Futuristic bicycle Quoting Shakespeare, The wheel has spun a full circle this holds for the humble bicycle.
The bicycle was a form of movement in the early 20th century before the rise of powered cars in the 1920s. In the USA, the bike more usually became a child’s toy or as a sport. Meanwhile, in Europe, riding was still something people loved as a way of movement, a sport, and a pleasure.
About a hundred years later, the wheels have spun a full circle, and cycling looks to have had its revenge. The bicycle is now replacing the powered 4-wheeler and is racing to become the major form of travel worldwide. Some countries, like the Netherlands, never fully left behind the bike, although it was not especially famous as a form of travel until the later part of the 20th century. Two reasons pushed the bicycle into the everyday life of the Dutch the high frequency of car crashes and deaths, including many young children. The second was the oil problem in the early 1970s.
While in India, the bicycle was brought by the British as a type of fun. It then metamorphosed as a cheap transport for the low working class and a tool for retailers to move bags about.
Let’s watch the changes since then and what we can continue to expect with the place and location that the bicycle will hold in India.
Futuristic bicycle From a poor guy ride to a status sign
About a decade ago, the bicycle was considered and utilized as a cheap transit option amongst newspaper sellers, milkmen, postmen, and dabbawalas to make their living.
Not a very up-market way of travel but more for the impoverished Indian who lived a hand-to-mouth life. But it no longer matches the profile of the bicycle, today. Today Indian bicycle riders are educated and sophisticated and prefer to pedal for fitness and contribute to the increasing campaign against climate change. And this tribe is rising day by day.
From a single brand, or single model to hundreds of names and thousands of choices.
Some of us would recall the old, clunky bikes that you now see used by merchants. They were usually painted in black, with a rear rack for transporting baggage and a back wheel stand. Those were the famous bicycles of India’s first cycle manufacturing firm started up in the early 1950s under the brand name Hero. Before then, India imported bicycles from the UK. Fast-forward a few decades later, the options are endless. You have Indian producers whose bikes are designed to compete in the international market. The many bicycle designs from Road, Hybrid cycles, MTBs, Fat cycles, e-bikes, and others are now accessible to Indian customers. Futuristic bicycle
You may even acquire high-end foreign bicycles. There is no shortage of alternatives in bicycles accessible to the Indian rider. Fuelled by demand and growing supply, the price points are competitive. Expect to see new companies join the market with more modern and with a diversity of styles and sorts and at extremely reasonable pricing.
Cycling has become one strategy to put a brake on global warming
There is an urgent necessity that compels everyone to do their part towards global warming. One of the reasons of global warming is due to carbon emissions created by the combustion of fossil fuels. Cars and other fuel-driven vehicles are one of the greatest sources of carbon dioxide emissions.
There is a need for individual responsibility and awareness to be a part of the solution and do whatever it takes to lower our carbon dioxide emissions to slow down and reverse global warming.
The necessity for alternate fuel has become the need of the hour. No surprise electric cars and bicycles are great alternatives to fuel-powered vehicles and are a part of the answer.
The pandemic sparked a reawakening for bicycles
In reality, several purchasers made orders and waited a few weeks and even months to acquire a bicycle. Cycling has only gained popularity and attracted more cycling fans to its fan club ever since. And there are no indications of halting or slowing it down. People re-found their passion for riding and began anew.
Awareness of health advantages of cycling
Markets react to demand. People are increasingly more conscious of the detrimental impacts of sedentary lives and are striving to be physically active. Cycling has become one of the remedies to this and a preferred alternative for most individuals.
Futuristic Bicycle Cycles4Change Challenge
The Indian Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs introduced the Cycles4Change Challenges in 2020 right within the epidemic. This program originated with a need to make cities cycling-friendly, safe, and entertaining. One hundred seven cities in India joined up for this challenge by engaging with locals and trying creative, affordable, and rapid methods to reduce obstacles to cycling. The consequences were spectacular. These were only some of the measures towards the shift.
That’s not all, 25 of the 107 cities have now advanced to Stage 2. The success continues with these communities now scaling up their efforts by extending their bicycle programs, enacting legislation, setting up departments, and formulating city-wide plans. So anticipate that this endeavor will soon become up close and personal.
Futuristic bicycle The Boom of the eBike
E-bikes have been around for decades, and their popularity has begun to expand in the recent decade. In the US, although traditional bicycle sales were up 65% between 2019 and 2020, electric bike sales climbed to 145% in the same time.
Electric is the way forward, and the 4-wheeler markets are reacting to that by producing several models in an electric variant.
EBikes, after all, fit well with the demands of the environment and are in sync with the environment’s needs and urban sustainability. And not to forget their pocket-friendliness at a time of soaring gasoline costs. The electric cycle is good as transit or as a last-mile vehicle to facilitate the movement of people in an eco-friendly way.
Much has transpired throughout the previous several years surrounding cycling, and there’s more planned for riding the bicycle. It’s the cycle’s golden years. The bicycle is here to stay, and its worth will only grow. Its advantages include a sustainable way of life, avoiding traffic congestion road accidents, and pollution.
We promise you will like it, and you will find riding a benefit to your physical and emotional well-being. Additionally, you would be doing your part to put brakes on climate change. If you’re one of those who have never cycled before, check out our recommendations on how to start riding.
FAQ: The Resurgence of Bicycles as a Popular Mode of Transport
1. How has the popularity of bicycles changed over time?
Bicycles were a primary mode of transport in the early 20th century before being overshadowed by motorized vehicles. Recently, bicycles have regained popularity worldwide as an eco-friendly and health-conscious option.
2. What has contributed to the resurgence of bicycles?
Factors like the oil crisis, increased awareness of health benefits, the need for sustainable transport, and the COVID-19 pandemic have sparked a renewed interest in cycling.
3. What is the Cycles4Change Challenge?
Launched by the Indian Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in 2020, it aims to make cities cycling-friendly through initiatives like bike-sharing, cycling lanes, and promoting cycling culture.
