[digital]

A co-worker of mine who lives directly across the street bikes to work everyday. I thought, well if does it why am I driving? Bought a Cannondale a month later and cycle almost daily to work. Liked it so much I joined a group who go on back country rides once a month.

[Don]

Well i have always wanted to get into cycling but never had a bike to ride so a good friend of mine let me borrow one of his road bikes.I was hooked!!Got my own now and plan on riding all i can-Donnie

[RoyEveritt]

I used to enjoy running more than cycling - it came easier.

Then, in 2007, I was asked if I could possibly be backup driver for a cycle tour my brother in law and three friends were doing - The Pyrenees, end to end (Atlantic to Mediterranean), taking in as many Tour de France cols as possible.

I agreed (I was training for the Great North Run - a half-marathon - at the time) but they were having much more fun! So I promised I'd join them again on their next trip, but they would need another driver, because I'd be cycling with them.

So that's why we plan to do Paris to Venice next year. It's the old 'Le Knees' team, plus me

[funetical]

Fat+ Poor= Cycling.

[cubie]

Originally Posted by gwen

I would like to know what got you to put down your car keys and pick up a bike?

For me, I first stated riding to stay in shape and then naturally I fell in love. Then I decided to start riding my bike when I can in order to reduce gasoline and car use. I wanted to reduce my carbon footprint.

hi .did a bit of cycling on andoff over the yrs but really got involved when work dried up am self employed in construction and with the recession here in ireland there was nothing to do so the bike kept me sane and used up alot of energy etc relly enjoy it now even ought new bike recently ....great therapy.

[BigBlueKnight]

bought a bike kind of on a whim after a friend of mine was talking about riding and got hooked and so i bought a new bike friday. now i try to ride as much as i can

[gatorguy]

I always gravitated to individual sports that I could do by myself whenever the urge struck - archery, kayaking, biking etc., I used to do it all when I was young. Then I got married and started to play a lot of softball. Hardly a sport to keep you in shape in spite of the fact that I played in a top league and played three times a week and every weekend. Then after ten years I gave that up and became pretty sedentary... and overweight!

Fast foreward 20 years.

This Spring my GF and I vacationed on Mackinak Island on the UP of Michigan. While there we rented bikes and rode around the island - 8 miles and I was gassed! Worse yet was a hill leading up to a historic hotel that, while steep, should have been easily doable. But I had to get off and walk - along with all the other "weight to power ratio" challenged people. That made it very clear that I had to do something.

A week after I got back I bought a middle of the road hybrid and was hooked again. So much so that I bought a road bike (Specialized Robaix) and a mountain bike (Specialized Hardrock) and am enjoying the hell out of riding again. The added benefit is I've dropped 25 lbs too!

Because I live in Minnesota, my riding season is a bit shorter than most of you so I am looking for a good trainer setup to stay strong this winter. My goal is to kick ass on some hills that kicked my ass this year. That means hard training and dropping another 35 lbs.

Sorry for the long story.

[paultech6]

Iam 58 years old and after a lifetime of eating junk food and staying in somewhat decent shape I took it to the next level of getting healthy and eating well. This all happened about two years ago . I took off from work for a week with bad heartburn as it turned out i felt so lousy after a week I went to hospital with pain in chest and shoulders. They told me within the past week i had two walking heart attacks so they admitted me on a Saturday nite and Monday morning I had 5 by passes. Scared the crap outta me and i changed my lifestyle around .Exercising and eating well. I got back into biking pretty heavier than before . Now I try to do 10 miles every other day and a 30 miles on the weekends.
I ride both trail and road
Paul

[BigBlueKnight]

i wish i could ride the bike around town to get place but i really dont trust the drivers around here. we had 3 cyclists die this summer because they were hit by drivers that didnt see them

[RoyEveritt]

Here's what turned me from a runner into a cyclist: LeKnees 2007 and http://stronger-tomorrow.blogspot.com.