Features

Momentum has tracked the evolution of cycling culture since its very first issue. Now we’re tackling the definition of the “bike lifestyle” head on. Do cyclists across North America have one way to describe how they lead their lives? Or is the experience as unique as each individual cyclist?

The beauty of the bike is the diversity of its application. For those who have integrated cycling into their urban situations, the bike has become a natural extension of their lives, not a label. However, they do share many common experiences and values that distinguish their lifestyle choices.

Meli Grosa, a San Francisco-based graphic designer and author of the Bikes and The City blog, said: “If you just want to commute to work or if you just want to ride your bike to a party, do it … Why keep yourself to a single description when the city has so much to offer?”

Sandra Looft, a lecturer at Iowa State University and author of the Simply Bike blog, commutes daily, even in the snow. She said, “You don’t have to bike daily to be a commuter cyclist. If you use a bike every time it makes sense to use a bike, then you’re a commuter cyclist.”

Probably the only limitation placed on lifestyle cyclists in North America is the distance they can travel. Commuting six miles (about 10 kilometers) one way is the maximum distance someone can feasibly ride with a low-maintenance bike and ensemble. Eric Kamphof, general manager of Curbside Cycle in Toronto, ON, calls this the “lifestyle radius.”

The bike lifestyle is possible in suburban areas with sufficient public transportation, but Kamphof said, “Where it works best is downtown because where you live, everything is within 10 kilometers of home.” Kamphof said it’s much safer to cycle on Toronto’s bike-friendly city streets than it is to navigate wide, high-speed suburban roads.

The most obvious “requirement” of living the bike lifestyle is owning a set of wheels that is enjoyable to ride. Urban dwellers that habitually cycle around town choose bikes suited to the lifestyle radius, whether it’s a brand new imported-from-Europe bike or a vintage Raleigh purchased on Craigslist.

“Anything you have in New York is going to get abused,” said Lee Palor of Brooklyn, originally from London. He commutes daily to the clothing boutique he works at in SoHo, Manhattan. “I never had a bike in the city that I really cared about because it will get destroyed, scratched, knocked over or even stolen.”

Urban families that live by bike might need an array of cargo, utility and light bikes to meet their needs.

“After a while you know how much each of your different bikes can hold,” said Martina Fahrner, co-owner of Clever Cycles in Portland, OR. “You know, ‘I am going to take our Dutch bike,’ means I can take about five shopping bags.”

In Toronto, Curbside Cycle sells high-end, year-round urban European-manufactured bikes. They’re a worthwhile investment, Kamphof said.

“People can’t help but think that a bike is a toy,” said Kamphof, “but they have to think of it more like a car.” The weight, body positioning and gears of a city-specific bike distinguish it from bikes built for sport or leisure.