It's not always about the bike1. Sometimes it's about riding the bike. Sometimes it's about the journey. Often it is about simply enjoying a shared pleasure with other people or for getting from A to B.
Entirely understandably, but sadly, nonetheless, in the UK the 'best' choice of bike for commuting is frequently in the style of a racer. We're mixing it daily with large vehicles, trying to stay safe in an environment that is designed solely for motor vehicles - we need to be fast and agile. As a result, as Councillor Deirdre Alden so eloquently put it, the perception is that cycling is dominated by white young men. Of course this isn't true. Granted, you have to be fit and confident to cycle on UK roads in rush hour but these are just the cyclists most visible to motorists.
It is this twisted perception of those decision makers, influencers and general public that we have to try to change. Play this word association game with your friends & family (and strangers in the pub). For me it went a bit like this:
- Road/racing Bike (responses: men, lycra (always, the bloody lycra), red lights, saddle, fit, young, Wiggo, racing)
- Mountain Bike (responses: teenage boys, dirty, baggy shorts, hills, effort, fun)
- BMX (responses: teenagers, hoodies, caps (backwards), pavements, tricks, cool)
- Dutch Bike (responses: ladies, commuting, healthy, comfy, practical, pretty, chic)
You can of course include other types of bike - tandem (fun), tricycle (aaaah), recumbent (what? Oh.), but the general theme is that the negatives out weigh the positives.
All except the Dutch bike provide plentiful ammunition for editors, politicians and Mr Angry from Purley to reinforce the stereotype. Yet all are perfectly valid bikes for transport and/or pleasure.
So perhaps I should have been more explicit in my previous post:
If we want to overcome some of the prejudices against (transport) cycling, we (may, sometimes) have to ride different bikes.
Stupid? Yes. Illogical? Yes. But hey, we ain't dealing with smart or logical, are we?
