Recently, I took a 28 km bike trip.

I usually enjoy short bike trips. While 28 km might not seem like much to some, it’s enough to showcase how bike-friendly Changsha is.

Let’s dive into the details.

Overall Impressions

Changsha isn’t designed for bikes.

The city was originally intended to be car-centric. In the past, people were too poor to own cars and used bikes instead, making it appear more bike-friendly. As wealth increased and more people bought cars, problems arose. Now, the city is trying to balance its development by improving public transport and becoming more bike-friendly.

Today, Changsha blends American-style car-centric design with Western European human-centric elements: wide roads built for cars with little space for bikes on older streets but newer roads often include dedicated bike lanes.

Infrastructure

Road quality is generally good but many are under construction due to public transport projects. These areas can be dangerous and poorly maintained with chaotic traffic.

Most roads lack dedicated bike lanes; you’ll need to share the road with horrible traffic. Some roads have blue arrows indicating bike paths, it’s better than nothing , but still, not actual bike lanes

In most cases, the roads are suitable for cycling. If sharing the road feels unsafe, you can use the sidewalk.

Parking a bike here isn’t easy; theft is common so ensure your lock is strong and reliable.

Drivers

Most drivers pay attention to cyclists but always stay alert as accidents can happen due to careless drivers or parked cars blocking paths—a frequent annoyance caused either by poor road design or inconsiderate drivers.

Climate

Changsha’s climate is harsh—hot and humid summers that cause sweating or heatstroke and mild yet still cold winters unsuitable for cycling. Locals joke there are only two seasons here in Changsha: Summer and Winter. Comfortable spring and autumn weather has become rare in recent years likely due to climate change.

Conclusion

Currently, Changsha isn’t very bike-friendly: the infrastructure needs improvement, some drivers aren’t considerate of cyclists, and the climate poses challenges. The city aims to improve its conditions for both bikers and pedestrians but progress has been slow.

Despite these shortcomings, I’m glad Chinese cities are evolving positively over time—I hope our city continues this trend towards greater happiness and better living conditions.