This is a challenging time we are experiencing. For many of us, we are relearning how to navigate our daily lives and I would dare say, if my own experience is any indication, that is resulting in surprising things. You are probably tired of reading about the horror that has accompanied our current situation. I know I am. To help my mental state in this time I have tried to take a look at the good that has developed around us…change always brings good and bad.

 

This event has had an interesting impact on people's need to get outside, re-connect and become healthy. If you watch any television you have probably seen star after star, local celebrities, etc. One thing that seems almost universal is their message: “My partner/family/kids and I have re-discovered cycling." We (the bike shop that my wife and I own) have seen a huge number of requests for service on bikes that “have been in the garage for a few years” (quick note…as primarily a repair shop, we are considered to be essential and hence open with lots of new requirements).

 

I think the answer is clear…cycling, unlike running and even walking, is the exercise that you can do that brings you back to your childhood. In times of stress and uncertainty we all look for those things that reassure us. This can be relationships, food, television shows, music, etc. When it comes to getting fresh air and exercise, most of us can relate to the moment as a child where we sensed our freedom. The wind in our hair, the sensation of speed, the care-free, go-anywhere-without-your-parents freedom.

 

As we grew up, we got cars, the world became smaller, scarier, and it seemed crazy to ride a bike on the busy streets. But something changed…even before our current crisis. A crazy group of cyclists started racing on gravel and dirt roads. This spawned a wave of others riding the same roads, roads that once seemed antithetical to cycling. Bicycle manufacturers saw the shift and started developing bikes specifically for these riders. Casual riders discovered the joy of riding on roads that are not crowded, whose drivers seemed courteous, that allowed them to see things they had forgotten. They rediscovered the joy that bikes brought them as kids.

 

At the same time, cities started adding cycling and walking infrastructure not directly related to commerce. We have bike paths, trails and lanes. There are parks with mountain bike and road bike trails. We see protected and dedicated bike commuter lanes. You are no longer considered a pariah if you show up at work on a bicycle.

 

This has led to a resurgence in adults riding bicycles. And as adults ride, so do kids. You see families out for a “social distance” ride. Neighborhood streets once busy with cars are less so, and this space has been partially filled with people on bikes. Our entire world has slowed, perhaps only for a time. In this crisis we are seeing an awakening. A focus on what matters. A focus on reconnecting. Much to the surprise of many, a central tool for this change is the wonderful bicycle.

 

I miss riding with friends in groups, but that will come again. In exchange for this we are seeing less traffic, less pollution, more courtesy. I hope this stays with us after we put the current crisis in our rearview mirror.

 

Be safe, ride your bike, smile.