On weekends or holidays, cycling enthusiasts gather via bicycle forums or QQ groups to go for rides. Teams fully equipped with gear instantly become a beautiful sight on the streets.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, bicycles were an essential mode of transportation. In 1995, the number of bicycles in downtown Guangzhou reached a historical peak of 2.88 million, with an average of two bikes for every three residents.
Today, bicycles are no longer just a means of commuting but also a form of leisure activity. With professional gear like cycling helmets and jerseys, and bicycles that cost several thousand or even over ten thousand yuan, groups of seven or eight cyclists speed down the roads, drawing the attention of passersby. During holidays, many cyclists gather to ride in groups, whether for mountain adventures, short trips, or multi-day long-distance tours.
Yanhui is a cycling enthusiast who graduated from university nearly three years ago and now works at a real estate development company. He started cycling the year he graduated. “If I had gotten into cycling earlier, maybe I could have ridden to Tibet during the summer break.” Nowadays, due to his busy work schedule, aside from commuting by bike, he only manages to go on rides with friends to the suburbs on weekends or holidays. He owns two bikes: a small-wheeled folding bike for daily commuting and connecting to buses or subways, and a mountain bike for off-road and long-distance rides. The two bikes together cost nearly 9,000 yuan. “In the craziest months, I practically spent all my salary on buying bikes and upgrading them. Back then, I was truly living paycheck to paycheck,” Yanhui said with a wry smile.
“I’ve ridden nearly 17,000 kilometers in four years,” Yanhui said, pointing to the cyclometer attached to his bike. For him, a long-distance ride can cover 100 to 200 kilometers a day, maintaining an average speed of about 20 to 30 kilometers per hour. “Of course, you also need a good bike, but the most important thing is the ‘engine,’” Yanhui said, referring to his legs. No matter how good the bike is, you can’t go on long rides without good physical fitness.
Sun exposure, sudden rainstorms, car exhaust and dust, flat tires, and damaged bike parts are all unexpected challenges during rides. Cycling enthusiasts must be ready to handle them at any time.
“I’ve been to places like Nankun Mountain, Maofeng Mountain, Nansha Shiba Yong, Longdong Radar Station, and Seagull Island—mostly for one- or two-day trips,” Yanhui said. This year, he plans to apply for annual leave to go on longer cross-provincial rides, and in the future, he’s considering cycling to Tibet to fulfill a personal dream.
Years of cycling experience have given Yanhui a unique perspective on bike travel. He believes the goal of cycling isn’t just to reach the destination, but to experience the ups and downs along the way and gain insights into life. Cycling is a culture and, more importantly, a way to enjoy life.