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What is your name, where are you from and how long have you been in Aberdeen (if not local)?

I am originally from Italy, but I lived in Aberdeen between 2015 and 2022 – with some time in Glasgow for my postgraduate degree in late 2019-early 2020. I now live in Oslo, Norway.

How did you get into cycling?

I used to cycle as a kid and teenager, but then stopped from around the age of 16 – when I got my moped and then car licenses. I got back into cycling in 2020, when lockdown restrictions lowered and longer outdoor activities were allowed. My then-flatmate had two bikes and he took me on a couple of day tours around Glasgow. I then continued cycling using the city bikes there, as it was faster, safer (due to Covid) and more fun than using public transport.

What kind of cycling do you do?

I cycle for commuting purposes nearly daily whenever I can, just not when it’s -20C in Oslo – not yet anyway, I have cycled multiple times at -10C for short rides!

Between Spring and Autumn I also love to get on my bike to explore more of Oslo’s forests, usually once or twice a week, and to do grocery shopping.

What type of cycle do you use?

A Specialized Sirrus 2, with wider tyres from the X series. I bought this bike in Aberdeen, but then brought it with me to Norway.

I also use the Oslo City Bikes, also in winter as they come with studded tyres at that time of the year.

I did use a Tern HSD (an e-cargo bike) last year for Spring and Summer, for longer trips, grocery shopping, and generally when taking more stuff with me; I got the bike through an Oslo-based company called Whee, who rent out e-cargo bikes to “urban families” as their main customers. You pay a monhtly fee, and the bike is yours to keep home for as long as you are a member, plus they cover maintenance and theft (in the unfortunate case it happens).

Where do you cycle usually/any favourite routes? How often?

When I used to live in Aberdeen, often towards Seaton Park-Beach Espalande, or going up the river Don following the shared path to and past the Diamond Bridge. I also used to work at RGU, so the Deeside Way was also a favourite route; it has so much unfulfilled potential!!

In Oslo, there are virtually unlimited options, as something like 70% of the city council area is forested, with most tracks usually open only to walkers, cyclists and locals, and cross-country skiers in the winter.

I also like to cycle along the waterfront – often including a swim. People that have lived in Oslo for a few decades tell me that the waterfront is unrecognisable from the 90s, with a 2000-2030 initiative called Fjordbyen (the Fjord City) that is connecting 9km of waterfront with the city, replacing fencing and port zones with new residential, commercial and green space areas.

What would you like to see to improve your cycling experience?

With the new experience from Oslo, but also having cycled in Glasgow, Aberdeen has a long way to go. Even though I consider myself quite confident cycling, I still used to make detours in the city to actively avoid certain streets or roads. There are some main barriers across the city that I imagine stop people from cycling: (North) Anderson Drive and most bridges at both rivers are some of the examples I can think of.

For sure, more and high-quality cycling infrastructure is key, but quieter streets and contraflow cycle lanes can also enable a wider cycling network, at lower costs and faster implementation.

Another difference I notice between the UK and Oslo is how much more careful, and proactive, drivers are in prioritising vulnerable road users, pedestrians and cyclists, in the latter. I’ve rarely come across road rage, there seems to be a mutual understanding that we are all getting from A to B, just in different ways. The high % of electrification in the transport sector, both private and in public transport, also helps in the sense that I don’t breathe in bad air, and noise-wise streets are quieter too.

Finally, and again from experience, I can’t see a widespread cycling culture being a possibility in Aberdeen until public transport is taken seriously. If you want people to give up their cars, they need to have valid and complementing alternatives. Public transport and cycling really do go hand-in-hand.

Any top tips for someone considering cycling in the area?

There are some pleasant cycle or shared paths that if you are lucky enough to live near to are worth trying out: thinking about the Deeside Way, and alongside the River Don from Seaton Park to Diamond Bridge.

You also don’t need to buy a bike/commit to the purchase to try cycling a few times. Initiative like BeCycle and RGU BikePad can make access to a bike affordable.

I also really think that ebikes are a game-changer – at least they were for me! – if you are worried about cycling on hilly roads or with cargo, they really help. The Big Issue eBikes scheme can be a nice idea to try ebikes for the first time and see how you feel.