Hello all,

I am Saptarshi. I am working for Wipro Technologies for more than 3.5 yrs. I have chosen to cycle to work since 2 years.

The purpose of my writing this blog is :to articulate the benefits of cycling and how I made my choice.

–The distance is about 15kms one side and it takes me less than an hour to reach there.

This is how it all started..Read on!

My father is a Geologist and some times in my childhood I have accompanied him to field work to Leh(Jammu & Kashmir). We travelled in jeep. On the way I was always fascinated with the f tourists(generally foreigners) cycling up the hills in fancy geared bicycles. Since those cycles were not available in India at that point of time I even went up to the extent of thinking that I might buy a second hand cycle from one of the foreigners. They generally sell off the cycles in need of money or dispose it off before they go back their country. My first idea of having a geared bicycle comes way back from then.

It was one lucky day when I saw a cycle shop in Bangalore. Incidentally I had just finished reading “It’s not about the bike: My journey back to life” by Lance Armstrong which highly motivated me to get into cycling. I ll suggest everyone who reads my blog to read the book as well. I still remember this particular line “Even if I have 1% chance of survival I still have chance.”

Then how I chose to buy the bike is interesting. I checked out all the bikes with all their features short-listed a few bikes and then came back home. I actually wanted to understand if the cycle is a NEED for me than a WANT. I waited for a weeks time. If it was a want the idea would have faded away. But it grew stronger and stronger and I also was able to pin-point which bike to buy. It was a TREK 3700. Trivia: Trek is also the bike Lance Armstrong rides . It is a light aluminum frame bike which will help to lift it up on my shoulders on congested roads.

So here I am cycling my way to LIFE and the choice made was so strong that I still haven’t left cycling, even on those days when I had a choice to ride on a motorcycle to work.

Earlier the way to office was a bit more crowded with traffic more haywire. Generally bikes used to come into me(they rode on the wrong side of the road). I stood my ground without moving unless it was a very fast moving heavy vehicle was coming and I could sense that it wouldn’t stop for me. You needn’t shout or abuse your way but the idea is to create a resistance to something I believe is not right.

Now as chance would have it, I have moved to an office a bit nearer to my house(12kms one way). But the roads are smoother and the traffic is so much neater. The road sides are lined with pink blossomed trees. Keeps me closer to nature as well. So I take this moving to this new office as a “pat on my back” and move ahead the same direction in a more stronger way.

Now that I am already benefitting from cycling I would love someone else also to feel how it is:

1)My back used to hurt from everyday sitting in front of the computer at work. Now I feel the back has not only healed but got stronger.

2)After 6 months of my cyling I went to US for an official assignment. When I came back I had put around 6 kgs of weight and was feeling a lot less fitter than before. I continued cycling and and I lost all those extra kilos and the guilt as well.

3)Gyming before or after office is boring for me so I chose to exercise before and after office by cycling.

4)Unlike the understanding that cyling tires you out, I feel more fresh at office. One of my cycling buddies said “his productivity has increased since he has been cycling to work”

5)I do not get stuck in traffic jams. Generally there is always space enough to go ahead. In the worst situations I lift it up on my shoulders and move. You get so much more control in what you do as I only stop when I want to and on red lights.

6)You get more sensitive towards your fellow traffic mates.

7)I haven’t jumped signal even if the cars and bikes are honking behind me on a red light. I peacefully turn back and ask them “kya hai” with a hand gesture. Generally they have nothing to answer. Earlier I used to succumb to the pressure but everytime I did it I was not at peace. Now I just stand my ground. I even bring this strong value at office because there are times when you just have to “STAND YOUR GROUND”.

8)It is environment friendly and I would not feel guiltly of leaving a polluted World for my next generation.

9)I have chosen to donate the money I save by cycling to work. It is around Rs 1300.

Just like any choice you make this too will have downsides. Let me know put them down so that one can make a informed choice.

1) You inhale polluted air. To overcome this few people in my cycling club use air filter. They say”they feel less heavy in the chest”.

2) Being the lightest and least bulky people tend to ignore a cyclist. In the evenings one can opt to wear a flickering light on their helmets and keep the reflectors clean. You do not want to understand how important few small things are before it is too late.

3) Make your intention clear of taking a turn(left or right) by hand signals. Do not assume the other person would understand.

4) Wear a helmet. I read this in a mail from a fellow cycling mate. While riding on a off route trail this guy fell down. He had an bad fall. His head hit the road. The helmet broke into two.

Weighing all the options in the right balance I have all the reason to get CYCLED around

Saptarshi with his Trek 3700 | Photo Credit :Unknown

P.S. Much thanks and hugs to my close and dear friend Sapatarshi.

Article by Saptarshi Paul

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YOUNG WORLD | Cycle of good health

Doon Youth Center has re-introduced biking as a way of life amongst youngsters

by Anjali Nauriyal

Kunal Vasisth, volunteer at Doon Youth Center (DYC), cycled all the way from Chandigarh to Dehradun on his Trek 3700 bicycle to promote cycling and trips organized by the DYC for school students of the city.
“It was a grueling day of cycling, especially the climb from Kala Amb to Nahan. But at the end of the day, it’s pretty satisfying,” exults Kunal. Kunal got inspiration to start cycling again in 2005 in 1999 from Ken McRae, the founder and director of DYC.
“Initially it was only to lose weight, but now cycling has become

an integral part of my life. It just gives me a totally different perspective on things, people, places and issues” says Kunal. According to Ken, “Cycling is an amazing way to recreate and get out; doing something, especially in today’s environment where there are very few physical activities students can be involved in. It fits in perfectly as a natural way of building relationships with young people.”
The Doon Youth Center has been serving the city’s youth for the past nine years, offering free counselling and drop in facilities for youngsters on all weekdays. In the last few months, it has started a cycling club, open to all students from Dehradun schools, organizing short trips in and around the city. Students from St. Josephs Academy, Summer Valley School, St. Thomas and other schools have been regular part of the trips organized. “Going for these trips has been an amazing experience for me. I have been to places that I have never seen before,” says Shreya, a student of class VIII in SJA. Another class VIII student from SJA, Kevin remarks “I have always loved cycling and to do it as a group is great fun! All of us friends look forward to the trips on Sundays”
The trips are organized every alternate Sunday and the participants are only required to get their fully tuned bikes and water. Refreshments are provided by the DYC also leaving time for informal interactions and students from different schools mixing up getting to know each other. “After the rides, the students would just hang around at the centre, enjoy their cake and cold-drink, chatting with one another and playing table tennis. Sometimes we have to push them out,” smiles Manish, another volunteer at DYC. In the future, the Center also hopes to involve parents to get to cycle along with their kids. “It communicated so much to the child seeing dad coming along to cycle with him. Cycling serves as an excellent way to build and strengthen parent-child relationships,” explains Ken. With its commitment to serve the youth of the city, the DYC Cycling Club is another initiative that has been successfully attracting students to be a part of. Kunal, who is also the coordinator for the Cycling Club, exclaims “It is exciting to see the numbers increasing with each trip. We started with three and now for the last trip we had 35!” For any enquiries, one can call the DYC office at 0135-2710609 or drop-in to the centre between 4 and 8 in the evening.

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Visit the DYC Cyling Club Blog

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