Bob Silverman

Robert “Bicycle Bob” Silverman was a visionary activist who transformed Montreal into North America’s cycling capital. A poet, bookseller, and nonconformist, he used bold protests and street theatre to push for change. From meeting Che Guevara to shaking hands with Yasser Arafat, his life was anything but ordinary. Few unknown figures have left such a lasting mark on the world as Robert "Bicycle Bob" Silverman._x000D_ _x000D_ A true nonconformist, this tireless advocate for urban cycling lived an extraordinary life. Poet, bookseller, restaurateur, traveler, educator, gallery owner—but above all, a passionate cycling activist—Bob led his vélorution (a term he was the first to popularize in Canada) with authenticity, ingenuity, and boundless creativity._x000D_ _x000D_ With his small but dedicated group, Le Monde à Bicyclette (MàB), and a handful of allies, Bob Silverman achieved the impossible. Over three decades, Montreal transformed from one of the least bike-friendly cities in North America into its cycling capital—thanks in part to MàB’s colorful cyclodramas, street theatre protests where members donned costumes to make their point._x000D_ _x000D_ Silverman’s story reads like a film script. A poet and independent bookseller in the 1960s, he drew in a vibrant circle of artists, intellectuals, and musicians, including Leonard Cohen and Armand Vaillancourt. In 1962, he traveled to Cuba to join Fidel Castro’s revolution, meeting none other than Ernesto "Che" Guevara. Later, he worked on an Israeli kibbutz, becoming one of the rare Jewish activists to shake hands with Yasser Arafat. He studied in France and Spain, pioneered outdoor volleyball, and never shied away from challenging the status quo._x000D_ _x000D_ A larger-than-life figure, Robert Silverman was, as many describe him, “a prophet before his time.” Discover how this real-life Man of La Mancha managed to reach a few unreachable stars…