I received my new Trek catalog in the mail yesterday. 

Special thanks to Adam and all the good folks at Lee's Bicycles and the new Trek Store for sending it out.  A good catalog can keep a guy like me busy for weeks.

 Adam has Lance in a headlock

There was a quote on the back of the catalog that caused me to stop and think.  At first I wasn't sure I understood it.  Then I wasn't sure I agreed with it.  Now I'm sure that I understand it and agree with it.

Bicycles are the solution to some of the world's biggest problems.

Now of course, whether you see this statement as true depends on your list of the world's biggest problems.  The years I have spent on the roads in Oklahoma, and the reaction to the most recent article on cycling in the Tulsa World, make me think that this is an important issue that needs exploring.  Every time I get on my bicycle and ride on the road, I am reminded that many people hate cyclists.  They will try to run cyclists off the road with their cars.  They will honk, throw things, and offer obscene gestures to cyclists.  Its like, being in a 5,000 pound automobile makes you hostile and indestructible. 

Reading the comments to the Tulsa World article confirm this hostility.  It is obvious that most drivers have no clue what the law actually says (one commenter went so far as to post the Oklahoma statutes as they relate to cycling). 

So it is probably safe to say that many people will not agree that bicycles are the solution to some of the world's biggest problems.  But that's okay.  We can discuss it anyway.



What are the biggest problems in the world today?  Let's make a list.

• The environment.  Even if you don't believe that global warming is a real issue, you can't deny that the air would be a lot cleaner if more people rode bicycles.
• Traffic jams.
• Urban Sprawl.  People are moving further and further away from work.  They're building bigger houses, covering up farms and pastures, and requiring that the roads be wider so people can drive faster.
• Gasoline prices.  I commuted for three years on a bicycle, and I could not have told you what the price of gas was, because I did not care.
• Obesity.  People are fat.  Even a relatively short ride every day will help people to lose weight, and get healthy.  Heart disease kills people, and bicycles will keep them alive.
• Road conditions.  We have chug holes in Oklahoma that would rival the Snake River Canyon.  Bicycles reduce wear and tear on the road.
• Finances.  Families are struggling to make the ends meet, but cycling can put them on the road to financial freedom.  Riding my bicycle to work would save a minimum of $400 a month in gasoline alone.  New tires for my car would run at least $500.  I put new tires on my bike last week-- $80 for the pair.
• Stress and Anxiety:  Somehow, five minutes into a ride, stress levels go down, and life begins to seem good again. If you want to feel like a kid, spend some time on a bicycle, and that will do it.  Who has more fun in life than a kid on a bike?

What are some problems that you believe could be solved if people rode bicycles more?