How Did it Start For You?

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I know some people put this in their "hello, I'm a newby" first posts and I'm sure there must be threads and threads somewhere along the same lines, so sorry if I'm going over old ground here. I know I could use search, but I invite you to consider the first word in my username .. :angry:

I started thinking about this following Tony's "addictive" thread. Anyway, where did the cycling thing begin for you?

For me, it was one of those things that Mrs-LC and I always thought we'd do "one day, when the kids are old enough and we can go out as a family" in a keep-promising-it-but-we'll-probably-never-really-do-it kind of way.

But, we've always been into walking and we got into the habit of letting the little-LCs take their bikes along: they could cycle faster than their 0.25mph walking speed and go further and it was just better all round.

Until, last year when they became quick enough that we had to run to keep up with them. And I do not do the "r" word. So we took the plunge.

Having got the thing, I thought I ought to get some use out of it - and hopefully lose some weight - so started the riding to work in August 2007.

It took me a few weeks to build up to the point where I could actually do the distance: ~ 7 miles each way. I know I know. xx( My bugbear for ages was a 60m climb done over about a mile to get out of our village: took me two whole weeks of trying every night to get up that.

I bottled out of the commute last Winter due to cold, wet and dark. But found I was itching to get started again in February this year, though it was really March before I made any real headway.

To cut it short, I quickly got to the point where I was on the bike pretty much every day, my ride was getting quicker and taking less effort, I'm much fitter (although compared to my starting point it doesn't say much!) and have lost a bit of weight.

I plan to continue commuting right through winter and find I don't mind the rain: it looks like I'm going to have do a salmon impression on the way home tonight and I don't care. My colleagues are worried about my mental health.

But I just hate it when I can't ride to work. If we pass a bike shop, we have to go in and the little-LCs roll their eyes and say, "oh no, daddy's buying another gadget." I think it's fair to say I've got the bug.
 

Angelfishsolo

A Velocipedian
I was dating a girl who said she was into cycling, I salvaged a bike from my parents basement (after it was flooded) and spend around two months getting it up and running. (Keep in mind I live on benefits and so parts took time to save for). By the time it was road worthy we (the ex-girlfriend and I) had parted but I had found a new love........

The rest as they say is history.
 

nickb

Guru
Location
Cardiff
I find it odd to think of anyone starting cycling as an adult. It's something I've done since early childhood - like walking.
 

ACS

Legendary Member
Fun runner, club jogger, club runner, long distance runner. Orthopedic Consultant suggests that if I keep running I will end up owning a wheel chair, so take up a little light cross training, finished my one and only half iron man 2 years later, very, very hospital type ill afterwards, know that I have gone to far so no Iron man for me. Given the running injuries and limited pool time available, common sense screams concentrate on cycling.

Average at most disciplines but enjoyed TT most. Asked to join in with a second string club team on a crit. Massive pile up at least the consultant in A&E recognised me, which was nice. Broken bones, broken bike. Decided to do something different. Back after a break of many years and loving it. Now just a mile eater, may even progress to tourist if I can coax a beard exemption out of the CTC.
 

dodgy

Guest
Hired an MTB to ride around Rutland Water when I was based in the RAF, about that time a mate of mine had bought a Muddy Fox and when I tried out his superior bike (compared with the rentals at Rutland Water) I was hooked. That was 1990, I'm completely and utterly hooked and always will be I hope.
 

Sittingduck

Legendary Member
Location
Somewhere flat
Nice post L-C

For me: I was on a bike daily from about 4 - 15 years of age then stopped when I condidered it "uncool" in my mid-teens :angry:

Tried to get back into it about 4 or 5 years ago and spend a few days one summer going out on early morning rides but I couldn't manage to stick with it.

I had been contemplating commuting by bike for a year or so but there were a few reasons why I did not try. Namely, self consciousness of how I may look huffing and puffing my way through the rush hour. Also the fact that I knew I would be in an awful sweaty state by the time I arrived at the office!

Was in a pub with some friends one Friday evening back in June and the subject came up and I kind of talked myself into committing to giving it a go. Thought it would be a couple of days a week at first or that I may have tried it and chickened-out after a few days.

The following Tuesday I went and asked at work about facilities etc and was pleasantly surprised to find out there was lockers, bike racks and full shower facilities in the building :biggrin: So I popped over to Bikehut and got a helmet there and then... rode in the following day and never looked back. I love it!!

Cheers for reading my ramblings,
SD
 
OP
OP
L

Lazy-Commuter

New Member
Sittingduck said:
Nice post L-C

For me: I was on a bike daily from about 4 - 15 years of age then stopped when I condidered it "uncool" in my mid-teens :angry:

Tried to get back into it about 4 or 5 years ago and spend a few days one summer going out on early morning rides but I couldn't manage to stick with it.

I had been contemplating commuting by bike for a year or so but there were a few reasons why I did not try. Namely, self consciousness of how I may look huffing and puffing my way through the rush hour. Also the fact that I knew I would be in an awful sweaty state by the time I arrived at the office!

Was in a pub with some friends one Friday evening back in June and the subject came up and I kind of talked myself into committing to giving it a go. Thought it would be a couple of days a week at first or that I may have tried it and chickened-out after a few days.

The following Tuesday I went and asked at work about facilities etc and was pleasantly surprised to find out there was lockers, bike racks and full shower facilities in the building :biggrin: So I popped over to Bikehut and got a helmet there and then... rode in the following day and never looked back. I love it!!

Cheers for reading my ramblings,
SD
Thanks. You're welcome; thanks for reading mine!

Yeah, I forgot to say that I spent most of my 8 to 15 year old time running round on our housing estate with all the other lads. I did a few slightly longer trips with a few of the keener friends but once we were able to get cars and motorbikes it was game over for cycling.
 

yello

Guest
Can't remember, since always. I delivered newspapers from around the age of 9 or 10, but I was riding a bike before then. I bought an drop handled 5 speed Raleigh racer when I was 13 and used to go everywhere on it (well, it felt like everywhere at the time!). I've got into a mtb'ing in the 80's but it began to hurt to much so tailed off, but always had a pushie to pootle about locally on. Bought an old racer from Spitalfields (before I knew what went on there) around 12 years back to go back and forth to university on. Got serious with audax, and some touring, around 6 years ago.
 

HJ

Cycling in Scotland
Location
Auld Reekie
Well when I was younger I used to cycle casually, you just now and then, I left school got a car the usual sort of stuff, just occasionally, when I was working close to home and the weather was good I would cycle to work, nothing heavy, I knew I could handle it.

Anyway after a few years of working I was feeling a bit dissatisfied with life and decided to go to university as a mature student, to help pay my way I sold my car. I started term and found that I had morning lectures at a campus the other end of town, getting there was a hassle, so I asked my tutor what I should do and he said "you had better get yourself a bike then".

Well hey I had do this before it was nothing heavy I could handle it, so I got a bike and because I didn't have a car I went everywhere on it, I found that I could easily beat the rest of the traffic, I didn't need to worry about having an extra pint... I was a student it was great!

Then I met the misses and she got me into longer trips, we went touring at weekends, and I started to realise I just couldn't give it up, I admit it I AM A CYCLIST.
 

alecstilleyedye

nothing in moderation
Moderator
i used to ride an old steel thing about 15 years ago, then job family etc got in the way.

2 and a half years ago, i got a job that was 5 miles from home with good bike facilities. so i got the new bike out that i'd bought a year ago with good intentions and rarely ridden and i've never looked back. 6 months on saw me join the local cycling club and now i can do challenge rides and even hold a dull conversation on gear ratios. cycling fora have a lot to answer for :evil:
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Had a 'racer' as a kid, rode 5 miles a day on a paper round on it. Bought a proper bike at 16 (Raleigh Road Ace 531c and Shimano 600 (Ultegra), joined a club, started racing after a couple of years, bought a custom built bike, then got an MTB for messing about on.., raced mainly TT's, bit of MTB/cross, hill climbs, a few road races...but manly TT's. Raced until late 20's - kids, JOB mainly, stopped racing and less cycling alhough still rode - about 6-8 lean years...... Two years ago decided that was it, and got out a fair amount through the winter....then changed jobs and started commuting again 15 months ago - soon lost 2.5 stone, and now fittter than when I raced.....so 22-23 years of cycling.....
 

Nick G

New Member
Location
Finchley
I had bikes for most of my childhood but like sittingduck I lost interest in it around the time I developed my interest in girls and cigarettes. I got back into it in my late 20's for a while, bought a Marin hybrid for commuting, then a secondhand road bike but we soon moved and cycling lost its appeal where I was living. Both bikes had been sat in the shed for about 15 years when I decided to take part in a Land's End to London ride for charity.

At first my fitness was really poor. I remember the first time I took the Marin out and was knackered after about 8 miles. this was about a year before the trip so I knew my target. I built up my strength and went for longer and longer rides then just before the big trip I treated myself to a lovely Condor Acciao.

for me, cycling needs to be habitual and then as is discussed in another thread, it has become addictive. I live in London and for many years I was too scared to cycle. Now I commute into the city 3 days a week and can't believe how much money I wasted, and stress I gave myself, using public transport. I know I'm addicted to it because I actually get irritated when I have to go somewhere in town and cycling is not practical. I also get itchy if I've not taken my road bike out for a weekend ride for one reason or another.
 
I cycled a wee bit as a kid but I had really got out of the habit when I got my first car :evil:. In my mid 20's I decided I didn't like what I was doing workwise and upped sticks to Dublin. Whilst there nearly everybody in the office was doing it and there was a bigger critical mass of cyclists in general, the roads were really congested and the bike was the best way to get around. So I started too a little at 1st but I soon caught the bug even though I had a really heavy hybrid. When I moved back to Scotland I got my Sirrus and I've never looked back.
 
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