this post was submitted on 18 Oct 2025
63 points (98.5% liked)

utility cycling

801 readers
29 users here now

🚴🚲 Welcome to the Utility Cycling Community! 🚲🚴

Are you a passionate cyclist who believes that bicycles can transform the way we move around our cities and towns? Are you interested in exploring the world of utility biking, where bicycles are a tool for practicality, sustainability, and adventure? If so, you've come to the right place!

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Key chart:

Archived copies of the article:

all 12 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] Olgratin_Magmatoe@slrpnk.net 2 points 23 hours ago

I was able to drop off about 0.3m^3^ of styrofoam for recycling on my bike today, all with just my bike instead of my car. It looked weird as shit having a box as big as me on my bike, but it worked.

And it was efficient.

[–] perestroika@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Silly question: why does the human in a velomobile weigh less? :D

[–] Damage@feddit.it 4 points 2 days ago (3 children)

As long as someone laid down pavement

[–] queermunist@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 day ago

Gravel roads aren't bad if you have thick and knobby tires.

And keep an eye out for really big chunks of gravel. And ruts. And puddles. And erosion. But other than that! It's fine.

[–] GissaMittJobb@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 day ago

Mountain and gravel bikes beg to differ

[–] silence7@slrpnk.net 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Even a dry trail is pretty efficient on a bike

[–] Damage@feddit.it 3 points 2 days ago (2 children)

*As long as someone laid down pavement or keeps the trails maintained

[–] Evkob@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Still by far the least amount of necessary infrastructure needed for any means of transit except walking.

[–] Damage@feddit.it 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Yeah but the comparison is with fishes and birds

[–] jnod4@lemmy.ca 3 points 22 hours ago

As long as somebody laid down the rivers and the mountains, which took a couple billions yrs

[–] ulterno@programming.dev 2 points 1 day ago

Yeah, good roads are still required for bicycling.
Although, it would greatly reduce the frequency of maintenance events if it were only bicycles, since the lighter vehicles would be much less damaging. Then seasonal changes will remain the major factor for wear.

Maybe it would even change the kinds of materials we use in the roads, because you now have similar pressures, but over a much smaller surface area (overall lower forces).