After starting a new job in the Sydney CBD four weeks ago, I have been enjoying cycling into work every morning. My trip takes me over the Anzac Bridge into Pyrmont, after which I slalom around tourists while cycling through Darling Harbour into the city. After biking it to work for a month, and getting fined for not wearing a helmet two days ago, the time has come to share my observations.

Firstly, what’s with all the lycra people? 80% of all commuting cyclists in Sydney dress up as if they’re a team mate of Cadel Evans. The pre-9am exhibition of clean-shaven and steel-cabled calves gives me the impression that I have taken a wrong turn and have unwillingly entered a stage in the Tour Down Under. And the serious expressions on those faces! Waiting at the traffic light is like waiting for the start of an individual time trial. Believe me when I say that it is not a good look. Apart from this being an aesthetical observation, I also truly believe that this way of dressing, and the display of attitude that apparently goes with it, is keeping cycling from being accepted as a normal mode of transportation in Sydney. Continue reading Observations by a Dutchman in Australia: Why Cycling is Not Taking Off in Sydney →