The Adventures of a Middle-Aged Uni-Cyclist
How does a 47 year-old man come to think that lycra bike shorts are a good look? Well in my
case he doesn’t. He just regards them as a necessary evil if he is to ride his bike 25 km or so each
day as he cycles to work and back. Every day, my buttocks thank me for this practical decision.
My dignity, on the other hand, does not. When on my bike, I am, in my own mind at least, an
athlete, a ‘green’ machine, and getting out of the car habit is one of the best decisions I ever
made. However, once I arrive at my destination and get off the bike, I am reduced to 72 kg of
skinny legs and lycra-clad self-consciousness. ‘Work’ for me is studying at Curtin University. On a
campus full of the young and stylish, a middle-aged man in lycra stands out like... a middle-aged
man in lycra. Walking to the change-room, I tell myself that the embarrassment is worth it, that I
love cycling to Uni; I just wish that the Uni loved cyclists.
Jeremey Murray is CEO of WA’s largest cycling group, Bicycling Western Australia (BWA), a
community-based not-for-profit organisation, whose mission is to get ‘more people cycling,
more often’. As you would expect, he rides to work almost every day; a round trip of 33 km.
When it comes to lycra, he has a more pragmatic outlook than mine: ‘I’m 20 years too old, and
20 kilos too heavy’, he laughingly exaggerates. As far as Jeremey is concerned, riding to work has
a multitude of benefits, and what you ride and how you dress is entirely optional. ‘People who
ride to work are the people who are improving their health, reducing the strain on the public
transport network , the road network, reducing health costs, and improving productivity within
the workplace’. BWA estimate that between 11 and 12 thousand people ride to work in WA
each day, and that this number is increasing by more than ten per cent each year. And research
by transport consultant Cameron Munro shows that for every dollar spent on cycling
Page 1
infrastructure, the government saves $1.20 in costs associated with issues such as health care
and traffic congestion.
As Jeremey sees it, universities are an area where massive opportunities exist to increase bicycle
use. Many students live relatively close to campus, and modern technology has reduced one of
the major barriers to cycling. ‘We love iPads and tablets; people can just throw them in the
backpack; there is no need for heavy textbooks’. And the recent retro trend sees a ready
availability of single-speed ‘fixies’ and other ‘cool’ bicycles; a long way from the lightweight road
bike, but, as Jeremey points out, the ‘type of bikes that young funky urban people will ride’.
Six months ago, after deciding my family didn’t need the expense of running two cars, I started
using public transport. I started off cycling the easy kilometre or so to the Bull Creek train
station, from where the train would connect me with the Canning Bridge bus service to Curtin.
Then I tried riding the more challenging 6 km to Canning Bridge and cutting out the train. I
enjoyed the ride, but waiting for the bus and then enduring its slow and winding trip to cover
the four-and-a-bit kilometres to Curtin was frustrating. So after a few weeks, I took the plunge
and rode all the way. I took the safe-and-scenic route, on a quiet dual-use path. I optimistically
budgeted 40 minutes, but it took nearly an hour before I arrived, hot and sweaty, and late for
my class.
After a few days recovery, I tried a different path, along the river and parallel to the Kwinana
Freeway. It was a lovely ride. The views of the river and the city from the path underneath the
Mount Henry Bridge were glorious. Turning off the path, I crossed to Manning Road, where the
dual-use footpath is designated as an official cycle route – at least on paper. In reality, it was an
obstacle course. At one point it passed a building site where, for whatever reason, the tradies
had removed the concrete path. There were no signs warning people that the path was not just
Page 2
covered with a layer of sand; this fact only became apparent when my front wheel sunk into
said sand, causing my bike to come to a rapid halt whilst I continued in a forward direction.
Luckily, with just a few grazes and a relatively insignificant loss of blood, I was able to soldier on.
Once again, I was late for my class.
The key factors needed to get people to cycle to work are fairly obvious. Some people want safe,
separate paths, such as the Principle Shared Path that runs parallel to the freeway. More
confident riders are happy with bike lanes on existing roads. Everybody wants decent end-oftrip facilities, preferably in the building where they work, or at least close by. Once these are in
place, as Jeremey Murray suggests, it is just a matter of education, promotion, and a little bit of
awareness; the more people see others cycling, the more they will consider cycling themselves.
Jeremey stresses the importance of winning over Perth’s car-loving population. ‘One of our
objectives is to normalise bike riding. It’s not “alternative” transport; it’s just a form of transport
that not everybody uses’.
Still carrying my bruises from the supposedly ‘safe’ Manning Road path, my next experiment
was with the backstreets that run roughly parallel. Overcoming my anxieties about riding in
traffic, I discovered that, on these quiet streets anyway, motorists were considerate, and my
ride was much smoother. Trying to find the best route was another matter. Amongst the
labyrinthine avenues and cul-de-sacs I invariably lost my sense of direction. Through trial and
error – lots of error – eventually I managed to map out a decent route.
The City of South Perth recently released its new bike plan. Top priority: building a high standard
route between Canning Bridge and Curtin University.
With a regular journey I could now see I was getting gradually quicker as my fitness improved,
but my old and heavy mountain bike wasn’t helping. It was time to invest in a faster machine.
Page 3
After some research, and much rationalising of the expense, I became the proud owner of a flatbar carbon-fibre road bike. Designed for commuting, rather than speed, it nevertheless
represented a massive investment in staying on the bike and out of the car driving habit. And
surely now, I told myself, I would never be late for class.
Before riding my new bike to Uni for the first time, I organised to use Curtin’s on-campus secure
bike parking. One phone call and I was registered to gain access by swiping my student card. As
a bonus, on the Curtin website was a map which showed there were change-rooms and showers
in the same building. Previously I had reluctantly used a rather grotty shower cubicle stuck in the
corner of one of the toilets.
Excited by my discovery of real end-of-trip facilities, I set off on the first day of the new
semester. My new bike seemed to fly, and I arrived in a record 30 minutes flat. I rode up to the
unfamiliar Chemistry building, where the secure facility was located. Not seeing the entrance, I
rode a lap of the building. Still not seeing any indication of where the facility was, I got off my
bike and did another fruitless lap. Now I had a dilemma; I was late for class, but I couldn’t leave
my brand new bike chained up outside – the University had just ran an information campaign
about the high risk of bike theft. I had to find this facility. Unfortunately, I was dressed in my
brand new – lycra – cycling gear.
Taking a deep breath, I skulked into the foyer of the Chemistry building. Luckily, I spied a man of
around my own advanced age, who, taking pity on the folly of a middle-aged man foolish
enough to go about in public wearing elastic clothing, promptly directed me to the sought-for
facility. Breathing a massive sigh of relief – whilst at the same time continuing to suck in my alltoo-clearly outlined stomach – I marched back to the front of the building. There I discovered an
unobtrusive side door, devoid of any signage whatsoever. It would seem that Curtin, while
Page 4
theoretically encouraging cycling, in practice would prefer to keep their better facilities topsecret. A quick swipe of my card and finally I was in. My bike was now secure; very secure. I
challenge any thief to find that place, let alone steal a bike from it. .
One of the ways BWA encourages people to ride to work is the annual Ride2Work Day. A series
of free breakfasts are held around the state, with this year seeing around 2,500 attending the
Perth CBD event alone. Curtin had a healthy turnout, but has a way to go to match their
counterparts at UWA, who won this year’s award for the most registered participants.
Coinciding with Curtin’s Ride2Work Day breakfast was the launch of their new bike plan. Around
fifty people showed up to enjoy the food and to see what was planned. An eclectic assortment
of bikes rested on the temporary rack, ranging from expensive carbon-fibre road racers all the
way to an old-school lady’s pushbike, complete with wicker basket on the handlebars. The
attendees were perhaps less varied; the rotund and the young were notable absentees, perhaps
due to the unspoken dress code: for once lycra was seemingly de rigueur. Those in work attire
hastily explained that they had showered and changed after cycling in. These were hard-core
cyclists, well used to negotiating Curtin’s inadequate bike facilities, and even more used to
having their concerns ignored.
A glossy pamphlet detailed ambitious improvements. First priority is four new bike ‘pods’,
modular secure storage and end-of-trip facilities to be placed around campus, featuring solar
power and hot water, showers and lockers. There will also be an upgrade of internal paths and
access points, to make getting into, and around Curtin easier. Longer term ambitions include
dedicated facilities in new buildings, prioritising pedestrians and bicycles in shared space
environments, and even attracting a cycle business to set up at the university.
Page 5
The positive mood at the breakfast was tinged with scepticism. The cyclists were very pleased
with the plan, in that it addressed what most saw as the big problems; secure parking, ease of
access, and good quality end-of-trip facilities. However, they were worried that the university’s
long term commitment could be shaky. In their minds, administration promises tend to last only
until the next round of budget cuts.
Typical of the cyclists was Natalie, a Senior Lecturer at Curtin. A trim woman in her forties, she
rides the 12 km from home about once a week. It used to be more often, but an arduous
workload caused by the rocketing popularity of engineering degrees means she now seldom
heads home before dark. For her, end-of-trip facilities are crucial, but not the only issue. She
believes access into and around the campus must be made a hassle-free. ‘At the moment, once
you survive crossing the busy roads and get onto the university grounds, you are faced with
sharing a narrow path with pedestrians. The surface changes from concrete to paving slabs, to
bricks, and some paths take abrupt turns, come to a dead end, or run you up to steps’. As
Natalie points out, it is challenging enough to negotiate Curtin on a bike, but ‘imagine what it
must be like for people in wheelchairs’. She sees the bike plan as ‘a good start’, but is sceptical
about the stated commitment to sustainability and better health for staff. For Natalie, the
‘holistic’ approach has a few holes in it.
Lleyton is another academic who discovered the inadequacies of the current facilities the hard
way. He keeps his bike in his office, after having one bike stolen, and then, after securing the
replacement with a better lock, having someone steal its expensive suspension seat. He rides to
work once a week, but with the mooted improvements he hopes this will increase.
Also familiar with the frustration of cycling to Curtin was Andy. A year ago he and his wife
became a one car family, and now he rides the six or so kilometres to Curtin each day. With
Page 6
their two kids also into cycling, the family recently bought new bikes, and enjoy a leisurely 25
km ride to Fremantle most weekends. A strong advocate of the benefits of cycling in general,
Andy nevertheless acknowledges that the cycling environment at Curtin is difficult at best. For
the first six months he kept his bike in his office, and showered several buildings away. Now he
pays to use the facilities at the gym.
However, Andy does not share the cynicism of many others at the launch. Because Andy Sharp is
the Director of Campus Development at Curtin, and the driving force behind the bike plan.
Arriving in the job 12 months ago, he is forthright about the need for the planned
improvements. ‘I call it getting up to base, getting our house in order.’ He admits the university
has been ‘pretty slack’ in providing infrastructure, but is adamant that things are going to
change. The bike plan is just a part of a ‘Place Activation Plan’, designed to get people onto
campus, especially outside of the academic term, through improving and broadening the
facilities available. The bike plan and getting the popular outdoor cinema ‘Movies by Burswood’
onto Henderson Court, right in the centre of the campus, are just the beginning of this five year
process. This in turn is all part of the long-term ‘Curtin City’ concept, where the university will
evolve into a denser, more urban environment; a self-contained small city.
After a couple of weeks of riding my new bike to Uni, I had finally got things sorted. My ‘cycling
legs’ had developed, so it now only took 25 minutes most days. The very secure bike parking
was working well, and it was fantastic to have a hot shower and change before class. I had finally
managed to discover a way to cycle to Curtin that worked; it was hassle-free, and
straightforward. Crucially, I had made a psychological switch; I didn’t want to drive, or catch the
bus; I wanted to cycle. I enjoyed it, and I loved how fit I was getting without having to find time
to exercise; it just happened, as a normal part of my day.
Page 7
Andy sees a major culture change away from driving to Curtin as inevitable. State Government
modelling, as well as that commissioned independently by the university, shows roads in the
area becoming gridlocked in the near future. Government policy dictates that no more parking
can be built on campus. Andy matter-of-factly describes the process of changing behaviour as
‘applying a series of levers’. Firstly, no more car parks, followed by increased parking fees. Then
improved bus transport. And finally, the construction of a tram line to Curtin. Greater use of
buses will provide the impetus for an increased number of services, and perhaps even priority
bus lanes. Andy points out that Curtin already subsidises the important Canning Bridge service
to the tune of several hundreds of thousand dollars annually. However, he sees the tram line as
the Holy Grail when it comes to transport options. ‘Tram lines are an enabler. People will
develop businesses because they know it goes past their front door, permanently’.
It is abundantly clear that Andy Sharp has a vision for the future of Curtin, a vision that is both
positive and inevitable. And it starts with radically improving the cycling infrastructure. The bike
pods are just the first step. Being modular, more can be added if they prove popular. Permanent
facilities in most new buildings are the next step, and then, in the not-too-distant future, a
dedicated building combining end-of-trip facilities with a bike shop and a café. Andy admits
there is a degree of ‘suck it and see’ in banking on an initial spend of around two million dollars
correlating with a substantial rise in the numbers cycling to Curtin. But he is confident it is the
correct decision. As Andy bluntly states, ‘We won’t get it right; I can guarantee it. But at least we
are trying to get it up to base level’. It seems cycling to Curtin is about to get a whole lot easier.
When you cycle to work regularly, some days are just average; nothing special happens, you just
get from A to B. Most days are better. And some days are spectacular. This was one of those
days. I had left home in plenty of time. The sky was clear, and there wasn’t a breath of wind. The
Page 8
river was like glass, a beautiful crystal blue. As I crossed the Mount Henry Bridge, ten minutes
into my trip, I could see several other cyclists had pulled over to the side of the path ahead of
me. There were a few joggers and walkers too, all leaning over the railing and watching the
river. As I looked across, the focus of their attention became clear. There was a pod of dolphins,
about seven or so, directly beneath the bridge. By the way they were playing and frolicking with
each other it was clear that they too were enjoying this beautiful day. Directly beneath me as I
stopped were two dolphins, chasing a small shoal of fish. Floating languidly on their backs,
slowly twisting and turning in synchronised and seemingly effortless pursuit, these magnificent
animals clearly had not a care in the world. As I leant over the rail, spellbound, I could hear the
sound of the cars on the bridge above me, rushing their oblivious occupants toward their
destinations.
And yes, I was late for class.
Writer: Michael Plozza
27 Sep. 2012
Page 9
Works Cited
Bicycling Western Australia. Bicycling Western Australia, 2012. Web. 15 Oct. 2012.
“Cycle network link for South Perth.” southperth.wa.gov.au 25 Sep. 2012. City of South Perth.
Web. 18 Oct. 2012.
“Cycle to Work: The Curtin University Bike Plan.” 17 Oct. 2012. Curtin University. Print.
Munro, Cameron. “Economic Appraisal of Cycling Infrastructure.” 2011 Bike Futures Conference,
Melbourne 12 - 14 Oct. 2011. Bicycle Network Victoria. Presentation. Web. 26 Oct.
2012.
Interviews
Andy Sharp. Director, Campus Development, Curtin University. Interviewed in person, 19 Oct.
2012.
Natalie Lloyd. Senior Lecturer, Department of Civil Engineering, Curtin University. Interviewed in
person, 19 Oct. 2012.
Jeremey Murray. Chief Executive Officer, Bicycling Western Australia. Interviewed in person, 26
Oct. 2012.
Page 10