Is cycling becoming fashionable again?

In recent years, the sport of road cycling has continued to grow in popularity. While it has always been an excellent mode of transportation and more eco-friendly than driving, many people now enjoy riding as a recreational activity as well as a sport. Leading the cycling industry are the collapsible bike and electric bikes that see more riders every year. While it can be enjoyed on your own, it is also a great community-based hobby, and thanks to an increase of cycleways on roads across the globe, biking has become much more accessible and safer for many. Cycling holidays are becoming more and more popular right now, and they are an amazing way to see a new part of your country, or indeed, the world. This increased exposure has inspired a lot of people who never would have thought to go biking, to get out there and get cycling, and to enjoy all of the benefits that come with it. Recently, though, bicycles have been given new leases of life, since they are now being considered part of larger city transportation plans, and for leisure and sports.

Although it is still unclear exactly how cycling was invented, as a sport and a hobby, cycling quickly became very popular with the general public. While bicycle designs continued to advance through the early 1900s, Europe and the U.S. quickly became divided on the idea of bicycles. Cycle schools and races began to develop in 1869, though by that time, cycling had begun to decline in popularity in the U.S., as early bikes were frequently uncomfortably designed, especially for seating. By the 1980s, mountain biking was a new sport, helping to restore interest in cyclings form. Shortly after bicycles were invented, bike racing began spreading in many areas. Germany used bikes again during the Second World War and the British employed airborne bicycle-riding commandos on folding bikes. The tire-like trend sparked a push towards fixed-wheel bikes and bicycle caps, which are today familiar to the point of ridicule. The e-bike, or electric bicycle, marked a significant shift in the cycling industry. Cycling has taken a step forward; brands such as Gucci, Hermes, and Chanel, among others, have launched branded bikes such as Gucci Own.

The real leap forward has been in cross-dressing, which blends the functionality of full-on bike gear with an urban-style aesthetic. According to Oliver Spencer, there are parallels between what is happening in this sector and the growth of sports luxury, whereby the fashion houses embrace tech-forward attire in general. Recently, a major trend in the 2000s, Y2K, has started its comeback into fashion. Celebrity influence and exposure can resurrect, and frequently does, previous trends, as well as determine what styles of the present are beginning to go through their cycles.Londons cycling commute has increased 91% since 2000, and with it comes natural style evolution. Bikes such as the Brompton electric makes it easier for commuters to travel easily. Cyclists are not stuck in traffic, nor are they subject to transit delays common with driving or taking transit, making cycling as quick, if not faster, than driving, for the majority of city commuting.

Biking provides several possible benefits over driving, including the continuous physical exercise involved in biking, easier parking, increased manoeuvrability, and access to roads, cycleways, and rural trails. There are differing views about the role of various types of bike infrastructure when building bike-friendly cities and roads. Some cycling activists (including some traffic management consultants) advocate building bike paths, bikeways, and bike lanes of all lengths, and they emphasise success in bicycle paths for safety reasons and for encouraging more people to ride bikes. When bicycling, riders consider the safety of the roadway, the presence of cycle lanes, the smoothness of the roadway, the variety of the landscape, and the length of a journey. Because perceptions of the relative safety of biking improved as the number of crashes decreased, more people began biking thereafter. A 2008 University of New South Wales study determined that bicycle safety is a virtuous cycle.

With new inventions like electric bikes and safer bikes, more and more people are turning to cycle as a way of saving money and going green. Despite the massive improvements to cycling infrastructure in many cities around the continent, most North Americans do not still ride their bikes to work. Many cities, including Paris, London, and Barcelona, now have successful bicycle-share programs designed to help people bike around town. Panniers and cycle bags make carrying work materials easier, and many workplaces are now including secure bike storage, showers and other facilities to make things even easier for employees biking to work. Paris added hundreds of kilometres of temporary cycle lanes along the Rue du Rivoli, and London has now got dedicated cycle lanes running alongside Hyde Park. By improving the safety and convenience of cycling, these new so-called safe bikes have also become the first bikes popular with people of different genders and ages.

This means a hassle-free daily ride, as well as a lot of fun at the same time if you are looking to take a cycle tour. The beauty of road biking is once you absorb the initial costs for the bike, there are no ongoing monthly fees, unlike if you are in the gym. Whether you have a bunch of friends that like to cycle, or are looking to meet some new friends, cycling clubs are a social, fun way to meet people.