The rollercoaster of cycling popularity

[Vapin' Joe]

Do what me old mucker?

A bicycle is a viable alternative to the car for transporting a person - and most cars out there have only a single occupant - to work, the shops, bookies, cafe, etc.

A set of skis is just as relevant to a bicycle to someone who just doesn't like riding one. Few people would be prepared to give up their cars to cycle everywhere, and that includes the boomers who flocked in during covid along with the new golf types. There may have been scores of them out on Saturday and Sunday mornings, but once they got home it was into the car to go to the shops or take the family to visit gran or run to the seaside.

 

[Aston]

I started writing a short response, which became a bit self indulgent, but here we go...

An interesting thread, I'm sort of quite new to all this, though on and off over the years have had a bicycle*, I like the idea of using a bicycle more for just getting out of the house, going to town which is 8 miles away and camping, however, I'm a lifelong motorcyclist. I had what I'd call a racing bike when a teenager, my dad rebuilt it from a scrap bike, rode it until I got my first motorbike and no longer had to fight headwinds in wet and windy Weston-super-Mare.

I also ran a community project to help people back to work in Weston, including at one point finding funding to buy 3 ebikes to loan out to people getting to work. They could use them for 2-3 months depending on need, we arranged training, free helmets, locks etc, but the take up was tiny, despite great referrals from the Job Centre, people just didn't like the idea of cycling to work**, and Weston is mostly very flat. This was 10 years ago, maybe things have changed post Covid.

* still consider myself a person who occasionally rides a bicycle rather than a cyclist, which for me conjures up images of lycra clad MAMILS
** none of those we loaned bikes to had any other transport

I'll head for cover now

 

[Oldhippy]

The car in any guise petrol diesel or electric (strip mining for the lithium) are major contributions to Climate Change. Few governments or populations will seriously consider stopping this until its too late and we're up to our knees in water and wildly adverse weather that can affect our entire existence.

 

[brommieinkorea]

There’s no correlation between the two.

I was comparing the continued growth of open-water swimming versus cycling having lower growth in the UK. I wondered about the two because both grew considerably in Britain during the pandemic. But cycling has plateaued or shrunk since Covid, whereas open-water has maintained its momentum. I was merely wondering why. Could cycling (the industry, clubs or cycling community) learn anything from this?

My point is, open water swimming is pure leasure activity (unless the ferry sinks) cycling is not. It's not like comparing apples to oranges it's like comparing apples to hand grenades.

 

[Webbo2]

My point is, open water swimming is pure leasure activity (unless the ferry sinks) cycling is not. It's not like comparing apples to oranges it's like comparing apples to hand grenades.

Unless you are a Pearl Fisher🧜‍♂️

 

[Ming the Merciless]

rather than a cyclist

I think a cyclist is just someone who considers a bicycle as their main form of transport. They may use other forms, but locally cycling beats the others most of the time.

 

[Webbo2]

I think a cyclist is just someone who considers a bicycle as their main form of transport. They may use other forms, but locally cycling beats the others most of the time.

I consider my cyclist but I haven’t cycled to the shops or the like for about 8 years. My riding is purely recreational in that I put on my cycling clothing and get on my bike and ride. I use the car to go to shops and our nearest shop is the mini mart at the garage a mile away.
I used to walk down there for stuff these days I use the car. My excuse I don’t need to be doing anymore exercise given I walk the dog 4 miles plus 5 days a week as well as the cycling.

 

[Happy_Days]

Many people cycle primarily for leisure. Many commute by bike. Some do both. They’re all cyclists in my opinion.

 

[PaulSB]

Possibly a stronger "in-group" experience? Very few of us cycle together. Being an introvert I view this as an advantage, but I can understand I'm in the minority in that aspect.

Also, the perception of cycling as "dangerous" and lack of infrastructure in the UK, public perception of "cyclists" are probably factors as well.
Coming from Germany I'm also struck by how many bikes sold are basically sport equipment without lights, mudguards or luggage racks that are necessary to make them useful for transport.

In contrast I would say every cyclist I know, all leisure not utility riders, rides with other people. They ride alone when no one else is going out, which is rare.

I know five open water swimmers, the sort of people who swim the length of Windermere for fun. None of them belong to a club or swim with friends. I feel open water swimming is a very solitary sport.