In my last post, I wrote about different kinds of cyclists I see in my neighborhood, lamenting that there’s no one quite like me.  That same day, Honking in Traffic posted Who’s biking? Choice or necessity, which tells about the writer’s encounter with a Latino cyclist who is bicycle commuting out of necessity.  The writer also delves into statistics about cycling and socioeconomic status.

At The Daily News Online, Pamela Wright makes a case for investing in bicycle infrastructure in Longview, Washington: Time to invest in two-wheel travel. Among other points, she mentions that “the U.S. cities with the highest percentage of bicycle commuters are Portland, Seattle and Minneapolis, so we can’t really play the weather card with any credibility.”

BikePortland asked us this week, Is Portland (and America) ready for e-bikes?  That does mean electric-assisted bikes, by the way, not some kind of online virtual bike (which is what e-bike always makes me think of).  Some don’t like them, but others think it’s a way to get more people cycling.  Price can also be a barrier, with e-bikes starting around $1100 (close to the price of my Radish). I left my thoughts in a comment: “As far as the price barrier goes — I think the trick is to sell people on bikes, either e-bikes or non-motorized bikes, as a car replacement. Not necessarily to the point of being car-free, but at least as a replacement for the second and third cars used by many couples and families.”

Did you read anything good about bikes this week?

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