The Baana was constructed in 2012, part of a revival of bicycle-friendly infrastructure in the Finnish capital. Other European capitals — Amsterdam, Copenhagen — have long been pictures of cycling perfection, and major cities around the world, from Rabat to Bogota, have been making pushes to build up bike lanes and low-cost bike rental systems as a means of improving public health and reducing air pollution.
During my week in Helsinki, I used a bike much more than I did in my then-hometown Toronto, a city that’s incredibly hostile to cyclists, where you often feel you’re putting your life in your hands every time you hop on for a ride. It was a win for both my health and the environment.