Cycling as mean of transportation is called utility cycling, and refers to students that use cycles to go to schools, postmen that use bicycles to deliver mail, delivery boys who use bicycles for delivering stuff and office-goers that use bicycles to go to work. Actually, utility cycling means any cycling that isn’t done for recreation, sport or pleasure.

To benefit these users, cycle manufactures have developed several accessories to benefit these users. To protect the rider’s clothes from grease and oil, these bikes include chain guards and mudguards. Also, these bikes are provided with kick stands that can be used to park the bike easily, front mounted steel or wicker baskets, and saddles that are fitted to cross bar to seat children.

In the old years, it was necessary that cyclists have bells, front and rear lights fixed to their bicycles in most of the countries, but today, cyclists use reflectors to be noticed at night. To tow extra goods, some cyclists use trailers. But still, this is done by cyclists who travel long distances on their bicycles.

The availability of other forms of transport determines the use of a bicycle, because when, form example you own a car or motor-cycle the use of a bike is either reduced or null. This is just the reason for which the number of people who use bicycles as the main mean of transport in the developed world is less.

A large numbers of cycles can be seen on the roads in developing countries because they are the most affordable means of transport for most people. This rule applies in countries like Sri Lanka, North Korea, Vietnam, etc

Lots of surveys have been conducted on utility cycling in the recent past. About 50% of the people using cycles go for less than 5 km/day, meaning that most people in developed countries are using cycling for short distances. Restricted to a very small section of the population, the maximum distance traveled is around 9 km.

Because utility cycling is the most affordable way to commute, it remains the mainstay of the lower-middle class.