Chennai: At first, it was the pressure to stay at home during locking which pushed Murali 59-year-old Achuthan from Mogappair West to take cycling.
But after joining us was the Chennai Cycling Group (WCCG), pedaling turned out to be a more satisfying experience than just good cardio exercises.
He and his friends helped covid patients and senior citizens take medicines and food.
Now, Murali cycles are around 30-35 km every night and ride 100-150 km long travel on weekends.
When the fitness center and swimming pool closed last year, residents of Kota Bangun for cycling, literally! From a long-range trips early in the morning, fast cycling, recreational cycling to riding short distances and going up to weekend places and sites that are less Kuknam or inheritance in and around the city, Chennai has seen boom in groups and clubs cycling.
While East Coast Road, Jalan Mahabalipuram Tua, Jalan Maduravoyal and Chennai bypass are some of the popular routes, several choosing ICF, Colony Milhavaram Milk, Velachery-Palikarani and Pallavaram Hills.
Then there are also beginner groups such as the triban roudies that are cycling to Puzhal lake, Pulicat Lake, Poondi Dam and Yelagiri.
“We specifically avoid the main road,” Narendran said, who operated the group.
Unlike Bengaluru or Pune where Medan makes it harder for beginners to rotate speed, Chennai is relatively flat easier if the cyclist is adjusted to heat and moisture.
In 2017, city cyclists recorded at least 52,946 trips, according to the application cycling.
The number has tripled to 1.5 lakh trip in 2020.
Between January and June 2021, city bicycle riders completed 1.51,193 trips.
“Cycling takes you closer to nature.
You watch the sunrise, green plants, villages, and ponds, boats and fishermen.
It calms your mind,” said Girija Venkatess, who was part of a spokesperson, a small group of cyclists who lasted 70 km on weekends.
But safety is still a challenge.
“The truck driver or automatic rickshaw does not respect us.
We lost visibility when they flashed the headlights,” Venkatsan said.
Many cyclists say the head of Minister M K Stalin and DGP C Sylendra Babu, both of them do cycles, must bring policy changes.
Making Chennai city-friendly bicycles like Amsterdam or Copenhagen is not difficult, said Felix John, the Mayor of the city’s first bike, an honor gave him by BYCS, a social company based in Amsterdam who promoted active cycling throughout the world.
“Thirty years ago, Chennai was a bicycle-friendly city.
The Chennai cycle has a number plate.
People are fined if they don’t have it.
Do you know the Sardar Patel Road has a cycle path? The track at KK Nagar has become a parking lot,” he said .