Cycling lets you stand and stare

When the BSA Tour of Nilgiris flagged off for the first time in 2008, its objectives were promoting cycling as an activity and raising awareness about the resplendent bio-diversity of the Nilgiris region.

As the third version of the tour — TFN Ten, as it was referred to — wound to a close on December 23 this year, it became clear that cross-country cycling tours of the TFN kind are also one of the best ways to indulge in some good old sight-seeing and experiencing nature.

“Cycling is definitely the most enjoyable way of seeing people and places that you’d normally miss. When it comes to choosing a route for the TFN (http://tourofnilgiris.com), we take particular care in choosing one that passes through places in the Nilgiris that are scenic,” says Navin Matthew, who has been taking part in the tour since last year and is part of the TFN support team.

Cycling, already gaining popularity in Bangalore as a healthy, environment-friendly way of getting from point A to point B, is also fast emerging as a mode of travel particularly suited to exploring the city and the many areas of astounding natural beauty around Bangalore.

While the TFN chooses to chart its course through the Nilgiris range, with landmarks such Bandipur, Ooty, Wayanad and Gonikoppal marking the way, other groups such as Tandem Trails (http://www.tandemtrails.co.in) choose to concentrate on scenic parts of Karnataka such as the Malnad region encompassing parts of Shimoga, Chikmagalur, Uttara Kannada and Coorg.

In October this year, Tandem Trails, a non-profit trust formed to promote cycling tours, organised the Great Malnad Challenge, an 850-km cycling trip in which 30 cycling enthusiasts took part.

“Cycling lets you enjoy the sights at your own pace. There is no hurry and you can stop whenever you want if you want to explore a little-known road that would be impossible to navigate by car,” says Ameeta Baindur, a member of Tandem Trails and the only woman participant of the Great Malnad Challenge.

Baindur prepared for the trip by cycling an average of 20km every day for three months before the tour and says she could easily manage cycling 80-90km every day while on the tour.

“A car is too fast, while walking is too slow. I think cycling allows you to maintain just the right pace to explore natural beauty and interact with the locals - something one can never do if one is just whizzing by on a car or a bike,” says Mahesh Patil, one of the founders of Tandem Trails. The group also organises shorter weekend tours on a regular basis.

Cycling is also a great way to see the sights of the city itself, something a group of three young men passionate about cycling are looking to exploit.

The Art of Bicycle Trips (ABT) founded by techies Pankaj Mangal, Pradeep Sharma and Gaurav Mehndiratta a mere few months ago, organises bicycle safaris within the city limits and beyond.
Inspired by cycling tours in Europe and the USA and Asian cities such as Bangkok, ABT organises a ‘Victorian Bangalore Safari’ every Sunday that takes in city landmarks such as Cubbon Park and Vidhana Soudha. For Rs 950, tourists are provided with a tour guide, a 21 speed bicycle (Trek, Schwinn), refreshments at La Patisserie, mineral water — all ending with a breakfast at Koshy’s.

ABT also organises weekend trips to Nrityagram and Our Native Village on the outskirts of Bangalore.

“Going for a bike ride is a great way to chill out and relax. When you have spent all day staring at a computer screen or dealing with awkward customers it is good to be able to go for a ride to clear your mind,” says Pankaj Mangal, who believes even those who don’t cycle regularly but have average fitness levels can easily cycle up to 20km a day with a few stops along the way.