My love affair with cycling!

A couple of months ago I had the huge honour of welcoming 30 new members of the cycling influencer programme at the Town Hall in Lambeth.  It was a joyous occasion with community members from all walks of life getting together to explore the wonderful world of cycling. And it got me to reflect on my own journey. 

My own love affair with cycling began when I was eight years old. We had gone to visit family in Virginia Water and my cousin showed off his new acquisition. It was the legendary Raleigh Chopper. It was both a thing of beauty and the epitome of coolness.  

Then began what felt like a yearlong campaign to get one of my own. Eventually, my parents “surprised” me with the MK2 Quicksilver with its 5 gear T bar lever shifter (image below – although sadly not a photo of my actual bike).

My parent’s house faced Mitcham Common, with its wide green spaces and well-trodden paths taken by dog walkers.  I didn’t have to worry about cars or traffic when I had this amazing expanse of land which was the equivalent of the whole of the south of England in my mind. Added to that an imagination fuelled by Enid Blyton’s Famous Five and Secret Seven I was ready for my adventures. Equipped with a tyre puncture kit and adequate rations of Mars bars I spent every available hour after school or during holidays with my bike – either cycling to and from and around seven island pond.  On one occasion I even cycled across the length of the common until I was practically in Croydon! 

I don’t remember when it happened exactly. But I stopped cycling.

I don’t think it was sudden, but some other stuff (probably homework) got in the way. And then it was a social life that didn’t involve cycling, followed by work, marriage, family. 

But I never stopped thinking about the feeling of freedom that cycling gave me and I missed it.  But I was scared that I had forgotten how to ride a bike, testing the adage that no-one ever forgets. 

It was another 20 years before I got back on a bike again. I knew that Lambeth offered its residents free cycle training, so I contacted Cycle Confident and thanks to a very patient instructor I was back in the saddle again and slowly started to gain my confidence. 

I am in no doubt that I am not alone on this journey and that there are many more who are just as nervous as I was. So, I feel it’s important as the Lambeth Cabinet lead for Active travel I share my story in the hope that helps others.  And as a South Asian woman of Bangladeshi heritage, I want to encourage more women from diverse backgrounds to see that cycling can be for them. Let’s not forget that riding a bike is healthy, fun and a low-impact form of exercise for all. It can help to protect us from serious diseases such as stroke, heart attack, some cancers, depression, diabetes, obesity and arthritis. And it can be easy to fit into daily routines by riding to the shops, park, school or work. Adapted bikes are also available for those with specific requirements.

I want to make cycling more accessible and possible in our urban environment.  And I am so proud of our fantastic Lambeth Community Influencer programme, recruiting local champions to build up cycling skills and inspiring communities to try out cycling. 

In doing this we will reap huge benefits.  Not just as individuals, but also for our cities and for the climate.

I don’t ride a Chopper anymore, but I have a lovely step-through frame bike which I love to ride locally.  It’s fair to say that I’m still a bit anxious about cycling on busy roads but hopefully in time I’ll be able to ride for longer distances. And I hope that more people will join me along the way.