I want to add the phrase “everyday cycling” to our language. I first heard this when I was a guest on the KBOO Bike Show (May 2009) with hosts Ayleen Crotty (organizer of Filmed By Bike) and Tori Bortman (owner of Gracie’s Wrench). Before the show, I head Tori use everyday cycling, and being the word geek that I am, I asked about the nuances of her phrase. A discussion ensued, and I am now convinced that everyday cycling needs to be part of our language.

There is a sizable group of people who fall under the term everyday cycling, myself included, but my riding habits are usually described as bike commuting. Until now.

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Everyday cycling is cousin to “bike commuting”; however, where bike commuting is limited to the travel to work by bike, everyday cycling is a concept with more depth. First, commuting is connected to work, which limits the term, but many use their bikes outside of work. Additionally, if someone is interested in starting to bike and all they hear about in the media is bike commuting, that person may not think biking is for them. Or worse, the positives of biking could be overshadowed by a negative connection to work. Biking is more flexible than that.

It is through language that we communicate ideas. Tori put a phrase to an idea that was always there, but nebulous because the idea lacked unifying language. But now that everyday cycling is in my vernacular, I can appreciate and embrace Portland’s bike growth in new ways.

Everyday cycling describes biking that occurs every day, in every way. Biking to the grocery store for a loaf of bread is everyday cycling. Everyday cycling is simple and not confined to work travel, which is good because it brings to our consciousness the many people who are changing the way they live by biking, but have not, until now, had a solid phrase to describe their vision. That is why I encourage the move to everyday cycling rather than inadequate or partial terms which require too much qualifying.

In my discussion with Tori, she brought up a salient point which makes the phrase everyday cycling more powerful than commuting. That point is that EVERYONE can partake of everyday cycling. It is attainable; it is a reasonable goal; it is a simple action to mesh with an existing life.

I want to see the day when most people grab their bikes for transport without a second thought. When this happens, biking will no longer be a novelty. It will be the culture rather than a subculture. I want to see this happen, and subtle changes in language can help get us there. There will be those who will fight this because they like an exclusive, small, distinctive bike culture. I understand. It is fun. However, I believe there are greater gains to come from an everyday cycling attitude. Everyone can have it.

Think about the idea behind everyday cycling and use the phrase this week, and while you are at it, tune in to KBOO’s Bike Show, the first Wednesday of every month from 11:00 am to Noon, 90.7 FM.

This month the discussion covered Sunday Parkways and the world-wide ciclovia movement, hosted by Sarah and Beth.

P.s. There is a cool bike rack outside of the KBOO studio that looks like headphones.

To listen to May’s show, “New to Cycling”, the one on which I appear as a guest, you can listen to or download it here.

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