Why aren't there many locals who commutes by bike?

From my observation, in Kuala Lumpur, there are not that many locals who cycle to work. Those who cycle are mostly from the lower income bracket or foreign labours. The pattern seems to show that cycling to work is only for those whose can't afford other forms of transportation.

I do ask around the office and some of my friends why they do not want to cycle to work? Majority of them use heat and humidity as their main excuses. There's no denying that one will sweat heaps cycling in Malaysia, being direct under the equator. It does get uncomfortable since the sweat doesn't dry out as quickly as in countires with four seasons where it is less humid.

But, from what I see, a lot of workplace have restroom where one can shower before changing to workcloth. When I say shower, I mean proper bath where you can rinse your whole body with running water, not just wiping yourself with wet sponge.

Perhaps another reason is that one can get cheap motorbike in Malaysia (the small cc bike) or locally known as "kapchai". Even the courier use these bikes. I can tell you that the possibility of a bicycle courier company to survive in KL is slim since the "kapchai" is much faster for weaving through city traffic.

Maybe I am just the lucky few Malaysian who took up bicycle commuting during my university days in Melbourne and loves the freedom it gives.

Well til then.