I got a wonderful message a month ago from a fellow biker from New Delhi. He said that he had taken up biking two years ago in India and his life has changed because of it. My favorite part of his message was "Good luck on the biking community. Let us grow it stronger."
I was so excited to hear from someone so far away and I immediately asked a million questions about the riding culture in India. Luckily, Tarun, is very patient and gave lots of great info as well as some fantastic photos. I think it's only fair to share them with my readers. Thank you so much, Tarun for your contribution to this blog as well as to the global biking community!
I was so excited to hear from someone so far away and I immediately asked a million questions about the riding culture in India. Luckily, Tarun, is very patient and gave lots of great info as well as some fantastic photos. I think it's only fair to share them with my readers. Thank you so much, Tarun for your contribution to this blog as well as to the global biking community!
In Tarun's words:
Hope you are doing great! The pleasure is equally mine to get in touch with fellow biking fraternity and health and environment enthusiasts!
The biking culture in India is growing now since few years and we organize and participate in lot of road and mountain biking events such as Himalyan MTB challenge, Nilgiri MTB challenge, Tour de Delhi, and lot of other Brevet activities. In Delhi the biking community got active three years back and now is vibrant group of riders of different demographies. Some of our active groups include Pedal Pushers, Delhi, Delhi Cycling Club, Delhi cyclists, Pedalyatri, Gurgaon, Lutyens Bikerz Zone, Noida Cycling Club. We meet every weekend mornings (coordinating the rides via facebook or google groups) and weekday evenings to ride good odd 70-80 kms on an average. Delhi also has some good trails in Arravali foot hills, and Delhi ridge and some good road routes such as Delhi - Gurgaon- Faridabad Road, Canal Road, Rohini, and Noida- Greater Noida Roads.
Many of us have also started going to work on our bikes, however this is still not prevalent due to reasons such as heat, unsafe roads, and most importantly cycling beyond fitness is seen as a sign of poor financial condition (I feel bad about it). However thanks to rising traffic and petrol prices and falling health that people have started taking this. I get a lot of enquiries from people who want to start riding and join the group.
We would love to host and help any of your friends who wish to visit India on a cultural/biking travel - some kind of a biking exchange.
Keep riding because life is a cycle! :-)
Hope you are doing great! The pleasure is equally mine to get in touch with fellow biking fraternity and health and environment enthusiasts!
The biking culture in India is growing now since few years and we organize and participate in lot of road and mountain biking events such as Himalyan MTB challenge, Nilgiri MTB challenge, Tour de Delhi, and lot of other Brevet activities. In Delhi the biking community got active three years back and now is vibrant group of riders of different demographies. Some of our active groups include Pedal Pushers, Delhi, Delhi Cycling Club, Delhi cyclists, Pedalyatri, Gurgaon, Lutyens Bikerz Zone, Noida Cycling Club. We meet every weekend mornings (coordinating the rides via facebook or google groups) and weekday evenings to ride good odd 70-80 kms on an average. Delhi also has some good trails in Arravali foot hills, and Delhi ridge and some good road routes such as Delhi - Gurgaon- Faridabad Road, Canal Road, Rohini, and Noida- Greater Noida Roads.
Many of us have also started going to work on our bikes, however this is still not prevalent due to reasons such as heat, unsafe roads, and most importantly cycling beyond fitness is seen as a sign of poor financial condition (I feel bad about it). However thanks to rising traffic and petrol prices and falling health that people have started taking this. I get a lot of enquiries from people who want to start riding and join the group.
We would love to host and help any of your friends who wish to visit India on a cultural/biking travel - some kind of a biking exchange.
Keep riding because life is a cycle! :-)
It's amazing to me that cycling can be such a unifying force to both bring people together and to help change the world. It is interesting to me that we face the same challenges as a biking community and we understand one another's situation. I would love to visit India and check out some of the beautiful roads and fun group rides. I love the number of helmets I see in the photos!
As Tarun rides in New Delhi and I ride in Sacramento, it is comforting to know that we are riding together, in a way, along with so many others to help bring awareness to the need for safe and accessible cycling all over the world. Tarun and his friends are helping to change people's preconceived ideas that riding a bike is less prestigious than driving a car. Look at all the smiles! Thank you for sharing a part of your biking world, Tarun! I will take you up on your offer one day. Please know that it goes both ways :)
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