From Citi Bike to City Hall: Zohran Mamdani Pedals His Way Into History as New York's First 'Cycling Mayor'

He was the man in a suit and tie, gliding through Manhattan traffic on a Citi Bike while rivals whizzed past in black SUVs. Now, Zohran Mamdani, the 34-year-old democratic socialist who turned his two wheels into a movement, has pedalled his way straight into City Hall and into history as New York's first ever 'cycling mayor'.

Rain or shine, Mamdani was everywhere. From Queens to Brooklyn to the Bronx, he campaigned not behind glass but in the open air, weaving through traffic with his phone mounted to his bike, filming TikToks that racked up millions of views. His message was simple but powerful: if the city belongs to everyone, then its leader should be out on the streets with them.

In one viral clip, a passer-by shouted 'Communist!' as he prepared to unlock his bike. Mamdani turned, smiled and shot back: 'It's pronounced cyclist!' The clip became a campaign moment that New York would not forget.

His victory crowns a bold and unconventional campaign built not on money or establishment backing but on movement energy. He met voters at intersections and subway stops, speaking with delivery riders, nurses and cleaners about their daily struggles to keep up with rent and rising costs. 'I wanted to meet New Yorkers where they are,' he told supporters after his win. 'Literally, on the streets.'

A Mayor Like No Other

Born in Kampala, Uganda, to Indian parents who migrated to the United States when he was seven, Mamdani grew up in Queens and once worked as a foreclosure prevention counsellor. Before entering City Hall, he was a state assemblyman for Astoria, known for his relentless advocacy on housing rights and transport fairness.

His campaign paired two ideas rarely combined in New York politics: bold social guarantees and a practical transportation revolution. He called for rent-stabilised housing, universal childcare, free or low-fare buses, and expanded bike and pedestrian infrastructure. To him, affordability was not just an economic promise but a moral one.

Critics branded him a dreamer. Supporters called him unstoppable. As election night descended on Queens, thousands of cheering New Yorkers filled the streets. Standing before them, Mamdani declared, 'For as long as we can remember, the working people of New York have been told that power doesn't belong in their hands. Fingers bruised from lifting boxes. Arms calloused from delivery bike handlebars. Knuckles scarred with kitchen burns. But tonight, those hands have taken back their city.'

A Sweeping Social Programme

Mamdani enters office with one of the most ambitious manifestos the city has seen in decades. His plans include:

• Free bus rides across the city
• City-run grocery stores in every borough
• Universal childcare
• Expanded rent protections and targeted freezes
• Higher taxes on corporations and the ultra-wealthy

He insists these are not radical ideas but necessary ones. 'New Yorkers deserve a city where groceries don't bankrupt you, where transport doesn't drain your wallet, where raising a family isn't a luxury,' he said on the campaign trail.

Even as he positioned himself on the political left, Mamdani found unlikely allies in the city's cycling and tech communities. He praised Citi Bike, a corporate-backed system, as proof that public mobility could be scaled for social good. 'It's not about who owns the logo,' he once said, 'it's about who benefits from the ride.'

A City Ready for Change

In his victory speech, Mamdani promised to restore faith in government and return dignity to the working class. 'Our democracy has been attacked by billionaires and their big spending, by officials who care more about self-enrichment than the public trust,' he said. 'But tonight, New York has given itself permission to believe again.'

For a city weary of gridlock, both political and literal, Mamdani's win signals a turning point. He is New York's first Muslim and South Asian mayor, a self-described democratic socialist, and now, a global symbol of grassroots leadership.

The real test will come when the TikToks stop and the governing begins. His priorities include tackling housing shortages, improving childcare access and launching the first city-owned grocery stores. Business leaders warn his agenda could strain budgets, but Mamdani insists progress will pay for itself through fairness and growth.

As dawn broke over Manhattan the morning after his victory, commuters spotted him once again on a Citi Bike, pedalling across the Brooklyn Bridge, tie fluttering in the cold November wind. The man who rode through traffic for months had finally reached his destination, and this time, the journey ended at City Hall.