Let’s go biking

I am amazed to see the increase in bicycle sales since lockdown Level 4 until now and, of course, the increase in the number of cyclists on the road. From an adult perspective, I cycle a lot in the Cradle of Humankind on weekends, which has always been a weekend cycling hub for many years but I do have to mention that there has been a massive increase in the number of cyclists, both adults and teens, and it’s great to see.

I understand the gravitation towards the Cradle because it is cycle friendly, with cycling lanes, which give us cyclists a sense of safety on the road. There have been many incidents involving cyclists being bumped by cars over the years and I’ve always been an advocate for cycling lanes to be incorporated on all roads. Cape Town is definitely a pioneer in this space and ahead of the curve because they have many cycling lanes throughout the city and in many suburbs. Just the other day I spoke with a bike shop owner and he informed me that sales during the past three months far surpassed the annual sales achieved last year.

That’s incredible to hear in a  when one would expect people to hold back on such purchases during this economic crisis because bikes aren’t exactly light on the pocket. I reckon the increase in sales had to do with the fact that gyms remained closed for a longer time and only recently reopened. I have also realised that a lot more children are also on bikes now.

Places like the PWC Bike Park in Bryanston and the Zoo Lake in Johannesburg are thriving and buzzing with kids (and parents) on bikes. Parents are hungry to have kids burning their high energy levels at places like these and I’m one of those parents. To attest to the increase of kids cycling, a friend of mine was recently trying to purchase an entry-level boys 24 inch mountain bike for his son and he’s struggling to find one, countrywide. I hopped on and tried calling stores in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and quite a number in Gauteng to no avail.

This is exciting for me because it shows that m a n y people realise that health is wealth and of course that cycling is on the rise. Over and above this, being a cyclist for over 10 years, it is great to see more people taking up the sport.

If you happen to be one of those who has been watching from a distance and keen to get into cycling, I would suggest you visit a local bike shop and try out a few. There are mountain bikes, road bikes, gravel bikes and fat bikes on the market. There is also a variety in terms of costs as well to fit different pockets.

Just to prep you, the basic requirements to get you started as a newbie to cycling include:

1. Bicycle
2. Helmet
3. Cycling gloves
4. Cycling tights & top
5. Sports sunglasses

Cycling shoes (recommended but optional)

Lastly, I personally enjoy cycling because I reckon it’s a better way to see the neighbourhood and enjoy the beautiful scenery. On that note, happy cycling.

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Letshego Zulu. Picture: Supplied

Letshego Zulu is a qualified biokineticist and co-founder of PopUpGym. Follow her on Instagram: @letshego.zulu; Twitter: @letshegom; Facebook: Letshego Zulu Letshego Zulu FITNESS @ LARGE time