#WorldBicycleDay: Make way for cycle yatris of the city!

Fitness enthusiasts and cyclists in Lucknow are celebrating World Bicycle Day by spreading awareness about fitness, making cycling a habit, and getting closer to nature. Various groups and individuals will be hitting the roads, and events such as a cycling rally and a nature trail in the Himalayas are being organized. Some individuals are using cycling as a way to honor loved ones or overcome personal challenges, while others are advocating for women's fitness and empowerment.

Fitness enthusiasts and cyclists in the state capital are all geared up to kick off their pedal-machines to celebrate World Bicycle Day. Spreading the awareness about fitness, making cycling a habit and getting close to nature, various groups and individuals will be collectively hitting the roads in Lucknow.

A lot of Lucknowites are going to places like Bhimtal for nature trails.

“The occasion is a big day for us (Cycleopedia group). We are regular cyclists but more than us, it’s about spreading awareness among all, sharing health benefits of cycling, making a start and eventually a habit,” says Vishal Sharma, a cyclist and businessman. He will take part in a trail on Saturday morning.

Pratima Awasthi (54) who has cycled over 6,000 kilometers in her six-year journey, feels she still has a lot to achieve.

“I got attached to Arun’s Pathshala (cycling group) to get along with the right people who have knowledge about the sport and today they are like my extended family.”

Awasthi has cleared an event BRM (Brevets de Randonneurs Mondiaux) that orginated from France. It’s a cut off time event where a cyclist must complete 200 kms in 13 hours. I completed my stretch in 11 hours. So, I work with this organisation that comes up with this event in Lucknow and adjoining cities every year,” shares a mother of two young boys who is all set for her group ride drill in the city, today.

Cycleopedia group, which has around 350 members, is organising a ride on Saturday and is gearing up for their next nature trail in the Himalayas. “We have regular daily and weekend rides in Lucknow where we ride into interiors and villages to get closer to nature. Besides, every month we hold a Ride to Uttarakhand where we have already collected our wheel machines in Bhimtal. Once there we not only cycle, but we also do nature walks and jungle trails as well. We take up drives like clean mountains and create awareness about cleanliness among the tourists,” says Vishal. To motivate kids, new joiners and female members of the group give a welcome kit and goodies, he adds.

Anand Kishor Pandey secretary of Pedalyatri Cycling Association informs that an awareness cycling rally will be taken out from 1090 crossing at 6 am to Janeshwar Mishra Park to Old City and will culminate at KD Singh Babu Stadium.

Cycling tribute

Automobile professional Prabhat Rajnan lost his wife Amrita, who was run over by a truck (November 2021) while attempting a fastest 2,000 kms bid. “I left cycling for six months. Then, as a tribute to my wife, I once again started cycling and re-qualified for world’s second largest Ultra Cycling Event in France – 1,230 kms PBP to be held on August 20 in Paris. To qualify it, I attempted BRM 600 and as well as 200, 300, 400 kms schedules.” He and his late wife were awarded UP Khel Gaurav Award for cycling contribution in India and abroad (1,230 kms Paris PBP-2019, 1,530 kms qualifying London LEL 2022

Women’s group

Cyclist-runner Sujata Paul, who started cycling to recover from a knee ailment, today is a founder member of Lucknow Women’s Cycling Group.

“I have been associated with a lot of cycling escapades including the one held for women covering villages of Andaman in 2020. The idea of the event was to add along more women from in and around the place. We cycled through many villages to spread the word about women fitness and empowerment. Also, I joined an army cycling camp and rode from Baramulla to Uri. Today, I am part of almost all cycling groups in the city along with my own group. I feel women should involve themselves in some kind of fitness regimen and cycling is surely the most rewarding of them all.”