My biking experience

1
INTRODUCTION

• My biking experience
• 10 trends supporting bicycling
• 5 potentially unfavorable factors for the future

2
Trend 1 Medical Advice to Exercise

• Doctors urging more people to exercise more
• Growing scientific evidence shows health benefits
  of regular exercise
• Particularly effective against cardiovascular
  disease, obesity, diabetes, and minor
  emotional/psychological disorders
• Biking can be done for transport or recreation

3
Trend 2 People Have More Leisure Time

• Objective studies show people have leisure time
  despite their complaints
• One study showed 35 hours of leisure weekly in
  2003 compared to 31 hours in 1965
• BLS Time Use Survey showed 3 hours spent on TV
  1/3 hour on exercise in 09

4
Trend 3 Changing Laws, Regs Social Attitudes

• Exercise no longer only for young males
• Title IX effect in the USA--10 fold increase in
  school sports participation carrying over to
  adult women
• In the USA 50 of men 40 of women cycle
  annually
• 20 of US people over 45 and 5 over 65 cycled in
  09 compared to 11.3 and 4.4 in 93

5
Trend 4 Charity Other Organized Bike Rides

• Charities like the big health foundations
  organize bike rides to raise money
• Good example is the National MS society. 100
  rides a year sponsored by local chapters.
• Seagull Century on MDs Eastern Shore--8,300
  riders from 39 states Canada in 09

6
Trend 5 Popularity of Exercise Vacations

• Bicycle touring, one of the most popular kinds of
  exercise vacations
• Tour companies handle logistics
• Great variation in rider accommodations and
  distances traveled

7
Trend 6 Creation of Rail Trails

• 1,600 rail trails in the US covering 19,000 miles
  with 9,000 more miles planned compared to 200
  trails in 1986
• On abandoned rail routes or shared with rail
  transport
• Favorable legal/regulatory climate
• Railroads willing to participate

8
Trend 7 Environmentally Favorable Local Transport

• Active Transportation for America study
• Active transport could reduce CO2 12-91 millions
  tons per year
• Could reduce auto emissions on the highway due to
  less congestion
• Could cause more auto emission reduction by
  allowing biking or walking to mass transit

9
Trend 8 More Rider-Friendly Bicycles

• Electric bicycles like the Sanyo Eneloop with 250
  watt electric motor
• Folding bicycles. Xootr Swift packs in a suitcase
  in 15 minutes
• Commuter bikes like the Trek Lime with automatic
  shifting coaster brakes
• Recumbent bikes to ease bike neck strain

10
Trend 9 Emerging Bike Infrastructure

• Happening gradually in America, quickly in Europe
• Dedicated bike lanes (e.g., Amsterdam, DC,
  Chicago, Portland, OR)
• Bike parking facilities (Amsterdam, DC)
• Bike rental programs like Zipcar (Paris, DC,
  Irvine)
• Other (e.g., showers changing facilities)

11
Trend 10 Government Support

• 370 million authorization from US Highway Trust
  Fund for FY04-09
• Norway wants 8 of all travel by bicycle in 15
  compared to 4 in 07
• Sweden wants 15 bike travel
• EU wants to cut car emissions by having 6 of all
  travel by bike

12
5 Potentially Unfavorable Factors

• People are slow to adopt healthy lifestyles
• Healthful exercise in short periods of time
• Coming government fiscal austerity
• Infrastructure growth may not keep up with
  population growth
• Less leisure time for some population segments