Who got you started on cycling?

[Bad JuJu]

It's great reading everyone's stories! It's almost like a collection of testimonials--
"Why YOU Should Start Cycling!"

My own story starts, like many others, when I was quite young and my dad (in the navy then) brought home from Greece two fancy-shmancy European bikes, but in miniature, for my brother and me. They were the talk of the neighborhood--skinny tires (mine were 24"), hand brakes instead of coaster brakes, and multiple speeds (3 or 5, I think). I learned to ride a two-wheeler on that bike--Dad didn't believe in using training wheels. And it hurt me mightily before I caught on, but when I did--well, I still remember that feeling.

Fast forward through a couple of less spectacular bikes after I outgrew that first one, to the Schwinn touring bike I got when I was in college--only for "tours" across campus, of course. I still had it but hadn't ridden it in years when, in my mid-30s, I was driving home and saw a club ride going on--people cycling and smiling--not at all like the grim faces I saw when I'd go out running. I got home, lubed and tightened up the old Schwinn in the garage, pumped up the tires, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Well, not quite. I hit a bad spot a few years ago--back injury, knee injury, time-intensive family obligations. But now, I'm ba-ack, and loving it as always.

[light_sabe_r]

I was never really into cycling as a child. I had a crappy bike it was heavy and because I was in and out of hospital a lot with a bone infection I was warned to stay clear of any exercise whatsoever.

So I can REALLY say that BF has gotten me into it... and he was annoyed yesturday that I was DROOLING over the SUB zero Pro for AU$3200 for over an hour... abike which he's fuming is better and more expensive than his. I want it!!!