more elaborate as the months went by, this for May 1993

Critical Mass Missives #2, May 1993, side one

Critical Mass Missives #2, May 1993, side two

Critical Mass Missives #3, June 1993

Critical Mass Missives #3, June 1993

Critical Mass Missives #4, July 1993, Page 1

Critical Mass Missives #4, July 1993, Page 2

Critical Mass Missives #4, July 1993, Page 3

Critical Mass Missives #4, July 1993, Page 4

August 1993

August 1993, side 2

First Birthday of Critical Mass, September 1993.

Critical Mass Missives #5, October 1993, page 1

Critical Mass Missives #5, October 1993, page 2

Critical Mass Missives #5, October 1993, page 3

Critical Mass Missives #5, October 1993, page 4

With rising tensions with the police, Viktor Veysey decided to meet them individually, and he published this account in November 1993, page 1

With rising tensions with the police, Viktor Veysey decided to meet them individually, and he published this account in November 1993, page 2

Critical Mass Missives #6.1, the short version, November 1993, side one

Critical Mass Missives #6.1, the short version, November 1993, side two

Critical Mass Missives #6.2, the long version, November 1993, side one

Critical Mass Missives #6.1, the long version, November 1993, side two

Critical Mass Missives #6.2, the long version, November 1993, side three

Critical Mass Missives #6.1, the long version, November 1993, side four

Critical Mass Missives #7, December 1993, sides one and four

Critical Mass Missives #7, December 1993, sides two and three

The Critical XMass flyer, December 1993.

continue to Critical Mass Xerocracy: San Francisco 1994