Cycling during covid-19 pandemic: Sports or lifestyle?

The increasing trend of cycling during the Covid-19 pandemic is a common social phenomenon that is common in various countries. This study aims to overview the cycling phenomenon during the Covid-19 Pandemic and the factors causing the cycling trend during a pandemic. In addition, the main highlight is to determine the emergence background of the cycling trend;whether it is an increase in people's awareness of sports or is it merely a lifestyle trend? The research method uses a systematic literature review by conducting literature reviews in reputable journals and scientific publications that discuss cycling in the pre-pandemic and pandemic times. Data analysis uses descriptive analysis and phenomenological approach as a theoretical framework. The results showed that four factors caused the cycling trend during the pandemic. Those factors are health, environment, media and lifestyle factors. Health reasons are due to the desire to maintain health and body immunity, and cycling is a sport recommended by health experts and according to the principle of physical distancing. Environmental factors are caused by being economical and environmentally friendly, supporting the "go green" program, and cyclist could get fresh and clean air. The media factor is driven by the significant influence of social media content and hashtags about cycling. While lifestyle factors arise due to following the latest trends, cycling can relieve stress and increase social status indicated by the price of bicycles and reasons for conformity in social groups. The increasing trend of cycling is mainly motivated by the desire to accompany the social demands of the current lifestyle, while the motivation related to health factors to increase body immunity in dealing with pandemic situations is secondary motivation. This conclusion is obtained based on the instability of the cycling trend and the downward trend in the cycling intensity graph. © 2021 by authors,.

Abstract The increasing trend of cycling during the Covid-19 pandemic is a common social phenomenon that is common in various countries. This study aims to overview the cycling phenomenon during the Covid- 19 Pandemic and the factors causing the cycling trend during a pandemic. In addition, the main highlight is to determine the emergence background of the cycling trend; whether it is an increase in people's awareness of sports or is it merely a lifestyle trend? The research method uses a systematic literature review by conducting literature reviews in reputable journals and scientific publications that discuss cycling in the pre-pandemic and pandemic times. Data analysis uses descriptive analysis and phenomenological approach as a theoretical framework. The results showed that four factors caused the cycling trend during the pandemic. Those factors are health, environment, media and lifestyle factors. Health reasons are due to the desire to maintain health and body immunity, and cycling is a sport recommended by health experts and according to the principle of physical distancing. Environmental factors are caused by being economical and environmentally friendly, supporting the "go green" program, and cyclist could get fresh and clean air. The media factor is driven by the significant influence of social media content and hashtags about cycling. While lifestyle factors arise due to following the latest trends, cycling can relieve stress and increase social status indicated by the price of bicycles and reasons for conformity in social groups. The increasing trend of cycling is mainly motivated by the desire to accompany the social demands of the current lifestyle, while the motivation related to health factors to increase body immunity in dealing with pandemic situations is secondary motivation. This conclusion is obtained based on the instability of the cycling trend and the downward trend in the cycling intensity graph.

Introduction
The emergence of Covid-19 at the end of 2019 has briefly, and extreme changed the face of the world. In a short period of time, the virus spread throughout the world and turned into a global pandemic; in the fourth quarter of 2020, WHO confirmed 36,754,395 cases of Covid-19 and reached 1,064,838 cases death worldwide. Based on WHO data, countries in the Southeast Asia region are the second-largest Covid cases worldwide after the American continent [1]. The statuses full of uncertainty due to the Covid-19 pandemic situations until the end of 2020 have a substantial impact on all human life sectors worldwide.
The Covid-19 pandemic has raised an interesting phenomenon in the sports sector, namely the increasing number of people in various cities worldwide steering to the roads riding bicycles. Cycling in the open spaces is considered a fun activity to relieve fatigue during large-scale social distancing periods. The phenomenon of increasing public interest in cycling has even created a new habit of transportation. Bicycles are an alternative mode of transportation for numerous activities, including increasing bikes to work campaign.
Cycling trends engage all ages ranging starts from children, adults to the elderly. The cycling trend became famous because many think cycling allows users not to stay close to facing other people. This assumption follows government restrictions and regulations on physical distancing to prevent the virus's spread-those who are starting to feel bored because of government regulations to stay at home during the pandemic. Covid-19 has raised public awareness about the importance of maintaining body immunity to avoid contracting viruses and diseases. They obtained excellent body immunity apart from consuming healthy, balanced, and nutritious foods and regular exercise [2]- [5].On the other hand, a pandemic condition that limits multiple activities, especially those involving many people, has caused saturation.
People try to get out of boredom with various fun activities while maintaining a safe distance from contact with other people to prevent transmission of the virus. The combination of awareness to increase immunity within sports activities and eliminating boredom during the pandemic has triggered a cycling sports trend. Cycling is considered the right choice because it fulfills both sporty and recreational elements simultaneously [6]. Cycling is an immeasurable space activity option because, as a physical means, it can also refresh the mind confined within the walls of the house. By cycling, people will also automatically maintain social distance with people outside their primary family.
Referring to data compiled by the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy (ITDP), the number of cyclists traveling in Jakarta has increased by up to 1,000% [7]. ITDP also noted that after reoperating offices, the number of cyclists in the office business district had increased numerous times in a day. Globally, similar trends have emerged in several countries. The Cycling Scotland organization noted that during the first three weeks of April, for example, the number of cyclists in Edinburgh, Scotland, increased 252% during the week. By the end of the week, the number had nearly doubled to 454%. The cycling boom also occurred in various cities in the United States. This trend is noted by Eco-Counter, a data collection agency related to cyclists and pedestrians. According to them, the sharpest increase in cyclist traffic occurred in the US's southwestern region, nearly 100% [8], [9].
It is estimated that the beginning of the bicycle trend in Indonesia starts in March 2020. This trend is regarded by the increasing demand for bicycles in e-commerce applications [10]. Not surprisingly, after that, many people started using bicycles. This cycling trend also provides benefits for bicycle entrepreneurs. If usually only two sales for a month. However, since it became a trend, its sales have increased. It can reach four bicycles in one day [11].
The cycling trend is not just on the road; social media timelines are now filled with cycling content or hashtags and million postings of pictures and videos. Some people want to increase their immunity by bicycling, but some of them follow the trend. Chairman of the Indonesian Bicycling Industry Association (AIPI) Rudiyono said domestic bicycle manufacturers have even increased production by 30 percent. This situation is arguably a blessing in disguise amid the pandemic. The cycling trend has saved industry and entrepreneurs from the rate of layoffs that hit many other sectors [11].
This study attempts to provide an overview trend of cycling during the Covid-19 pandemic, whether cycling appears as an awareness of health or just a trend to satisfy the latest lifestyle.

Materials and Methods
This study applies a systematic literature review method. The literature review method is carried out by reviewing or critically reviewing knowledge, ideas, or findings and formulating theoretical and methodological contributions to specific topics [12]- [14]. The literature review research method summarises the evidence obtained based on previous research sourced from scientific journals [14], [15].
Data collection was carried out by tracing various literature reviews on cycling during the Covid-19 pandemic within various reputable journal databases and scientific publications, consisting of Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science (WOS). The data analysis was conducted descriptively to explain a literature review's results using a phenomenological approach as a theoretical framework to provide a comprehensive understanding of cycling during the Covid-19 pandemic. In this study, 34 main articles were used relevant to cycling activities during the Covid 19 pandemic to strengthen the study results.

Result Health Awareness during Covid-19 Pandemic
The most striking change during a pandemic is the International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences 9(4): 765-771, 2021 767 increasing public awareness of physical health [5], [16], [17]. Covid-19 raises fear following the discovery of a vaccine or a particular drug for Covid-19. So far, the available drugs are more functional to strengthen the body's immune system but are not directly aimed at eliminating the body's virus. The development of concerns about being attacked by Covid-19 raises public awareness to maintain health by exercising and adopting a clean and healthy lifestyle [18]- [22]. Health and fitness are considered useful in preventing various diseases, including Covid-19.
The public's desire to increase body immunity within sports has led to increased sports [8], [11], [16]. The Covid-19 outbreak has increased public awareness of a healthy lifestyle [51]. According to an Alvara Research survey, the consumption of health needs increased during Covid-19. Hand sanitizers and sanitation products were the most sought after by the community, with an increase of 64.20 percent. Meanwhile, the consumption of multivitamins increased by 51.60 percent. Besides, exercising is also one of the favorite activities when staying at home. As many as 47.60 percent of people do sports at home. The trend of exercising has also changed due to the pandemic. Based on research from Garmin app users, walking and swimming decreased during Covid-19. Meanwhile, measured sports and indoor cycling have increased [23].
In general, public awareness of the importance of physical activity during the pandemic has increased significantly. The fear of being endangered to the Covid-19 virus became the motivation for people to do physical activity and concern about eating patterns [16], [24], [25]. Positive changes in exercise have contributed to the trend of exercising during a pandemic [26]. Type of exercise with low-moderate intensity is the leading choice in choosing the type of sport [16], [27], [28].
A slight change regarding sports activities during the pandemic period is the cessation of sports activities that involve many people in one place [17]. In general, people prefer to do sports activities at home with simple equipment or virtually with YouTube or videos [29]. Another sports trend that emerged during a pandemic is cycling. This choice is in line with health professionals' advice who recommend low-moderate intensity exercise to avoid sports injuries and decreased immunity due to vigorous exercise.

The Grew of Cycling Trend during the Covid-19 Pandemic
The beginning of the cycling trend is estimated to start in March 2020. This trend can be detected from the increasing demand for bicycles in online sales applications [30]. In Indonesia, bicycle sales within e-commerce platforms recorded an increase in bicycle sales transactions of up to 156% compared to transactions before the Covid-19 pandemic. Mid-March was detected as the starting point for bicycle hunting in the pandemic period. Based on Google Trends data, the peak of bicycle search trends in the world occurred on May 17, 2020, while the peak of the bicycle search trend in Indonesia occurred on June 28, 2020. The search trend first touched the number 100 on May 17, 2020. Bicycle trends worldwide are still above 90 until June 28, 2020 [10], [30]. This statistic means that bicycle enthusiasm has been at the highest level for more than a month. Bicycle search beats have a distinctive pattern. The highest search point occurs every weekend. This trend was recorded from January 1, 2020, to July 27, 2020, in line with the timeline for the spread of Covid-19 cases worldwide. Bicycle fever is also spreading in Indonesia. There is a difference in the timing of the bicycle boom between Western and Asia. According to Google Trends data, a significant increase in the search for new bicycle topics occurred from the end of May 2020, to be precise on May 23, 2020.
Bicycle trend data in Indonesia was taken from March 1, 2020, to July 27, 2020. This time was taken to coincide with the first finding of a corona case announced by the government on March 2, 2020. The peak of bicycle searches in Indonesia based on Google Trends occurred from June 14, 2020, to July 5, 2020. The search peak reached 100 on June 28, 2020. After that time, the trend gradually declined. The number of searches on July 27, 2020, is only 46 [10].
In line with bicycle trends around the world, the demand for bicycles has jumped sharply. This cycling trend also provides benefits for bicycle entrepreneurs. Since becoming a trend, bicycle sales have quadrupled in one month [11]. Compiled from leading news portal sources in Indonesia, it was noted that bicycle sales reached 150,000 units in the period January to May 2020. This figure has even reached 50% of the bicycle sales target by 2020. The high demand for bicycles has caused bicycle manufacturers to increase their production capacity up to 700,000 bicycles per year, or up to 2,000 bicycles per day [10].
In the pandemic period, health is the most exciting topic to discuss. Education about health, lifestyle, and choice of sports to maintain body immunity can be accessed virtually. The experts suggested it is preferred the kind of activity with low to moderate sports than the type of strenuous exercise. Provided with this recommendation, people began to look for alternative sports options that were both healthy and fun. This type of activity is found in cycling [6]. Within a little time, cycling became popular and was born as a new trend worldwide [31], [32].
The trend of cycling has a strong correlation with the imposition of Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB). People prefer cycling rather than visiting malls or crowded centers. The reasons for cycling as a trend during the Covid-19 pandemic are summarized in the following Various factors influence the reason why cycling is a trend around the world. The first factor in the emergence of the cycling trend is the health factor. The community has a strong desire to maintain health and body immunity by sports activities and adopting a clean and healthy lifestyle.

Discussion
Sports activities are considered capable of warding off the body from various threats of disease and especially Covid-19 [50]. Cycling is a low-to-moderate intensity sport, so it is very suitable for beginners or non-athletes [33], [34]. This type of exercise is also following the advice of health experts to increase body immunity. Heavy exercise is not advised because it will result in fatigue and impact decreasing endurance. Another health factor why cycling became a new trend is that cycling is an individual sport so that it does not cause crowds, and the principle of physical distancing will automatically be fulfilled. What is more, if the cyclists follow the prescribed health protocols, this will reduce the risk of transmitting Covid-19.
Environmental factors as the reason for the emergence of the cycling trend are that cycling does not use machines and requires fuel oil, reducing pollution. Cycling is considered cheap and economical because cyclists do not need to allocate funds to buy fuel [35], [36]. The nature of being environmentally friendly when cycling is in line with going green, which tries to present an environment with fresh and clean air [31]. Some countries, such as Italy, for example, provide special subsidies for their citizens who buy bicycles and shift the mode of transportation from motorized vehicles to bicycles [8], [30].
One of the bicycle boom impacts is the abundance of content about bicycles on various social media lines. The circulation of bicycle content and hashtags also influences people's behavior to imitate cycling activities and then post similar content on their social media platforms. During a pandemic where internet penetration is very high, media content becomes a reference and influences the community's choices and behavior in general. The popularity of bicycles on social media, for example, can be seen from the cycling hashtag, which has an astounding number of posts. #Cycling hashtags, for example, 20,350,212 posts, #cyclinglife has 4,336,215 posts, #cyclist has 2,848,313 posts and #fromwhereride has 1,525,651 posts and #instacycling has 1,274,364 posts [37]. A large number of posts show the popularity of cycling in the media.
Nowadays, cycling is about maintaining health and has shifted to become a lifestyle requirement [38]. Following trends is not just about the benefits obtained, but the following trends are about how we can be accepted and recognized in social groups [39], [40]. The reason for cycling for some people not only to eliminate boredom and stress due to the impact of Covid-19 but also to fulfill social and lifestyle demands [41]. The bicycle also has become a symbol of prestige and a symbol of social status, the more expensive the bicycle, the more social status.
An interesting note from the cycling trend during a pandemic is how sports capitalization is visible and apparent. Cycling, which is synonymous with low and affordable prices, does not always refer to cycle trends during a pandemic. Cycling has shifted not only to do proper physical exercise but also to show social status and social circumstances [42]. In turn, cycling serves as a symbol of material capitalism as represented in the construction of identities, exotic equipment, and expensive accessories that support appearance during cycling [37], [43].
Premium class bicycle manufacturers such as Brompton, for example, experienced a very significant increase in sales during the pandemic. Even the Brompton store in Germany reportedly closed its shop due to being out of stock as a result of large Indonesian consumers' purchases. Brompton, a British-made folding bicycle brand, is the belle of Indonesia and is the most sought after bicycle in Indonesia. An excellent price increase of up to 500% from the regular price does not decrease Indonesians' interest purchase and are even willing to pre-order [44]. Bicycles are no longer just a means of transportation or sport but have further transformed them into a symbol of prestige and social status. Brompton is an anomalous phenomenon behind a pandemic situation that impacts on economic balance. In a crisis period, people will tend to make savings and manage finances more wisely [45]. However, in the case of Brompton in Indonesia, such economic principles do not apply. The high price of goods and tend to be unreasonable does not discourage consumers from hunting down premium bikes.
As a sport that is considered useful in relieving stress because of its recreational nature [32], [46], [47], bicycles are also an entry point for "the have" social group to further develop business relations and business expansion [45]. Participation in elite bicycle communities, with owning a premium bicycle, shows real social segregation and separation. People buy premium class bikes, not for sports and health reasons, but are triggered by conformity with the group in the form of a desire for acceptance. In many cases, sports are carried out for reasons of conformity in the group in an attempt to be accepted into the group [48], [49].
Owning a bicycle and doing cycling activities for particular groups is a way for them to follow trends and recognize their existence. Cycling during a pandemic appears as digital semiotic capitalism, especially when displayed on social media [37], [43]. Influencer groups usually conduct out community groups who ride bicycles intending to fulfill social media content. They do not hesitate to spend their money on expensive bicycles as well as bicycle equipment and accessories. From various e-commerce platforms, it shows that transactions for bicycle products and accessories have almost tripled from March to June 2020 compared to the period before the pandemic [10]. This community group arranges cycling because of the interest to fulfill their social media content. They actively share cycling activities to gain significant attention and traffic on social media visits. They create a trend to raise public attention, impacting monetization and financial benefits.

Conclusions
The pandemic's cycling trend has been embraced as a positive point in sports because it indicates an increasing awareness of sports among society. This assumption, on the other hand, is considered only temporary. The decline in bicycle sales and demand graphs and the decline in the number of cyclists are strong indications that the cycling trend in times of the pandemic will not last extended.
The trend of cycling during the Covid-19 pandemic occurred in almost all countries. Cycling is based on several considerations, such as health, environment, media, and lifestyle factors. Cycling is no longer just doing physical activity, but cycling also has social and business functions. From various notes and reports on cycling trends, lifestyle factors dominate the reasons behind the cycling trend during the Covid-19 pandemic.