During the late 20th Century cycling was the lifeblood of Beijing and the veins of urban infrastructure were developed to support bicycle movement. Wide and straight boulevards allowed all manner of custom bikes and services from barbers to paramedics to roll freely. The whole city ebbed and flowed to the cathartic hum of steel rims tightly clad in worn out crumbling rubber.
‘Circ’ is the latin origin of circumference or circular and essentially that’s what SERK is all about, a full circle back to Beijing’s cycling roots through (re)developing bike ownership as fundamental to urban living - healthy, pleasurable, functional and contributing toward a smart solution for contemporary mobility challenges.
Hooking up at the shop for a cheerful 6am Sunday coffee, we loaded the van and headed north out of the city. In true SERK style the route was an almost perfectly circular 120km loop through the picturesque Bai He Valley. Riding through intact sections of the Great Wall, it’s impossible not to feel plunged into a rich cultural heritage, this is proper China.
After spending the last few days talking all things Asian Cycling, it’s clear SERK isn’t just about Beijing. With a clear ethos and an honest authentic approach to adventure and frontier cycling in Asia, Serk’s creative vision is bold, committing and inspirational and to me, that’s what cycling is all about.
