Could a recent article in The New York Times that profiled extreme bicycle commutes of up to 40 miles (one way) be harmful to the advancement of bicycle use among ordinary individuals?
In her response to the Times piece that profiled the commuting habits of "Lycra-clad suburbanites" such as Christian Edstrom, who bicycles 80 miles round trip twice a week to his job at JP Morgan, Sarah Goodyear agrees with photographer Dmitry Gudkov's assessment that the story is "completely alienating to 98 percent of people who might want to ride to work."
"Gudkov is right that the image of the road warrior in space-age gear, pedaling a custom-built bike worth thousands of dollars over icy predawn roads, is off-putting to most ordinary folks," argues Goodyear. "And it’s ordinary folks who make up 98 percent of New Yorkers who use bicycles for transportation in New York City."
So, in addition to being alienating, could such portrayals actually be harmful to expanding bike infrastructure?
All bike riders, from the "Type-A strivers on their carbon-fiber steeds" to "the 82-year-old photographer on his cruiser", "benefit from an increased recognition that bicycles are a legitimate way to get from one place to another, and that you don’t have to be some kind of a freak to use them," says Goodyear.
"That recognition is not merely symbolic. It becomes very tangible in the form of protected bicycle infrastructure, such as the trails cited in the Times article, and in pro-bicycle regulations -- such as the Bicycle Access to Office Buildings Law, instituted in 2009, which requires many office buildings to grant access to bikes."
Of note: look for Edstrom's thoughts in the comments section of the article.
FULL STORY: You Don't Have to Be Superhuman to Commute by Bicycle

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research