What Bicycling Means to Us

“The bike will transform anyone who is willing to let it happen.”

— Ina-Yoko Teutenberg

Ask a million cyclists and you’ll get a million explanations for the place that bicycling has in their lives. Fall, for me, typically means embracing long rides in cooler temperatures as I seek to fall in love with cycling all over again, removed from the stresses and pressures of the racing season, contemplating the continued place that bicycling has in my life. Teacher that I am, I regularly ask my students to inject their unique perspectives into their classwork and discussions; so while I could dump a truckload of feelings here about cycling, I instead (and without limitations) asked some of my teammates to complete the sentence: “To me, cycling means ____.” Below is what they said.

Connection.

Connection. Bicycling means the opportunity to connect with myself, with people whom I know and have yet to meet, and with the world around me. It is the opportunity to take ourselves out into the world and explore the limits of ourselves and the natural world and see what it is we find over that hill.

— Evan Cooper

In a word: everything.

Riding bikes means different things on different days. In no particular order: defiance of car culture, an escape from the grind, adventure & exploration, play, much needed solitude, relaxation, a chance to test & surpass my perceived mental & physical limits, good networking, to belong to a tribe, to stay young, a chance to geek out on gear, independence, and an expression of my sense of style. In a word: everything.

— Lucia Deng

Time to myself to unwind and think deeply.

Going faster than I can on foot but still powered by myself. My heart pumping, standing up to make it up the climb and the wind in my hair on the descent. Crisp mornings and sweaty afternoons. Familiar roads, anticipating turns and landmarks that I’ve passed a hundred times, and trees, seeing the seasons change before me day by day. The smell of blackberry bushes and wet leaves. Time to myself to unwind and think deeply.

— Stephanie Halamek

A way to get to a more rural place.

Bicycling has always been a way to get to a more rural place. In time you realize you’re addicted to the act. Riding gets me into the setting, no engine, no screen, on the simplest machine man ever made.

— Russell Karn

I can eat whatever I want.

It means I can eat whatever I want!

— Liz Marcello

A way for me to be outside and enjoy the natural beauty of the world.

For me, cycling began as a way to understand my boyfriend’s interests and became something that I love to do. It’s a way for me to be outside and enjoy the natural beauty of the world, a way to get to and from work, a way to get some exercise and stay in shape, a way to hang out with friends and meet new people, and a way to satisfy my competitive spirit. Riding my bike makes me feel strong and gives me a sense of calm when I ride alone. I love being able to zone out for a little bit. It has become such a significant part of my life and I have begun to consider it a part of my identity.

— Sasha Orlick

Freedom.

Freedom, a mental break from the daily grind, mates, a support network. Cycling is and does all of these things for me.

— Scott Rettino

Not just an outlet, it's also an anchor and a teacher.

Cycling started for me as an escape from a life I was unsatisfied with. It became a way to challenge myself, give me purpose and feel good about improving myself during a time when all of these things were lacking from my professional life. Eventually I took the lessons I learned from cycling and applied them to the rest of my life and saw an enormous change. Cycling is now not just an outlet, it's also an anchor and a teacher to me, all while being an insane amount of fun.

— Alvaro Soltero

Exploration.

Exploration. As someone who loves to travel, exploring on two wheels has opened up a unique way to visit unfamiliar places around the globe.

— Lisa Vandivort

A mental break.

A mental break - from the real world and all of its stresses. Sometimes I just need to get out on two wheels and have time to myself.

— Matthew Vandivort

A chance to slow down by speeding up.

A chance to slow down by speeding up. A chance to listen to my body, heartbeat by heartbeat, breath by breath. A chance to connect to nature. A chance to separate myself from the stresses and anxieties of daily life. To borrow (and adapt) words from Haruki Murakami: "I just [ride]. I [ride] in void. Or maybe I should put it the other way: I [ride] in order to acquire a void."

— Corey Williams