05/16 Urban bicycle
In town, in Europe, but especially in China and some countries in Southeast Asia, bicycles have reduced the concentration of the population the city center, by giving workers a way to make commuting between individual homes in nearby suburbs and workplaces in the city.
The use of horses has also decreased in the same period. The bicycle, combined with leave, allowed people to travel within their country of origin, with long battery life, at a time when the automobile was still an expensive means of transport accessible only to the upper classes. In France, an increasing proportion of the population uses it as a means of transport for short distances, especially in densely populated cities where traffic is congested, and the costs of parking and use of the automobile as demand for environmental quality made use of the car less attractive. This trend accelerated with the process of aging. More and more municipalities are now building bicycle facilities as tracks or bands reserved along the streets, to facilitate and encourage cycling, both as a means of locomotion every day that as a hobby.The bicycle is still one of the most private vehicles used in many developing countries.
The image of the bustling Asian city bike is a cliché frequently encountered, although in reality the bike tends to be less and less success.According to The Economist magazine, one of the main reasons for the proliferation of Chinese-made bicycles in foreign markets in this country would be the tendency of Chinese to prefer more automobiles and motorized two-wheelers.In France, especially in large cities, and as in many countries that use the bike theft is quite common, which led to the establishment of better means of locks. And the Netherlands (as in France, Scandinavia and Germany) an institution verifies the reliability of the locks.Other means of transport are adjusting to living with the bicycle by providing means of encouraging complementary modes: bicycle transportation system on buses, trains, etc..
To reduce the risk of theft, many bike parks equip themselves with bows and mini-bicycle parking (bike lockers). Moreover, existed in France since 2004 with its burning bike frame, to prevent theft and to trace the owner of a stolen bike.