Noida: Cycling groups of Noida pedal through the city to celebrate Bicycle Day

Noida: On the occasion of World Bicycle Day, June 3, 2022, the several cycling groups of Noida and Greater Noida West took it to streets to celebrate the occasion. The roads of Noida were flooded with cyclists from all age groups who pedalled through the city with enthusiasm and energy.

Dare2Gear was one of the cyclist groups that went out on the roads of Noida on the occasion. It is one of the largest cycling groups of Noida, with over 1500 members. The group is famous for going on long trips like from Delhi to Manali on cycle.

A cyclist of the group says, "When the group was started, it was a small group. Now, in 2022, it consists of 1500 cyclists.”

Shobit Jolly Sethi (28), Marshal in the Dare2Gear group and a resident of Noida Sector 28 says, “Despite being a weekday, the group had 15 riders. On the occasion of World Bicycle Day, we went to Dhyanchand Stadium where we rode with 600+ riders. It was like a carnival. We enjoyed a 42 kilometres ride. Our meeting point was GIP Mall gate number 9, from there we rode to the Noida gate and from there, we took a halt at the Akshardham temple as many more riders joined us there. Further, we all went to ITO followed by the stadium and then we returned to our homes."

He further tells, "We are always enthusiastic to add new people to our group. Our mission is to make people fit and encourage them to lead a healthy lifestyle. Our community contains 5 to 8 marshals, we check the route and weather conditions and the places to eat from. This group is like a family. I carry a first aid kit with me in case of an emergency.” he adds.

On being asked about how satisfied the group members are with the infrastructure of Noida for the cyclists, he says, "Infrastructure is the least of our problems. It is our mindset on how we treat the person in a smaller vehicle. Before building the infrastructure, we should work towards imbibing road etiquettes on priority.”

Azeem Khan is a cyclist who will complete 2 years of his cycling journey this August. He is also the founder of Nirala Estate Riders (NER) and was a team leader in Greater Noida West Cycling Club (GNWCC). On the occasion of World Bicycle Day, he rode with the Dare2Gear group as all his fellow members from his group were out of the station. He, along with Dare2Gear group, took up the challenge to ride for 125 kilometers. According to him, he has set a target to finish 1000 kilometres this week, for this, he is riding 100 kilometers in the morning and 50 kilometers in the evening everyday.

He says, “Nirala Estate Riders is a group of 40 riders, out of which, six members are very active. Soon, we will resume our weekend rides together once everyone is back in town. On the occasion of World Bicycle Day, I rode a total of 125 kilometres. My route was from Greater Noida West to Dhyanchand stadium, 42kms. While returning, I returned from different routes via Pari Chowk, Greater Noida. I started my ride at 4 am and reached back home at 11 am."

Joggers Walker and Cycling (JWC) club, another cycling group of Noida celebrated World Bicycle Day with the residents of highrise societies of Noida, NOFAA and Sector 34 RWA. These cyclists enjoyed a ride of 30 km to 50 Km ride along with riders of various cycling groups. This was followed by a plantation drive at Sec 34 Community centre. This group, which consisted of eight members, started its ride from sector 50, Kendriya Vihar. Further, they took a 7 km round of the J.P. Wishtown and later reached Sector 34's community centre for a plantation drive.

Dharmendra Sharma, General Secretary, Sector-34 RWA says “Cycling is very necessary for the present circumstances. According to a report, cycling for half an hour daily activates the immune cells and reduces the risk of getting sick."

Rajiva Singh, President, NOFAA and JWC and an avid cyclist says, “Cycling is one sport which delivers good health, helps in building a good immune system and mental health. It also helps in maintaining sharp reflexes. Celebrating World Bicycle Day is one of the best ways to create awareness on how good it is to cycle. It has no fuel consumption and helps in reducing carbon footprints. I cycle for 45 to 60 minutes every day."

The residents from various societies like Stellar Kings court, Great value Sharnam, and Prateek wisteria joined for cycling and plantation drive with the avid members of JWC.