Bengaluru showing the way when it comes to cycling

Bengaluru is known for its fitness and outdoor activities, particularly running and cycling.

Proof of Bengaluru’s love for cycling is evident every weekend on highways like Ballari Road as a lot of cyclists are seen sweating it out on the open road.

In fact, a lot of people have found that cycling to work is a great way to work out while it is also an effective way to beat Bengaluru’s ever-burgeoning traffic.

Sport cyclist Kiran Kumar Raju said: “It started about a decade back. It was started by Bums on the Saddle and it was the racing in 2009 called the Bangalore Bicycling Championship. It was a monthly affair and held on the third Sunday. That kicked off the racing culture. Over 11-12 years, a lot of national champions were created. Any sport, there should be competition. There was no prize money, but people used to come from all over India to compete.

Another sport cyclist Naveen John added: “It started in 2010 and there was an uptake in the early part of the decade where there was a surge. Around 2015 was the peak of the economics of cycling. Shops where we could have the experience of retail of cycles in the range of 1.5 or 2 lakh. That is when a of people came into this sport.

“This ultra experience ride of about 200 km used to happen and the weekend warriors used to cycle instead of going to the mall. Amateur riders also went for shorter distances and it peaked in 2015,” he added.

Cycling enthusiast Pratvii Ponnappa further added: “In terms of fitness and wellness, Bengaluru stands out as there are a lot of lung spaces. There are a lot of facilities to rent and cycle. Earlier, there were only BSA, Hero and Firefox. Then, stores opened up. Cycling became popular due to events like the Tour of Nilgiris and Bangalore Bicycling Championship. That was when boom happened."

Apart from the events and availability of a variety of bicycles, there are other factors that makes Bengaluru a good place for cycling.

“Bengaluru leads when it comes to cycling. The demographics and weather help. It is a city where you can ride 350 days a year. The air is cleaner than other cities,” said John.

Raju echoes John’s views saying: “Climate is good compared to other cities. Nandi Hills is another reason and a good goal to have. Also, brands have come in and service came in. This is now coming to other places.”

Cycling is only set to grow in Bengaluru. John said: “It will increase. There are macro trends that have not come to the surface. Health needs to be looked after. There has been a trend of health. Endurance cycling is challenging. Endurance is an addictive habit. It is here to stay. The ‘second wave' of retail stores are opening to serve the number of people.

“Covid-19 changed things and cyclists doubled. It remains to be seen if they will stay,” he added.