World Bicycling Day: Pedalling their way to fitness

With fitness becoming a priority across age groups walking and cycling have emerged as strong mediums to keep in the best of shape. Lucknowites too are going back to the cycling days be it as a hobby sport or embracing the traditional method as the simplest tool of fitter self. The love for cycling has brought the focus on the clubs that are growing and adding members. On World Bicycling Day we look at the major cycling groups active in the state capital.

Pedalyatri Cycling Association

Founded by president and educationist Rajesh Verma, city’s oldest and registered body Pedalyatri Cycling Association has many small groups under its umbrella with a women’s only group as well. “Besides, regular activities and competitive events we regularly do events to spread awareness and adding new members to our fold with the sole intention of promoting cycling. Many professional cyclists in the group also compete at national and international level events while some are on expeditions. In the city, we organise regular rides on various occasions,” says club’s secretary Anand Kishore Pandey.

Cyclopedia Lucknow

Running in the state capital since 2016, it has 350 members. “It’s a cycling community which has people who ride – be it for buying vegetables, students, office goers or morning-evening riders. We try to convert people who walk five kms but go to the park by car to bicycle. Surely, health is the biggest factor, but the environment is another big aspect that should be considered. We also do regular rides at Nainital under the initiative of Clean and Green Uttarakhand,” tells the chapter founder Vishal Sharma.

Cult-sports Cycling

The founder member and ride responsible for a group synonymous with taking eight rides in a month, Ashish Kumar who is employed at Civil Court Barabanki, says, “Our Cult-sports Cycling group has 150 members. There are people from different walks of life in our group with the youngest being Atharva an 11-year-old kid who has cycled 80-90 kms till now then the senior most is Naeem Ansari (79), who has completed BRM (Brevet de Randonneurs Mondiaux). Also, Vansh Srivastava (19), the youngest SR (Super Randonneur, a rider who completes a series of brevets 200 kms, 300 kms in same calendar year) of the state is in our group.” Kumar prefers cycling to work.

Lucknow Women’s Cycling Club

Cyclist and winner of several competitions, Sujata Paul runs the Lucknow Women’s Cycling Club. “The group was created to give some personal space and support women cyclists. There were a few who were not very comfortable riding in a mixed group so this way they got their own group. Each female in our group has her own story, has achieved something in their respective field. Today whenever there are women centric events in the city, we are the first ones to be invited be it as guests or marshals at running events.” shares Paul and Pratima, a member of the group.