On any given day at Google's headquarters, there are about 700 bicycles scattered around. More than 7% of employees ride bicycles to work every day. The company provides secure parking areas (including repair tools), bike maintenance services, and buses that can accommodate bikes. In a lesser-known building not far from the headquarters, there are 1,300 Google bikes stored; this is where the bicycle management department is located. A recent article on Wired discussed Google's bicycle culture.The origin of Google's bicycle culture dates back to 2007 when Google purchased 100 blue Huffy bikes and placed them under different buildings with the aim of enhancing employee efficiency. Currently, 25 of these Huffys are still in service.The first generation of Google bikes appeared in 2009 and came in various colors, affectionately referred to as "clown bikes" by employees. The latest generation of Google bikes is larger and more robust, designed by the company's engineers.In addition to regular bicycles, the company also has special meeting bikes. Employees can reserve these through an internal app to use for meetings.Mentioning Google’s bicycle culture, it's worth noting the Google bike commuting route. This route spans 42 miles and has an interesting backstory.In 2005, Google acquired a web analytics company whose founder, Scott Crosby, wanted to live in San Francisco and commute to work by bicycle. His home was 42 miles away from the office. To avoid heavy traffic, Crosby and his friends began looking for suitable cycling routes. They heard about a map created by an employee named Joe Gross, but he had moved to the startup YouTube. Fortunately, he had left the map on the company server.After Google acquired YouTube, Gross returned. He was surprised to discover a group of active cyclists within the company using his route. These individuals called themselves SF2G and even had their own website.They would meet at a specific café and then ride towards the company along the peninsula. Initially, SF2G consisted of only five people. Now, during peak times, it includes up to 500 riders. This has even extended beyond Google itself, with other people joining the rides, including employees from startups, Apple, and Facebook.For hardcore SF2Gers, the 42-mile commute wasn't enough. They found more challenging routes, one of which is called Skyline, ending at a small peak in the west, offering a view overlooking Silicon Valley.This bicycle culture has even influenced executives. The company's CFO, Patrick Pichette, describes himself as a passionate cyclist who travels 50 kilometers from his home in South Bay to meet SF2G at a café in the Mission District, and then rides together to the office.Pictures courtesy of Wired