Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Athletes and Celebrities

Live from NY: It’s Andrew Yang On A Bike!

11:25 AM EDT on October 21, 2019

Andrew Yang is one of the most bike-friendly presidential candidates in the 2020 election. Image: Marc Nozell

Here's one election cycle that Andrew Yang is winning.

The outsider presidential candidate, and sole remaining New Yorker seeking the Democratic nomination, found the fastest way to get to an NPR interview over the weekend was on his bike.

Yang loaded up his trusty Schwinn (with a child seat still attached), snapped on a smart looking gray helmet, and rode to Baodega restaurant in the Flatiron District to speak with NPR's Noel King for Morning Edition's "Off Script" series.

Before he delved into how it feels to break barriers in politics ("I do remember what it was like growing up in this country where I'd just be so pumped to see an Asian of any kind on the TV") and his appeal to undecided voters ("I'm already peeling off disaffected Trump voters, independents, libertarians, some conservatives"), Yang told a producer it's faster to get around the city with a bicycle.

Cycling lovers and Yang Gang enthusiasts heaped praise on our future savior-in-chief on Twitter and Reddit, where the image was shared to the site's bike commuting subgroup.

"It would be awesome to have a POTUS who values cycling," tweeted Nathan Corliss.

Twitter user Ida Solberg added, "Thats just adorable with the kid seat and all."

It is unclear where Yang went next after the NPR interview, or if he even biked the rest of the day. But he made at least one trip on two wheels, a rarety among presidential candidates. In fact, only Yang's rival Gen X mallrat (and former Texas Rep.) Beto O'Rourke has done more for the cause of presidential cycling. In February, O'Rourke glided away from reporters with his single-speed Surly at a Moms Demand Action event in El Paso, temporarily breaking the Internet. O'Rourke has also pursued policies to add bike lanes and reduce parking while he was a councilman in El Paso and participated in a bike town hall last summer during his unsuccessful Texas Senate campaign against Ted Cruz.

But with Beto free falling in the polls, Yang has an opportunity to claim the cycling vote in the coming months. Yang has professed his love for cycling and dropping his son off at school, but his website is devoid of any biking-specific policies (he did have a campaign event at a Detroit bike factory once, but only to talk about automobile industry automation). The infrastructure page on his campaign website has only a fleeting mention of public transportation. The word "pedestrians" does not appear at all.

So much for Yang riding away with the livable streets vote!

yang website

Asked for comment, Yang's campaign spokeswoman Hilary Kinney said, "Andrew often bikes to NYC interviews, events, and the campaign's Manhattan headquarters. He enjoys taking his youngest son to school on the back of his bike, especially since his oldest son (age 7) has outgrown the child bike seat. Andrew and his wife Evelyn also enjoy biking together as a family. Andrew would definitely recommend that other candidates consider biking more, but only if they wear a helmet."

The last comment is a clear ding on O'Rourke, who doesn't wear one.

She also sent over a Yang video about growing up in suburban New York as a cyclist.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Friday’s Headlines: A Congestion Alert Day

Like everyone else, we covered congestion pricing. Plus other news.

December 1, 2023

Adams Says He’ll Ban Parking Near 1,000 Intersections Every Year To Make Corners Safer

The city will daylight 1,000 intersections a year. A Brooklyn corner where a boy was killed in a crash is still waiting for the safety upgrades.

December 1, 2023

Komanoff: IMHO, TMRB is A-OK

Here’s what’s to like about the Traffic Mobility Review Board's central business district toll recommendations. It's a lot!

December 1, 2023

DOT’s New Emissions Rule is a Big Deal, Even if It Doesn’t Punish States for Polluting

No states will face penalties for building needless toxic road projects — but they also won't be able to hide those impacts from the public.

December 1, 2023

Cops Search for Hit-and-Run Driver Who Killed 3-Year-Old in Queens

The merciless motorist killed 3-year-old Quintas Chen in downtown Flushing, Queens on Wednesday night.

November 30, 2023
See all posts