In the Greater Burlington area I see a wide variety of bikes. Over the years there have been waves of different kinds of bikes. 40 years ago I started seeing mountain bikes and since then fixie bikes, cargo bikes, fat bikes and electric bikes have come on the scene. Electric bikes have been the most revolutionary addition to the fleet. 
In the summer, when I take the bike ferry, I often see almost as many electric bikes as non-electric. I think it is a wonderful development because electric bikes get people out who would not ordinarily ride. The more bikes there are, the more pressure there is for improved bike infrastructure.
When I first started serious riding, I got a Surly Cross-Check. Every bike has its advantages and disadvantages but the Cross-Check was the most versatile bike I have ever owned. It was based on a cyclocross bike. Cyclocross bikes were designed for races through terrain where participants had to carry their bikes through streams and across rocky terrain! The Cross-Check had a steel frame and medium width tires. It featured wider tires than a road bike but thinner tires than a mountain bike. I rode it for many years, on pavement and dirt. I decided to replace it because I really wanted disc brakes. Rim brakes don’t work well in the rain. I donated the Cross-Check to Old Spokes Home. They renovated it and sold it to someone who lived in Montreal. I am happy to think that someone is riding it up north! Every once in a while I see someone on a Cross-Check. I often stop to tell the rider how much I loved mine. They usually love theirs too.
Every once in a while you see an unusual bike. I have seen super tall bikes that are made by attaching one frame on top of another. Years ago someone did the 100 K Fall Fundo on a bike like that! Recumbent bikes and hand cranked bikes are more common on the bike path then they are on city street. From time to time you see someone on a unicycle.
Fixie bikes are beautiful in their simplicity. They are not very practical for hills, but on a flat road they seem to propel themselves. Unfortunately there are not many flat roads in the Burlington Area! These bikes don’t have a freewheel so the pedals are always moving when the bike moves. That can be tiring but it is also a good workout. Some fixie bikes don’t have brakes. That scares me. The only way to stop is by dragging your feet or by pedaling backwards. Many years ago I had a Surly Steamroller. It was a single speed fixie bike but I had it modified so it was easier to ride. I changed it over to three speeds and added front and rear brakes. Eventually the frame wore out and I had to part with it. Last summer a friend gave me a hand built fixie track bike. It is beautiful. He took the seat with him so I need to get a new seat and also have brakes installed. Because I accepted the bike I feel obligated to ride it.
When I am out and about I feel a sense of comradeship with those who ride bikes like my own. In February I pulled up in front of City Market on my Salsa Fargo and saw another Salsa Fargo already locked there. It was a later model than mine. I was hoping to see the owner to say hello and compare notes. They didn’t show up but I am sure I will run across that bike again.
Fat bikes are an important part of the bicycle ecology of Burlington. Some of them are electric. Fat bikes are the most practical way to get around in snow. There has been more snow this winter than there has been for a couple of years. I rode my fat bike with studded tires almost every day. The snow did not stop me, although on some rides I have had to walk my bike for part of the route. I stayed home during the big storm in February. Even with fat studded tires, snow churned up by tires and left in the road is difficult or impossible to ride in. Even after all these years snow riding is still a challenge!
In the winter I can only dream about riding my road bike. In the summer there are many road bikes out and about, although they are usually heading into or out of town. City streets are the not the best place for a road bike. I got my road bike many years ago at Old Spokes Home. It was second hand and I snatched I up as soon as I saw it. It was so amazing to ride a carbon/titanium bike after all those years of pedaling around on steel bikes. With that bike I did two centuries and rode from Burlington to the top of Smugglers Notch and back. I look forward to riding my road bike this summer!
As in many areas of life, diversity leads to a more robust community. As a rider I encourage people to ride any kind of bike that gives them joy! Even the oldest most beat-up bike opens up a whole world of possibilities.
About the Author: Peter Burns is a long-time bike enthusiast, and one of the original year-round bike riders in the greater Burlington area. In addition to writing about walking and biking, Peter teaches a variety of bike workshops. He also works at a group home for people with psychiatric disabilities, teaches classes for the Vermont Humanities Council, teaches swimming at the Burlington YMCA, and is a regular host of Storytelling VT. You can contact Peter at [email protected].