Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Lindsay Mo couldn't go to her gym after Beijing shut down indoor sports facilities in May because of a coronavirus outbreak. So she started cycling -- and soon fell in love with the sport.
"I realized a racing bicycle was quite different than a regular bike," she said. "It's very fast and exciting, and I couldn't stop anymore."
Bicycles have long been a means of transport in China and once outnumbered cars on city streets. Now cycling is increasingly also seen as a sport by an urban middle class that has benefited from China's growth into the world's second largest economy. What began as a niche sport about a decade ago has turned into a mini-boom.
Biking events organized by Beijing cycling club Qiyi tallied about 10,000 participants over the past year, with about 50 per cent of them regulars. Nationwide, at least 20 million people are participating in the sport, according to the Chinese Cycling Association.
The pandemic has played a role, with authorities moving quickly to close non-essential businesses -- including gyms -- during outbreaks under a strict zero-COVID approach. Cycling, which can be done individually as well as in groups, has largely been free from restrictions that limit gatherings, especially indoors.
Rides organized by cycling clubs or individual cyclists in Beijing take enthusiasts to outlying mountainous areas or by city landmarks including Tiananmen Square.
For cyclist Yang Lan, the sport also provides an escape from the daily hassles of life in the coronavirus era. "With the pandemic ... it seems to be the only way for us to run away from the terrible city life and pace," she said.
On a recent summer morning, Yang and 14 other cyclists biked along the Baihe River Canyon in rural northern Beijing despite the heat and humidity.
In full cycling gear, they pedalled their racing bicycles hard on both level roads and slopes, sweating through a ride of more than 70 kilometres while enjoying spectacular views.
Pedaling herself forward under her own efforts gives Yang an incomparable pleasure not to be gotten from riding a motorcycle or driving a car.
"It gives you a stronger sense of integration into the natural environment around you, so I find it more interesting," said Yang, who started cycling in February, in the dead of winter, when she was looking for something new.
The boom in cycling reflects the growing popularity of outdoor activities, said Feng Baozhong, vice president of the Chinese Cycling Association.
"Especially after the pandemic, people have a desire to walk out of rooms and buildings to do sports outdoors," Feng said.
Naturally, the trend has boosted the demand for bicycles.
American bicycle brand Specialized says its Beijing stores' sales rose 20 per cent to 30 per cent from March to June, compared to the same period a year earlier. It would be twice as large an increase if not for a shortage of bike products, said He Dong, who is in charge of the Beijing franchised dealer of Specialized.
China's bicycle market size stood at 80 billion to 100 billion yuan (US$12 billion to US$15 billion) in 2021, said Zhou Fuyuan, founder of Magic Cycling, an online bicycle information platform in China. Sales are forecast to reach US$16.5 billion by 2026, according to online data published by Research and Markets, a market analysis firm.
Surging demand and global supply chain issues mean those wanting to buy bicycles, particularly beginner or medium-level cyclists, must wait weeks or months to get a new cycle. For every Specialized model sold in Beijing at least 10 customers are waiting for their bikes to arrive, He said.
Some choose to pay more for whatever bicycles are in stock. Joanna Lei doubled her budget and spent 60,000 yuan (US$8,900) on her first racing bicycle. She said the money was better spent than on a luxury bag.
"What you are investing in is your own body and a very good workout habit," she said. "I think it's more valuable than clothes that you wear or handbags that you use."
People will have more choices for sports and entertainment when the pandemic is over, but Feng says he expects cycling to remain popular because it's driven by China's growing affluence, growth of the sports industry and increased concern about their health because of COVID-19.
"The pursuit of health will not vanish, so I think there is a good prospect for the sustainability (of cycling)," Feng said.
The sport's popularity is also a sign of the public's growing awareness of environmental protection and pursuit of a low-carbon lifestyle.
"Such a lifestyle is probably healthier and is more beneficial to society." Yang said. "I think people now have a good sense of environmental protection and hope to do good for society."
------
Associated Press video producer Caroline Chen contributed.
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Molly Knight, a grade four student in Nova Scotia, noticed her school library did not have many books on female athletes, so she started her own book drive in hopes of changing that.
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When Les Robertson was walking home from the gym in North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood three weeks ago, he did a double take. Standing near a burrow it had dug in a vacant lot near East 1st Street and St. Georges Avenue was a yellow-bellied marmot.
A moulting seal who was relocated after drawing daily crowds of onlookers in Greater Victoria has made a surprise return, after what officials described as an 'astonishing' six-day journey.
Just steps from Parliament Hill is a barber shop that for the last 100 years has catered to everyone from prime ministers to tourists.
A high score on a Foo Fighters pinball machine has Edmonton player Dave Formenti on a high.
A compound used to treat sour gas that's been linked to fertility issues in cattle has been found throughout groundwater in the Prairies, according to a new study.
While many people choose to keep their medical appointments private, four longtime friends decided to undergo vasectomies as a group in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.