Cyclists seek healthy benefits from bikes

With a growing number of automobiles clogging up Chinese roads, many people are getting on their bikes -- not for the daily commute to work but for exercise and recreation.

Twenty-five-year-old Qian Lu, a Beijing postgraduate, started long-distance cycling in 2009. He sometimes rides more than 200 kilometers a day.

"I like the sport as I get to see beautiful scenery," said Qian. "Last year I bought a second-hand mountain bike for 1,200 yuan (193 U.S. dollars) to further cultivate my zest for cycling."

However, Qian said that he would not consider riding to work, as expensive bikes are prone to be stolen in cities, as well as smog and gales being unhelpful when riding.

Added to this, bike lanes are usually used by cars, which makes it dangerous for cyclists, he said.

China had the reputation of "the kingdom of bicycles" in the 1980s and 1990s. During this time each city family had at least one bicycle.

The picture of large groups of people stopping at red lights on their bicycles spread around the world. However, this image is now rarely seen in cities, and China has turned to "a country on the wheels" with the boom of automobiles in the last decade.

According to figures by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), China overtook the United States to become the world's largest automaker and auto market in 2009.

As of 2012, it has remained the world's largest producer and market for automobiles for the fourth consecutive year, with both sales and output exceeding 19 million units. Car ownership nationwide has reached 120 million, with an annual growth of 15.1 million, CAAM said.

Last year, 82.8 million bicycles were produced in the country. This is lower than the peak of bike production and the trend is decreasing, according to the China Bicycle Association.

However, Liu Xuequan, director with the research and development department of Battle, one of the largest bicycle producers, is confident in the future of bikes, as "seen abroad, developed countries have the tendency to use more bikes."