Cars are passe, bicycles are the new style statement in the time of Covid

Once regarded as the common man's convenience, today they are a must-have for fitness freaks, the adventurous kind and the typical urban snoot

On a recent visit to a Decathlon outlet in South West Delhi, I was surprised to see a near-empty bicycle section as everything had been taken up while there were many in the ‘repair and servicing’ section since the brand offers the first service for free within a few months of purchase. A Decathlon spokesperson said all his Delhi NCR outlets were struggling to keep up with the demand for bicycles. Ditto is the case with the cycle market at Yusuf Sarai where people have to wait two hours before they can get their hands on a set of wheels. If you ask the busy shopkeeper at Supreme Cycle shop, Yusuf Sarai, which bicycle is trending, he responds tersely: “What is your budget? I have even sold bicycles for Rs 11-14 lakh--imported from the US and from Germany.” A customer says the sales guy was almost not willing to attend to their query and they had to wait for two hours just to get him to show the cycles.

The growth rate has been 100 per cent, confirm cycle manufacturers. According to Sukanta Das, Chief Executive Officer, Firefox Bikes, a Hero Motors Company, which has products in the premium range, “Covid has really been the inflexion point and has had a snowballing effect on demand. Gyms have closed and we suddenly have a set of new customers. With twice the growth, the demand outstrips our inventory and manufacturing capacity.”

The cycle has come a long way, from a means of commuting for the mass market, to a quasi status symbol for the elite. Owning a premium bike is almost a statement about your love for fitness and concern for the environment. Tracing the evolution of cycles, Firefox’ Das says first came the common black cycle--the vehicle of the mass market. Then came iterations in colour, frame design, handle bar and “anything that wasn't black became fancy” and sought after. The market evolved to mass premium (Rs 7,000-13,000) and finally premium (15,000-35,000) and at one extreme of the spectrum are the performance bikes (above Rs 35,000 to a few lakhs) used for cyclathons and specialized events.

The bicycle boom is evident. A common sight each morning is that of roads buzzing with racing city bikes and mountain bikes with people across age groups, and of both genders riding the Raleighs and the Btwins, parading around in slick, fashionable gear. Some of the prominent brands include FirefoxBikes, Van Rysel, Triban, Rockrider, Riverside, Kross, the BSH, Avocet sports of the UK, and HNF Nicolai of Germany.

Types of bikes

What are the primary types in the market? City, hybrid and mountain. The mountain bike (MTB such as Rockrider, Btwin) as the name suggests, is one which is durable on rough terrain- rocks, mud, slippery surfaces, very shallow waters. Hybrid cycles such as Btwin, Riverside combine the specialties of different kinds of bicycles like road bikes, touring bikes and mountain bikes. These can tolerate a number of conditions in which one wants to ride in. Cycles good for city ride are road cycles or city bikes such as Van Rysel, Triban and Btwin. The higher the version, the faster a person can reach from one point to another.

What exactly is a premium bike? The biggest distinguishing factor of a premium from a non-premium bike is gears or the lack of them. Premium bikes have anything from three to eighteen gears to adjust speed at various levels. For instance a Btwin Riverside 120 Hybrid bike (Rs 12,000) comes with eight gears and Rockrider STP540 mountain bike (Rs 35,000) has as many as eighteen gears. A gear substantially reduces effort and you can go uphill or downhill and travel long distances quite easily. Cycles with gears have multiple speed ratios and just like in a car, one needs to apply a lower gear during incline and higher gear when you want to speed up on an empty road.

“I prefer my bikes without gears,” says Jabalpur-based author Shruti Kohli who cycles 25-30 km daily in her home town. She says that in single speed or gearless cycles, the rider's body weight is used to pace up whereas in geared cycles, the gears take care of it all. Since I look at cycling for fitness as well as weight loss, gearless cycles is my kind of thing.” She rides a race cycle that comes with thin tyres-–a Raleigh 700C which she bought in 2014 for Rs 15,500--and says the experience is pure, unadulterated fun. "In the end, I only stop by a juice café but I don’t go anywhere else," says Kohli.

What does the cycle have to do with the rider's height? If you are a six-footer, you need to pick up a large-sized cycle or size L, while if you are 5-feet-7, you can opt for a small or medium-sized bike.

The cool quotient

When buying a bike, you need appropriate gear and accessories. Gloves and helmet are must-haves. A light carry bag to keep a water bottle is also needed. Then there are special biker shoes and attire such as short-sleeved jersey and padded cycling shorts. In order to record the number of kilometres travelled or calories burnt, you can put a bike computer on to your baby or even download an app on your smart phone. Besides, there are other standard items such as a cycle bell, a cycle stand, cycle locks, bottle and bike light, and even a pump (hand/foot/floor pump).

Every accessory has a purpose. When 13-year-old Arjun Bajaj told his mother that he wanted a pair of gloves and a biker’s bag, she dismissed it as some kind of wasteful expenditure. Says the mother, “Within a week, my son hurt his hand and it was full of wounds. That’s when I realised that there is merit in buying a pair of gloves and that it was not fashion accessories but integral to his ride. Likewise, the biker’s bag is so light and hugs tightly to the back unlike other regular bags which keep falling off. You need to invest in the specific biker gear as even the clothes are quick dry. A fair amount of research has gone into creating the accessories and every item is there for a reason and meant for safety, protection and comfort of the rider.” 

From his home in West Delhi, this teenager now moves around with ease and aplomb in his fashionable yet comfortable biking gear, in his big cyclist group of eight people, to far flung areas such as Sohna road in Gurugram or India Gate, with a bottle of nimbu pani tucked snugly inside his backpack.

Cycling as an aerobic exercise

Cycling is a form of aerobic exercise, and strengthens your cardiovascular system and improves lung function. It is also safe considering the current ongoing pandemic. Says physician and cardiologist K K Aggarwal, President of the Heart Care Foundation of India, “It is hundred per cent safe to be cycling as it is done in open air where there is cross ventilation.”

Between static gym cycling and bicycling, the latter is better. Says Luke Coutinho, Holistic Lifestyle Coach, Integrative Medicine, “Dynamic cycling is better because it enables more natural movements as compared to a static one and also gives a chance to step out in nature and inhale fresh oxygen, as opposed to breathing the same circulated air in the gym. It can be a powerful exercise to consider for your heart health, lower body, core and lungs.” 

Coutinho says one can vary the intensity to break the monotony of cycling or to improve the workout. This is also called interval training, in which you alternate between cycling fast for two minutes and slowing down for one minute in quick succession. This alternate speed of lows and highs is what makes cycling a powerful workout. In fact, 15 minutes of interval cycling is more powerful than an hour of cycling at a constant pace. One can also ride uphill or on an incline for an increased challenge, but only after adequate practice.

Experts caution on going step by step in increasing the intensity and check a few parameters before participating in cyclathons and triathlons, lest the rider ends up getting injured. Says Coutinho: “It is necessary to first assess your health before enrolling for marathons – whether you're running or cycling. These are elite sports and need proper training and guidance, including nutritional guidance. Check your Vitamin D3 levels, work on your core and back muscles. Never overdo any activity. Avoid cycling in broad daylight as the harsh sun rays and heat can lead to heat stroke and dehydration. Maintaining the right posture is important to avoid back injuries. While riding, one must keep a neutral spine and avoid hunching mid-back. Have a well-conditioned core to help support the upper body while cycling.”

Cycling infrastructure

A recent survey by the ITDP India Programme shows that cycling would increase by 50-65% as cities come out of lockdown. Cities around the world are leveraging the opportunity to expand their cycling networks and public bicycle-sharing systems. In India, the Smart Cities Mission opened the registration for India Cycles4Change Challenge on 10th July, 2020. According to Durga Shanker Mishra IAS Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, “Cycling can aid a green recovery from Covid-19 for the transport sector and create a golden age for active, sustainable, and efficient travel in our cities. We are proud to launch the India Cycles4Change Challenge with the ambitious goal of creating cycling friendly cities across the country.”

Cycles should become an integral way of life and not just restricted to a fun activity. According to Kunal Kumar, Joint Secretary & Mission Director (Smart Cities Mission), Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India (GoI)- “The real success of a bicycle will be when it moves from being a sport to a transport.”

Prices of premium cycles, riding gear and key accessories
Type of cycle	Price range ( Rs)
Road bikes (Van Rysel, Triban, Btwin)	17,999-2,49,999
Mountain bikes (Rockrider, Btwin)	5,999-1,64,999
Hybrid bikes (Btwin, Riverside)	4,999-39,999
Gear & cycling accessories	Price range (Rs)
Shoes	3,000-5,000
Short-sleeved Jersey	300-4,000
Padded cycling shorts	700-4,000
Carry bag

2,000-3,000 Helmet 500-4,000 Gloves 400-1,700

Foot pump/hand pump/floor pump

499-1,699 Bike computer 799-2,000 Bike light 299-1,500 Bike bottle 99-500 Bike locks 199-999 Bike stand 400-700 Bike bell 200-500

Source: Decathlon and Cycle Market, Yusuf Sarai

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