If you ride a bike, you are a cyclist
How this became one of my favorite life mantras
Sixty miles were behind me at the last SAG stop on the Bike MS Pedal to the Point. The 150-mile 2-day charity ride was a challenge for me as a new cyclist. I was not confident I could finish the seventy-five miles to Sandusky.
Cooling off in the shade on a 90-degree August day, I took inventory of the other cyclists. A guy about my age and height and 100 pounds heavier mounted his bike and powered off at a fast pace. I was that weight a few years prior and would have never fathomed doing this monumental challenge; let alone ride a bike.
The years passed. I became a better and more confident cyclist. I came to understand how the cyclist left me in the dust. He was physically fit, mastered cycling, optimized his cadence, and grew his endurance. Each helped him overcome a heavier person’s disadvantage when riding a bike.
If you ride a bike, you are a cyclist.
One of my favorite mantras is “If you ride a bike, you are a cyclist.” I share the above story as a reminder of where I was at that time. I had the perception that a cyclist was a Tour de France racer. I saw true cyclists being 6’1” and 170 pounds who rode carbon fiber road bikes. I was just a short chubby guy on a bike.
Fast forward to today. I know that there is no single image that defines a cyclist. There are many cycling tribes including mountain bikers, road cyclists, trail riders, e-bikers, senior social riders, neighborhood tourists, bike messengers, daily commuters, and much more.
A few years before that Bike MS ride, I formed a casual trail cycling meetup that introduced many newbies to the cycling world. A few years later, I was actively involved in a bicycle co-op that sought to put anyone on a bike regardless of their ability to afford a bike. Over the years, I gained a deeper understanding of what cycling and cyclists are.
There is no greater joy to me than introducing cycling to a person. I often encounter people who hold themselves up to the same standard I did in my early years of cycling. They do not see themselves as cyclists and feel inferior to the Lycra-clad carbon fiber road cyclist who leaves them in the dust. I remind them that they are cyclists, as is anyone on a bike.
You are likely a person who rides a bike if you follow this Substack. You are also a cyclist. I hope you take away my message that cycling is for everyone regardless of age sex, physical ability, income level, and type of bike you ride.
Celebrate anyone you encounter on a bike. Cheer them on. Help them grow in their love of cycling.
How would you answer this question?
Happy trails!
Tom on the Trails
PS: I went on to complete that Bike MS Pedal to the Point and complete 3 more in the following years.