Some of our favorite bike culture pictures from around the globe.
For more bike culture images visit Paul’s bicycle photography site at www.pauljeurissen.nl
Bangladesh – bicycle culture
Transport
Rickshaws vastly outnumber two-wheelers in towns, whereas bicycles are more common in the countryside.
They’re used to travel to outlying places from where you can’t flag down a three-wheeler to get back home.
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Bangladesh rickshaws
Rickshaws
If there’s one thing that’s a symbol of Bangladesh, it has to be its colorful trishaws.
These moving works of art are everywhere.
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Myanmar – bicycle culture
Trishaws
In Burma, sidecars are attached to standard bikes.
The trishaws carry everything from goods to passengers. They even make comfy spots for a bit of shut-eye.
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S.E. Asia – bicycle culture
Multi-use
In Southeast Asia, bikes aren’t just used to get from A to B.
They appear in shop windows, parades, and even painted on garage doors.
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China – bicycle culture
Functional
Chinese bikes are workhorses.
Their rusted steeds are used for transport and hauling goods.
Rarely did we see people out for just a ‘day ride.’
More bike culture impressions:
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North India – bicycle culture
Versatile
In North India, bicycles are used to transport goods and people.
They even use them as market stalls which can be set up on any street corner.
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South India – bicycle culture
Cherished
In South India, bicycles are a prized possession which help you earn money.
Rickshaw rider, ice cream vendor, coffee salesman, you see two-wheelers everywhere.
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Nepal – bicycle culture
Livelihood
Bicycles help Nepalese earn a living.
They use them to transport passengers and goods.
Some chauffeurs even sleep in their rickshaws.
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East-Africa – bicycle culture
Workhorses
For East Africans, bikes aren’t just for personal transport. They’re also used to haul goods and passengers and are often an undervalued workhorse.
Curious about why we saw young men riding motorcycles in the evenings but only encountered cyclists during the day, we asked an elderly Tanzanian villager.
“For young guys, motorcycles are for showing off,” he explained. “But when they need to work in the fields or get somewhere, they grab their dependable bicycles.”