Bicycling in the Age of a Global Pandemic

(2 Minute Read)

To me, bicycling is not merely a hobby, it is a passion. It has provided me a mode of transportation to work and school as a commuter, a means of employment as a bike messenger, a vehicle that enriched my travels with pleasure, new experiences, and adventure when I went on bike tours, and as a way to bring catharsis, health, comradery, and meaning to my life.

My experiences on a bike have often left me wondering why more people are not riding bikes and enjoying the same benefits that I have discovered through the years. However, since the global pandemic began, many people have dusted off their bikes, lubed their chains, and taken to the streets on their bikes. From March through mid-June 2020, in urban areas, Americans rode their bikes 21% more than during the same time period in 2019 (Rust, 2020). In Philadelphia, cycling has increased by more than 150% since March (The COVID-19…, 2020).

There are numerous reasons for the sudden increased popularity in bicycling. For instance, many cities such as New York, Oakland, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Bogota, and Paris have closed streets to cars so people can ride their bikes, walk, exercise, and enjoy fresh air and sunshine. In addition, many cities have instituted “pop up bike lanes” on many of their streets. These on-road routes for cyclists are typically protected by either plastic or concrete barriers to provide safe corridors for bicyclists to travel without having to worry about the specter of cars and traffic. Most of these “reallocations of road spaces” are temporary but many are trying to make them permanent fixtures of the urban landscape.

Biking has also become popular as a means to commute to work since many forms of public transportation such as buses, subways, and light rails have recently curtailed their services and/or severely limited the number of passengers that they allow onboard. Another reason why many have taken to commuting by bike is the fear of being exposed to the Coronavirus while riding in crowded vehicles with limited ventilation and potentially contaminated surfaces. The bicycle is an excellent way to maintain social distancing while being able to swiftly navigate the urban environment. A recently released study by Trek, an American based bicycle company, found that 85% of respondents felt safer bicycling rather than taking public transit to help ensure physical distancing. Plus, 63% of the respondents believed that bicycling helps to relieve stress and reduce anxiety during the pandemic (Trek, 2020).

The pandemic has also precipitated an increased demand for bikeshare programs. Citi Bike, the popular public bikeshare program in New York City saw a huge jump in demand in early March, 67% when compared to March 2019 (Gary, 2020). The bike industry has seen an explosion in sales since the pandemic hit, which has left many shops facing depleted inventories, a huge backlog of orders, and often weeks-long waiting lists for bicycle services and repairs. According to PeopleForBikes, nationwide bike sales are up 65% year-to-date from 2019 (Rust, 2020).

If these changes in infrastructure, modes of transportation, and consumer behavior combined with a paradigm shift away from the primacy of the automobile become a permanent part of our culture and cityscapes then they can help to ensure a future where bicycling is a popular, climate-friendly, accessible, healthy, and safe way to navigate the urban environment.

References
Gary, J. (2020, June 2). Why cycling is the future of urban transportation around the world. Lonely Planet. Retrieved from: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/future-of-cycling-in-cities?fbclid=IwAR0hNtxvvOByBloaud6XUtIUDB9FVdIIE_wy7hxZRZloJTxnGs6qG9pN5rg

Rust, S. (2020, June 25). Bicycles have enjoyed a boom during the pandemic: Will it last as car traffic resumes? Los Angeles Times.  Retrieved from https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-25/bicycle-business-is-exploding-during-covid-19-will-it-last

The COVID-19 Bike Boom: How Cities Can Prepare for the Coming Rise in Cycling (2020, May 12). Medium. Retrieved from https://medium.com/@TransAlt/the-covid-19-bicycle-boom-66b1c82bb8d0

Trek (2020, April 16). National study reveals U.S. cycling behaviors during Coronavirus pandemic. Trek Bike Blogs. Retrieved from: https://blog.trekbikes.com/en/2020/04/16/national-study-reveals-u-s-cycling-behaviors-during-coronavirus-pandemic/