The rollercoaster of cycling popularity

[rydabent]

Kinda hard to do when we live on an island and the national border is the shoreline.

As for driving thousands of kilometres, we're living on an island where one of the longest driving distances, between start and finish points, is less than a 1,000 miles it's going to be hard achieve. The only land boundary we share with another country we have is on a smaller island, Ireland.

But Hawaii has an "interstate" hiway.

 

[classic33]

But Hawaii has an "interstate" hiway.

With which other country does it share a land boundary with though?

 

[TomDW]

Did an early ride on Sunday morning. On the way back (Downe/West Wickham) to London met hoards of road cyclists. Admittedly it was a nice day but surprised by the numbers. It was lovely weather in March too? it's like they suddenly hatch out of theirs eggs in April

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

Did an early ride on Sunday morning. On the way back to London met hoards of road cyclists. Admittedly it was a nice day but surprised by the numbers. It was lovely weather in March too? it's like they suddenly hatch out of theirs eggs in April

It's the fairweather spring to autumn outdoor cyclists like me, that hide all winter on the turbo, waiting for double digit teen temperatures.

 

[VinSumRox]

How do we tell the level of popularity of cycling? Bike sales don't really help, because they may not be used and regular cyclists will already have at least 1 bike. The national surveys are infrequent and work on a sample basis.
Round here there the number of people out cycling doesn't seem to vary that much , apart from with the weather. Maybe the most noticeable thing is that people cycling on the road are generally older than the MTB and gravel riders. As its rural pretty much all the cycling is leisure based.

 

[sevenfourate]

Do e-bikes count as cyclists ? And owners who solely own one because they’re cheap (Compared to purchasing and owning a car). And require less effort to use than a standard bicycle. Particularly helpful if you’re grossly overweight, immobile etc. And perhaps much easier to store (?) and faster than a Mobility Scooter.

If so - Lowestoft is proliferated with Cyclists these days……. 🤦‍♂️🙄

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Do e-bikes count as cyclists ? And owners who solely own one because they’re cheap (Compared to purchasing and owning a car). And require less effort to use than a standard bicycle. Particularly helpful if you’re grossly overweight, immobile etc. And perhaps much easier to store (?) and faster than a Mobility Scooter.

If so - Lowestoft if proliferated with Cyclists these days…….

Legal ones should - but i might be biased

ones that people ride round just using a throttle are less valid

 

[Happy_Days]

Over the years the popularity of cycling seems to come and go. The last big uptake happened during the pandemic where it seemed everybody was buying bikes to avoid public transport or to just enjoy getting out to get some exercise which was allowed during lockdown.

I’m curious how differently cycling and open-water swimming have fared. Both grew a lot during Covid. But while open-water swimming continued its grow post-pandemic, cycling didn’t.

Both provide the many benefits of exercising outdoors. Arguably, outdoor swimming is more hassle—travelling to a lake or the sea, and often having to get changed outside.

Sure, a bike costs more than a pair of speedos. But many already own a bike, having bought one during Covid.

What do you think?

 

[Drago]

I try not to think about it. It is what is is.

 

[Oldhippy]

Until cycling is thought of as a valid form of transport and not just a hobby/poor person's transport, integrated with public transport and the car stops being promoted as the ultimate form of transportation and banned like cigarette advertising not a lot will change.

 

[Webbo2]

Until cycling is thought of as a valid form of transport and not just a hobby/poor person's transport, integrated with public transport and the car stops being promoted as the ultimate form of transportation and banned like cigarette advertising not a lot will change.

You say this as though it’s important for it to be like that. I ride my bike for pleasure not to change the world.

 

[Oldhippy]

I ride for pleasure, transport, holidays and this was common before cars became the norm. I think it is important on a bigger scale.

 

[Webbo2]

I ride for pleasure, transport, holidays and this was common before cars became the norm. I think it is important on a bigger scale.

I think you might struggle to prove that. As for the bigger scale I think there are far bigger issues in the world than getting people on bikes.

 

[katiewlx]

I think you might struggle to prove that. As for the bigger scale I think there are far bigger issues in the world than getting people on bikes.

arguably not and I may just be playing devils advocate here so be kind

but my take on cycling has always been, the more people we get cycling the better it is for all of us in the world, the more journeys we can convert from car dependency to active travel choices, be that cycling or walking or a combo of both, with maybe some public transport options chucked in to cover the complicated or longer bits. Its better for the environment, its better for congestion with less cars on the road, its better for peoples health because they are exercising, it saves billions on the health service, it cuts emissions, it creates nicer living spaces that are quieter not overrun with traffic.

how are there not bigger issues in the world than that ?