When was the last time you rode a cycle? If you can’t remember, then surely it’s been a long time and you need to revive yourself a bit. Cycling indeed gives birth to an immense feeling of nostalgia for it is the first sport we learnt while growing up. Then, why not cycle again?
You must be wondering where to cycle, how to cycle, who has a cycle, am I fit to cycle, do I have the strength to cycle, will I be able to cycle with my physique and what if I fall while cycling?
‘Mumbai Riders’ solves all your dilemmas as they organise cycle rides on the streets of Mumbai on weekends. It’s now time for the tourist buses to move over and make way for the bicycle for a new way of exploring the city is rapidly gaining popularity.
Mumbai Riders, the brainchild of three commerce students Rishi Shah, Falak Parikh and Saurabh Punamiya, has brought the long lost cycling culture back to this maximum city in a fun filled enthusiastic way.
So, when the fast paced Mumbai is fast asleep, you venture out with your cycle to experience the peace, serenity and silence of the ever noisy and busy metropolitan.
The idea of Mumbai Riders emerged through an experience the founder had last summer when he took a cycle ride across a French town. He always looked out for cycling tours in whichever city he visited and, thus wanted to get that culture to the city of Mumbai. Started in December 2015, Mumbai Riders have organised around 17 cycle ride events till date in the city of Mumbai with people of all age groups right from 12 to 50 years old attending the event.
Anybody can cycle. There is no age bar and no discrimination of any sort. Walking on the streets of Mumbai in the night might be risky but cycling with a bunch of people turns out to be a healthy social networking event. Not only to you cycle and pump up your body with some movement but also you get to meet new people, make friends and build relations as you share your desire for cycling and the mesmerising love for Mumbai city.
The team is fully equipped with a technician throughout the ride who takes of any unforeseen mishaps moreover, medical aid is provided too. Refreshments are on them so one doesn’t have to worry about getting hungry on the way. Well, all the pillars of Mumbai Riders namely Rishi Shah, Falak Parikh and Saurabh Punamiya have a unique passion towards cycling. In fact, all three of them are fresh graduates around 21 years old and the latter work as Chartered Accountants while Rishi is an analyst at KPMG. In short, all of them are young enthusiasts who work throughout the week and use their weekend in a constructive way by organising these cycling events.
“We have our community page on Facebook, called Mumbai Riders and we aim at spreading the movement and growing awareness about cycling culture in India. Anyone can directly register there and attend our event. We want more people to know about it so that the culture spreads far and wide. We also wish if the government and police authorities of the city are more supportive, which would allow us to organize more and more such rides on an even larger scale.” says Rishi Shah.
The best part of cycling in a metropolitan like Mumbai is that it is pollution free. Cycling is completely eco-friendly and one with nature. “Marathons have been spurring up around the city almost every fortnight now. It’s high time we start having cyclothons now. All we want is to have a little support from the police and government authorities.”
