I reconnected with my love for cycling in August 2020, thanks to the gift of time from the Covid-19 pandemic.
About five years ago, a friend introduced me to a group of cyclists that went to Karura Forest on the weekend to cycle.
We used the entrance off Kiambu Road as it was less frequented by cyclists compared to the Limuru Road one.
Thus, those who needed to hire a bicycle could do so with ease. After a few months, I realised I would be in the saddle for a while, so I decided to buy a bicycle.
I reached out to another cyclist and friend for advice on what to get. That is how I started cycling more frequently as I had a bike at my disposal.
Won a gold medal
One of my cycling highlights was winning a gold medal for my team during the Sports Day at the office in 2019. Before this event, I had not cycled much; it had been almost six months since I joined a group ride.
As we embraced working from home during the pandemic, I would take short rides in my neighbourhood. Then a friend pointed me to a Twitter handle of a cycling group. I started following them. I religiously ‘cycled with them ovirtually’ every Saturday, on Twitter for over a month.
I would sit on my couch and look forward to the pictures posted after every ride. I was trying to convince myself to join this group of strangers whose love of cycling was the main thing they had in common. Today, that group of strangers have become my cycling family – The SpinKings family.
Step of courage
On August 15, 2020, I plucked the courage to join the group. I could not dare cycle to town at the time. It took a few months before I started joining fellow cyclists from my neighbourhood on a bike ride to town.
Through the group, I have gathered the courage to cycle solo. Some of my key achievements are cycling solo to take my bike for service in town and back home and tackling century rides (100kms) with the SpinKings family.
They say cycling is an individual sport, but after joining the group, I have realised there is a lot of teamwork involved.
We have a range of cyclists during the beginner’s rides, those just starting to those who compete in races.
The more experienced cyclists act as marshals, helping direct traffic and supporting those who may need help. We also have motorcyclists and drivers who offer their services as marshals and chase cars voluntarily.
This makes it a good, fun ride for parents and their children. As parents can spend time with their children but also enjoy exercising with a group of like-minded people.
Through cycling with a group, I have learned how to use hand signals and enhance my road safety by using reflector jackets, front and rear lights, and a whistle to alert other road users. I have also built my endurance by joining amateur group rides when time allows.
Peer learning
The cycling community provides a suitable environment for peer learning. I have observed this during stops; you see people exchanging tips on bike maintenance, nutrition, exercise.
However, there are times when the community has come together to raise awareness on road safety or to remember a cyclist whose life has unfortunately been cut short by an accident on the road. The cycling community has supported conservation efforts and is looking forward to seeing legislation that supports cyclists and pedestrians come to life through the Non-Motorised Transport Amendment Bill introduced in the National Assembly by Samburu West MP, Naisula Lesuuda.
It is a great source of joy to see the growth of a diverse group of cyclists. A year on, I am enjoying my healthy addiction.
As Einstein said, to keep balance in life, you have to keep moving as you would on a bicycle. I intend to keep balancing my life with cycling, tackling a day and a kilometre at a time. BY DAILY NATION