The main mode of transportation in Beijing is the bicycle. Everywhere you look there are all kinds of bicycles. One of the first things I had to do after moving to Beijing was purchase a bicycle with a lock and basket. The Tsinghua University campus is huge and you must have a bicycle. A Chinese student explained, “With no bike there is no way you can plan to make it to class. If you are on one side of campus and your class is on the opposite side don’t even bother trying to go. You will arrive when class is over.”
Bicycle parking lots at Tsinghua University:
Today we set out on a quest in search for the perfect bicycle. Stopping and bargaining at several bicycle shops on and off campus was tiring and discouraging. We wanted a reliable bicycle but for a good price. Finally, after hours of shopping we found this “bicycle doctor” or literally translated as one who specializes in repairing bicycles. We called him Liu Shifu, or Master Liu. He was holding a half-empty, green bottle of Chinese beer when we met him. Master Liu and his assistants were so fun and so nice that we had a complete blast trying out bicycles and bargaining for a good price. After lots of bargaining we agreed on 125 RMB per bicycle. That equals $16 US dollars for a new bike with locks and a basket. Good deal!
Back on Tsinghua University’s campus we felt like real Chinese university students with our new bikes:
