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Mumbai's pedal pushers

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Members of Bandra Cycle Club on one of their rides at Carter Road. Dr Mihir Patki has converted his terrace and bedroom into a state-of-the-art virtual cycling training module where he treats patients and athletes. Founder of Bandra Cycle Club, Vishal Sharma, rides a folding cycle
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Do you remember the day you first rode a bicycle without those shame-inducing stabilisers ('side wheels')? Bet you are a having a chuckle now.

Your childhood pastime has now evolved into a weekend getaway, a competitive sport and, of course, a fitness mantra. For some, though, it's about yesteryear and the joys that come with it.

Sudarshan Beri, who owns the iconic Bharat Cycles in Marine Lines, has a lot to say. "Ten years ago, the product line was restricted to BSA, Hercules, Avon, Atlas and Hero. But as the masses started travelling abroad, they fell in love with foreign bikes," says Beri, who sells up to 10 units every day. A household name in SoBo, the shop was established by Beri's grandfather in 1926.

According to Beri, there was a time when a well-to-do businessman was not comfortable with the idea of pedalling to work. "But now, You have cycles for all income groups. Owning an ultra-expensive bike — the costliest in Bharat Cycles is worth a whopping Rs 5 lakh — is a status symbol now. About a decade ago, a six-gear cycle was the rage; now you have — hold your breath — 18-, 21- and 30-speed bikes."

YEHI HAI RIGHT CHOICE, BABY
That said, one must know what bike to splurge on. For Vishal Sharma, who founded the Bandra Cycle Club, a 3,000-strong 'movement' of bike-happy suburban dwellers, the lack of "research" is the problem. "It comes with experience," says the 45-year-old who owns a company that works with oilfield companies. "I know of so many people who don't even take their height into consideration (before buying one). Cycling is one thing; cycling well is another. You must know what to ride, where to ride, and how much to ride. So, the most important aspect is to choose the ride bike." In other words, do your bit on Google, speak to someone who's mad about cycling, and also pay heed to retailers like Beri who know what they are selling.

DO IT ALONE OR DO IT TOGETHER
Once you have zeroed in on a bike, you'll have to ride it somewhere, right? Well, going alone is fun. Not always. That's when 'the more the merrier' funda works best. Every morning, you will see a group of cyclists making their way through the hustle and bustle of Carter Road, Marine Drive and Colaba Causeway. The idea of 'community cycling' is gaining steam in the city. So, join an existing group or form your own. "It's fun to ride in a group. It doesn't tire you as much. The group rides safely, on the left-hand side of the road. You learn about things like respect and responsibility," says Sharma, who founded the club in 2010. As far as Samir Kolte, member of Chembur Cycling club is concerned it's the feeling of a cycling community coming together that makes cycling in a group so enthralling. "Clubs like ours organise races for ladies, we just had a children's race on November 14. It doesn't matter what time of cycle you drive and if you're a beginner or professional, all that matters is your love for cycling. We always see new entrants joining us each time we set out."

WHERE ARE THE ROADS?
That Mumbai is a primitive city vis-à-vis other huge metros is known. Cyclists here are discontented with what they have. Naturally, they are of the opinion that the city has a long way to go before it can dream of having a 'cycling culture'.

"(The quality of) cycles has improved by leaps and bounds, but the same can't be said of the roads. We want to promote the concept of cycling, but we are not ready. You know of CEOs cycling to work in London, Singapore and Amsterdam. These cities have designated tracks for cyclists. Moreover, they are specific parking slots for cyclists. Here, we don't even have cyclist-friendly tracks," says Sharma.

A bad stretch of road amounts to higher maintenance cost. Dipak Panchal, who has the unenviable task of servicing every 'ailing' bike in the Bandra Cycle Club, offers advice. "All one needs is a degreaser and a rag. Keep the bike upside down and spray the cleaner on the frame, tyres, sidewalls of the tyres and spokes. Do this once a week and your bike will 'live' longer," says Panchal, who runs a cycling service company, Sharptune, in Khar.

If you want to take up cycling as a sport, then Mumbai is not the city to be. "Cycling is neglected. The Tour de India, held every year in December or January, is not so popular. The event that all of us dream of competing in is the 152-km Mumbai-Pune race held every January," says Mahesh Ajinkya, a professional cyclist from Mumbai.

Fathom this: only six Indians took part in the Asian Games in Incheon this year. In Maharashtra, the sport is languishing. There was just one cyclist (Rutuja Satpute) at the national coaching camp ahead of the Asiad.

Gajen Ghanla, senior vice-president, Cycling Federation of India, calls for better infrastructure. "One wouldn't opt for cycling because it's a very costly sport. You know of the space crunch in Mumbai; there's no room to practise. Balewadi, on the outskirts of Pune, boasts a good track. But even that facility isn't in top shape. The one at NSCI, Worli, was difficult to maintain. It had to be shut down. Delhi is the only city that has a cycling academy."

DR CYCLE
Cycling is not just a sport. Ask Khar resident Dr Mihir Patki. There's more to his terrace than just clothes and hangers. Of course, it's got cycles — seven of them. For this orthopaedic surgeon, up is the new downstairs. The 45-year-old has converted his terrace and bedroom into a state-of-the-art virtual cycling training module where he treats patients and athletes using a software, motor, television screen and cycle. Through a virtual reality trainer called Tacx, Patki's patients can now recover by cycling through the lanes of Paris despite not being there.

As far as the athletes are concerned, Patki and his team work closely preparing them for professional races like the Mumbai-Pune event and international ones like the Ironman Triathlon, a series of long-distance triathlon races organised by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) consisting of a 2.4-mile (3.86 km) swim, a 112-mile (180.25 km) bicycle ride and a marathon (42.2 km), raced in that order and without a break.

And it doesn't end here. The kind of data Patki can collect from his patient through the Tacx trainer comprises speed, average speed, maximum speed, heart rate, amount of power each foot is applying, wind resistance, gradient. "Ninety per cent of my patients complain of knee problems. So, the only low-impact activities left were swimming and cycling. But everyone can sit on a cycle and here you don't even have to balance yourself here," says Patki, who used to be a powerlifter in medical school.

According to Siddharth Vora, owner of Kohinoor Cycle Store in Bandra, women are also joining the party. "A lot of the manufacturers have women-specific designs. This is now an important segment for them," he says. He has women to thank for 15 per cent of his daily sales.

How about those who cycle to earn their daily bread? Dhobis, milkmen, idliwallahs and others depend on local bicycles. These cost around Rs 4,000. According to Vora, they are as important to his business as those who cycle for fun and fitness.

Staying fit is important. And people aren't thinking twice before ditching the treadmill for the bicycle. It's no longer the poor man's mode of transport. It's all about balance, you see.

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