China was once considered to be the Kingdom of the Bicycle, with bikes dominating city streets across the country in the 1980s and 1990s. Later, as people's purchasing power increased, cars became the main travel tool for families, and the number of bicycles on the streets decreased significantly.

However, people living in Beijing have recently noticed that more and more cyclists are appearing on the streets every night. While bicycles were once used primarily as a means of transportation, more and more people are using them socially or for fitness.

From about 7 p.m. until late at night, cycling enthusiasts gather in groups, wearing hi-tech cycling apparel and mounted on custom-assembled bicycles equipped with gadgets to measure their performance. An entry-level hybrid bicycle and equipment can cost upwards of a thousand dollars.

Together with camping and frisbee, cycling makes up one of the three most popular social activities for young people in China in 2022. The sudden popularity of the sport is closely related to the improvement of Chinese people's incomes and material living standards. More members of the middle-income group, such as doctors and people in the IT and financial industries, who are busy with work on weekdays, enjoy their suburban rides on weekends as a way to relax. 

(Text and photos by Wei Yao)

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson

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