From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cycling is the use of bicycles, or - less commonly - unicycles, tricycles, quadricycles and other similar wheeled human powered vehicles (HPVs) as a means of transport, a form of recreation or a sport. It is done on roads and paths, across open country, through tunnels, over bridges, on snow, or even over ice (icebiking).
Police officer on a bicycle
Introduction
As a sport, cycling is governed internationally by the Union Cycliste Internationale in Switzerland (for upright bicycles) and by the International Human Powered Vehicle Association (for other HPVs, or human-powered vehicles). Cycling for transport and touring is promoted on a European level by the European Cyclists' Federation,
with associated members from Great Britain, Japan and elsewhere.
Regular conferences on cycling for transport are held under the
auspices of Velo City; global conferences are coordinated by Velo Mondial[1].
Equipment
-
Dutch
utility bicycle
featuring rear internal hub brake, chaincase and mudguards, kickstand
for parking, permanently attached dynamo-powered lamps and upswept
handlebars for a more natural grip position.
In many countries, the most commonly used vehicle for road transport is a utility bicycle.
These have frames with so-called relaxed geometry, protecting the rider
from shocks from the road, and easing low speeds steering. Road bikes
tend to have a more upright shape and a shorter wheelbase, which make
the bike more mobile but harder to ride slowly. The design, coupled
with low or dropped handlebars, requires the rider to bend forward
more, which reduces air resistance at high speed.
The price of a new bicycle can range from US$50 to more than US$20,000[2], depending on quality, type and weight (the most exotic road bicycles can weigh as little as 3.2kg (7 lb))[3]). Being measured for a bike and taking it for a test ride are recommended before buying.
The drivetrain components of the bike should also be considered. A middle grade dérailleur is sufficient for a beginner, although many utility bikes come equipped with hub gears. If the rider plans a significant amount of hillclimbing, a triple-crank (three chainrings) front gear system may be preferred. Otherwise, the relatively lighter and less expensive two chainrings may be better.
Many road bikes include clipless pedals to which special shoes attach via a cleat,
permitting the rider to pull on the pedals as well as push. Other
possible accessories for the bicycle include locks, fenders , baggage
carriers and pannier bags, water bottles and bottle cages.
For basic maintenance and repairs, cyclists can choose to carry a pump, a spare inner tube, a CO2 cartridge, a puncture repair kit and tire levers. Cycling can be more efficient and comfortable with special shoes, gloves, and shorts. In wet weather, riding can be more tolerable with waterproof clothes, such as cape, jacket, pants and overshoes.
Items legally required in some jurisdictions, or voluntarily adopted for safety reasons, include bicycle helmets, generator or battery operated lighting, and audible signaling devices such as a bell or horn. Extras include studded tires and a bicycle computer.
Skills
-
Learning to ride efficiently and safely in traffic is important. In the United Kingdom, many primary school children take the Cycling Proficiency Test,
to help them travel more safely. However, the Cycling Proficiency Test
has now been superseded, for children, by 'Bikeability' and the
National Standards for Cycle Training. In countries such as the
Netherlands, where cycling is popular, cyclists sometimes ride in bike
lanes at the side of or separate from, the main highway. Many primary
schools participate in the national road test in which children
individually complete a circuit on roads near the school while being
observed by testers.
Types of cycling
City
-
Swiss
Cyclist. Bicycles are considered a sustainable mode of transport,
especially suited for urban use and relatively shorter distances when
used for transport (compared to recreation).
Cyclists, pedestrians and motorists make different demands on road
design which may lead to conflicts. Some jurisdictions give priority to
motorized traffic, for example setting up one-way street systems,
free-right turns, high capacity roundabouts, and slip roads. Others may apply traffic restraint
measures to limit the impact of motorized transport. In the former
cases, cycling has tended to decline while in the latter it has tended
to be maintained. Occasionally, extreme measures against cycling may
occur. In Shanghai, where bicycles were once the dominant mode of transport, bicycle travel on a few city roads was banned temporarily in December 2003.
In areas in which cycling is popular and encouraged, cycle-parking facilities using bicycle stands,
lockable mini-garages, and patrolled cycle parks are used to reduce
theft. Local governments promote cycling by permitting the carriage of
bicycles on public transport or by providing external attachment devices
on public transport vehicles. Conversely, an absence of secure
cycle-parking is a recurring complaint by cyclists from cities with low
modal share of cycling.
Extensive bicycle path
systems may be found in some cities. Such dedicated paths often have to
be shared with in-line skaters, scooters, skateboarders, and
pedestrians. Segregating bicycle and automobile traffic in cities has
met with mixed success, both in terms of safety and bicycle promotion.
At some point the two streams of traffic inevitably intersect, often in
a haphazard and congested fashion. Studies have demonstrated that, due
to the high incidence of accidents at these sites, some such segregated
schemes can actually increase the number of car-bike collisions.[4]
Bicycles are considered a sustainable mode of transport, especially
suited for urban use and relatively shorter distances when used for
transport (compared to recreation). Case studies and good practices
(from European cities and some world-wide examples) that promote and
stimulate this kind of functional cycling in cities can be found at Eltis, Europe's portal for local transport.
In the Netherlands bicycle paths are widespread and are (in the
cities) not allowed for scooters. Cyclists in the Netherlands are well
protected as the law assumes the stronger participant (i.e. the car)
guilty party in all accidents involving weaker traffic unless evidence
of the opposite is provided. Furthermore, drivers know to expect bikes,
which are plentiful and treat traffic rules more as guidelines. Due to
these issues the number of car-bike collisions with serious
consequences is not alarmingly high in the Netherlands
Commercial
-
The postal services of many countries have long relied on bicycles. The British Royal Mail first started using bicycles in 1880; now bicycle delivery fleets include 37,000 in the UK, 25,700 in Germany, 10,500 in Hungary and 7000 in Sweden. The London Ambulance Service has recently introduced bicycling paramedics, who can often get to the scene of an incident in Central London more quickly than a motorized ambulance.
Late in the 20th century, urban police bicycles became more common, as the mobility of car-borne officers was increasingly limited by traffic congestion and pedestrianisation.
Bicycles enjoy substantial use as general delivery vehicles in many
countries. In the UK and North America, generations of teenagers have
got their first jobs delivering newspapers by bicycle. London has many
delivery companies that use bicycles with trailers. Most cities in the
West, and many outside it, support a sizeable and visible industry of cycle couriers who deliver documents and small packages. In India, many of Mumbai's Dabbawalas use bicycles to deliver home cooked lunches to the city’s workers. In Bogotá, Colombia
the city’s largest bakery recently replaced most of its delivery trucks
with bicycles. Even the car industry uses bicycles. At the huge Mercedes-Benz factory in Sindelfingen, Germany workers use bicycles, color-coded by department, to move around the factory.
Recreational
-
In the Netherlands, bicycles are freely available for use in the Hoge Veluwe National Park
Bicycles are used for recreation at all ages. Bicycle touring, also known as cyclotourism, involves touring and exploration or sightseeing by bicycle for leisure. A brevet or randonnée is an organized long-distance ride.
One popular Dutch pleasure is the enjoyment of relaxed cycling in the countryside of the Netherlands. The land is very flat and full of public bicycle trails where cyclists aren't bothered by cars and other traffic, which makes it ideal for cycling recreation. Many Dutch people subscribe every year to an event called fietsvierdaagse — four days of organised cycling through the local environment. Paris-Brest-Paris
(PBP), which began in 1891, is the oldest bicycling event still run on
a regular basis on the open road, covers over 1200 km and imposes a
90-hour time limit. Similar if smaller institutions exist in many
countries.
- Organized rides
Many cycling clubs
hold organized rides in which bicyclists of all levels participate. The
typical organized ride starts with a large group of riders, called the
mass, bunch or even peloton.
This will thin out over the course of the ride. Many riders choose to
ride together in groups of the same skill level to take advantage of drafting.
Most organized rides, for example Cyclosportives, Challenge Rides or reliability trials, and hill climbs (Hillclimbing (cycling))
include registration requirements and will provide information either
through the mail or online concerning start times and other
requirements. Rides usually consist of 25, 50 and 100 mile routes, each
with a certain number of rest stops that usually include refreshments,
first aid and maintenance tools.
- Mountain
Mountain biking grew in the late 20th century, including recreation and racing.
Racing
Bicycle racing around 1909
-
Main article: bicycle racing
Shortly after the introduction of bicycles, competitions developed
independently in many parts of the world. Early races involving boneshaker
style bicycles were predictably fraught with injuries. Large races
became popular during the 1890s "Golden Age of Cycling", with events
across Europe, and in the U.S. and Japan as well. At one point, almost
every major city in the US had a velodrome or two for track racing
events. However since the middle of the 20th Century cycling has become
a minority sport in the US whilst in Continental Europe it continues to
be a major sport, particularly in France, Belgium, Italy and Spain. The
most famous of all bicycle races is the Tour de France. This began in 1903, and continues to capture the attention of the sporting world.
In 1899, Mile-a-Minute Murphy became the first man to ride a bicycle a mile in under a minute, which he did by drafting a locomotive at New York's Long Island.
As the bicycle evolved its various forms, different racing formats
developed. Road races may involve both team and individual competition,
and are contested in various ways. They range from the one-day road
race, criterium, and time trial to multi-stage events like the Tour de France and its sister events which make up cycling's Grand Tours. Recumbent bicycles were banned from bike races in 1934 after Marcel Berthet set a new hour record in his Velodyne streamliner (49.992 km on 18 November 1933). Track bicycles are used for track cycling in Velodromes , while cyclo-cross races are held on rugged outdoor terrain. In the past decade, mountain bike racing has also reached international popularity and is even an Olympic sport.
Professional racing organizations place limitations on the bicycles
that can be used in the races that they sanction. For example, the
Union Cycliste Internationale, the governing body of international
cycle sport (which sanctions races such as the Tour de France), decided
in the late 1990s to create additional rules which prohibit racing
bicycles weighing less than 6.8 kilograms (14.96 pounds). The UCI rules
also effectively ban some bicycle frame innovations (such as the recumbent bicycle) by requiring a double triangle structure.[5]
War
-
The bicycle is not suited for combat, but it has been used as a method of reconnaissance as well as transporting soldiers and supplies to combat zones. In this it has taken over many of the function of horses in warfare. Bicycles were used in the Second Boer War, where both sides used them for scouting. In World War I,
France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand used bicycles to move
troops. In its 1937 invasion of China, Japan employed some 50,000
bicycle troops, and similar forces were instrumental in Japan's march
or "roll" through Malaysia in World War II. Germany used bicycles again in World War II, while the British employed airborne "Cycle-commandos" with folding bikes.
In the Vietnam War, communist forces used bicycles extensively as cargo carriers along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. There are reports of mountain bicycles being used in scouting by U.S. Special Forces in the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and in subsequent battles against the Taliban. British troops, designated Light Bicycle Infantry LBI, used bicycles to patrol in Basra, Iraq in January 2005.
The last country known to maintain a regiment of bicycle troops was Switzerland, who disbanded their final unit in 2003.
Activism
Two broad and correlated themes run in bicycle activism: one is
about advocating the bicycle as an alternative mode of transport, and
the other is about the creation of conditions to permit and/or
encourage bicycle use, both for utility and recreative cycling.
Although the first, which emphasizes the potential for energy and
resource conservation and health benefits gained from cycling versus
automobile use, is relatively undisputed, the second is target of much
debate.
It is generally agreed that improved local and inter-city rail
services and other methods of mass transportation (including greater
provision for cycle carriage on such services) create conditions to
encourage bicycle use. However, there are different opinions on the
role of the use of segregated cycle facilities and other items of the cycling infrastructure in building bicycle-friendly cities and roads.
Some bicycle activists (including some traffic management advisers)
seek the construction of segregated cycle facilities for journeys of
all lengths. Other activists, especially those from the more
established tradition, view the safety, practicality, and intent of
many segregated cycle facilities with suspicion. They favour a more
holistic approach based on the 4 'E's; education (of everyone involved), encouragement (to apply the education), enforcement (to protect the rights of others), and engineering
(to facilitate travel while respecting every person's equal right to do
so). In some cases this opposition has a more ideological basis: some
members of the Vehicular Cycling movement oppose segregated public facilities, such as on-street bike lanes, on principle. Some groups offer training courses to help cyclists integrate themselves with other traffic. This is part of the ongoing cycle path debate.
Critical Mass is an event typically held on the last Friday of every month in cities around the world where bicyclists take to the streets en masse.
While the ride was originally founded with the idea of drawing
attention to how unfriendly the city was to bicyclists, the leaderless
structure of Critical Mass makes it impossible to assign it any one
specific goal. In fact, the purpose of Critical Mass is not formalized
beyond the direct action of meeting at a set location and time and traveling as a group through city streets.
Midnight Ridazz
is a massive established bicycle ride in Los Angeles based on
recreational activism. The ride incorporates themes and ride routes
designed to maximize fun and comraderie without any overt political
agenda that might fracture the group of diverse riders. The one goal of
Midnight Ridazz is to have fun riding a bike and thus inspire others to
ride and have fun as well.
There is a long-running cycle helmet debate among activists. The most heated controversy surrounds the topic of compulsory helmet use.
Associations
Cyclists form associations, both for specific interests (trails
development, road maintenance, urban design, racing clubs, touring
clubs, etc.) and for more global goals (energy conservation,
pollution reduction, promotion of fitness). Some bicycle clubs and
national associations became prominent advocates for improvements to
roads and highways. In the United States, the League of American Wheelmen lobbied for the improvement of roads in the last part of the 19th century, founding and leading the national Good Roads Movement.
Their model for political organization, as well as the paved roads for
which they argued, facilitated the growth of the automobile.
Health
Bicycles are commonly used by people seeking to improve their
fitness and cardiovascular health. In this regard, bicycling is
especially helpful for those with arthritis
of the lower limbs and who are unable to pursue sports such as running
that involve more impact to joints such as the knees. Furthermore,
since cycling can be used as a form of transportation, there can be
less demand for self-discipline to maintain the exercise because of the
practical purpose of the activity.
Cycling while seated is a relatively non-weight bearing exercise that, like swimming, does little to promote bone density.[6]
Cycling up and out of the saddle, on the other hand, does a better job
by transferring more of the rider's body weight to the legs. However,
excessive cycling while standing can cause knee damage. It used to be
thought that cycling while standing was less energy efficient, but
recent research has proven this not to be true. There is no wasted
energy from cycling while standing.[7]
Cycling on a stationary cycle is frequently advocated as a suitable
exercise for rehabilitation particularly for lower limb injury due to
the low impact that it has on the joints. In particular cycling is
commonly used within knee rehabilitation programs. [8]
Benefits
The physical exercise gained from cycling is generally linked with increased health and well-being. According to the World Health Organisation, physical inactivity is second only to tobacco smoking as a health risk in developed countries, and this is associated with many tens of billions of dollars of healthcare costs.[9] The WHO's report[10]
suggests that increasing physical activity is a public health 'best
buy', and that cycling is a 'highly suitable activity' for this
purpose. The charity Sustrans reports that investment in cycling provision can give a 20:1 return from health and other benefits.[11]
It has been estimated that, on average, approximately 20 life-years are
gained from the health benefits of road bicycling for every life-year
lost through injury.[12]
Injuries
Cycling is widely acknowledged to be an inherently high-risk,
dangerous activity. In the UK, fatality rates per mile or kilometre are
approximately double those for walking. For a child cyclist the rate
per mile or kilometre travelled is around 55 times that for a child
occupant of a car, while the fatality and serious injury rates per hour of travel are very much higher for cycling than for walking.
Most cycle deaths result from a collision with a car or heavy goods vehicle.[13] [14] [15] However, a very high proportion of injuries to cyclists do not involve any other person or vehicle.
A Danish study in 2000 concluded that "bicycling to work decreased
risk of mortality in approximately 40% after multivariate adjustment,
including leisure time physical activity". [16] This conclusion is open to various interpretations.
Injuries (to cyclists, from cycling) can be divided into two types:
Acute
physical trauma includes injuries to the head and extremities resulting
from falls and collisions. Since a large percentage of the collisions
between motor and pedal vehicles occur at night, bicycle lighting is required for safety when bicycling at night.
The most common cycling overuse injury occurs in the knees, affecting cyclists at all levels. These are caused by many factors:[17]
- Incorrect bicycle fit or adjustment, particularly the saddle.
- Incorrect adjustment of clipless pedals.
- Too many hills, or too many miles, too early in the training season.
- Poor training preparation for long touring rides.
- Selecting too high a gear. A lower gear for uphill climb protects
the knees, even though your muscles are well able to handle a higher
gear.
Overuse injuries, including chronic nerve damage at weight bearing
locations, can occur as a result of repeatedly riding a bicycle for
extended periods of time. Damage to the ulnar nerve in the palm, carpal tunnel in the wrist, the genitourinary tract[18] or bicycle seat neuropathy[19] may result from overuse.
Note that overuse is a relative term, and capacity varies greatly
between individuals. Someone starting out in cycling must be careful to
increase length and frequency of cycling sessions slowly, starting for
example at an hour or two per day, or a hundred miles or kilometers per
week. Muscular pain is a normal by-product of the training process, but
joint pain and numbness are early signs of overuse injury.
Cycling has been linked to sexual impotence due to pressure on the
perineum from the seat, but fitting a proper sized seat prevents this
effect.[20][21] In extreme cases, Pudendal Nerve Entrapment can be a source of intractable perineal pain.[22]
Some cyclists with induced pudendal nerve pressure neuropathy gained
relief from improvements in saddle position and riding techniques.[23]
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH) has investigated the potential health effects of prolonged
bicycling in police bicycle patrol units, including the possibility
that some bicycle saddles exert excessive pressure on the urogenital
area of cyclists, restricting blood flow to the genitals. NIOSH is
currently investigating whether saddles developed without protruding
noses (which remove the pressure from the urogenital area) will
alleviate any potential health problems.[24]
Riding a Recumbent bicycle or quadricycle where ergonomic
principles are more closely respected will largely address these health
issues, particularly those related to chronic nerve damage at weight
bearing locations, simply because the body is supported in the normal
sitting position.
Notes
- ^ http://www.velomondial.org/
- ^ http://www.bicycling.com/article/1,6610,s1-1-2-15285-1,00.html
- ^ http://www.light-bikes.com/bikegallery/BikeListing.asp?id=1507
- ^ "Bicycling Life"
- ^ Union Cycliste International (2003). "UCI Cycling Regulations". Retrieved on 2006-08-04.
- ^ Osteoporos Int., Low bone mineral density in highly trained male master cyclists. 2003 Aug;14(8):644-9 (PMID 12856112)
- ^ "Sit or Stand: Tradeoffs in Efficiency?", [1] (November 21, 2006). Retrieved on 2006-11-28.
- ^ "Cycling for Knee Rehabilitation".
- ^ "Overweight and Obesity: Economic Consequences". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov).
- ^ "A PHYSICALLY ACTIVE LIFE THROUGH EVERYDAY TRANSPORT". World health Organisation.
- ^ "How transport can save the NHS". sustrans.org.uk.
- ^ British Medical Association; Mayhew Hillman, David Morgan [1992]. Cycling: Towards Health and Safety. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-286151-4.
- ^ "Cycling in Great Britain". Department of Transport.
- ^ {{cite web|url=http://www.camcycle.org.uk/newsletters/53/article4.html =44 tonne articulated trucks and towns don't mix|publisher=Cambridge Cycling Campaign UK}}
- ^ {{cite web|url=http://showcase.commedia.org.uk/article/articleview/390/1/13/ =Lorries and Towns Don't Mix (video) | publisher=Robert Webb}}
- ^ "All-Cause Mortality Associated With Physical Activity During Leisure Time, Work, Sports, and Cycling to Work". Archives of Internal Medicine.
- ^ "Knee Pain in Cycling: New Twist on an old Injury", BioMechanics (July/August, 1996). Retrieved on 2006-11-24.
- ^ Eur Urol., Bicycling related urogenital disorders. 2005 Mar;47(3):277-86 (PMID 15716187)
- ^ "Bicycle Seat Neuropathy, follow up", eMedicine (February 8, 2006). Retrieved on 2006-03-20.
- ^ "Cycle of despair". BBC News.
- ^ "Cycling linked to impotence". BBC News.
- ^ Am J Phys Med Rehabil., Pudendal nerve entrapment as source of intractable perineal pain. 2003 Jun;82(6):479-84. (PMID 12820792)
- ^ Clin Exp Neurol., Bicycling induced pudendal nerve pressure neuropathy. 1991;28:191-6. (PMID 1821826)
- ^ "NIOSH -Bicycle Saddles and Reproductive Health". United States National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
See also
General
Cycling Culture
Cycling Advocacy & Safety
Sports-related cycling and fast-paced recreation
Utility cycling and slow recreation
Other
External links
Classical
from 
