Coming soon to a city near you: "The rise of the urban biker"
I stumbled upon this rather gratifying article on Wired, and thought you might like to see it too. It's apparently become "hip" to ride a bike in many large metropolitan areas. Seattle, Chicago, San Francisco and London are all burgeoning bike markets, to the point where each of these cities and more have their own bikes named after them. According to the article, it's the simple single-speed bike that is becoming the most popular. I can totally understand why, with no gears to change and adjust, the appeal is in their simplicity. Sure, it might be nice to go down to the granny gear for that particularly steep hill near your favorite hangout, but you can always get off and push if need be. And, you'll probably get in good enough shape in a little while that you won't need to.
"My friends in Boston were getting into these bikes, and it was just sort of appealing to me. It's like there's nothing to worry about, and they're just a blast to ride," says Matt McDonald, in the article. That they are, Matt!
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[Source: Wired Cars 2.0 Blog]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Will 8:27AM (10/11/2007)
I used to bike commute. The bike (used, $100) paid for itself in parking cost and gas in 3 months. I even rode to work 4 miles away in 19 degree cold. Once you get a method of dressing that works, you prefer the cold because it is easier to fight sweat. I also liked to arrive at work more awake and burn off stress on the ride back.
However, road construction changed the layout of one of the roads I used. Someone wasn't paying attention and hit me with the front of their car. My opinion is that if you hit someone with the front of the car then you should have been watching where you were going. I got out of it with just some deep bruising and a totaled bike. Very Lucky.
The hills, and in some locations (like Atlanta) the number of very aggressive and unskilled drivers make bike commuting a hassle. I lived in the heart of downtown Atlanta and biking was great for 9 months. Just please take into account the drivers in your area and ALWAYS wear a helmet.
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Alex 9:46AM (10/11/2007)
In Philly the hip kids are obsessed with track bikes. Seems absolutely stupid because track bikes don't have any brakes. Its a fixed gear so your method of stopping is by trying to pedal backwards. I don't get it.
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Jankdc 3:53PM (10/11/2007)
Alex,
I used to ride a fixed gear (track bike) on the streets of philly when you could count on one hand the number of bikers that did so. Proper riding of them, will actually give you more control and maneuverability. The brake is inherent in the ride. You either press against the momentum of the wheel or pop the back wheel up and lock your legs. Stopping is easy, once you know how to do it. While I didn't start with a hand brake, I probably should have; it takes time to build up the skills. I have one on my bike now (I'm an older and have a kid), "I have it if I need it," I say. But truthfully, I haven't used the hand brake in over two years.
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