Bike Hugger 

For the last week I’ve been at the Olympics in Vancouver, but unlike Byron, who had the chance to go on some rides I’ve been working in the Main Press Center for some pretty long shifts.

While I normally bring my bike to an event like this my scheduled hours made that a bit more impractical. I’m regretting that as our hotel is about 9 miles away and takes about forty minutes on public transportation. I’m pretty sure I could out-sprint the train.

Vancouver is a less-active city bike-wise than I’d have expected. There are some nice paths but the swarms of hip, urban cyclists I normally see just a commuter-flight away in Seattle are largely missing. Perhaps it’s the Olympics scaring them away–many roads are closed and there’s a good deal of traffic–though I’m not quite sure. I brought a bike here five years ago while working on a book project and I don’t remember seeing the hipster flood that I’d expect.

Of course we do see the occasional fixie go by (like in this shot from my gallery of images during the time-off I’ve had here and have stumbled upon super-great looking bikes like <a http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidschloss/4372256256/in/set-72157623296715469/”>Ross’s Peugeut seen here.

Am I wrong in this perception? Is there a flourishing hipster scene tucked away somewhere? I’ve only really been able to get around the Waterfront area so where are all the bikes and the bikers.

Uploaded by davidjschloss | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.