Family members who cycle

Well, most likely it just helps others in a family just to know that you may cycle regularily. That's all. I doubt my passion has been that infectious.

But I am moderately happy that at least an adult niece and nephew do cycle short distances about town on their own. About 10 years ago, I did lead them and their father for a 30 kms. bike ride. Their father bike commutes a short 5 kms. one way to work regularily ...on an old beatup 18 speed bike. Their mother (my sister) occasionally hauls out her bike.

Then there's a much younger set 2 nephews and 1 niece who have recently mastered their bikes without wheelies. They go about in neighbourhood and playground, supervised.

But i'll stop here..before I run through a few more other family members.

Got any in the family? Did happen before or after you rejuvenated your cycling passion?

I can't say many of my family members ride a bike :rolleyes: My two nieces 13 & 10 do though. I think they bike to school..

My dad just nods his head and says "yes dear" when he hears about our (myself & Ian)cycling exploits...

My brother is big into cycling, and he's gotten his kids (8 and 11) interested and active. My mother has a Breezer Villager that she rides around town. My ex was not into it, but my BF is. It's very nice to have a passion to share.

My little sister got into cycling for the first time while I was on hiatus. Now she rides as much as I used to back in the day! One day we'll get to ride together.

My family think I'm crazy, although my half sister did ride her horse to the convenience store during a snowstorm, back when she kept a horse in the back "yard" (2 acres, surround by farms that are now townhouses).

My husband's brother does bike, because he doesn't drive and lives in a more urban area -- Norristown -- than my family.

My step-dad always bungie-cords a bike to his combine or swather so he can ride back to his house when he leaves the implements in the field at night. He also keeps a bike at mom's house and will occasionally go for a ride around the city on it. I used to think he was a bit strange for doing that. When I started riding a lot last summer he was really supportive and he has always said that he'll come get me if I ever can't get home. Hopefully this summer we'll go for a ride together.

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Originally Posted by shootingstar

Got any in the family? Did happen before or after you rejuvenated your cycling passion?

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My sister rides a bit. I used to ride with her a lot more, but she doesn't ride much anymore -- mainly casual stuff around the neighborhood on a mtb when the weather's nice.

No one else in my family - or my DH's family - rides.

edit: I guess you could say DH and I inspired my sister...after our visit up to CT last year, she took her long-in-the-tooth road bike to the shop for a MUCH needed overhaul and went out for a few road rides...including with me on another recent visit. She's not as fast as I remember her to be, but at least she did that!

My sister & I started commuting semi-regularly about the same time.

It has turned into a passion for me. She uses it to save money on travel, and to get exercise. She is not passionate about it...yet.

My cycling passion rubs off on them a bit.

My husband & daughter get persuaded to ride quite a bit. :)

I've sent the Effective Cycling dvd to several cousins who've expressed interest.

My mom is actually the one who got me into it:-)
Her boyfriend rides, so he got her into it, and then after watching them I decided to give it a try.

Now they think I am nuts and obsessive!(they might go out once or twice a week now- max of 25ish miles), but i love the fact that my mom rides and I pass her on the road and (if it is after I am done with my ride) ride along with them as I cool down.

My bf also rides(which is how I met him!) he is chasing the dream of going pro, so watch out for him next year(he is hoping to get onto a development team in a year). He is my inspiration to work harder and believe in myself, there is so much I wouldn't have done if he hadn't pushed me, he has taught me to believe in myself and realize how strong I really am on the bike :D

My husband and one of my kids got ME into riding. My older son doesn't ride now, but last fall, his car blew the transmission and he had to commute on a mtb that his boss gave him (in the city, yet). He liked it a lot. Since I bought my Coda for errand runs, etc., I am going to give him my beloved yellow Voodoo Hoodo, which is set up for commuting. It will fit him perfectly, since it's a medium and really was too big for me. The son who raced in HS rides once in awhile now, but being in the Marines doesn't give him much time, so he runs now. My honorary son, former exchange student, is a pro racer, who will be riding for Rite Aid, out of Philadelphia this year.

No one else in my family rides. My dad thinks we're nuts. My brother runs. One of my SILs did mtb awhile back, but I don't know if she still does. She's an A level tennis player. The in laws are well, they don't exercise. I have one cousin who is very active and fit, but she doesn't ride.

my Dh got me into riding and did over 8000 miles last year
My sons both have done multiple century rides, and both own 2 bikes.
My younger son has done Ramrod & one day STP's and his girlfriend has 4 bikes, so she's into it too.

so you could say we were a biking family

I grew up hearing about how my dad biked 40 miles a day delivering telegrams for Western Union when he was a teenager. He did it on a single speed bike with balloon tires, a coaster brake, and a big padded seat. Unfortunately, he didn't continue riding in his adult life. But maybe I got a "bike riding gene."

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Originally Posted by DebW

He did it on a single speed bike with balloon tires, a coaster brake, and a big padded seat.

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Oh! That reminds me of what my Opa told me about touring in the French Alps when he was young, before ol' Tullio invented the derailleur. They had multiple gears (and now I'm not sure whether it was at the crank or the rear hub), but to change gears they'd have to dismount and manually move the chain from one cog to another!

He was an amazing man in so many ways. I wish I'd known him better. But I didn't inherit the gene from him, since he was technically my step-grandfather.

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Originally Posted by kat_h

My step-dad always bungie-cords a bike to his combine or swather so he can ride back to his house when he leaves the implements in the field at night.

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Interesting..I should tell my partner that idea. He used to be a weekend farmer (had a full-time job for an oil firm in city) but was not cycling intensively as he is now.

I forgot him...the most important person in my cycling family...it is he who I credit to help reinvigorate my cycling passion..... 17 yrs. ago after I met him at 31.

(And it's Valentine's Day today..how could I forget...)....I tell him he's a used car :p: Since he has been tracking his mileage on spreadsheet, he has cycled over 105,000 kms. since I've known him. Done several cross-Canada/cross-U.S. trips solo, different trip routes in different years plus 5 months solo cycle-touring and camping in New Zealand. He is also a cycling advocate in past 10 years...earlier in Toronto and now in Vancouver...he seems to enjoy the LONG meetings at municipal council, amongst other things. And has led in major advocacy efforts for several million dollars from BC. govn't for building cycling routes here in this city...

When I met him he wasn't an advocate..just a cyclist. But I felt his management and negotiation skills from his paid job....would transfer well to cycling advocacy.

He does find time to cycle lots..away from his volunteer work.
By the way, his 2 adult children (in their mid 20's) have no interest in cycling. His son had a short interest in BMX and bike in his early teens.


all those who posted so far: some great family stories!!!

Since I started riding my husband and daughter are now casual riders. Even got my DH to commute some when the weather is nicer. He and DD bought me a BOB trailer for christmas and DH agreed to do some short tours with me. :D

But my sister has gone crazy into cycling! With no proding from me she decided to buy a bike last summer, a hybrid, and did quite a bit of riding with me last summer and fall. She was surprised how addicting it is. She even got a trainer to keep at it over winter. Last month she decided she needed a better bike and we found a good deal on a road bike.

She has put all the local charity rides on her calender. I'm planning to start some touring this year and she's all excited about doing that too! Of course she says it all my fault she on a buying frenzy with bikes, equipment, clothes, gear for touring. I just smile and tell her it was her idea to start biking. :rolleyes: I just "forgot" to mention that cycling leads to spending $$$. :eek: :D bikerHen

Well, I've ridden off and on all my life. My DH was biking a lot when I first met him in college (we met through the cycling club in school), so he's been at it for many years (20 or more, anyway). My dad used to ride once in a while when I was in high school, but as a farmer, summer recreational activities were rare. He is, however, Father Skierchickie (I suppose? what would his title be??). In the winter he's always been quite active, or at least for the last 30 years or more. He did start mountain biking after he retired, and does a couple of races every summer now (he's 72). I was soooo happy in September when he got himself a Trek Pilot! I was even happier when, a month later, he picked up a Trek hybrid of some sort for Mom! She started going out every day in the fall, just to get used to handling it (practicing turning, etc). Dad said he doesn't think she's really gone anywhere on it yet, but we'll see in the spring. Sister, I'm not sure (she lives far away), but I doubt it - too important to keep her hair perfect - a helmet would be totally out of the question, so I really hope she doesn't ride.:( Oh, and my dog loves mountain biking! Okay, so she doesn't have a bike, but she sure loves to go!

I biked to school in the "old days" from Kindergarten through 6th grade. After that the school I went to was too far away. I also biked all over my neighborhood - to the pool in the summer, to the library, movies, store, piano lessons, etc. etc. Then I stopped because I just wasn't cool.

As a high school junior in the EARLY '70's, I bought a Schwinn 10-speed - my first road bike! Loved it though the shifting was AWFUL and I never could get the brakes to stop squeaking.

I got married, had kids, and stopped riding again (note: I was never a "real" rider - recreational at best and even that is a stretch. I wasn't what you would call a natural athlete).

When my son was in college (University of VA) he got me into mountain biking and I did that for about 8 years - until I was tired of leaving body parts on trees and rocks. I switched to road biking and haven't looked back since. After gradutation from college, son moved to the High Country in Colorado and has since relocated to Denver - where he continues to race both road and mountain bikes.

X-husband rode some but is somewhat of a weenie (:eek: did I just say that???). Almost new DH was cycling in Idaho before I met him....

So....I would say my son got me back into cycling.

Did manage to do a self-organized group bike touring ride. It was 350 kms. over 3 days or so. Nothing but family and friends. Someone even came from the U.S. to join us for the whole trip. Great memories.

The ride was remembered..in a funeral service memorial for a brother-in-law who was one of riders..he died at 40 yrs. from throat cancer. I do have distinct memory where he smoked a cigarette as a joke for a few min...