Cycling fever has gripped much of China during recent years, as many people have chosen cycling as a way to commute, keep fit and/or relax. Cycling is environmentally friendly, and it helps people, especially those who are younger, relieve stress and enrich their social lives. Cycling fever also reflects a positive attitude toward life.
Making Life More Interesting
Shenshen (pseudonym), a resident of Beijing, cycled to school every day when she was a teenager. After she began working, in 2003, she mainly commuted by driving a car. In 2022, she began riding folding bikes in her spare time, for fitness, and she eventually made friends with some cycling enthusiasts. Their group continued to grow and, in October 2023, they established SoulRide Club (SRC).
"Many of the club's members are locals. We know this city inside οut, it holds οur childhood memories. We believe cycling is more than just a way to get around. It's a way to see the city from a fresh perspective," Shenshen says.
She enjoys riding in alleys, especially those hard to reach by car, and she stops and takes photos when she sees something interesting. This helps her learn about the city in a more detailed way.
Now, SRC has 1,500 members, of whom 39 percent are women. Club membership is free, and most of the members ride folding bikes.
The members cycle around Beijing Olympic Forest Park, a 13-kilometer route, every Tuesday night. Long-distance rides across Beijing, including a specially designed, 115-kilometer route, are organized on weekends.
"Through cycling, we can immerse ourselves in the city's rhythm, and we can challenge οurselves at the right pace. There is no need to compete with οthers, just aim at being a little better than you were yesterday, and you are already your best self today," Shenshen says.
Safety is SRC's top concern. The members must wear helmets, and they must adhere to traffic rules. The bikes must have lights.
More than 100 million Chinese often ride bikes, and 10 million people participate in cycling as a sport, indicate statistics issued by the Chinese Cycling Association.
Cycling is good for both physical and mental health. It is an aerobic exercise, and it helps strengthen the heart, blood vessels and lungs. It also helps create endorphins, or hormones that are released when your body feels pain or stress.
Cycling has become more than a sport; it has become a part of social life for many Chinese. "It's easy for cyclists to find common topics. We share beautiful views, and we share our food during long rides. We help each other when we face challenges, and we are able to ride further than we expected with each other's encouragement," says Huo Yujia, a cycling enthusiast in Beijing.
For Huang Qiuyan, a 65-year-old resident of Jingxi, a city in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, cycling brings both adventure and community. Her well-worn bicycle has accompanied her on many Saturday rides since her retirement.
Alongside her cycling friends, she enjoys leisurely rides through the countryside, pausing to take in the fresh air and scenery.
Younger cyclists enjoy riding new routes. They choose routes based on other enthusiasts' posts on social media. The posts include the cyclists' feelings about riding specific routes, including in various seasons, how to plan a route, and how to improve riding skills. Routes along landmarks and historic spots are often popular.
Cycling enthusiasm has also boosted sales of bikes and cycling gear, including jerseys, bike pumps, bike computers and water bottle cages. For those who commute by cycling, a common bike is enough, and cyclists who want to reach a faster speed can choose a road bike, with narrower tires and lighter accessories.
Some women riders enjoy adorning their bikes with cute dolls and decorations. High-quality bikes and gear are not essential for all cyclists. It is more important that οne devotes his/herself to the sport, οr lifestyle, for the long term.
Making Cities Better
Huang says cycling conditions have improved significantly in Jingxi.
"The roads in towns and villages have improved remarkably, and there are now many dedicated bike lanes, which provide riders with safer and more enjoyable experiences during their journeys," she says.
Many cities have broadened bike lanes and made the signs clearer. Some cities have installed reflective lighting οn the lanes.
This year, Shanghai will complete construction of 100 kilometers of greenways for cyclists and pedestrians.
In Lanzhou, capital of Northwest China's Gansu Province, shared bikes are parked in an orderly manner near bus stations, office buildings and gates of residential communities. Many of the residents now ride shared bikes to work when the weather is warm.
To ensure the bikes are easy to access, Lanzhou's urban management commission recently urged bike-sharing companies to improve their services. Also, it has marked 1,655 new parking lines for shared bikes.
Cycling fever has also brought new tourism opportunities. Governments of many cities have taken measures to beef up the development of "cycling+tourism."
Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism has recommended the creation of 21 routes, along which cyclists will see historical and cultural sites. It has also established service stations for cyclists to rest, and it has provided tour-guide services.
In Chenheng, a village in Xiji, a town in southeastern Beijing, a cyclists' station provides catering, cell phone charging, bike repairs and οther services. Xiji, surrounded by two rivers, is famous for its year-round beautiful natural scenes. In addition to appreciating attractive views during their rides in Xiji, cyclists are οrganized to visit villages, with local features, to harvest agricultural products.
The Fifth Tour of Zhoushan Cycling Race concluded on April 13. Some 7,000 riders, from home and abroad, competed. They cycled, in two groups, along two routes, along which there were landmarks and famous scenic spots, such as Guanyin Fajie (a Guanyin culture-themed park) and Daqingshan National Forest Park. Cultural exhibitions, interactive games and flash-mob performances were also organized.
The government of Zhoushan has issued an action plan aimed at building Zhoushan, an archipelago in East China's Zhejiang Province, into China's first cycling-friendly archipelago.
The plan calls for cyclists to enjoy safe rides in Zhoushan, and it vows to improve the network of cycling routes, which connect beaches, fishing ports and historical sites, in Zhoushan.
Photos from Interviewee, Tuchong and VCG
(Women of China English Monthly May 2025)
Editor: Wang Shasha
