Cycling on the Rise in Beijing 自行車運動興起 還能飽覽白河峽谷美景

Biking is becoming a new trend in China, with an increasing number of people regarding it as a popular leisure activity and sport. This has also led to a 20 to 30 percent increase in sales for bikes.

More than a dozen cyclists wearing full equipment, are riding bicycles around Baihe Gorge in the northern countryside. Whether it is a flat road or a rugged mountain road, everyone sweats and pedals hard, while enjoying the scenery along the way.

Yang Lan, Cyclist: “Because there is word called "escape". That's what makes us escape this terrible city life and rhythm. Seems like the only way I feel I'm alive. ”

Bicycles have been regarded as a means of transportation in China for a long time. In the past, Beijing used to have a large number of bicycles. Since May, Beijing has closed all kinds of non-essential places, including indoor sports facilities, in order to stop the transmission of the virus. Many people have chosen to go outdoors.

Lin Sai-mo, Cyclist: “Gyms are closed due to pandemic. Everything like the swimming pool is closed. Many of the places I usually go have been closed. I found cycling is different from riding a usual bicycle. It's very fast and very exciting. I don't think I can stop.”

The China Bicycle Association pointed out that in the post-epidemic era, people are eager to engage in outdoor sports, which has driven bicycle sales. American bicycle brand dealers said that sales from March to June increased by 20 to 30 percent year on year. They would've been able to grow double if the products were not out of stock. 

Ho Tung, Bike Dealer: “Compared with our original slow growth, this is a surge. Everyone's coming in. For example, in the case of weekends, the number of customers is our store is huge. I hadn't foreseen this. ”

Even if a bicycle starts from RMB60,000, which is more than NT$260,000, there are more than 10 people queuing up for it. Some people also believe that this is more meaningful than buying a brand-name bag. COVID-19 has changed people's life style. Cycling not only saves energy and reduces carbon, but also promotes physical health.

炎炎夏日、北京氣溫上看30度，十幾位自行車手，穿著全套裝備在北部農村、白河峽谷的公路上，騎著自行車；不論平坦的道路，或崎嶇的山路，大家都揮汗賣力踩著單車，同時欣賞沿途美景。

自行車手楊瀾：「因為有一句話叫"escape"，就是這種讓我們逃離這個特別糟糕的都市生活和這個節奏的，好像是唯一的途徑，我感覺。」

一直以來，自行車在中國，被當成是一種代步的交通工具，北京昔日就曾有過單車大軍盛況；如今為了阻斷疫情傳播鏈，北京從五月開始，就關閉各類非必要場所，包括室內運動場館，不少民眾因此選擇走向戶外。

自行車手林賽·莫：「因為疫情健身房關了，像游泳館什麼也都關了，很多平時去的地方選擇都沒有了，我嘗試以後發現公路車，和平時自行車不太一樣，它速度非常快、非常刺激，我覺得就停不下來了。」

中國自行車協會指出，後疫情時代，人們渴望從事戶外運動，順利帶動自行車銷量；美國自行車品牌經銷商表示，3到6月的業績，比同期成長兩到三成，如果產品沒有缺貨，將能成長兩倍。

自行車品牌經銷商何東：「跟原來的那種緩慢增長來比起來，這是一個暴增，這麼一個狀態，人都匯進來了，比如說像週末的情況下，我們店面來的時候，你也可以看一看，進店量是極大的這種狀態，原來也沒有預見過這種情況。」

就算一輛自行車，動輒要價6萬人民幣起跳，超過26萬新台幣，但每種車型都有超過10人在排隊、等著到貨；民眾也認為，這比買名牌包還有意義。新冠疫情改變人們生活型態，騎自行車不只節能減碳，還能促進身體健康。