What's it like to cycle in Beijing? Overwhelming? Madness? Fun!
History
Beijing is rarely mentioned as being a cycling city, but bike lanes permeate virtually every street. According to The Beijinger, 1986 Beijing had 3.3 million bike trips per day completely outclassing Copenhagen, Berlin, and other cycling metropolises. Today's Beijing is a bit different; cars and electric bikes have largely taken over. As the streets continue to become more congested with cars, bicycles continue to appeal as efficient, enjoyable transportation.
Welcome to Beijing
When I moved to Beijing, I quickly learned to appreciate the metro system that let you ride anywhere in the city for 33¢. My office was a straightforward 45 minute, single transfer ride away. For about two weeks, I packed into the metro like a sardine each morning and evening. It became a real love-hate affair; I loved it because I could get a solid 45 minutes of reading done, but it often involved holding my book directly above my head because there was literally no space to spare below eye level. One could feasibly sleep standing up because there is 360º support from fellow sardines.
Having been traveling for the previous five months with minimal cycling involved, I had a serious itch to get back on a bike. I hit the local places for buying used bikes but was warned that these spots support a thriving theft industry in Beijing. I decided I didn't want to support that and instead opted to buy a simple, new commuter/fitness bike. I grabbed the loudest bell I could find, a couple LED lights, and called it a day.
The next morning, I woke up early to give myself some buffer [read: getting lost] time to ride to work. Just riding out of my hutong (old, narrow alley) was an exercise in reaction time; every blind corner kept me on edge waiting for an electric bike to swing a bit too wide. As I made my way out to the main roads, I merged into large crowds of two wheel commuters. Each stop light and intersection is a mixed bag. Some riders stop and wait for green, some brazenly wade through busy intersections, some creep forward in a group until critical mass is reached, traffic is ignored, and crossing proceeds. In the U.S., cyclists not following the road rules is a hot topic of discussion; in China, I quickly learned chaos is the norm. Bike lanes faded back and forth between physically separated lanes and side-by-side vehicle/bicycle lanes. What we consider right-of-way at intersections, the Chinese consider a game of chicken or thread the needle. Individuals coming down side lanes slow and watch your eyes to see if you'll hesitate and let them in or they'll simply pull right in front of you and expect you to react accordingly. After navigating the mayhem and a few 3 lane roundabouts, I finally made it safely to work. Amazingly, I continued to do so for months without any issues.
Love
The unexpected happened: I learned to absolutely love the chaos of Beijing traffic. At first sight, it appears to be completely random, but upon weaving through it day after day, I found it's a delicate and collaborative dance between every person and vehicle on the road. Because so many things are going on, drivers and riders absolutely have to pay more attention than on U.S. roads. As a cyclist, you learn to feel and follow the pulse of traffic watching out for everyone else while everyone else watches out for you. Your senses are totally engulfed by a sea of vehicles, a symphony of honking, and smells of street food. Even if you ride the same routes, Beijing always presents you with surprises like a cycling balloon vendor pulling a big cluster of inflatable animals or incredible fall foliage. Bicycle part vendors are on almost every corner so you're never far from fresh tubes. You regularly share smiles and curious glances with fellow commuters. Once in a while at a stoplight, I'd practice my Mandarin Chinese with a family of three packed onto a motorbike. Riding the streets was incredible.
Everyone always hears about China's air quality, but one rarely hears about the acquired joys of bicycling in Beijing. Thanks for the good times, China!
