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Lindsay Mo was unable to go to her gym after Beijing closed indoor sports facilities in May due to a coronavirus outbreak. She then started riding a bike and soon fell in love with the sport.
“I realized that a racing bike was quite different from a regular bike,” he said. “It’s so fast and exciting, and I couldn’t stop any longer.”
Bicycles have long been a means of transportation in China and once outnumbered cars on city streets. Now cycling is increasingly seen as a sport by an urban middle class that has benefited from China’s growth into the world’s second-largest economy. What started as a niche sport a decade ago has become a mini-boom.
Cycling events organized by the Beijing Qiyi Cycling Club had around 10,000 participants last year, with around 50 percent of them being regulars. Across the country, at least 20 million people participate in the sport, according to the Chinese Cycling Association.
The pandemic has played a role, as authorities moved quickly to close non-essential businesses, including gyms, during outbreaks under a strict zero-COVID approach. Cycling, which can be done both individually and in a group, has been mostly free of restrictions limiting gatherings, especially indoors.
Tours organized by cycling clubs or individual cyclists in Beijing take enthusiasts to outlying mountainous areas or to landmarks in the city, such as Tiananmen Square.
For cyclist Yang Lan, the sport also provides an escape from the daily hassles of life in the age of coronavirus. “With the pandemic … it seems to be the only way to escape from the terrible life and rhythm of the city,” he said.
On a recent summer morning, Yang and 14 other cyclists rode through the Baihe River Gorge in rural northern Beijing despite the heat and humidity.
In full cycling gear, they pedaled hard on their racing bikes on both flat and steep roads, sweating their way over 70 kilometers while enjoying spectacular views.
Pedaling forward by his own efforts gives Yang incomparable pleasure that is not obtained from riding a motorcycle or driving a car.
“It gives you a greater sense of integration into the natural environment around you, so I find it more interesting,” said Yang, who started cycling in February, in the middle of winter, when he was looking for something new.
The rise of cycling reflects the growing popularity of outdoor activities, said Feng Baozhong, vice president of the China Cycling Association.
“Especially after the pandemic, people have a desire to get out of rooms and buildings to do outdoor sports,” Feng said.
Naturally, the trend has fueled the demand for bicycles.
American bike brand Specialized says sales from its Beijing stores rose 20 to 30 percent from March to June, compared with the same period a year earlier. It would be double an increase were it not for a shortage of bicycle products, said He Dong, who is in charge of Specialized’s authorized dealer in Beijing.
The size of China’s bicycle market will be 80 billion to 100 billion yuan ($12 billion to $15 billion) in 2021, said Zhou Fuyuan, founder of Magic Cycling, an online bicycle information platform in China. Sales are projected to reach US$16.5 billion by 2026, according to online data published by Research and Markets, a market analysis firm.
Increasing demand and global supply chain issues mean that those who want to buy bikes, particularly beginning or mid-level cyclists, must wait weeks or months for a new bike. For every Specialized model sold in Beijing, at least 10 customers wait for their bikes to arrive, He said.
Some choose to pay more for the bikes they have in stock. Joanna Lei doubled her budget and spent 60,000 yuan (US$8,900) on her first racing bike. She said the money was better spent than on a fancy bag.
“What you’re investing in is your own body and a really good exercise habit,” he said. “I think it’s more valuable than the clothes you wear or the bags you wear.”
People will have more options for sports and entertainment when the pandemic is over, but Feng says he hopes cycling will remain popular because it is fueled by China’s growing wealth, the growth of the sports industry and increased health concerns due to to COVID-19.
“The pursuit of health will not go away, so I think there is a good prospect for the sustainability (of cycling),” Feng said.
The popularity of the sport is also a sign of the public’s growing awareness of environmental protection and the pursuit of a low-carbon lifestyle.
“Such a lifestyle is probably healthier and more beneficial to society.” Yang said. “I think people now have a good sense of environmental protection and hope to do good for society.”
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Associated Press Video Producer Caroline Chen contributed.