Editor's note: City bike counts show there are more cyclists on metro streets than ever. Bike traffic has increased 53 percent in Minneapolis between 2007 and 2015, and 33 percent in St. Paul. This is one in an occasional series of brief profiles of random cyclists encountered in the Twin Cities. See previous profiles at startribune.com/icycle. Below are edited excerpts:
Yen Smith
of Minneapolis
Analytics consultant
Seen: Morning of May 3, Park Avenue, Minneapolis
Her ride: All-City Space Horse
Is this what you do every morning?
I am a year-round bike commuter. I bike all winter. About a year ago I got rid of my car because I never drove, and I wasn't spending any money on gas and I was paying for insurance. It didn't seem to make sense. So ever since I've been riding, I feel like I need it in the morning and I need it when I'm done with work. It's been good.
How her work and interests overlaps
It's kind of nice. I can ride and track everything, and see what my footprint is. It's fun. It's something to do.
How long is your commute?
It's about five-six miles, one way. It's not bad. I can beat the bus! And I don't have to worry about parking. I used to bus during the winter, and then started giving winter commuting a try. It's been really fun.
