cyclezealot

Before I re-discovered cycling, I used to run.. My right knee's pain threshold said , No more. After the knee pain diminished, I bought a road bike.

Kotts

For me, the first time, getting my training wheels off.

That lasted until I was 22, my bike was stolen and I couldn't afford to replace it.

The second time, 23 years later, a couple of friends talked me into riding a MS150 (now called MSBike) tour with them.

I built a bike from a pile of damaged bikes and some e-bay purchases and rode,

and remembered what it was like to have my training wheels off...

mkauffman

I was bored of living in New Jersey and decided to get out for the summer when I was 16. Went ahead and signed up for Overland Adventures, a camp that does self supported tours. 3200 miles later I had biked from Savannah to LA. I stopped riding for 4 years and found someone who was planning a similar tour. I figured I'd help with the planning since I had experience with it and ended up riding from Seattle to Boston last summer. I haven't put the bike down since then and it should (hopefully after buying another bike) last this time.

Jay68442

The LiveStrong Challenge.
I am a cancer survivor that felt a need to get involved in raising cancer awareness. I also wanted to do something that would allow me to give back to the cancer community. Last year I attended the livestrong challenge and did the 5k walk/run. While doing the walk I said I would return this year and do the 100 mile ride. So as soon as I got home from the event I went out and purchased a road bike. I didn’t expect to like riding as much as I do and was pleasantly surprised. I now ride 4 days a week and enjoy every minute of it. The LSC is a week away and I hope all of my training rides is enough to get me through my first century.

malpag3

Tour de France 2005. I was watching the Alp de Huez after a long night on a particular mind/thought/experience altering substance (*cough* ellis what?! *cough*)

I was in awe of the whole thing. It took about a half year to get into it.

Haven't looked back since.

MrCrassic 

WHAT!!!

Didn't expect that one.

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MrCrassic 

A few things:

- I used to ride a crappy mountain bike when I was 12. I remember doing a 15 mile trip at 14 without telling my mom. It took me two hours to do it, and I was dead by the time I got back

- My friend lent me his Schwinn 10-speed, and I enjoyed flying on the thing.

- I broke the fork off of the mountain bike described above, and my family could not afford to replace. So I worked at Burger King and got stupidly fat (I held at 185 since I was 16 or so).

- I was always overweight (I was 145 at 11), and I hated the gym. So I hit the spinning machine three times a week in the mornings.

- Before that, I bought a Costco mountain bike that was GREAT stuff. I didn't have an objective except to go farther. Lost most of my weight this way.

- Got a road bike, had lots of girl problems that summer (last year) and riding helped ease the pain.

- Thousands of miles (and dollars) later, I couldn't live without it. Now I race, and am thinking of triathlons and racewalking (yes...racewalking).

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mgmoore7

I signed up for a duathlon. Then the fury began.

dgasmd

-Always rode my bike as a kid seems like more than the other kids.
-Used to race a little BMX
-rode my bike during high school to the tennis courts. Played competitively until starting college in the US
-rode to class in college.
-watched the Hawaii Ironman on TV in the mid 80's and that was it. I just watched how Mark Allen and Dave Scott would just sit on those aerobars for hours with their heads down and zip through the wind. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. Started to look around in a LBS for a bike (time trial bike).
-Watched a re-run of the TDF a few weeks later
-Went back to the LBS and bought my first road bike with a credit card. The bill of which really never got paid until about 4-5 years ago when I finally got a real job. I probably paid for the bike 12 times over!! It was a Trek 2200 with profile aerobars and Shimano 105 (if there is mercy in the universe I know I will be forgiven!).
-Went on a long hiatus due to med school and training. Also gained a few pounds in the process. Well, more than "just a few"
-Decided to loose some weight again, so took the bike out, started riding again, upgraded, upgraded, rode some more, upgraded. You know how the rest goes.
-Still wished I had the time to ride as much as I did back in college!!

Dice

Omg, that is a big tribute.

brian416

My dad raced MTBs alot when I was younger, so I ended up racing a bunch when I was young, took a break for motocross for a bunch of years and jumped on a road bike and fell in love with riding again

icon

My younger brother had a senior project in high school which needed to have field work and a research paper done on a chosen topic. I convinced my brother to get into cycling, and if he did I would help him with his paper and ride with him. Our former teacher rode regularly, and decided to get us rolling, she signed on as his project mentor. My brother and I both went and baughts some allez's, and our teacher came along for the fitting. We met her early morning on weekends for rides.

This was one school project that we liked.

Zurich

Indiana's Little 500!!

Rode 4 years..never stopped...

icon

Anyone else have school teachers get you into the sport? Or someone that you did not expect to make a connection with on that level?

Gavush

I grew up w/ cycling - my dad was pretty big into it and was also the neighborhood bike guy, would scour the scrap metal collection bins for stuff to piece together and sell them on the front lawn for $5 or $10... started going on actual rides (rather than the usual neighborhood cruising kids do) at around age 10. bikes were just part of life.. I lost sight of that around 17 when I got my license and got into cars...and after I moved away from home, but I've since rediscovered it and feel it helps maintain a connection to my past and gives me something to talk about w/ my dad. plus, it's fun.