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Utility Cycling

 
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Utility cycling
 
 
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Utility cycling encompasses any cycling
Cycling

Cycling is the use of bicycles, or - less commonly - unicycles, tricycles, Quadracycle s and other similar wheeled human powered vehicles as a means of transport, a form of recreation or a sport....
 not done primarily for fitness
Physical fitness

Physical fitness is used in two close meanings: general fitness and specific fitness .Physical fitness is the functioning of the heart, blood vessels, lungs, and muscles at optimum efficiency....
, recreation
Recreation

Recreation or fun is the expenditure of time in a manner designed for therapeutic refreshment of one's body or mind. While leisure is more likely a form of entertainment or rest, recreation is active for the participant but in a refreshing and diverting manner....
 such as cycle touring
Bicycle touring

Bicycle touring is a leisure travel activity which involves travelling by bicycle for the pleasure of the journey rather than through need or to race....
, or sport
Sport

Sport is an activity that is governed by a set of regulation of sport or traditions and often engaged in competitively. Sports commonly refer to activities where the physical capabilities of the competitor are the sole or primary determinant of the outcome , but the term is also used to include activities such as mind sports and motor...
 such as cycle racing
Bicycle racing

Bicycle racing encompasses many forms in which bicycles are used for competition. Bicycle racing includes road bicycle racing, cyclo-cross, mountain bike racing, track cycling, BMX racing and bike trials and cycle speedway....
, but simply as a means of transport
Transport

Transport or transportation is the movement of passenger and cargo from one location to another. Transport is performed by various modes of transport, such as aviation, rail transport, road transport, ship transport, cable transport, pipeline transport and space transport....
. It is the most common type of cycling in the world. In the Chinese city of Beijing
Beijing

is a metropolis in northern China and the Capital of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the four municipality of China, which are equivalent to province in China's Political divisions of China....
 alone, there are an estimated four million bicycles in use (it has been estimated that in the early-1980s there were approximately 500 million cyclists in China
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
). As of 2000, there were an estimated 80 million bicycles in Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
, accounting for 17% of commuter trips, and in the Netherlands
Netherlands

The Netherlands is a country that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands is located in North-West Europe, and bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east....
, 27% of all trips are made by bicycle.






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Encyclopedia


Utility cycling encompasses any cycling
Cycling

Cycling is the use of bicycles, or - less commonly - unicycles, tricycles, Quadracycle s and other similar wheeled human powered vehicles as a means of transport, a form of recreation or a sport....
 not done primarily for fitness
Physical fitness

Physical fitness is used in two close meanings: general fitness and specific fitness .Physical fitness is the functioning of the heart, blood vessels, lungs, and muscles at optimum efficiency....
, recreation
Recreation

Recreation or fun is the expenditure of time in a manner designed for therapeutic refreshment of one's body or mind. While leisure is more likely a form of entertainment or rest, recreation is active for the participant but in a refreshing and diverting manner....
 such as cycle touring
Bicycle touring

Bicycle touring is a leisure travel activity which involves travelling by bicycle for the pleasure of the journey rather than through need or to race....
, or sport
Sport

Sport is an activity that is governed by a set of regulation of sport or traditions and often engaged in competitively. Sports commonly refer to activities where the physical capabilities of the competitor are the sole or primary determinant of the outcome , but the term is also used to include activities such as mind sports and motor...
 such as cycle racing
Bicycle racing

Bicycle racing encompasses many forms in which bicycles are used for competition. Bicycle racing includes road bicycle racing, cyclo-cross, mountain bike racing, track cycling, BMX racing and bike trials and cycle speedway....
, but simply as a means of transport
Transport

Transport or transportation is the movement of passenger and cargo from one location to another. Transport is performed by various modes of transport, such as aviation, rail transport, road transport, ship transport, cable transport, pipeline transport and space transport....
. It is the most common type of cycling in the world. In the Chinese city of Beijing
Beijing

is a metropolis in northern China and the Capital of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the four municipality of China, which are equivalent to province in China's Political divisions of China....
 alone, there are an estimated four million bicycles in use (it has been estimated that in the early-1980s there were approximately 500 million cyclists in China
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
). As of 2000, there were an estimated 80 million bicycles in Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
, accounting for 17% of commuter trips, and in the Netherlands
Netherlands

The Netherlands is a country that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands is located in North-West Europe, and bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east....
, 27% of all trips are made by bicycle. Utility or "transportational" cycling generally involves travelling short and medium distances (several kilometres, not uncommonly 3-15 kilometers one way, or somewhat longer). It includes commuting
Bicycle commuting

Bicycle commuting is the act of commuting to a place of work or education by bicycle, a common form of utility cycling. Bicycling is the dominant mode of commuting in countries such as India and China and is also common in many European countries ....
, going to school, high school or college, running errands, and delivering goods or services. In cities, the bicycle courier is often a familiar feature, and freight bicycle
Freight bicycle

Freight bicycles, carrier cycles, freight tricycles, cargo bikes or work bikes are human powered vehicles designed and constructed specifically for transporting large loads....
s are capable of competing with truck
Truck

File:Red truck USA.JPGA truck is a type of motor vehicle commonly used for carrying goods and materials. Some light trucks are relatively small, similar in size to a passenger automobile....
s and van
Van

A van is a kind of vehicle used for transporting goods or groups of people. It is usually a box-shaped vehicle on four wheels, about the same width and length as a large automobile, but taller and usually higher off the ground, also referred to as a light commercial vehicle or LCV....
s particularly where many small deliveries are required, especially in congested areas. Velotaxis can also provide a public transport
Public transport

Public transport comprises passenger transportation services which are available for use by the general public, as opposed to modes for private use such as automobiles or vehicles for hire....
 service like bus
Bus

A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. A bus can generally seat a maximum of anywhere from 8 to 200 passengers; many more passengers than a minivan....
es and taxicab
Taxicab

A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of public transport for a single passenger, or small group of passengers, typically for a non-shared ride....
s.

Utility cycling is believed to have several social and economic benefits. Policies
Policy

A policy is typically described as a deliberate plan of action to guide decisions and achieve rational outcome. However, the term may also be used to denote what is actually done, even though it is unplanned....
 that encourage utility cycling have been proposed and implemented for reasons including: improved public health
Public health

Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals." It is concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on population health analysis....
 , individual health and employers' profits a reduction in traffic congestion
Traffic congestion

Traffic congestion is a condition on networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased Queueing theory....
 and air pollution
Air pollution

Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or damages the natural environment, into the Earth's atmosphere....
, improvements in road-traffic safety
Road-traffic safety

Road traffic safety aims to reduce the harm resulting from crashes of road vehicles. Harm from road traffic crashes is greater than that from all other transportation modes combined....
, improved quality of life
Quality of life

Quality of life is the degree of well-being felt by an individual or group of people.Quality of life cannot be measured directly, however the perception of QOL is made up of of two components: the physical and the psychological....
, improved mobility
Mobility

Mobility is the state of being in Motion .Mobility may also refer to:...
 and social inclusiveness, and benefits to child development
Child development

Child development stages describe theoretical milestones of child development. Many stage models of development have been proposed, used as working concepts and in some cases asserted as nativism theories....
.

The bicycle and the cyclist's equipment