It's frequently pointed out that one of our strongest forms of advocacy is our presence on the road.
Who knows how many people you might have inspired to start riding a bike just by getting out there and doing it yourself?
I guess the best test is asking what was the defining moment for each of us. What person, event, thing that we read, witnessed, convinced us to get out there and start riding every day.
I know mine:
It's so simple, really, but absolutely defined a moment of change in me.
I was about 15 years of age and already into bicycles, mostly because I thought they were cool machines, but what it was to me at that point was a sophisticated "toy". But one morning as I left my house to walk the mile to high school I saw this guy flying down the road, a busy main street, right out with the traffic on a beautiful black Raleigh 3-speed. He must have been going a good 25 mph. He stopped at the traffic light down the road from my house and took off like a shot with the cars when it turned green.
It was an amazing epiphany to me-
I could ride a bike to school, as fast as a car, in fact, I could ride anywhere a car could go. I didn't need a car. Within a month I'd sold my old bike and with paper route money thrown in bought myself a black Raleigh 3 speed just like the one I'd seen and started riding it to school. It's been one long ride ever since.
So, what inspired all of you?
The BikeForums Team
-adv-
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..... saving money on parking downtown at work and the wear and tear on the 'ol auto. also, i was a runner and my knees were getting shot. oh. not from the commute, just running in general. i'm pretty new to cycling.
sbhikes
I can't remember now. I think I just wanted to get some exercise. Before this job I had a job that started later in the day and I could take lots of walks to stay fit. This current job has me sitting 8-5 in front of a computer. I think I just got disgusted with feeling like a slug. Plus I have to have one of the nicest routes in the world to ride to work on.
What keeps me going now is my variety of bikes. I have a mountain bike, a recumbent bike and a recumbent trike. The trike is by far my favorite. I would give up almost anything to just ride and ride and ride that thing.
genec
A now long gone old girlfriend.
I was a motorcyclist at the time, dating her. She said I had to move at her speed... So I bought a bicycle. Rather enjoyed riding it. (really enjoyed that smooth as glass feeling... ) Went with her on many long rides, and joined others on club rides.
That was also about the time of the first gas crisis. In the 70's. Thought bikes were going to rule the world.
Girl friend and I parted ways after a bit. Bike and I did not.
Met a new girl. Told her she would have to ride with me. She did not have a bike. I loaned her the money. We got married. She hasn't paid the loan off yet. That was over 22 years ago. She still has the bike... We're still married. I bought her another bike.
rando
I've ridden at different times in my life for different reasons. Mostly pragmatic, and then I discovered the fun of it later.
as a kid a bike is your ticket to freedom!
in college, I could not afford a car and the bike (a black ten speed beater, I don't even know what make it was) helped me get to work fast. I also found out I liked to ride. I took pretty good care of it considering I didn't know much about bikes. I had it for a couple of years and then sold it when I needed some money.
when I got out of college, I still didn't have money for a car and got my first post-college full-time job, bought a bike to get around. It was a chain store huffy Mtn bike that I rode the hell out of and finally It got stolen out of my garage when I left the door open for two hours one afternoon.
finally I got a car. then a truck so i could carry stuff.
then I bought a used trek from a guy I work with because I missed the biking experience. another guy I work with is a fairly regular commuter, and I rode in with him a few times. Now I'm wanting to do it all the time! for fitness, for fun, for stress relief, to cut down on my consumption of fossil fuels, and a bunch of other stuff I can't think of right now.
John E
Because of developmental coordination problems, I did not begin cycling until age 12, but I was quickly hooked. I relished the mobility and the freedom, and I enjoyed working on bikes. Bicycling rapidly became the only sport I have ever truly loved.
At UCLA, I met other bicycle enthusiasts and became active in Earth Action Council, a pioneering cycling advocacy group. Bicycling fit well with my environmental ethic, with the added plus of avoiding the high cost of owning and parking an automobile. (I finally bought my first car at age 26, a month after closing escrow on my first residence, half-interest in a run-down 1928 duplex on the "wrong side" of Pico and Robertson, for those who know west-central Los Angeles.)
PaulH
My wife got me a bike for my birthday -- a Specialized Crossroads. I rode it a few times a year, but had no real interest in it.
One day, I got a new job and found that there was nowhere to park within about a half mile. I light bulb went off in my head, and I dug out the bike. The rest is history.
Paul
Jerseysbest
I've been mountain biking my entire life, but it was, as you would expect, exclusively a leisure/exercise thing. I'm about to graduate college, and shortly have transferring here, I realized it was way faster (god the traffic), cheaper (parking pass, tickets, gas), less stressful(again, traffic),and fun to bike (race the bus) to all the different campuses then to take the bus or drive. I usually on drive twice a week to go back home to my parents.
I just got a job (actually commited to the offer today) and have been looking for an apartment within 10 miles so I can commute by bike. I'm really glad I went to this school, cause otherwise, I would have never saw my road bike as a good form of transportation and would completely be at the mercy of the price of oil, now and in the future. I've been even toying with the idea of letting the insurance on my car lapse when I graduate till I turn 25 (big drop in premium, 23.5 now)to really cut expenses.
here and there
Having ankle problems from numerous sprains and the wonders of genetics blessing me with not so good knees I needed something else to get a good cardio workout. Running was out of the question (plus, it's boring, heh) and walking was starting to really bore me (though looking back those 2 years of walking all those hills + weightlifting had my legs fairly ready for cycling) so I decided to fix up my old mountain bike that hadn't been ridden in quite some time. Even though my first ride was agonizing (knee pain from low seat post, numb hands, numb nether regions, got chilled from under dressing) I knew I was hooked. This was back in January of this year.
What started as exercise only has now turned into a growing itch to get out and explore. I love the outdoors and I live in a beautiful, bike friendly city (San Diego) so why not get out there and enjoy it? I hope to be getting a new bike soon and once the semester is over in May and I have more time I want to get out and explore.
Ritehsedad
A little over a year ago I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. When I went to see a Diabetic Educator (a specially trained nurse), I took my son with me. When she explained how important exercise was in the treatment of diabetes I figured I'd get an exercise bike. My son said, "I'm gonna get him back on his bike." That was about 2650 miles ago, probably more than I've ridden the rest of my life.
Mason Red
To many pounds, bad blood test (chol, LDS etc...) started with the old Fuji. Riding is great but its now a hobby magazine, forums and maintenence. The wife now has a hybrid and we did our first organized ride this month. A car rack, pump and the list goes on, a new road bike is on the horizon. DAM that new job and exam!! Lost 30 lbs and got the blood test in great shape I now can live for years on 2 wheels, still need to shed more pounds.
galen_52657
I rode my 3 speed around town when I was a young teenager. Lost all interest in bikes through my misbegotten young-adult years. In my late 20's I injured my back playing lots of tennis and running 10K's. During rehab, using an cycling ergometer, discovered I had a pretty good cardiovascular engine. Purchased a used 10-speed Azuki for $50. Rode back and forth to the tennis courts through the city. On the way, I would take a few laps around Lake Montebello, which was the local meeting place for 'real' cyclists to do speedwork laps and the Chesapeake Wheelmen held weekly training races there. I found I could hang in the paceline on my old Azuki while riding in tennis shoes and shorts with a 4-racket back slung over my shoulder. This pissed off the local racers to no end.....!!!. I also started riding the Azuki out into the hinterland for fun.
In 1988 I purchased my Gitane racing bike. I entered my first citizens race at Lake Montebello. I was off the front with 2 other guys and attacked them with 3/4 of a mile to go and held on for the win. Over the years I worked my way up to Cat-3, enjoyed some local successes, commuted for a few years and still love to ride.
Litespeed
I had my favorite horse put to sleep 6 months before and had bought another horse on a friend's recommendation. That horse turned out to be "the horse from helll". After getting badly hurt on that horse, I sold my horse trailer, the horse and went home and told my husband. He had just recently got a crummy mountain bike to ride around on. I took one look at that bike and told him I wanted to go get myself a bicycle that weekend, even though I hadn't ridden since I was about 12 years old. After trying out a bike and having my husband and a lady at the bike shop literally hold the bike and run with me (like your father use to do when you were 5), I was hooked. From then on I couldn't stay off that bike. I have since given that bike away (which I wish I hadn't) and got two other bikes. I love the freedom ! :D
oboeguy
As a youngster, Greg Lemond and Perico Delgado winning the TdF inpsired me to ride.
buzzman
As a youngster, Greg Lemond and Perico Delgado winning the TdF inpsired me to ride.
As a teenager, I was already hooked, very hooked, so hooked, in fact, I bicycled 350 miles to Montreal to see him ride in person- but, Eddy Merckx- man, inspiration may not be a strong enough word for what that was- wow!
There is something about a great pro rider- they sure make riding a bike look good.
ken cummings
When I realized i would not get very far in wieght training I knew I needed to switch to something for the long run. My track coach in High School said I ran like I was on a bike so . . .
Artkansas
So, what inspired all of you?
I think it was my older brother. I was a little kid. I think when I'd see him ride off to school on his J.C. Higgins, I wanted that freedom. Later, he allowed me to push him on his bike if I wanted to go with him.
That's probably why at age 5 1/2 I asked one of the girls in the neighborhood to borrow her bike and taught myself to ride it in her driveway, no training wheels, no lessons. A girls bike made it easy to start standing.
Bicycles were always freedom.
rmwun54
My inspiration came about through different events in my life. First it was a Schwinn stingray, which I used to deliver news paper and to ride to my friends house. Then it was my first wantabee Nishiki; a Niko which I used to ride to the beach every summer with friends. Next it was the first cheapie mountain bike I saw at a LBS; I used it as a way to get my mind off of lost love. Then I saw the first real high end mtb by Specialize, the Stump Jumper, I rode that everywhere except the trails. After that I bought my first real road bike a Centurion and crashed it within a month while riding to San Diego. So I was so mad at myself for that the next day I went out and bought a more expensive road bike than the Centurion; I bought a Bianchi Vitoria for about $900 in 1985. With this bike I began to ride long distance ride for the first time. Then in 1992 after reading an article on the first full suspension mtb, the Trek 9000, I went out and got one. With the Trek I got real into trail riding for the first time. In 1998 I bought the Trek 7000 because I wasn't too happy with my Trek 9000 and all it's draw back. Then in 1999 my friends got into riding road bikes a little more seriously so I bought a Trek 2000 aluminum frame from an LBS and assembled my first bike from scratch. Then 2000 I bought a Dean custom ti road frame because the the 2000 was to harsh on the ride and I was never quite happy with the standard sizing of road frames. And now my latest bike a Giant OCR touring frame that I had built up to be a real all around bike; it has a '29er suspension fork, cylco cross tires, disc brakes, road crank with 53/39/24 chainrings, and XT parts. I built the Giant to ride from where I live in San Gabriel to Brown mountain. So after buying 11 bikes so far I would say that what inspired me was that first time when I first learn to ride a bike; i was nine and was offered the opportunity to ride this ten speed bike that was to big for me. I learned it just like that and have never stop since. Throughout the years my sinpiration only grew as I began appreciate all the different bikes that I had purchased; each one just added a new inpiration each time I rode. Now at 52 years old I see older riders out there that are still cranking it and with great distance and that's inspiring. As the Armstrong have said it's not about the bike; and I would add, it's just plain fun and exhillerating each time I ride.
Im Fixed
Ive rode a bike as long a I can remember. I was a courier in downtown Toronto in my teen years. Ive always found when things get to be to much I get on my bike and ride and clear my head... riding is my therapist and my bike is my couch.
John E
Today I met a lady who started bicycling when she and her husband received a tandem bicycle as a 25th wedding anniversary present. They later crossed the U.S. on a two-month vacation. She recalls stopping at a general store in Tenessee, where the proprietor, seeing the couple on a bicycle built for two, ask her if her name were "Daisy."
mac
Boy Scouts - I had to ride to get my cycling merit badge. And I did it all on my little BMX bike. :)
roccobike
I have three drivers to continue cycling, one is Exercise, this is one form of exercise I enjoy. Another driver is my two sons ride with me occaisionally. As they begin their quest for independence, this is one sport we all enjoy.
The third driver is I like to work on bikes. We currently have 12 and that number fluctuates each week.
frost_from_hell
.
So, what inspired all of you?
A girl I went to university with inspired me. We were just chatting one day, and I was moaning about the public transport being unreliable, and she just casually mentioned that she rides her bike everywhere and loves it. The penny dropped for me, and a few months after I had finished studying, I had saved enough money for my own bike. I settled on a Bianchi city bike, and I absolutely love it! I enjoy riding so much, I want to get another bike, that is more suitable for day rides, light touring, etc!
:D
geog_dash
University parking is a lost cause, and bus service was slow at best. I found an apartment about three quarters of a mile from my office - long walk, but easy bike trip. Riding to work became a habit. When I moved to another university job later, my first criterion in apartment/house hunting was "How's the ride?"
Kyle90
somethin to do.
bluebottle1
I started out of necessity. My parents and I had moved to the U.S. from Scotland, and I was taking an advanced foreign language class at my school. About a year after arriving in the U.S., we moved to a different house which took me out of the district for the school I'd been attending. Because I wanted to stay in my advanced language class, I didn't want to change schools.
The district agreed to make a special arrangement for me. I could keep going to my same school, even though I wasn't technically supposed to, but I had to get there myself. The buses didn't run to my new neighborhood and my parents both worked and couldn't pick me up after classes. That's when my Raleigh ten-speed became something more than a favorite toy and became my lifeline.
My riding has hardly been uniterrupted since then, but, except for a spell when I was dirt poor and some b****** stole my bike, I've been riding pretty steadily since.
LittleBigMan
I already walked a lot, but I didn't have time to walk as far as I wanted to. Running didn't work for me.
Suddenly, like magic, my old Schwinn Traveller flashed across my mind and I instantly knew what the answer was. The further I was able to ride on the street and the more destinations I discovered I could get to by bike, the more hooked I became.
I resolved to use my bike to get to as many places as I could, instead of depending on my car. It's been an adventure that is not nearly over (I hope.) One day I hope to find time to do some long touring.
fordfasterr
Hurricane Wilma and Katrina.
When the gas lines were 10 blocks long.. I relized that it was pointless to sit there and wait for gas when I could fly by all those people and get where I was going just as fast !
=)
A few months later, I started riding my bike to work every day... its been almost 4 months since I started and I'm in the best shape of my life.
Trek930
My first year at MTU my roommate was a big MTBer. I had a walmart bike at home so spring quarter I brought it up. I was hooked on offroading. I distroyed that bike on a poor landing the next spring. Spent 600 on a new Trek 930 and have ridden it for 9 years since. It is now my commuter.
Doing regular rides with a group last year I heard the milage we traveled. One night it clicked that the 12 miles to work was doable. Tried it a couple of times last summer. By fall I did it several times a month. I stopped in December with the snow. I now ride MWF rain/snow/shine. Started that at the end of Feburary. Love it.
cc_rider
I was fencer in high school, college and long after, and was also the director of an amatuer dance company. I used the bike for cross training, but after my knees wore out from years of overuse and injury the bike became my main tool for rehab.
9 years ago I was walking with a cane. Two days ago I rode 50 miles and felt great.
banerjek
Got suspended from the bus when I was in jr. high. We lived 7 miles from the school and my folks weren't about to reward me for my misbehavior with a car ride. During my suspension from the bus, here's what I learned:
travel by bus: 2 hrs commute time per day (45 min to school, 1:15 home)
travel by bike: 1 hr per day (less than 1/2 hr each way). Left for school 1/2 hr after my brothers, got home 1/2 hr before they did
When the suspension was lifted, I wasn't about to go to school the slow boring way anymore.
scottmorrison99
I was 42 pounds heavier and kept finding excuses not to go to the health club. I bought a MTB to ride on a week's vacation in Marin County. Riding a bike is much more enjoyable. I started commuting everyday when I realized how much money I could save by burning bodyfat instead of gas. Now I'm getting ready to donate my truck to charity because our family doesn't need a second car since I ride everywhere. Now I'm planning on getting another bike with the savings,(gas, insurance, registration, repairs).