Sit in on any conversation in the Bikes Belong office these
days, and you’ll likely hear three words: interested but
concerned. Interested but concerned is a term for the 60% or so
of Americans who don’t currently bicycle for transportation but
would—if conditions were better. The creation of Portland,
Oregon planner Roger Geller, interested but concerned is one of
his four classifications for American adults that describes
their participation and attitudes about riding a bike for
transportation. It’s also the ticket to improving the future of
bicycling. Geller describes the four groups as follows: - Strong
and Fearless (1%): These are the people who will ride regardless
of the presence of bicycle facilities. They are highly skilled
and proud self-identified ‘bicyclists.’ Riding is a strong part
of their identity. - Enthused and Confident (6%): These are
committed riders who appreciate the benefits of bicycling. They
are comfortable sharing the roadway with automobiles when
necessary, but they prefer faciliti