It is estimated that there are more than one billion bicycles in use around the world today. Despite having been created more than two centuries ago, the bicycle maintains its status as an ideal vehicle due to its non-polluting nature and multiple outstanding virtues. In the current context, the preservation of the environment demands changes in our habits. Choosing to use a bicycle is an ideal solution for short trips. Its relevance is so significant that in 2018, the UN designated June 3 as World Bicycle Day, recognizing its fundamental role in society.
Cycling in the city
Today’s bicycles are faster and lighter than their predecessors, and also cheaper. Some support electric motors that make them even faster, and they are even used to carry light loads. Although if you choose to pedal you benefit your organism, since its use helps to:
- Prevent diseases.
- To lose weight.
- Reducing blood pressure values.
- Strengthen muscles.
- Decrease anxiety and stress.
In some Asian countries, the bicycle was the most important means of transportation until a few decades ago. The automobile, being more convenient and faster, gained supremacy, because it also became more affordable.
However, many cities are proposing a return to cycling for ecological reasons. To this end, hundreds of cities around the world laid out bicycle lanes for greater safety. Not only does it reduce air pollution, but it also speeds up traffic.
In the United States, a country that has few cyclists and where the automobile is the most popular vehicle, they are studying measures to encourage the use of bicycles. In the big cities of that country, cycling can be dangerous. But at the same time, in some cities, such as New York, using bicycles would solve traffic problems. That is why they are studying the construction of more bicycle lanes. In addition, the proposal to rent bicycles at various points in the city will encourage more people to use this economical means of transportation.
The Netherlands is a leader in urban bicyclists.
An outstanding example in the development of cycling infrastructure is the Netherlands, a leader in this field and home to the largest number of urban cyclists. During the oil crisis in the 1970s, this country implemented an extensive bikeway system, including dedicated bicycle streets and dedicated parking at train stations.
The presence of 1.3 bicycles per person reveals its status as the main mode of transportation in the country, even outnumbering the population. This central focus on bicycles also translates into a notable reduction in traffic accidents, confirming that their use is safe as a mode of mobility.
After the Covid 19 pandemic, there was a revolution in the world to return to bicycles, for traveling outdoors and being able to exercise. Past that period of confinement, many people chose electric bicycles as their means of transportation. In Spain, more than 223 thousand e-bikes were sold in 2022.
These electric bicycles allow you to travel without getting tired, as well as climb slopes without any effort and have the advantage of having a lot of autonomy. In addition, longer distances can be covered at a speed of between 25 and 45 kilometers per hour, depending on the model. An alternative to go to work or study without wasting gasoline and with a minimum effort.
