Øyvind Kvalnes - my Balder 1939 Hamar Sykkelforening

Text: Mari Oshaug
Photos: Mari Oshaug

• What is your relationship with biking?
The bike is my favorite way of transport. It feels so good to bike around and to get places by your own machine. I don’t have a license to drive, but in the city I can get anywhere by bike. I’m no fitness biker and I don’t bike trails, I’m an urban cyclist.

• What are your thoughts on Oslo as a bicycle city?
Despite Oslo being badly adapted for cycling, I do bike. In traffic we jostle with the cars, and should rather have our own cycle paths. It is sad that one plan traffic in areas such as Jernbanetorget without taking bikes into account. That is just thinking without imagination from the planner’s side.

• What is your best tip for improving Oslo as a bicycle city?
We need fewer cars in the city centre. If we get more room for bikers, and if biking is not experienced as dangerous, more people will turn to bikes.