Steven Rea, curator of Rides a Bike and author of the newly released Hollywood Rides a Bike, owns and rides several vintage steel bikes.

Rea, an adjunct professor at Drexel University and a film critic for the Philadelphia Inquirer, rides his bike to work and to movie screenings almost every day.

Here is Mr. Rea with his 1950s Bates singlespeed “club” bike. Note the fenders, big touring saddlebag attached to the Brooks saddle, the strap around his drive side ankle and the coffee cup. The man clearly has his priorities straight.

Mr. Rea’s daily ride is a 1970s Raleigh rod brake “postman’s” bike — i.e. the sturdy black bikes you’ll see in the Netherlands. For longer weekend rides, he’ll take this Bates, his 1970s Mercian, or one of his two Raleigh Lenton Grand Prix bikes from the 1950s. He was born in London, which probably explains his affinity for British bikes.

He began “Rides A Bike” on Thanksgiving 2010 to share his photos of Hollywood stars on bikes that he’s collected over the years as a film critic. People suggested the content would make a great coffee table book, so he pitched the idea to a publisher and now you can buy the book for $20. Valentine’s Day is coming up soon hint hint.

Photo by Stuart Rome and used with permission. Rome is Professor of Photography at Drexel University.