I’ve been commuting to work on my bike for just over one year now and as I speed into my second year, I decided to share my experience as a biking newbie.
The entire world of biking seems overwhelming at first, the folks in the banana yellow jerseys speeding by in a pack every weekend. But in truth, biking can start with just a garage sale bike (Craigslist for me) and a Target bike helmet, no spandex or huge investment necessary.
Phase 1:
You assess your sanity and think there’s no way you can do that next hill.
“Damn my legs burn” keeps running through your head
Phase 2:
Stamina is discovered.
Your appetite increases, dramatically.
You reconsider your biking attire–those padded shorts don’t look so silly anymore.
Phase 3:
You find serenity and peace of mind, a la bike.
The seasons and natural growth of plants becomes obvious and beautiful.
You consider new luggage.
Phase 4:
Days off leave you jonesing for a ride.
You seek out longer, more challenging rides.
You eye (maybe drool) over the “fancy” bikes at the high-end bike shops.
You keep on ridin’, season through season.
Interested? Already biking and have more phases or observations I’ve missed? Share them with me.