BikeLover1989

Everytime I ride my bike, either to work or just leisure, or whenever I am outside, I observe how many other cyclists there are like me. While noticing them, I've noticed something else, based on race and ethnicity. For some unknown reason, most cyclists I see (at least in Toronto where I live) are white. If I see a person of asian or african descent cycling, for some reason it is a rare occurence while I see people who are white on their bikes all the time. Do you notice this as well in your area? And what do you think is the reason for mostly white people riding bikes? It is something that kind of confuses me.

Sirrus Rider

Depends on the area. When I'm at work I see more African-Americans and when I'm close to home, Hispanic. I f I go ride in Memorial Park (I'm in Houston, Texas BTW) it's white dudes on MTBs and Road bikes.

travelmama

https://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/02/10/61-bicycles/

Check this out. Maybe you answers can be found?

runway1

Funny, I read a Taiwanese fellow who thought most cyclist were Taiwanese! And a San Antonio fellow who thought most were Hispanic! And biking in Rome, you'd swear cyclist were most Italians!

..........pointless

MadCapsule

It's entirely possible that there simply are more white people where you live and that's why you're seeing more white cyclists.

mackerel

I've heard Canada contains many white people. I've also heard quite a number of these white people are able to ride bicycles. This is all hearsay, of course.

operator

https://www12.statcan.ca/census-recen...B1=All&Custom=

Let's take a gander at 2006 demographics. Although i'm not sure whether to disagree with you or not (i'm asian), I usually see maybe a dozen asian cyclists on the donut out of a 100. And like maybe the one token black dude.

xenologer

I see a variety of enthicities depending on Where I am at the time, roughly corresponding to neighborhood demographics as you'd expect.

I will note however, that all the superheros are white (except for the one token black superhero), and all the guys on 'mart bikes with shopping bags hanging from the handlebars are hispanic, and the beach cruisers and fixies are mostly ridden by white-ish college studens.

StephenH

Around here, non-whites are under-represented in the roadie crowd, but they are out there. When you get into the non-roadie people, cyclists tend to be of the same ethnicity as the neighborhoods they're riding in.

mantszchun

i had the same confusion last time i rode in beijing, although it's all chinese instead of white folks i saw
i wonder why

tatfiend 

In Reno a very mixed bag. I have met bikers of every color and race including a local Sikh cyclist. Everything from Lycra clad roadies to the anglo bum bicyclist who tried to cadge 50 cents from me while I was loading up my shopping panniers at the food store earlier today.

If the bike is totally the wrong size and the seat height is 6" or more too low it will usually be a hispanic riding. FG and SS riders will be college age to 30s anglos typically. Roadies mainly anglo saxons in a wide age range. Commuters a mixed bag.

urban rider

When riding in the city of Detroit I am likely to see African-American cyclists. I belong to a local club in which the majority of the members are African-American women. However, when going on organized tours I am usually one of two African American people on the tour. The exception was during the Underground railroad tour with Adventure Cycling.


Gas, .69 cents the price of a can of beans.

Zan

I'm just North of you in an Asian ghetto.

Surprisingly the only Asians I see on bikes are commuting.

If it's a mom/dad/both riding with their kids, it's both Asian and Caucasian. I really like seeing parents spending time with their kids.

If it's one of those people decked out in uniform riding on the speedster bike, it's mostly white people. I have seen one Asian person hauling ass on a bike before... definitely looked like he was doing it for the workout (younger, in shape man). I've also seen a couple of Negroid riders. A couple of really in-shape guys. They looked a little strange riding around in bright blue jerseys in a very Asian community.

Other than that, it tends to be older white men and women (50/50).

Another thing I notice is that the people on road bikes tend to be 30+ and the people on mountain bikes tend to be under 18.

I happen to be one of the rare types who rides both and is 18.

operator

Showing you know absolutely nothing about Toronto and it's surrouding GTA in terms of demographics. Stop posting.

whydoncha

Did you really just say "negroid"?

crx7

Non white here, saw a black dude with dreads here in Austin. Cyclists here usually don't speak to one another, but he asked directions. I think he just wanted to talk to another non-white cyclist. We are few and far between.

Tapeworm21

It's regional then. In the bay area... it's every walk of life along with every race. It's a beautiful thing, really.

The only thing I can conclude is that whitey LOVES recumbents. The ratio on those is 100% white.

mantszchun

And I see you know a fair bit about being polite.

East Hill

'Negroid' is a word used in rather outdated notions of racial classification. You may wish to avoid the term, as it has the potential to label the user as someone who isn't quite up on modern terminology.

East Hill

East Hill

Perhaps if you said, 'Please'?

Being polite doesn't hurt you, and may help the other members in forming a more flattering view of you .

East Hill

Garfield Cat

You can add up all the bicycle riders in the world and they cannot outnumber the riders in China. They might ride because of necessity, nontheless.

flatlander_48

Or harbors some sort of off-the-wall agenda...

Zan

oh my honest mistake. I thought that was the "technical" term that fits along with Asian and Caucasian. So... what's the (current) singular word used to describe a person of African descent?

I double checked in the dictionary. Didn't say it had any negative connotation... so is it that it's just outdated?

Zan

I wikipedia-ed it. Is "Congoid" supposed to be the current substitute?

The problem with the term "Negroid" is that it classifies a race by color of skin rather than from original location. If you say that's the reason why the term shouldn't be used... "Asian" shouldn't be used either at it groups people from many regions into one big category.

I try to refrain from saying "white," "black," "brown," "yellow."

What word would you have me use?

rbrian

How about people?