I wonder if that’s also to do with infrastructure. It’s all built for cars now.

Cycle-friendly cities in Europe are really easy and safe to ride around. Off-road bike paths, contra flows, etc make a massive difference.

I mean yeah it absolutely is. But the city layouts are also designed with that in mind, which is a challenge too.

So I think the good news is, a lot of it can be retrofitted, if there is political/societal/voter will.

It was all retrofitted here in Europe after all.

The infrastructure can be retrofitted, but the fact that cities were designed to be sprawling under the assumption that people would drive is a bit knottier to work out.

True. But if you could get 90% of non-work stuff a cycle ride away (groceries, childcare, post office etc) that’s already a big one.

London, another massive sprawl, opened what’s called “cycling superhighways”. These are on disused railway tracks, covered with high quality tarmac. Wide, straight, lit, off-road, bike-only trails taking you around the city (into the centre in particular).

I wouldn’t call London cycle-friendly but these really make long commutes feasible. A friend of mine, no exercise freak, happily cycles 40 mins each way on one of those.

They are not disused rail tracks, they are on the edge if roads.

Exactly what happened in EU. Many EU cities in the world were designed for cars. So it can be done.

But zoning is also part of the issue. Residental areas many places in NA is often strictly residental - designed around that people can just take the car to go grocery shopping.

In europe it is more common that you have things like a supermarket in walkable distance (or atleast short trip on a bike).

Tokyo sprawls as do many chinese cities but people bike to the train

The city I live in was designed for horse-and-carriage transport. Most of the buildings in the town centre have preservation orders. What's underground is often a mystery - a recent construction project discovered a cellar that nobody knew was there.

So back-fitting cycle lanes is rather difficult, when the roads are already too narrow for cars, and can't be widened.

>If I'd have to chose, I would feel safer on a motorbike or scooter than on a bike.

Why ?

I drive a motorcycle and just on the weight difference is significantly more risky - if you tip over an ebike it's a minor inconvenience, if you tip over a 200kg bike you could injure yourself just trying to catch it.

I don't think the two compare other than they can both be used for short commutes, but you're likely not getting a motorcycle just for that, driving and owning a motorcycle is way more involved. Scooters are a more realistic comparison but ebikes theoretically let you use paths you shouldn't use with scooters.

Not the person you're asking, but I kinda of agree with OP. The weight of a motorcycle's initially intimidating, but to me it feels much more stable and planted at most speeds and maneuvers. I have no real reason to believe it's objectively true, but it feels that way.

And in some cases the weight can be an advantage. It's it more difficult to steal a 200kg motorcycle then it is to steal a 10 kg bicycle once you're at that destination.

>I don't think the two compare other than they can both be used for short commutes, but you're likely not getting a motorcycle just for that, driving and owning a motorcycle is way more involved. Scooters are a more realistic comparison but ebikes theoretically let you use paths you shouldn't use with scooters.

I kinda look at it the other way. A motorcycle gains access to major highways and freeways cyclists and pedestrians are prohibited from traversing on due being unable to cruise at 100+ kph while retaining a good chunk of the small size advantages that a bicycle has.

> If you tip over an ebike it's a minor inconvenience

They're heavy enough to bruise, cause a sprain, or even skin your hands if you catch yourself badly. But generally that still counts as 'inconvenience', yes; you won't be taking any permanent or long-lasting damage.

Climate is one of those excuses that are only made by those with no experience. In countries where biking is popular people drive in all climate conditions without much problems, snow, wind, rain, heat.

It sounds like a bike is not for you, but for those who use a bike, they do have solutions to your problems:

Weather: Cold is easy enough, unless there's deep snow. You buy warm clothing and take it on before riding and off afterwards. Those clothes are also perfect for taking the kids for a walk, hitting up playgrounds/forests. Rain can sometimes be fixed by being a bit flexible with when you set off, else waterproof clothing. Hot weather is probably harder, although you do get some air cooling once you're on the bike.

Shopping: Actually, with a child seat, you can fit a relatively large bag of groceries, enough for a couple of days.

Family: You outfit your partner with a bike too, and the oldest kids. The small ones (say, under 5 years) you put in child seats on the back of the bike or in a trailer. Range is of course limited, you can't go somewhere far away.

If you think all of this sounds uncomfortable, one really important upside is that riding a bike most days makes you more active and arguably tougher, both of which are important traits with modern sedentary life styles.

Studded tires! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8wZHS7shUQ

But infrastructure is necessary:

Why Canadians Can't Bike in the Winter (but Finnish people can) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhx-26GfCBU

Shopping and kids: http://elhjul.se

You can drive a Better Bikes PEBL in the winter. People do. It is enclosed including an optional floor for driving in winter or rain. It even has reverse. It can take one adult or two young children in the back seat. The trunk can hold groceries.

Hot and cold are irrelevant. Rain is annoying and the only thing that kept me from biking.