Four years ago, a post on ADDA is how my foray in recreational cycling started for me. Niket was the initiator and that's how the Nitesh Cycling Group started: 11-Aug-2017 at 9:20 AM. My first rides with my single speed MTB was all about crossing the two flyovers in Hoskote to reach the tea time point at Nandi Grand.
Slowly as the team advanced, the distances increased from 30 to 50 to 70 to 100. I advanced as well investing in a jersey & shorts and then upgrading to my hybrid cycle. This was around the time when the team advanced to road bikes; Siba and Arvind ji first with their 520s. Then Niket brought in his Blue beauty.I was pretty irregular compared to the group, but every ride in which I was able to participate, I enjoyed it to the fullest. I was usually the weakest rider. At that time, I was thinking it was the hybrid bike, but clearly it was the rider. This was the time we started getting faster and although I was riding solo for the most part, still the team used to wait for me at catch up points and help me out.
The addition of my road bike changed the dynamics a lot. A month or two in, Niket introduced another fantastic thing for this group: BBCh, racing, ITT. November 2020 was the turning point for me, this was the time I transitioned from a casual weekend rider. I started training for events and this was the start of the transformation for me - both mental and physical.
Dec 2020, Arvind ji and myself - riding the holidays to hit targets, a casual ride turned into a 150 k ride. This was the trigger that led into the world of Endurance, Brevets and Randonneuring. And now there is no looking back.
Niket ji, all those rides when we rode abreast or drifting one behind the other, the chatty breaks, the events, training and participations, all the conversation about tech, gear, whats next, how to get faster, better. Best of memories.
You have really mentored me as a trainer in this world of cycling which I so much enjoy now. Thanks for being with me and lets continue this partnership even though we may not be able to ride physically together a lot like what we used to do. Fare well buddy and good luck as always.
