Michael Andersen, staff writer



99% of the Danish population view themselves as cyclists — many without actually cycling daily. Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland

Even a Dane had to get on a bike for the first time.

Compared to the rest of the rich world, the difference is that people in Denmark are much more likely to start riding and keep it up.

Why?

Funded by the Danish National Cycling Fund and Danish Road Directorate, The Danish Cyclists’ Federation‘s report, New Cyclists: Leads to Less Congestion on the Roads, seeks to understand what factors influence people when it comes to being a daily bike commuter. The report, which was translated into English thanks to support from SRAM, draws insights from surveys and interviews with over 25,000 people who participated in Bike to Work, the Danish campaign aimed at getting more Danes commuting on bikes, from 2012 to 2014.

Here’s what it found, more or less: good infrastructure matters. But it’s not enough on its own.

In their campaign to spread bike-commuting further, the main thing Danish biking advocates have to fear is fear itself.

Individual barriers to cycling



New cyclists must first tackle the practical problems like “What route should I chose?” and “What clothes are appropriate?”

To the inexperienced cyclist, individual barriers are the biggest obstacles that stand in the way of becoming a daily bike commuter. The report gives a name to each of the primary barriers: Identity, insecurity and insurmountability.

Identity is how you view yourself. Insecurity is the lack of knowledge and experience with cycling. Insurmountability is when bicycling is seen as a change of habit that impacts a person’s daily routines.

But whether imagined or real, most such barriers can be easily overcome. Here are a few noteworthy tidbits that work well in Denmark:

Describe the bicycle as one among several equal transport options.

Provide concrete solutions to perceived problems: how to fix a flat, what clothes to wear.

Take first steps alongside others in the same situation.

Pair up with an experienced cyclist who can give support throughout the process.

Concede that transportation habits vary throughout life; each phase has its strengths and challenges.

Here’s a useful set of specific tips from the report’s authors: