Wheel Talk: How Riding Shared Bikes Helped Us Feel Safe Again

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My family loves biking together. When we ride, the four of us usually take up the whole street in a formation that we like to call “sandwich,” with my dad in the front followed by my sister and me, and my mother at the back. But during the pandemic, we could only look outside our window missing the things we used to be able to do outdoors.

When we could finally go outside again, I washed my hands obsessively and told everyone to keep their faces covered the whole time. I felt like the mask police. Every time my mom lifted her mask to wipe away perspiration or scratch her nose, I would yell at her to put her mask back on.

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If that’s how I reacted to my mom’s exposed face, imagine how I reacted to the shared bikes that have been sitting out during the pandemic for months. Anyone could have ridden them anywhere.

So, the first time we ventured out for a ride as a family again, I gave the bike that I chose a full-body scrub down, wiping clean the bell, the basket, the brakes, the handles bars, and the seat.

The cleansing was well worth the trouble. It made me feel safe, so I could explore Beijing.

Before the pandemic, it seems like we were always too busy, buzzing from point A to point B, either in a car or a taxi. My parents just let me buy my own subway card, which was a greener way to travel but it brought me underground, seeing even less of Beijing.

But now, thanks to COVID-19, we have rediscovered the wonder of the shared bike. They are good for the environment and our lazy quarantine bodies. At about RMB 1 per ride, they are a great way to get some exercise and see more of Beijing.

This city is full of imperial gardens. My best friend even flew all the way from the US to visit them the first time she came to China, but despite the fact my family and I live half an hour away by bike, we rarely bother to go.

I’m so happy that I could tell her that this summer we rode all the way to one of the most beautiful tourist attractions in Beijing: Beihai Park, home of the famous white pagoda and what seemed like miles of water lilies. My sister and I had only seen these lilies in traditional Chinese paintings, and the bright pink of the flowers on the green lilypads is even more vibrant in real life, so much so that they look almost fake. We took hundreds of photos and didn’t even realize we were getting a sunburn.

Another time, we biked all the way around the walls of the Forbidden City and visited the traditional shopping streets next to the drum tower. Over the weeks, the bright bikes brought us to cute stationery stores, overflowing with fancy pens, cloth notebooks filled with soft paper. One time, we discovered a small fried chicken joint which became an instant family favorite. We then sampled square-shaped mini moon cakes made of red beans green and matcha. Along the way I noticed new pomegranate trees blooming and hanging heavy with fruits.

Every time we stopped at a red light my mother would ask us to pose for a selfie. We would always nag at her to hurry up as the light turned green.

The freedom I felt on these bike trips reminded me of when I was little. We used to live in the south of China where my sister and I would roam around the university campus on our tiny bikes. Racing with the older boys, we learned how to overcome our fears and let our wheels take us to places our parents didn’t think we dare go.

Because of that experience, we can now bike through any part of Beijing’s narrow hutongs and crowded streets with confidence. Looking back, I can’t believe I was so scared to go riding with my family after quarantine ended. Life is about taking chances. I learned that when I was a little girl, and taking chances is why I can ride my bike so well now.

If you decide to go on a bike trip as we did, you should definitely be prepared. The deep cleaning I gave my shared bike may seem excessive, but it never hurts to be extra careful. And remember, bring your own water bottle, and keep your mask on, even as you’re riding.

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Photos: Unsplash, Courtesy of FeiFei Xu 

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