This week hosts the Copenhagen Bike Show, the largest bicycle trade show in Scandinavia. Coincidentally, the first glimpses of spring have started to show, so if you have sought shelter in public transport during the cold months, it might be a good time to dust off your bike.
Danish cycling history coincides with the invention of the bike itself, and it is arguably the most prominent characteristic of the local culture. Although part of its relevance stems from how flat the country is, the bike is also a symbol of Danish values. Bikes offer equal mobility to members of all social groups, and are therefore inextricably linked to two of the nation’s biggest achievements: equality and freedom.
With more than 12,000km cycle routes, nine in ten people in Denmark own a bike and cycle an average of 1.4km per day. In big cities, the numbers are even higher: 1.9km for Aarhus, 2.1km for Odense and 3km for Copenhagen. In terms of development, authorities estimate every kilometer traveled by bike instead of car equals 6 DKK gained in health benefits, as, among other benefits, adults who cycle regularly have 30% lower morbidity. In Copenhagen, citizens request around 1.1 million fewer sick days thanks to cycling.
For the last decade, lower auto prices have decreased cycling in Denmark. In response, the government is currently executing an infrastructure plan of 458 million DKK. In the future, keeping bikes as the leading vehicle will demand hard and active choices from politicians, often to the disadvantage of car drivers. For now, we can rest assured that cycling culture is here to stay.
