Humble bicyclist becomes beijing nighthawk

As the Chinese capital settles in for the evening, the stage is set for a mild-mannered pedal-pusher to switch to his alter ego: A foreigner atop a red bicycle zipping by in the dark MATT PRICHARD

Daytime bicycling in a big city can be a series of stops and starts. There are waits for the larger denizens of the road. Herds of pedestrians include the dangerously clueless, with their faces glued to smartphones. Fellow cyclists dart in and out of traffic.

In Beijing, three-wheelers delivering cargo or hunting for passengers make for an obstacle course. You also have to keep a sharp eye out for parents pushing baby carriages or relatives taking a wheelchair-bound elder out on a pretty day.