Last weekend, a rare and wonderful event occurred. Rather than enjoy our usual Sunday morning activities of sleeping well past a socially-acceptable waking hour before settling in for a binge-watching session of Parks and Rec, my boyfriend and I rose at some horrendously early hour, forced our uncooperative limbs into clothing, and went for a bike ride. And we found that we really enjoyed the ride, once we were out there. The sun was shining, but not too hot, there was a lovely, cooling breeze blowing through the trees, and the Swan River was sparkling in the morning light. It was all very #grammable.
But as we stopped to rest on a shady patch of grass, observing the numerous cyclists passing by, I couldn’t help noticing something glaringly obvious: we did not fit in. Cycling in Perth is no longer a “chuck on your oldest, baggiest T-shirt and a pair of runners and grab the bike out of the back corner of the garage – oh, and you might want to check it for spiders” kind of affair. Perth cyclists are not messing around. Some might as well have just stepped out of a cycling fashion blog, others appear to be training for – sorry, competing in – the Tour de France. None of them has a bike stand that constantly hits their pedal while they ride (hint: I do). I have often wondered whether cycling is on the rise in Perth, and as I stood there feeling utterly inadequate in my 10-year-old plastic helmet, my suspicions seemed to be confirmed: in the arena of cycling, Perth has well and truly left me behind.
The evidence appears to back me up. A survey conducted by the Australian Bicycle Council in July found that Western Australia ranks among the top three Australian states for highest rates of cycling participation, on par with the Northern Territory and the ACT. The Weekend West claims to have counted about 100,000 new metropolitan bike trips across the city in 2014, with figures from the Department of Transport showing similar numbers.
While some are surely tempted to point the finger at the (admittedly aptly-named) weekend “lycra brigade” for this increase, they shouldn’t be too hasty. Periods where cycling participation has increased the most are shown to be during weekdays, suggesting that cycling is becoming an increasingly popular mode of transport for those working in the city. The state government is all for this rising star of the daily commute. Over the past five years they’ve spent over $100 million on cycling initiatives, and just last month Transport Minister Dean Nalder announced another $27 million to be spent on further improving Perth’s principal network of cycling paths. The Department’s latest bid to encourage more people to pick up cycling was announced just a few weeks ago: the conversion of certain streets in Perth into “bicycle boulevards”, where the speed limit will be low, and cyclists will have priority, along with local traffic. The planned improvements for Perth’s cycling infrastructure are welcome news to Dan Holmes, the owner of R&D Speed Shop in Times Square Claremont, who’s hoping they’ll encourage more people in Perth to get riding.
“Perth’s cycle paths could definitely do with some improving, so it’s good to hear that the government is doing something about it,” Mr Holmes said. “Cyclists should be able to enjoy being out on their bikes, not feel unsafe.”
Safety is a major benefit of more people getting into cycling – the greater the number of cyclists on the road, thefewer collisions between drivers and cyclists. But cycling can also have a positive impact in other areas. Studies show that daily exercise can reduce stress and anxiety, while cycling is a far more convenient way of getting around than driving (think no more traffic jams and significantly reduced parking hassles). Replacing driving with cycling can also save you money, which is not hard to believe when you consider how much we spend on our cars each year. It seems Perth is embracing cycling for better or worse (and evidence does appear to point to the former), so if you’ve been thinking about dusting off the old two-wheeler, there are now more reasons than ever to do so. And if fears of not looking as fashionable or as professional as some are holding you back, there’s always the option of heading in to R&D Speed Shop to tighten up your look. I might even do so myself – and should probably get the bike stand tightened up while I’m at it.
R&D Speed Shop is open 7 days a week, and is located in Times Square Claremont, on the corner of Avion Way and Stirling Highway. Dan and the rest of the team are always happy to talk about anything bike-related. You can find them athttp://rdspeedshop.com.au.
Story: Madeleine March-Anthony – Feature Writer, Times Square Claremont