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:
James Peterson
16, Minneapolis
Student, Hope Academy
Seen: Morning of May 3, Park Avenue, Minneapolis
His ride: Schwinn Tourist
Do you bike every morning?
Every morning. Since last year. The bus route was really long. I'd be on the bus for like an hour and 30 minutes. I was the last or second-to-last stop sometimes. And it only takes me 30 minutes to get to the school from my house, so that was a lot faster. And I love biking. I get exercise in the morning, and I get myself to school, so best of both worlds.
What do your parents think?
My dad helped me plan the route to school, and he is a big biker himself. And, so, my dad kind of inspired me to bike to school.
Year-round?
I go as deep as I can, but I have to take the bus for a good chunk of it because of ice. I can handle snow and cold, but I don't have (the setup for ice).
