Bicycles for Transporting… [fill in the blank] 6

All photos by James D. Schwartz / The Urban Country

Earlier this month I posted 30 photos of Utility Cycling in China. That post generated a lot of interest because like me, you are probably intrigued by how the Chinese use their bicycles for practical purposes – like pizza delivery, garbage pickup, cargo shipping, etc.

On my last day in China I stayed for one final day in Shanghai – snapping dozens of photos for the Shanghai Cycle Chic article. I couldn’t resist taking more photos of people using their bicycles for utility purposes – so this article is a collection of 19 more photos from my final day in Shanghai.

Enjoy!

Bicycles for transporting… dead palm tree leaves

Bicycles for transporting… water for flowers

Bicycles for transporting… lots of chairs (well, this isn’t really a bicycle, but it has bicycle wheels and I couldn’t not show you this fascinating photo)

Bicycles for transporting… cabinets

Bicycles for transporting… Styrofoam

Bicycles for transporting… Styrofoam for the family

Bicycles for transporting… Styrofoam for friends

Bicycles for transporting… Styrofoam for foes

Bicycles for transporting… Styrofoam for the in-laws

Bicycles for transporting… okay, I think that’s enough Styrofoam

Bicycles for transporting… pets

Bicycles for transporting… mail

Bicycles for transporting… cardboard

Bicycles for transporting… people and their luggage

Bicycles for transporting… people and their kids

Bicycles for transporting… tall bags of something

Bicycles for transporting… wide bags of something else

Bicycles for transporting… bicycles (again, this isn’t a bicycle, but I still wanted to share it)

James D. Schwartz is the editor of The Urban Country. You can contact James atjames.schwartz@theurbancountry.com.

This is the final article in the “China series” – resulting from my 3-week trip to China this month.

Related Articles:

Utility Cycling in China (May 2010)
Shanghai Cycle Chic (May 2010)
Pedaling Haikou City, China (May 2010)
Life at 430 km/h (May 2010)
The Americanization of China? (May 2010)

Anonymous

What is also interesting is the musculature of people biking – In Beijing in 1988 I saw men transporting coal on bikes – little skinny men – check out the legs of the Chinese bicyclists in shorts – nothing. If you look at American bicycle racers from the waist down in spandex all you see is muscle. To me, the Chinese should be all muscle also – but they are not – don’t know why -
http://www.blogger.com/profile/04170152877824201743 boyan

Great pictures! In these pictures and in some from your previous posts, some of your ‘subjects’ notice you taking a photo of them and they don’t look too happy – makes the picture even better!
http://www.blogger.com/profile/04454437680686627778 James D. Schwartz

@Anon – I think big muscles are a western thing. I would say most of those American racers probably visit the gym frequently.

@boyan, the lady with the dog in the basket doesn’t look happy in the photo – but I think she was just trying to figure out why I was taking photos. After I snapped the shot I waved at her and she gave me a big smile back.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_D2ANUNNXVCYBGTCO2IRA6ZAXWA Pro Cyclist

I like the pictures.It only shows that even how high tech. we are these days we are still indulging into activities like cycling that would benefit our health and our environment. It is such a nice thing that we doesn’t only do cycling for cycling training but also as a means of livelihood.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_D2ANUNNXVCYBGTCO2IRA6ZAXWA Pro Cyclist

I like the pictures.It only shows that even how high tech. we are these days we are still indulging into activities like cycling that would benefit our health and our environment. It is such a nice thing that we doesn’t only do cycling for cycling training but also as a means of livelihood.
Baldo Pajakero

great photos and captions…