At a Transportation Alternatives event I met two lovely lady cyclists from northern Manhattan. Here are their stories.
Kathryn -
I live in Harlem in NYC. I have lived in NYC for 10 years and in this neighborhood for just over a year.
About the bike
I just bought a Specialized Double Allez 2010.
I love that it is fast and comfortable and smooth and light.
I would like a better saddle.
The commute
I ride to class in the Bronx two days each week and sometimes from there to work in the afternoon (a different Bronx neighborhood) and then home in the evening. Occasionally I will ride directly to work from home.
I have been riding to work or class regularly since June 2009. Before that I would sometimes take my bike on the train to work and then bike home. Ten years ago when I lived in Long Island City, I would bike to work once a week in the Lower East Side.
Why She Rides
I often use it as my personal therapy time… If something is really bothering me, I will use the biking time to think through it. It is a good time to do this since biking makes me feel active and strong and in control.
My friends, family and colleagues think that I’m a little nutty… but I’m not sure that that is because of the biking or if they see the biking as a natural result of the nuttiness. Some think it’s cool, but not something that they would do. It seems to be kind of “other-worldly” to most people… except the ones who do it too… A few who have seen me carrying my helmet have expressed interest in going for a ride…
Detta lives in Manhattan’s Morningside Heights neighborhood and has been riding a bike for 1.5 years.
About her bike
I ride a 1994 Trek hybrid. I have fenders on it and a two rear pannier baskets and I raised up the handlebars. It is a men’s frame.
I like everything about my bike. I like that it is good enough quality to be durable and reliable, but not so high quality that it is a target for thieves to steal the components.
I do not like is that is it black and would prefer a bike in a more interesting color. I also wish that my rear wheel had not been run over by a van because I had to get a rear new wheel and it does not match the front wheel (different color and different number of spokes).
The cycling outfit
In warm weather I wear a short or knee-length skirt with bike shorts underneath and sandals. In cold weather I wear a skirt with leggings underneath and knee-high boots. Most of my shoes have heels. I wear cute stretchy shirts. I wear layers as needed according to the outdoor temperature, rain or wind chill.
Why she rides
Riding is enjoyable and pleasant. Riding takes about the same time as the subway to get someplace but is much more fun. Riding costs less than a subway fare for each trip. Riding gives me time to think. Riding keeps me in shape.
At first my family and co-workers were surprised and they thought my bike commuting was a lot of effort and they thought it was dangerous. My co-workers found my bike commuting a little odd. My family worried about the danger of it and tried to talk me out of it. But over time everyone got used to it. My family got used to the idea that I biked. My bike commuting became a non-issue with my co-workers. One friend started bike commuting after I talked so positively about bicycling as a way to get around NYC. Other friends and co-workers have not started riding, but they seem to be thinking about it.
Thank you ladies! Fun, fitness, time and money saved, the bicycle is truly a magnificent creation.
