Beyond Two Wheels and a Carbon Skeleton

When we think of sports in India, the first ones that come to mind are cricket, football, badminton, and maybe hockey. But there is one name that rarely ever leaves the tongue in a conversation about competitive sports, despite it being one of the most demanding disciplines: Cycling. For most of you reading, the image of a cycle is tied to those evening rides up and down gullies with your friends during your childhood, a means of transport, or leisure weekend rides. Rarely do we ever view it as the sport that requires hours and hours of training on end, systematic training schedules, often leading to more pain than gain, just like any other endurance sport– yet this sublime art will forever hold a special place in my heart. Around the rest of the world, cycling is taken to its limits. The Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, Strade Bianche, and Paris-Roubaix– to name a couple– attract millions of views from fans around the globe. And these… are just the events on the road calendar. The level of bike racing that can be seen is nothing short of phenomenal. Top teams and competitors can be seen strategizing and playing every hand they can to shave seconds off a time trial, timing the sprint down to the meter, or pacing hellish mountain stages. These cyclists are at the peak of human performance, blurring the line between man and machine. However, when it comes to our nation, cycling struggles for recognition as a sport. There are a few reasons for this, namely, infrastructure and social attitudes. The nature of the sport requires long sections of smooth roads with no interruptions – infrastructure that is rarely found in this country. The first of such that might come to mind are highways, which are terrible alternatives due to the risk factor involved with the Indian driver having almost zero civic sense. Nevertheless, the conditions of roads in many places can be seen improving at a decent rate, making it the perfect time to introduce the idea of cycling as a sport to sportspeople in this country The second factor limiting the reach of cycling is the social attitudes that plague people's minds. I don't think that people would deny cycling its status as a sport if they knew a fraction of what it entails. Cycling races get almost no coverage on Indian news and media. Almost every cyclist that you will see on the streets is either a commuter or a leisure recreational rider. Even if the roads and attitudes improve, another wall remains– the sheer cost of participation. The final aspect that results in low recognition of cycling as a sport: the astronomically high barrier to entry. The fact remains that cycling can be a very expensive sport to pursue. When you consider the fact that just to start racing, you will require a good road bike, helmet, shoes and clipless pedals, race kit (jerseys, bib shorts, eyewear, gloves, socks), accessories (bike computer, power meter, bottles), tools and maintenance gear, travel and racing costs, the barrier to entry usually shoots up right there around the ₹5,50,000 mark. And that's just for a decent setup. Compare this to the average yearly income of an earning individual in India, which sits somewhere between ₹2,50,000-₹8,00,000, and you soon start to realise why this sport might not have picked up yet. I just know that sometimes my parents wish that I had never picked up a bike when the time for very necessary upgrades comes This is why, a lot of times when people ask me what my sport is, and I reply with “cycling,” I get that puzzled look. Almost without fail, the follow-up question comes: “Yeah, but what sport-sport do you play?” It quickly becomes frustrating. But then again, when you see the look on their faces when you tell them what kind of hours and distances you have to cover during training makes up for it. Anyone who has trained seriously on a bike knows it’s far more demanding than a pastime. I learned this firsthand when I began cycling more consistently and putting out grueling hours on that saddle over the course of my cycling journey. Once you get hooked on the numbers– average speed, top speed, power output, lap timings– you can never stop. That’s something that ends up consuming you, the never-ending quest for impossible perfection. Hence, I always make it a point to enjoy the beauty of being one with your bike, even during hellish sessions. I’d argue that very few sports compare to the feeling of your body seemingly merging with the bike; it becomes a part of you. The snap and jolt right at the start of a sprint (as well as the overwhelming need to regurgitate after). The feeling of absolutely soaring down descents, taking calculated (most of the time) risks at every corner. When the wind hits your face and carries your sweat away, you face down and just hear the whoosh of your wheels and the tread of your tires against the tarmac, not to forget the sound of drivetrain efficiency. It's a feeling to behold, something that I will never be able to give up. In India, the culture around cycling is slowly changing. More road races, criteriums, and endurance events are being organized. Cycling clubs are popping up in cities, and social media is helping spread awareness. But it still needs a push — a change in perspective. So, the next time someone asks me what sport I play, I hope that I won’t have to prepare an explanation for doing what I love to do. Cycling is a sport in every sense of the word. It requires the same dedication, passion, and effort as almost every other sport. And in a country like ours, where young talents are in constant need of opportunities to shine, let us give them one. It has the potential to become much bigger than it currently is. Maybe cycling in India doesn’t yet have the limelight it deserves, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth the chase. For those of us who haven’t yet felt the thrill of a sprint finish, the discipline of early-morning rides, or the satisfaction of hitting a new personal best, I want us to know that it's not “just cycling.” It's a sport. Its lifestyle. It goes beyond two wheels and a carbon skeleton. For me, cycling embodies the perfect metaphor for life. Just one pedal stroke gets you nowhere. It's how you can keep pedaling after every easy descent and through every tough climb that gets you past the finish line.