Biking in Beijing

 

One of the first things I did when we arrived for our stint living in Beijing was buy a bike.

Well, it was almost the first thing. First, I scared myself silly spending hours reading blog posts about biking here. The highlights were an American girl’s account of a very close encounter with a bus and a guy who said cycling in Beijing was best described as being in a real-life video game.

Undeterred, myself and my mate Suzy headed off to get ourselves bikes.  After riding almost every one in the shop up and down the pavement outside, it didn’t take long for me to go off the budget black cycle I thought I should get and plump for the exact same model Suzy had her eye on. It’s a beauty.

That first ride home in Beijing took about 10 minutes, but we felt so ridiculously pleased with ourselves for still being in one piece, we stopped on the way home for a celebratory jug glass of sangria.

Two-wheeled adventures

Although Beijing was once the city of the cycle, it doesn’t feel like it anymore.

The car definitely rules – even in the bike lanes. So you might be pedalling along and suddenly get a huge four-wheel drive beeping from behind you.  I need to learn how to shout in Mandarin ‘Excuse me, this is a bike lane!” That’ll make them think twice, I’m sure.

Needless to say riding here can feel quite scary but also really exhilarating, and so reminiscent of that feeling of freedom I felt heading off on a bike as a kid.

And you end up seeing places you never would if you were in a car or on the subway.

A few weeks ago riding back from an expat get-together we stopped to explore a section of the river and then took another detour to check out a great deli and little supermarket, where I found vegetarian Bisto gravy!

Giving it a go

I’ve met so many people who say cycling is the only way to get around the city. So if you feel like having a go, here are a few tips I’ve picked up along the way. Of course, I am hardly the oracle in this area, but they might be of use!

1. Wear a helmet. No-one here does, but there’s no way I would risk it without one. I’ve seen a couple of mangled bikes sans rider lying in the middle of intersections. As in any city, accidents do happen.

2. Take your time. A few people have stressed this. The bike traffic flows at a very leisurely pace and apparently you are less likely to have a prang if you’re also taking it steady.

3. If you get a bit scared, find someone who knows what they are doing and do what they do.  I had a terrible time the second time I went out. It was driving with rain and very busy. But I spotted a woman ahead who knew what she was doing and she unwittingly guided me all the way to our apartment. She will forever be my purple-ponchoed guardian angel.

4. Use what you’re got. A fantastic American lady we met at a newcomers event told us to use our ‘different-ness’ to get the attention of drivers and make them stop. I’ve seen Suzy (who as you can see above has blonde hair and is in the process of finding a helmet) stop cars as we’re crossing the road just by putting her hand out. It’s like a superpower.

5. Lock your bike. Bike theft is apparently one of the only petty crimes you need to worry about in Beijing, but it is rife. There are places near subways where you can pay a few kwai for an attendant to watch your bike. I got my sister to bring a big lock over from the UK – but I’m still expecting the bike to be nicked at some point.