From hand-painted frames to colourful tassels, cyclists have always found creative ways to personalise their bikes. Vintage riders added ornate metalwork and pinstriping, while more recent cycling fans use decals, custom wraps, embroidery on bags, and even knitted “yarn-bombing” to make their rides stand out. Here’s where cycling meets craft.
The bicycle’s origins go back to the early 1800s with Karl von Drais’s wooden “laufmaschine”, a pedal-less running machine you pushed along with your feet. It looked a bit like a balance bike for adults, but it kicked off a wave of experimentation across Europe. The French soon introduced the “boneshaker”, a rattly metal-and-wood velocipede that lived up to its name. Gradual improvements followed, including pedals, rubber tyres, and sturdier frames. By the late 19th century, the “safety bicycle” appeared, with two equal wheels and far better stability. That design finally made cycling practical, comfortable, and accessible for everyday riders.
India's vibrant lorry tradition started in the mid-20th century. Decorated trucks brought luck, expressed identity, and brightened lonely journeys with artistry.
Each region developed its own style, shaped by local culture and the artist’s imagination. Over time, these rolling canvases became more than just transport—they turned into moving expressions of pride, faith, and craftsmanship, transforming everyday freight vehicles into unmistakable works of folk art.
 
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Yarn bombing bikes
Crocheted and knitted bicycle decorations—often called “yarn-bombing” or “bike-bombing”—have appeared in cities and towns around the world, from London and Amsterdam to New York, Melbourne, and smaller community-led craft hubs. Makers wrap handlebars, frames, baskets, and even entire wheels in colourful yarn as a playful blend of art, activism, and personal expression.
For some, it’s simply a joyful way to brighten daily commutes and turn an ordinary bike into something charming and unique. For others, it carries deeper meaning: softening urban spaces, encouraging cycling culture, or making a statement about reclaiming public areas through creativity rather than commercial signage. Whether part of organised yarn-bombing groups or lone crafters at work, these decorations celebrate warmth, individuality, and the human touch in an otherwise functional object.
Standing out from the crowd
People decorate their bicycles with craft, flowers, lights, and all sorts of handmade touches (such as spoke charms) for a mix of joy, identity, and visibility. For many, it’s simply a way to make a practical object feel more personal and expressive—turning an everyday ride into something that reflects their personality. Bright decorations and lights can also help cyclists feel safer on the road, making them more noticeable in traffic.
Others enjoy the sense of celebration it brings, transforming a routine trip into a small, creative moment. Whether it’s for festivals, community rides, or just the pleasure of crafting, these embellishments bring colour, warmth, and individuality to cycling.
The Scraper bike sub-culture
The Scraper Bike subculture is a creative, youth-driven movement that originated in Oakland, California, centered on transforming ordinary bicycles into rolling works of art. Riders decorate their bikes with vibrant colors, foil, cardboard, tape, and handmade designs, often matching their outfits and riding in groups to showcase their style. More than just an aesthetic trend, Scraper Bikes represent community pride, resilience, and self-expression—offering young people a positive, DIY outlet rooted in local culture. The movement has grown into a symbol of empowerment and neighborhood identity, celebrating creativity while promoting community engagement and safe riding.
Painted bicycle frames
Painted bicycle frames have long been a canvas for personal expression, with motifs ranging from bold geometric patterns and delicate florals to folk-inspired symbols, abstract art, and even narrative scenes. Some cyclists choose designs that celebrate their cultural heritage, while others paint bikes to mark life events, promote community causes, or simply stand out from the crowd. In places with strong DIY or artistic cycling cultures—such as parts of the UK, the Netherlands, North America, and various grassroots bike collectives—hand-painted frames are especially common. These communities often treat bicycles as extensions of identity, transforming them from purely functional machines into rolling pieces of personal and cultural storytelling.
Bejewelled bicycle frames
These take decoration a step further, turning bikes into sparkling, eye-catching artworks. Riders use rhinestones, gems, sequins, mirrors, and metallic embellishments to create motifs such as stars, floral patterns, swirling mandalas, and geometric shapes that catch the light as they move. In some cases, the designs are playful and glamorous, simply celebrating creativity and individuality; in others, they echo fashion trends, cultural symbolism, or festival aesthetics.
DIY sub-cultures
These ornate bikes often appear in communities with strong DIY or expressive subcultures—such as parade groups, carnival cyclists, LGBTQ+ cycling collectives, and art-bike communities in cities like London, Berlin, and San Francisco. For many makers, bejewelling a bike is about joy, identity, and transforming a practical object into a piece of mobile, shimmering self-expression.
Humour in bicycle decoration
This self expression in bicycle decoration is so heart warming. It brings individual flair to the foreground and a smile to people they zoom past.
Read some of my other articles about bikes!
Cycling bags as a movement by Goodordering
