[Closed] Why did you start cycling?

Loved it when I was young, wanted to start up again but also to help keep me fit for work and to hopefully control the arthritis in my hip which seems to be working.

Rode motorcycle trials for about 15 yrs, then hadn't rode anything for years more Got to about 32, was getting a bit on the obese side & thought, 'Hmmm...'
Thats about it really.

enjoyed cycling with dad, he was into mountain bikes. Bought Chameleon frame for 18th and family bought bits to go on it. Got it built for me, and love it!! It's my commuter, weekend fun, transport to recycling, and shops.

GF is getting more and more into bikes as well now.

This big bloke pushed me down the garden and shouted "Pedal!" "Mind the tree!" "Stop crying!" "Don't tell Mom".

aah - as an adult.

Well I stopped after my 531 bike with Nuevo Record was nicked in 1977 and I had to catch the bus to work and then started again in 1994 when I realised I was spending too much time on the shore waiting for the wind to pick up and I could be doing something else on low wind days.

To lose weight.

My dad put me on a bike when I was small - it hurt when I fell off but I loved it. Haven't stopped - I've always cycled. took my mountain by to Uni, cycled to work when I could. bit hard now with kids and job, but I get out when I can.

been doing motorbike trail riding since about 1980, however as time was going by it was getting more difficult, about 93/95?? one of they guys in the club had a mountainbike shop ........ and I started doing both and have stuck with mtbing

rode everywhere as a kid, everybody did. went to uni, didn't take bike as it was rather bent having had a disagreement with a mini. my own fault, i was "driving" the mini 🙁

never rode again until, 11 years ago, I got made redundant & the lads had a whip-round, got me some Halfords vouchers. WTF do you do with £80worth of Halfords vouchers? I know, buy a crappy Apollo!
one Gary Fisher hardtail & one Gary Fisher Cake later, here I am, too lazy to ride...

I don't know! I've always had a bike, I can remember riding bikes round the cul-de-sac we lived on when I was 4 or 5. Then when I was older I had a 10speed "racer", used to go round the park after school and once I did a whole 30 mile charity ride which was the longest ride I'd ever done at that point.
I guess properly got into it when I got my first MTB for my 16th birthday and after a while I joined a cycle club thanks to a random meeting with an MTBer in my local woods. Got into racing, really enjoyed it and it's gone from there.

Started as a child, then played rugby for a few years, stepped away for a few years when I discovered beer, girls and fags. Got into rowing and rediscovered cycing as a way of maintaining fitness as dodgy knees prevent me from running.

Needed some aerobic training. Natural choice as I had motorbikes. Friends simultaneously got bikes for similar reasons which added a social element. Racing was inevitable...

GF got a bike on cycle to work scheme, she found out about some trails in Ashton Court and dragged me out on my rusting Specialized Hardrock circa 1985. Hooked in one go, and now pretty obsessed by all things dandy.

And reader, yes, I married her....

Quicker than walking, easier than running.

When I started riding I was still a toddler. never really stopped since, even when injured.

Got my first bike at 4years old, have never been without a bike in the 30 years since then.

Bottled out of getting married at the last minute and decided to take up cycling again after a very long break.

Although TBH under pressure from a cycling former gf/good mate - I'd forgotten the childlike joy of getting dirty and grinning like a deranged cheshire cat.

I remember living in nottm and one of my mates getting a mtb in early 90's when I was maybe 25 and thinking how shit it was (road being much better). Funny thing was I was only riding to commute - hadn't ridden for fun for ages before that. Road only, never had a BMX etc.

Eventually got a rigid aluminium bike that nearly convinced me that the whole thing actually was shit, til I learned to ride it. That got nicked, insurance payout was quite big and I got a used zaskar LE with judy forks. And away we went ... 🙄

When my kids were young, they naturally had bikes. Saw how much fun they were having and thought 'I fancy trying that'. So didn't actually start riding til my late 30's, after I'd had to give up running really.

I was a runner.
I moved to Liverpool.
I got fed up of dogs and marauding yoofs.
I bought a bike.
The Scousers taught me how to ride it.
Never been the same since.

Didn't start cycling until I was in my thirties.

SB

For crying out loud iDave... this is the chat forum!

I would've thought that at least you would know this place is sacrosanct! 🙄

I had a rather serious motorbike accident @ age 19 & I was left with life changing injuries. I had to stop all forms of exercise as a result.

Fast forward to age 39. I was going into town & I briskly ran up a flight of 12 steps, at the top I was completely out of breath & I couldn't believe how out of shape I was. I suddenly realised that I was gonna be 40 the next year & my lack of fitness was frightening. I decided there & then to get fit @ forty.

I bought a Raleigh Max Y frame full susser as you do when you shop @ Halfrauds, well all the kids were riding them so they must be good? I started slowly & gradually built up the mileage to the point that I was able to do a 32 mile charity cycle ride just before I was 40.

I had the bike for 4 years & clocked up over 4,000 miles on it mainly commuting & riding on the road shod with commuter tyres. I even did BHF London to Brighton on it & the Norwich 100 mile ride also for BHF. I then did the Devon C2C ride which was 115 miles one way in a day & it broke down on the way back the next day, this made me realise that it really wasn't designed to do the type of mileage I wanted to ride.

I then bought a Spesh stumpjumper HT & I couldn't believe how much lighter it was & how much faster I could go. The best bit was riding a proper MTB off road on Dartmoor rather than mincing down the cycle paths. I've been riding off road ever since & commuting during the Summer. I've also flashed out for a full susser too as I'm getting on a bit now & it's gentler on my body. I love MTBing & I love riding bikes.

I'm now at age 49 & 3/4 probably the fittest I've ever been & happier too.

My boyfriend made me buy a bike about 8 years ago, was terrified the first time I got on it. I had a rubbish halford jobbie to start with.We went to cwmcarn soon after, I cried half way up the first hill cos it was so horrible , we cut back onto the road, straight back to the car park and home. Took nearly 2 hrs to get back, was a very quiet 2 hrs, I actually thought he was going to dump me 🙁

Then he bought me a specialized epic and we did a bit of xc, loved it and still do, more than him I reckon sometimes 🙂

The Scousers taught me how to ride it.

What, like you stole it? 😛

Never stopped.

BMX until 21, couple of years of mtb (91/92), then BMX again until 33, then after bad injury mtb as a 'safe' alternative, now mostly road for the last year or so (and cx/mtb).

Bikes is bikes, they're all good.

TSY - shit, really sorry. it was an accident

I'm too upset to even try and rescue it for you with inane drivel.

*la petite flouncé*

Em82,

Me and GF did some cycling in Wales last year, She cried at one point when we were pushing up a hill in rubbish weather, and I didn't know *exactly* where we were. I felt a bit shit really. I got us to the road (lucky) and we went back to the b&b. She got in the bath and locked the door, I thought she was going to dump me, I had to do some serious groveling over dinner.

It's my birthday tomorrow. I'm going to ride a bike ... not mine though. 8)

After toying for years, I turned to it compulsively after stopping compulsive hillwalking.

Summer 1975, I'm 7 years of age.

I turned the corner into my friend's street on another of those interminably long, interminably hot days that '75 was.

There's my mate- riding towards me- on a bike! Her dad watching proudly
from their gate.

Little did I know it was my turn. Jumps on the bike, with Mr O'Hare yelling instructions about what to do. Its about 10 or 15 seconds before I realise that he's let go of the saddle and I'm pedalling along.

I should really have gone to his funeral to say thanks, but for some reason didn't. I'll get some flowers and go down soon, they're overdue.

You can ride my bike cg 😉

Two years ago I started working at a new company, closer to home so suddenly had no commute and a lot of new colleagues who were hugely into cycling. Bought a hardtail on cycle2work and haven't looked back. Single best activity I've even taken up.

At 40, to keep outta jail.

I've started twice I guess. As a kid it was just part of growing up here, everyone had a bike... But then I got a wee bit older and just tired of it- and not just because of drink and girls and such, mountain biking just wasn't that great back then IMO. So, gave it up, never missed it one bit.

So then 10 years later, I fell on ice and broke my hip. Made a decent recovery but I was laid up for months and left very weak, so eventually I dragged out the old mountain bike just for physio, since I couldn't walk distance or run 10 feet. And it turned out, mountain biking is pretty damn good!

So then I picked up a mountain bike mag and in there was a letter from ChrisL of this parish, who I went to uni with but had lost touch with, gave him a text and next thing I know I'm off at Glentress, then trailbuilding, then buying more bikes, then racing...

Got into biking as love all forms of exercise and thought it a good idea.

I know its not to everyone's taste, but disgracefully have lived right next door to Thetford Forest for 25 yrs only biking the last 5! Now being 30 yrs of age I appreciate what a wonderful resource it is and just wish I'd started sooner.

Now love Thetford for its sheer slog and no real rest (i.e. downs) and Wales for its trail centres (sorry 😳 not real biking I know).

Just need to lose the stabilisers and I'm sure it'll be much more fun. Can't wait!

always ridden bikes since a kid - touring and offroad. Sometimes more sometimes less. Its my everyday transport - most days I ride a bike somewhere

Thank you darcy. 🙂 I only ride pink bikes though. 😉

We never had flash bikes as kids. Pre war sit up and beg singlespeeds with rod brakes were mostly all we had.

My uncle used to take us on what were in reality mountain bike rides, before they were invented. The key ingredient the Marin pioneers forgot to include was a frying pan and sausages. Our off rides nearly always incuded a fry up on a bush fire somewhere. We must have been under 10 when we did those trips.

I bought a second hand touring bike to go to Art College. I lived around the corner from a great bike shop, who quickly liberated me from my grant. I later got a Saturday job there and got probably the first Rockhopper in the country. I still ride with the guys who hung out in the shop 27 years later.

Used to hill walk a lot, knee went so took to MTB. Not looked back.

Cody, love your story.

You should, soon.

No choice. My Dad was a roadie in his younger years so got taught how to ride aged 4 (that was 1977) and not looked back. Only regret I guess is we've never ridden together - he quit before he had kids cos he felt there was too much traffic

I only ride pink bikes though.

It's pink...ish. 😀

Hmmmm ... red? Red = fast. 8)

I rode as a teenager as a means of getting about and going/exploring places.

I stopped when my bike broke as I couldn't afford to replace it. Few years later went off to uni. In my 3rd year it was a particularly dry winter and spring so there was not much kayaking to be done. Fruit/Neil of SuperStar fame leant me his bike and I was amazed what suspension and disc brakes let you do. Bought one that summer (after working in a warehouse moving heavy things) and have never looked back. Took me to GT for the first time as well which was probably what got me really hooked on it being a sport rather than just a mode of transport. Taken over from kayaking now as it's so much easier to arrange.