Here’s the second portrait in Streetsblog’s weekly “Why I Ride” series.

Jamal is a writer and painter working under the name Livingroom Johnston. He has been riding in New York city for years. Formerly a professional skateboarder and bike messenger, Jamal now prefers the softer, more relaxed ride of this Iron Horse beach cruiser. To the question “Why bike?” he replies “I ride because I don’t like the underground. It’s dirty, crowded, and costly.” I photographed him on Cumberland Ave at the edge of Fort Greene Park. He was on his way to a bookstore to get coffee and do some writing.