A lifestyle statement, or a lifetime commitment?
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| L to R--Greg, Wendy Barreto and Rohit Sudharshan during their B'lore-Goa riding trip |
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| A rider doing the Tour of Nilgiris last year |
When
Gregory Barreto (now 31) told his wife Wendy (now 29) that he wanted
to cycle from Bengaluru to Goa, her first thought was: “Are you out
of your mind!”
Then
she warmed to the idea and the incredible challenge it offered. The
couple knew they must train to test their endurance for the 560 km
distance they plannned to cover. “But we really didn't practice
regularly. Once, we cycled to Nandi Hills (about 60 kms from
Bengaluru city), came back home, and basically collapsed,” recalled
Wendy Barreto.
Did
they really have it in them to do the Goa trip?
In
January last year, the couple, accompanied by close friend Rohit
Sudharshan, achieved what they thought would be
near-impossible--cycle from Bengaluru to Palolem in south Goa, with a
stopover at Gokarna (Karnataka-Goa border). They took five days to
reach Palolem, rested for a couple of days and then bused it back to
Bengaluru. “We rode on borrowed bikes and our budget was tight, we
slept in roadside hotels/lodges every night. But the journey was
absolutely amazing, we learnt a lot, about ourselves,” is how the
couple, who run Riprap, a landscaping/fabrication/carpentary
business, describe the experience.
The
Barretos and Sudharshan (a chef) are part of a growing breed of
cyclists in Bengaluru, who are rediscovering and re-learning the joys
of riding the world on a bicycle. So popular is biking that the city
has a 'Cycle Day' on the last Sunday of every month, organised by the
Department of Urban Land Transport along with cycling communities.
Bengaluru is also home to everything cycling related--from cycling
tours, conducted holidays and pub-visits (by Red Spokes Cycling), to
bicycle stores the customise your ride for you (Bums on the saddle,
Cyclists for Life, Track and Trail), to bicycle sharing initatives
such as the Namma Cycle project underway on the Indian Institute of
Science campus. And then of course there is the Tour of Nilgiris
(TfN), India's longest and toughest cyclosportive event, conducted
from and based in Bengaluru.
Bengaluru
on a bike
The
city has always had a cycling culture, said Sridhar Pabbisetty,
co-founder TfN. “In the '80s and '90s, cycles were our primary
means of transport. Motorbikes were acquired only when you started
working,” he explained. Bengaluru's weather played a huge role too,
“...it is (or rather used to be), suitable for cycling through the
year. The city's tree-lined streets and many lakes inherently
enouraged cycling,” he said.
Rohan
Kini, founder of the evocatively-named BumsOnTheSaddle (BOTS), a bike
store, marketplace and biking community hub, concurred. Having set up
BOTS in 2006, Kini has seen the biking culture revive and well, take
off. The former techie loves cycling and aims to spread the love
across India. “It is a misconception that biking is unsafe. As a
techie, I biked 25 kms every day for five years and never had an
accident,” he said. Kini, through BOTS, organises night rides
across the city and conducts the monthly Bangalore Biking
Championships. And the BOTS blog regularly features people who live
and love cycling. Similarly,
brother-sister duo Zubin and Shaina Jagtiani, believe everything is
so much more fun on a bicycle, including holidays. So they launched
Red Spokes Cycling, an eco tour company in January-February this
year. The Jagtianis kicked off their venture with a biking trip to a
vineyard near Mysore. Now they hold regular Pub Crawls within
Bengaluru where they tie up with pubs in Bengaluru for rides that
include dinner, 'light' drinks, and fun. A safe taxi ride back home
is part of the programme. Post the monsoon, the Jagtianis hope to
expand their eco tours to other parts of India, and even, go
international.
Zest
for life, zero pollution, and the zen of giving back....
For
bikers, the bicycle represents freewheeling, free spirited living,
and a fitness-oriented, fuel-free experience. But why this resurgence
in biking? Zubin Jagtiani reckons that being in the rat race is
taking its toll. “People yearn for a time when the journey was more
important than the destination. Cycling gives you that opportunity.
Because, on a cycle, you have no choice but to go slow. And when you
go slow, you have no choice but to look around and enjoy the
surroundings.”
Apart
from those who commute on a cycle or bike for fitness, Pabbisetty
estimates that Bengaluru is home to around 5,000-6,000 hardcore
bikers. These are the people who live to ride, and who take part in
TfN. Pabbisetty and three partners started TfN six years ago. The
event covers a distance of nearly 900 kms and is held every December.
Last year, over a 100 riders went on a route criss crossing Karnataka,
Kerala and Tamil Nadu through the Bandipur, Wayanad and Mudumalai
wildlife sanctuaries. What makes TfN even more special is that the
riders also raise money for five-six organisations across India. “We
aim to rekindle the sporting spirit and groom future Olympic-level
cyclists by providing tribal children with the means and the
opportunity to develop their skill and talent,” Pabbisetty
explained.
From
simple to sophisticated
Naturally,
the bike is no longer a simple, self--propelled two-wheeler. Bikes
now come with carbon frames, titanium alloys and all kinds of new age
space tech materials. There are different kinds of bikes--mountain,
road, hybrid, touring and folding; and many brands--from Specialized,
Trek, Cannondale, Kona, Dahon, Bianchi, Bergamont, Schwinn, GT,
Mongoose and Montra, to the more familiar Hercules, Hero, BSA and
Firefox. Prices range from Rs 3,000-5,000 to Rs 7 lakh or more. There
are sophisticated add-ons too, from ergonomic helmets and saddles to
riding-friendly water bottles and the appropriate riding gear.
So
is cycling out of reach for the common man? Not at all, stressed
Kini, Jagtiani and others in the cycling community. “You don't have
to buy an expensive bike, rent one, and give cycling a shot,” said
Kini. Jagtiani added: “Unlike running, you can cycle in shorts,
pants, jeans, wearing sandals, slippers, formal shoes or sports
shoes. Unless you are cycling professionally or long distance,
special attire is not required.”
And
those who cycle, term it a special kind of high. Wendy and Greg
Barreto, in fact, loved their long-distance trip to Goa so much that
they now plan a riding trip to Mudumalai.
The
open road, your ride and a riding partner. What more do you need?
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