Cycling became viable again not because people were persuaded to try harder, but because car use was actively constrained and alternatives were made easier. <\/p>\n
If we want people to return to bikes in car-centric societies, the question is not why they stopped cycling \u2013 but what would make cycling possible again.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not just about motivation<\/p>\n
People often assume the hardest part of cycling again is motivation. <\/p>\n
But bikes tend to stop being ridden long before people decide to stop cycling. Something small went wrong and was never fixed. The bike ends up in the garage with flat tyres, tucked behind boxes, or hanging unused.<\/p>\n
When that happens, cycling doesn\u2019t feel like a choice any more. It feels unavailable. <\/p>\n
In our research<\/a> with people who had stopped riding in Sydney, cycling faded when everyday arrangements no longer worked: storage was awkward, routes became stressful, or minor mechanical issues accumulated.<\/p>\n People are more likely to cycle when the bike is stored near the front door<\/a> and ready to use.<\/p>\n Cycling depends on a combination of bodies, bikes, routes, time and confidence. When any one of these falls out of sync, your capacity to cycle drains away.<\/p>\n In reality, cycling does not require a lot of specialist gear for most everyday trips. Abandon ideas about \u2018proper\u2019 cyclists<\/p>\n One of the strongest barriers we encountered was the sense of not fitting the image of a \u201cproper\u201d cyclist.<\/p>\n In Australia, that image is still closely tied to being male, wearing a lot of Lycra, owning an expensive bike and costly cycling gear and riding really fast.<\/p>\n Women, older riders and those returning to cycling after a long break often experience that culture as quietly excluding.<\/p>\n In reality, cycling does not require a lot of specialist gear for most everyday trips. <\/p>\n In places where cycling functions as everyday transport \u2013 such as large parts of Europe and Asia \u2013 people ride in work clothes, at relaxed speeds, on practical bikes.<\/p>\n Similarly, e-bikes enable a range of differently abled bodies to cycle<\/a> (suggesting we should rethink some of the ways e-bikes have been recently demonised).<\/p>\n Letting go of narrow definitions of who cycling is for can reopen the possibility of riding at all.<\/p>\n Cycling routes might have improved<\/p>\n Our research into the significant increase in cycling during the COVID pandemic<\/a> found the lockdowns offered a rare natural experiment. <\/p>\n Many Australians returned to cycling after years away because traffic temporarily disappeared. <\/p>\n With fewer cars on the road, cycling felt calmer and less demanding, and confidence grew quickly. A significant investment<\/a> was made in cycling infrastructure across Australian cities (although this investment is still minuscule compared with car infrastructure spending). <\/p>\n So if you\u2019re reluctant to cycle again because you\u2019re afraid of being hit by a car, it\u2019s worth checking if cycling routes have improved since last you rode.<\/p>\n Start by using a digital map<\/a> to search for cycling routes separate from vehicle traffic.<\/p>\n Get your bike serviced<\/p>\n A serviced bike changes everything.<\/p>\n A lot of the anxiety stopping people from riding can be greatly reduced by simply having gears that work, brakes that respond and tyres that hold air.<\/p>\n Our research found these small material fixes can make a big difference to getting people back on the bike.<\/p>\n There are myriad explainer and DIY videos on YouTube covering maintenance basics<\/a> if getting the bike professionally serviced is out of your budget.<\/p>\n You can also try to find a local community bike kitchen or council\u2011supported course<\/a>. Some councils also run programs where experienced riders can show you good cycling routes<\/a> through your suburb or city.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/file-20260417-57-7rmkpo.jpg\")
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\n David Iglesias\/Pexels<\/a><\/p>\n