Two million Americans are riding their bikes to work, says the New York City-based Transportation Alternatives, which advocates for biking, walking, and public transportation as healthier, greener alternatives to the car. Bike commuting in New York City grew an astonishing 35 percent from 2007 to 2008.
As someone who once stored a bike in a Manhattan bedroom, I know that New Yorkers, especially, encounter storage issues, among others, when considering biking in the city. Enter the folding bike — and there are some great ones available now, in different weights, configurations and prices.
Transportation Alternatives offers this very complete rundown of folding bikes.
The New York Times also just road-tested the latest folding bikes and offers this slide show.
Still craving more folding-bike info? This British site, The Folding Society, might offer the last word.
If something is holding you back from bike commuting or riding more, this list at Bikecommuters.com dispels some myths.
In wonderful recent San Francisco biking news, the city’s Municipal Transportation Agency recently approved a whopping 45 bike network improvement projects as part of the 2009 SF Bicycle Plan. The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition web site has complete details and maps.
All of the above may just be reason to stow a split of Champagne in the bike bag.
(No argument from Cyrille Van Houwaert, a dominant early rider in the Paris-Roubaix Classic, from 1908-1911.)
