Bicycles in China

By: Jake Lau

The Early Years

• Modern bicycle invented ~1860s.

• Missionaries• Port Cities• Military use?

http://www.eva.hi-ho.ne.jp

The Early Years

http://www.bicyclekingdom.com

• 1st Chinese cartoon with bicycle

• Discourages the use

• Still too foreign

The Early Years

• Rickshaws• Bicycles too

expensive • Disgraceful

http://www.yican.com.au

The Early Years

• 1890’s first Chinese cyclists appear

• Students• Businessmen, journalists• Wealthy youth

http://www.geekologie.com

http://www.briefcases.ushttp://www.acrylics.ca

The Early Years

• A break in culture

• More western products

• Shanghai was a major bike importer– Mostly high quality or

racing bikes

http://portwatch.files.wordpress.com

http://www.loiclemeur.com

Popularity Increases

• 1899 – Suzhou prohibits cycling in narrow streets

www.vosssigns.com

Popularity Increases

• More imports brings price down

• Different kinds– Transport– Men– Women– Children

http://i.treehugger.com

Popularity Increases

• The other market– Sing-song girls

http://www.geekologie.com

Popularity Increases

• <10,000 in 1925• 20,000 in 1930

• Postmen• Police

• Shanghai starts production

• 1930-1940s bikes reach rural China

http://www.auburnhills.org

Popularity Increases

• 1949 – People’s Republic of China – Bikes are supported

by government– 5-year-plans

• 1958 China has 1,000,000 bikes!

• Street planning with bike lanes

http://www.cba.csus.edu

Subsidies

Bicycles in China Today

• Red means GO?

http://www.smh.com.au

http://timesonline.typepad.com

Bicycles in China Today

• Bike Lanes?• Who uses them?

• Bikes• Buses• Trucks • Cars• Delivery tricycles• Motocycles

• For what?• Riding • Driving• Parking• Making a cell phone call.• Swimming?

http://www.treehugger.com

http://www.eskimo.com

Bicycles in China Today

• Rent bicycles

http://picasaweb.google.com

Bicycles in China Today

http://yeinjee.com

Bicycles in China Today

• 2003 - 105 million• 73 million in China

58% of world market•

Will the Car Replace the Bicycle?

……

blog.wired.com

Will the Car Replace the Bicycle?

http://www.flatrock.org.nz

The End

The End

• References• Peter S. Goodman. March 8, 2004. Car Culture Captivates

China. Washington Post Foreign Page A01

• Andrew Ritchie and Rob van der Plas (Eds.), Cycle History 13. Proceedings, 13th International Cycling History Conference. San Francisco: Van der Plas Publications 2003, S. 94-102.

• Elizabeth Mygatt. (2005) Bicycle Production Remains Strong Worldwide. Earth Policy Institute. http://www.earth-policy.org/Indicators/Bike/2005.htm