What inspired you to start?

andy66

I'm now entering week two of my return to cycling and have done about 70 miles this week which hasn't been bad - the Roubaix is quite gentle especially the saddle! My mate just bought a System Six and has been in agony all week with a sore backside.

Was wondering what inspired you to get back into cycling (if you are) or take it more seriously. I was pondering this on a ride today and can pinpoint the exact day. Was out in the car (now, despite many of your groans I am a self-confessed car addict) and a guy pulled in next to my wife and I in a pub carpark in North Wales. We were in our shiny new sports car he was in a 205 which didn't look like it would make it back to Chester 15 miles away. But in the back was this lovely Colnago. Must have been four or five grands worth and clearly worth more than the car. He didn't even glance over at our car when he got out and I thought now that's a passion, I could do with rekindling my own desire to be in the saddle.

And..I am really enjoying it. Neglecting the cars (but at least they are off the road and not polluting so kind of green?!) but enjoying the dull ache of a longish evening ride.

Cheers
Andy

MattBlackBigBoysBMX

Took stabilisers off at three and three quarter years old, and never stopped![:)]
First car was definitely a lot cheaper than my bike.

Wheelies ARE cool.

andy66

I had a big accident in Morzine at a downhill race and after hospital found that I'd lost the passion[:(] But time's a healer and ten years on I'm really enjoying it so far...

Buggi

had a mountain bike which i used to tootle around on. then my work moved offices 17 miles away. decided i'd try and bike it a few days a week to get fit, did it on the mountain bike and decided i'd cut at least 20 mins off the time if i bought a roadie, which i did (a really expensive one which was a way of sticking my fingers up at my ex who wouldn't let me have one and who i'd just split up with).

so commuted to work for last 4 years on and off. ("off" because i moved house and was busy decorating, and back "on" after deciding to do charity ride to get me motivated again.) learned so much this year because of charity ride, and getting to know other cyclists asking their advice and stuff. my cycling wardrobe is now bigger than my working wardrobe!

_____________________________________________

To infinity... and beyond!
my epic adventure: www.action.org.uk/~Antonia

Spawn of Cabbie

I'm almost ashamed to say that I finished Lance Armstrong's book, watched the Tour de France and said "Right. That's what I want to do". I bought a Specialized Allez about 47 minutes later.

bugslop

Watching the milk race and the TDF when i was a young lad and thinking that looks like fun![8)]

I wear the trousers in our house!
when I'm allowed !!

pugwashcp

Very simple.
Me and my brother didn't get on when we were kids so I'd jump on my bike and head off into the Lakes to get away from him for the day.
Still use the bike when I need a bit of space or time to mull something over.

Probably why I do all of my riding alone.

He who dies with the most toys wins!

Roastie

Moved here and had to commute 40 miles-ish each way to work on the M4, decided to try the bike-train-bike option and soon forgot that I wanted a new car. Rekindled my love for my bike (been riding practically since I was born) and got hooked on the endorphins.

snakehips

A physiotherapist said 'cycling would help' , and I thought cycling ? I remember that.

Snake

Aidocp

I had cycled a bit as a kid but had stopped, when I moved to Dublin it was the best way to get around, especially in rush hour so I started again. What helped too was 50% + of the office (a small office) did too.

If I had a baby elephant, who would take it for walks?

Markta

Well a Raleigh Grifter is enough to put most people off cycling, but 28 years on and I've well and truely caught the bug. Used to be 18 stone and a smoker but found regular cycling got me off the killer weed, then tuned into the TDF and then bought my first road bike.

http://mrkta.myphotoalbum.com/albums.php

andy66

A really wide variety of responses and great to read them. I certainly feel that coming on here and reading about other people's successes (and failures) is a way of keeping focussed and realising why you want to get out on the bike.

Andy

Krypton

Inspired by a friend who had his cancerous lymph glads removed from under his arm; looked like a shark had bitten him, but I won't paint too dramatic a picture, suffice to say it was bad.

Went to visit him at hospital, and as I walked in I saw his daughter and grandson sat around his bed. I had a simple, but scary thought ... "My god, that could be me in years to come." (Replace with my wife and daughter and you get the picture).

I gave up smoking that weekend (almost 3 years ago now) and with the first months cig money bought a MTB to commute on (was on 40-a-day, so it was a few quid!). Commuted on the MTB for a year, then upgraded to a Sirrus. Been out in all weather ever since.

Best bit, the fitness and recovery; used to need an oxygen bottle to get to the top of the stairs (not really, but you get the idea) - now I'm back to normal in next to no time, even when I really belt-it for the last home stretch of the ride.

Daughter and missus appreciate the fitter happier dad, and the friend - he got the all clear and is doing very well I'm glad to say. [:D][:D][:D]

--
Stopped smoking, saved a fortune. Started cycling, spent it all! - PS, don't <b>CLICK THIS LINK!!</b>

garyhs

first kid in my street to get a Chopper - felt great, rode it everywhere.
30 years later, given a new Eddy Merckx and remembered how good cycling is

gaterz1981

Gave up smoking and also want as many years with my wife as possible.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p67/ ... 81/MTB.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p67/ ... CN1063.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p67/ ... rFrame.jpg

sithebike

I just wanted to improve my level of fitness, thought cycling was a good way of doing it.. now completely addicted!!

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa11 ... C01488.jpg
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa11 ... C01487.jpg

webbhost

what inspired me to start biking... hmm it has to be the thought of not being late for work due to waiting for parents all the time lol.

http://www.battlesnails.com/index.php?datastream=6

h4ydn

Manboobs.

BigBren

I got an ace new job in October last year, and used it as a jumping off point to change my life completely.

Stopped:
Smoking
Drinking
Eating crap
A 3 year addiction to online gaming

Started:
Cycling
Tae Kwon Do
Walking
Appreciating my family

As a result, life is great and getting better. We're now planning a move to a more rural location, so that all the things we want to do as a family are on the doorstep.

Bren

Unknown

I led a coproate lifestyle and was fat, lazy and an allround git. I worked with a guy who was my best pal, he led an unhealthy a life as me. He complained of a sore throat in July and was dead by December. [:(]

The penny had dropped, my life, although on the surface great, was in fact, ****. I jacked in my job, stopped being a git, cut down on the alcohol and bad food and decided to get fit.

My life now is far better than it ever was, it's a cliche but I am now much poorer finacially but richer in much more important ways. Cycling is the best "change" I made, I could have gone to the gym but how long would that have lasted? 2 years ago I was 43 and would not have been able to cycle 2 miles, now a 40-50 mile trip is painless for me, I cycle for pleasure, I cycle to do the shopping, I cycle everywhere.

When I cycle, sometimes I can't stop smiling. [:D]

sloboy

I went on a management/outward boundy kind of course in 1996, one day of which was a navigation exercise (without a map) on bikes. Really enjoyed it, was amazed at how comfy a fat tyred bike was compared with the "I was right about that saddle" racer that I'd had as a lad, and filed it away under "things to do when the kids are a bit older and I can make the time to be out". 4 years later, got a Raleigh MTB for my 41st birthday. Now on my 3rd MTB and have added a road bike (with a razor saddle !) and a commuter. Done very slow MTB racing, a few sportives, one TT, ridden up the Tourmalet, shaved my legs ...

Time pressure seems to be a problem again now we've started up in business as Mum and Dad's Taxis Ltd but hopefully a plan to get me through the next few years will see me into the wide open pastures of empty-nest land.

peterbr

Well, all children of the 70s like me cycled as kids because things like 2nd cars didn't exist unless you were seriously wealthy until the 1980s.

I think it was my early 30s when the damage working in a sedentary office job was becoming not only noticeable but was beginning to define an inevitable downward spiral as visible on colleagues of various ages. The few exceptions to the beergut and manboobs rule all had one thing in common - they cycled.

<hr noshade size="1">
"Europe's nations should be guided towards a superstate without their people understanding what is happening. This can be accomplished by successive steps, each disguised as having an economic purpose, but which will eventually and irreversibly lead to federation"
Jean Monnet, founding father of the EU.

wastelander

Always had bikes until my early twenties...then I discovered bikes with engines! Got the MTB bug 4 or 5 years ago and got a road bike last summer...never looked back since and as I now live 10 miles from work I have no real excuse not to get out on the bike most days. Wieght is down, fitness is up, physique looks better and commute costs are down...except for bikes/bike bits of course.

One more turn of the wheels...just one!

electricdave

The 2001 petrol crisis [:D]

Greenbank

Grew up in the 70's near Cambridge. Everyone seemed to cycle.

Do it now to keep the weight down, keep fit and because I enjoy it.

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.

Big Tcp

Started cycling at 14 and I'm still doing it, 34 years later at 48. Never found a reason to stop. Enthusiasm occasioanlly wavers, but I always find that I get bored, sat at home on a Sunday morning, so I go out on my bike and it all starts again.

Bigtallfatbloke

when I was 16 I was fit as f%$k...I got a bike for Christmas and that summer cycled to Paris and back. 30 years later I'm Fat as F$%k after a long period of serious depressive illness and ME. I lost my high stress long hours sedatory job, dam near lost my family. The last time I recall being truely free and happy was on that trip to Paris. So I thought I would change my life and bought a touring bike and told the world I am going away on a long trip...now there is no backing out and I'm loving it. I tend to 'bonk' much earlier than most I speak to and I am no lycra clad bullet...but I am out there doing it at least 3 or 4 times a weeks now at approx 30-45km a trip depending on how I feel and the weather etc. I feel thinner already and cycling has achieved more for me in a few months that all the medication and fancy docs did in four years.

So i suppose th edirect answer to the question is that i am going to be 16 again.

Gravity sucks

nicholas anson

I used to cycle everywhere, got a so called proper job with a suit, stopped for 10 years.
got mental stressed out at work and got a 80's racer second hand four months ago and have been slowly pilling on the miles, the mental and physical benefits have been massive.
I sleep better, eat better, don't drink to much as I am thinking about the early morning ride the next day.
Thinking about riding to work now as I have now got a fitness level again!
Going to stop smoking, as I have saved up enough to get a focus cayo which I have been dreaming of the last few months.
addicted

postman

Iwas going through a divorce.Iwas working seven days a week ,what with the overtime.Solicitor told me to stop and submit six flat wage packets.to keep down the maintenance payments.Had far too much time on my hands a pal told me to take up cycling.Twenty years later still cycling.For ten years i was the secretary of our works team.Now i am in charge of our church cycle group.As they say one door closed and another opened.Have made some great pals by cycling.

geocycle

Have always commuted by bike doing a base utility mileage of about 2000 miles a year, but hadn't done leisure cycling since leaving uni in the late 80s. Then about 3 years ago I read an article about a group doing the C2C and decided I fancied having a go. Since then I have become a keen cycle tourist doing 3-5 day (B+B and camping along modified Sustrans and other self-determined routes) two-three times a year, and I also do 50 mile day rides about once a month, -basically I've rediscovered cycling for pleasure, subscribed to C+, bought a lot of kit, joined CTC and got involved with local cycling promotion! I'm gradually getting more ambitious and will probably tour abroad as time allows. So for my part, thanks are due to sustrans who gave me the impetus to start again.

Brian B

I was overweight and very unfit. The doc says for a 20 odd year old my level of fitness was shocking. My bro was into to cycling and I joined him after dragging out my old MTB. A decade later I now have 6 bikes and gained excellent fitness and spent a fortune. I lost 3 stone in a year and doing things now which I would only have dreamed about.

The doc is happy now. Mrs B sees a lot less of mr though but hey there's a lot to be said about that.

Brian B.