Sometimes I get asked why food and bikes together so well. It’s a good question. Why do we love food carts that are pedal powered? Why does it seem that in front of any good coffee shop there’s ample bike parking? Why is it that a wine tour sounds great, but a wine tour by bicycle sounds even better?
Those types of questions are one of the reasons I wrote The Culinary Cyclist: there is something pure and simple about both cycling and eating. Ultimately, they both bring a lot of happiness.
So why food and bikes? If you haven’t been converted yet, here are 15 good reasons:
1. There’s nothing better than biking to a picnic with all supplies stuffed in your backpack or bike basket.
2. You need to eat to fuel your ride, why not eat well?
3. Coffee is always more delicious after a brisk morning ride.
4. Pulling out a homemade energy bar from your back pocket while all your friends stare at your jealously gives you a secret sort of pleasure.
5. That feeling when you’ve eaten a long meal with friends, made it through several bottles of good wine, and have your ride home to breath in the fresh air and contemplate it all.
6. Leafy greens look better sticking out of a bike basket.
7. Because, who wants to drive to the farmers market?
8. Impromptu beer stops on the commute home.
9. Because you always wanted to bike, eat and drink your way through Napa/France/Italy/Argentina.
10. Just like four wheeled automobiles, you can use a bike to transport, sell and collect food, it just happens to be a lot cooler.
11. You feel better about yourself if you bike over your homemade chocolate cake for that dinner party.
12. You enjoy the feeling of really deserving that burger and IPA after an intense ride.
13. Voting with our forks and choosing two wheels over four can both have a pretty big global impact.
14. Because wine tastings are better on two wheels.
15. Biking makes you friends. So does sharing a meal. Don’t we all want to build bigger, stronger communities?
Why do you think biking and food are a match made in heaven?
