Anju Khosla: Among The Firsts

Anju Khosla never imagined that some day she would find her calling as a pioneer woman cyclist. An Army kid, her school years at TAFS were focussed on being a career woman and her academic inclinations were amply evident as a JMC pass out with B.Com. Hons and a Masters in Business Economics from DU. With an internship at NIIT under her belt, she set out on a career path in the financial sector and as destiny would have it, that's where she met her future husband, Yogen. Marriage followed shortly and Yogen being a sports enthusiast lost little time in introducing Anju to the many joys of sports. In fact, her first pair of running shoes were bought while on their honeymoon at Goa, soon followed by forays into golf.

Early Years 
Cycling happened to Anju in 2006 when Gagan Khosla, her brother-in-law, inspired by a solo cyclist doing the Leh-Manali route, went on to do the same with a few friends. Upon his return to Delhi, he started the cycling group, GKB with five members, Anju being one of them. It didn't take long for her to graduate from the short rides around Nehru Park on a borrowed bike to pedalling off for her first long ride from Manesar to Jaipur, the first of many as the endurance cycling bug bit her.

Memorable Ride
The Manali to Leh ride in 2010 has been the most memorable one she feels as it tested her limits and pushed her to the wall. The challenges ranged from increment weather conditions, inhospitable terrain, altitude sickness to having the thought, "god! another 8 hours of cycling today" flit across her mind. But all of that paled into the inconsequential realm when compared to the experience of being at one with nature, riding through the grand expanses of Leh and the unique bonding and camaraderie with fellow riders that comes about in such tough situations.

Toughest Ride
Anju cites her very first 200 km Brevet as the toughest ride, The first 70 km came by comfortably as she kept pace with a bunch of riders but at the 100 km mark the fatigue started to creep in, forcing  her to slow down. The remaining 100 km were done with sheer will power and buddy spirit with fellow rider, Vijay, stopping to take a break virtually every 10 km, motivating each other, they went on to complete the Brevet together. The takeaways from this ride were the importance of keeping an easy pace, ensuring that the heart rate should not be too high; replenishing salt and water levels; and eating on time.

Challenging Ride 

Desert 500 from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer in 2012, proved to be very challenging as Anju started to cramp after the first 100 km itself. At the 125 km mark, the cramps got worse and the thought of stopping to take a break, even giving up had to be brushed aside as she decided to keep going the best she could. Fortunately, relief came after she ate and rested at the Time Station, and the next 250 km went by comfortably. As she approached the end of her ride at the 500 km mark, she felt the euphoria of wanting to continue riding on for longer.

Achievements
Being a pioneer in the cycling fraternity, Anju is always willing to step out to motivate others to take up cycling. As a matter of fact, many women have taken up the sport on seeing her. She believes that if she can do it, anyone can. Her biggest motivation is the response of her children, as their sense of awe at her achievements give her immense satisfaction.

Cycling Partner
Anju and Yogen are the first couple of cycling and complement each other perfectly. They provide each other with the much needed push whenever the other person is down and are a source of constant support and company to each other on the rides. Downtime is spent on planning weekly rides and out station cycling trips with their group.

Cycling Means
Cycling to Anju means the spark that keeps her buzzing. It gives her a sense of the extraordinary in an ordinary life. Her week is divided into the 'up days' when she cycles and the 'something is missing' days when she doesn't.

As A Woman Cyclist 
Not having other women to ride with has been a downside with regard to the social aspect of cycling. There are times she would have enjoyed riding in female company as men tend to have a more competitive streak. Therefore, on occasions when she doesn't want to feel guilty of holding anyone back, she ends up cycling by herself.

Cycling Scenario
People are more cycling friendly than was the case 7 years ago when Anju started out, though the insensitivity towards cyclists on the roads remains as bad. There's a lot that needs to be done with regard to the road conditions and traffic situation. A glimmer of hope comes with initiatives like dedicated cycling lanes but there's a long way to go still.

Tips For Nutrition While Riding
To neutralise the effect of burning about 600 cal/hour, an intake of 350-400 cal/hour is recommended.
Nimbu pani with electral and salt; Gaitorade are effective for keeping hydrated.
Banana; dates; jam sandwich; energy bars are good options while on the saddle.
Eat every half an hour, even if it's just a bite.

Advice For Beginners
Don't be in a hurry to get competitive.
Train over a period of time to test your body for long, fast distances.
Keep an intelligent pace.
Night riding needs a lot of caution.
Interval training helps a lot.

Cheers all!!

Bike Lines...

• Bicycling is the perfect marriage of man and machine. You are the motor, so you get all the credit when things go right." "And when things don't go so well?" "Then you blame the bike." "That doesn't sound like my perfect marriage."  Jef Mallett 

• The bicycle is just as good company as most husbands and, when it gets old and shabby, a woman can dispose of it and get a new one without shocking the entire community. Ann Strong 

• Government must help to eliminate cars so that bicycles can help to eliminate government." Advocacy slogan in Holland 

• Cycling isn’t a game, it’s a sport. Tough, hard and unpitying, and it requires great sacrifices. One plays football, or tennis, or hockey. One doesn't play at cycling.” Jean de Gribaldy 

• Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring. Desmond Tutu

• Marriage is a wonderful invention: then again, so is a bicycle repair kit. Bill Connolly

Two Wheels & a Chain...

Bikes At War!

Recruiting poster for the South Midland Divisional Cyclist Company

The Army Cyclist Corps of the British Army was active during World War I as part of the Army's bicycle infantry, and the first complete bicycle unit was raised in 1888. While the units were not deployed as organised combat formations, the bicycle was found to be invaluable for reconnaissance and communications work as they were lighter, quieter, and logistically much easier to support than horses. On the eve of the First World War, there were fourteen cyclist battalions. 
                                                                                         

British cyclist troops advance through Brie, Somme, 1917

Cyclists of the 36th Division in France, 1918 

A Braveheart

Cyclewala : p

Manali to Leh: On an Unsupported Ride

Munna Pahi

Chandresh Dubey

 

ROUTE: 
Manali > Keylong > Zing Zing Bar > Sarchu Takh > Whiskey Nullah > Debring > Karu > Leh

SCHEDULE:

• 16th Aug: Manali
• 17th Aug: Keylong 
• 18th Aug: Zing Zing Bar
• 19th Aug: Sarchu 
• 20th Aug: Whiskey Nullah 
• 21st Aug: Debring
• 22nd Aug: Karu 
• 23rd Aug: Leh

UPDATE: 21st Aug, 7.30 PM
It takes a certain kind of madness (in a nice kind of way) to do the Toughest Ride in the world, unsupported. These two riders n buddies decided to do exactly that. 
I got a call late in the evening, it was great to hear from Chandu and Munna. They were calling from Karu where they were stopping over for the night. Suffering from High Altitude symptoms from climbing Taglang La, 17,562 ft (the second highest Pass in the World) and having caught a chill because of dropping temperatures...somehow they were able to overcome it and continue their ride. 
Tomorrow they plan to ride on to Leh where their journey ends...and finally get the much needed downtime and most importantly...good food and a safe haven, courtesy the men in olive green : )
Further updates soon! Salute to the brave two on their unsupported ride...Cheers!

UPDATE: 22nd Aug, 9.15 AM
Chandu and Munna 20 KM short of Leh now...and going strong : )

UPDATE: 22nd Aug, 11.30 AM
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED....At Leh : )

UPDATE: 22nd Aug, 7 PM 
Chandu is heading to Srinagar by road and Munna is staying on in Leh tonight.

UPDATE: 23rd Aug, 11.15 AM
Chandu is back on the saddle, enjoying the beauty of Kashmir. He has already checked out the streets of Srinagar is now riding around the Dal lake and the Mughal Gardens. 
Munna is right now on a Solo Ride doing Khardung La downhill...Awesome going !! 



The Bike that helped them do it...Manali to Leh on this Bike. 

Highest Speed on a Bicycle!

World Speed Record for Cycling 

October 3, 1995, Dutch cyclist Fred Rompelberg pedaled in the slipstream of a dragster at 167.044 mph (268,831 km/h), a World Speed Record for Cycling that still stands. He was 50 years old at the time and still is the world’s eldest professional cyclist.

Rider

Fred Rompelberg,

Maastricht, the Netherlands,

Age 49 (1995), height 6 ft, weight 170 lb;

Eldest professional cyclist in the world,

Current holder of the Absolute Speed World Record Cycling

with 268,831 km/h.

The photo shows Fred during his successful world record attempt on 1995-10-03 on his special bicycle behind a dragster of the Strasburg Drag Racing Team on a dried up salt lake, the so called Salt Flats at Bonneville near Salt Lake City in the federal state of Utah in the USA.

Specifications of bicycle

Design:           Dave Tesch, San Diego, San Marcas CA.

Built by:          Dave Tesch, San Diego, San Marcas CA.

Cost:              US $ 12,000.-.

Gears:            Double reduction gearing,
                       primary built by Cook Brothers,

                       70/13 teeth - 60 / 15 teeth,

                       covering 114,2 ft distance with one pedal system rotation

                       (fourfold of a normal 10-speed gearing).

Wheelbase:    57 in (average of a normal race bike is about 40 in).

Saddle:           Leather, manufactured by Brooks.

Brake:             Shimano "Cantilever" type on rear wheel only.

Fork:               Special Italian racing fork,

                       designed to provide suspension travel at high speeds.

Steering

dampener:      Motorcycle type.

Wheels:          Special aluminium rims, - hubs and - spokes;

                       18 in diameter for lower centre of gravity

                       (average of a normal race bike is 27 in).

Tires:              V-rated motorcycle road racing slicks,

                       capable for more than 150 mph.
Weight:          Total of 43 lb.

Pedal Power!

This is Just a Bicycle...

How The Paris-Brest-Paris Was Born

First run in 1891, the 1200-kilometer Paris-Brest-Paris, or "PBP" as it is commonly called, is a grueling test of human endurance and cycling ability. Organized every four years by the host Audax Club Parisien, the Paris-Brest-Paris Randonneurs is the oldest bicycling event still run on a regular basis on the open road. A 90-hour time limit ensures that only the hardiest randonneurs earn the prestigious PBP finisher's medal and have their name entered into the event's "Great Book" along with every other finisher going back to the very first PBP. To become a PBP ancien (or ancienne for the ladies) is to join a very elite group of cyclists who have successfully endured this mighty challenge. No longer a contest for professional racing cyclists (whose entry is now forbidden), PBP evolved into a timed randonnée or brevet for hard-riding amateurs during the middle part of the 20th century.

The Racing Years

In 1891 people didn't know what could be done on the bicycle. Some medical experts of the day decried its alleged harm to the human body and soul; some women even boldly insisted on riding bikes, just like men! Racing on velodromes in front of throngs of spectators had begun ten years earlier, and cycling around town by wealthy enthusiasts who could afford a machine was common enough, but the idea of covering long distances on the open road was in its infancy. Early attempts at road racing and touring over hill and dale had started, but weren't at all frequent. The Paris-Brest-Paris was announced for the summer of 1891 by the editor (and devoted cycling enthusiast) of Le Petit Journal, Pierre Griffard. At 1200 kilometers, he intended PBP to be the supreme test of bicycle reliability and the will of its rider. 

Only male French cyclists were allowed to enter. Each rider could have up to ten paid pacers strategically placed along the route to help with drafting and providing mechanical assistance. The race would be monitored by a system of observers connected along the route by train and telegraph. The original route followed the "Great West Road" to Brest, or Route Nationale 12 as it came to be known. Riders were required to stop in each of these contrôle towns and have their route book signed and stamped, a practice still done today. Over 400 riders entered the inaugural PBP, but many apparently came to their senses; 206 brave cyclists eventually set off just before sunrise on September 6th amid great pomp and ceremony. 

The winner, Charles Terront, triumphantly, pedaled into Paris at dawn three days later, after slightly less than 72 sleepless hours on the road. Despite the early hour, over ten thousand cheering spectators were awaiting his arrival! His was an epic ride against his competitors and nature itself, and Terront became a national celebrity. One hundred haggard riders continued to trickle into Paris over the next seven days. Along with prize money to the 17th place, these lion-hearted heroes were all given a handsome commemorative medal inscribed with their name and time, and the legend of Paris-Brest-Paris was born.

©Reference Source Bill Bryant

P.S. The next Paris-Brest-Paris is in August, 2015

AMU VC Hit By A Speeding Car While Cycling To Work

Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah seriously injured while cycling to work

ALIGARH, AUGUST 13, 201/3.  Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor Lt. Gen. (retd.) Zameer Uddin Shah received serious injuries on Tuesday when a speeding car deliberately hit his bicycle on the campus. Shah has launched a drive to popularize cycling within the varsity campus following the ban on motorcycles in all residential boys' hostels. He had announced that he will use a bicycle for commuting within the university campus from August 1 with the objective of promoting a green campus and reviving the past tradition of AMU where bicycling had traditionally been the main mode of transport within the University campus till the 1980s. The drive for use of cycles had twin objectives, primarily for economizing the funds and  promoting cycling as a healthy exercise.

photo courtesy AMU

The vice chancellor, who daily cycles to his office, was near University Guest House No.2 when the red coloured car tailing him, deliberately hit his cycle and tried to push him to a side. The driver escaped from the scene along with the car, which had the registration number UP81-AP-8802. Shah was taken to the J.N. Medical College Hospital where he underwent examination, which revealed that he had fractured his fourth and fifth ribs and his left knee was badly bruised and bleeding. Senior administrative and police officials also reached the hospital and inquired about the incident. Vice-chancellor's security guard Irfanuddin, who was only a few steps behind when the incident took place, has lodged an FIR with the Civil Lines Police Station.

AZAADI

Why Go Mountain Biking??

CARPE DIEM!!

5.30 AM, Thursday, 8th Aug'13
Finally, I broke the jinx and went for a morning ride! Late last night I came across this picture while surfing the net and the sheer simplicity and directness of its message got to me. Although I slept off just the same as any regular weekday, something kept me from falling into a restful slumber. Maybe the fact that I hadn't been able to start my morning rides ever since relocating since the past few months was gnawing at me deep down and I could no longer justify the many excuses that I had been making for this state of affairs.

The fact that my bike was currently in the process of being repaired at the LBS, the incessant rain and the fact that always having had ridden in a cycling group, the idea of solo riding was taking time to take root...made my reasons feel fully justified, mind you! So, when I came across the words, "Eat, Sleep, Ride Next 2 Days" it was just the trigger required. I HAD to ride, period! None of the excuses mattered.

It was a restless night spent tossing and turning, almost waiting for dawn. I found myself wide awake at 5 AM, raring to go. I knew that I had to get out even if it was to be on a beat up old Hercules on my ride to liberation. Salute to the power of motivation friends...Carpe Diem!! 

The Velominati Rules of Road Cycling

THE VELOMINATI are an online cycling collective dedicated to road cycling. They embrace cycling not as a pastime, but as a way of life, as obsessed with style, heritage, authenticity and wisdom as with performance. They created a set of rules that when followed enable cyclists to adhere the complexities of cycling etiquette. THE RULES is their Bible. It is an essential part of every cyclist's arsenal - whether you're grudgingly cycling to work in the rain or gearing up to be the next Bradley Wiggins, Chris Hoy or Victoria Pendleton. 

Velominati – The Rules

1. // Obey The Rules.
2. // Lead by example.
3. // Guide the uninitiated.
4. // It’s all about the bike.
5. // Harden The Fuck Up.
6. // Free your mind and your legs will follow.
7. // Tan lines should be cultivated and kept razor sharp.
8. // Saddles, bars, and tires shall be carefully matched.
9. // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
10. // It never gets easier, you just go faster.
11. // Family does not come first. The bike does.
12. // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1. While the minimum number of bikes one should own is three, the correct number is n+1, where n is the number of bikes currently owned. This equation may also be re-written as s-1, where s is the number of bikes owned that would result in separation from your partner.
13. // If you draw race number 13, turn it upside down.
14. // Shorts should be black.
15. // Black shorts should also be worn with leader’s jerseys.
16. // Respect the jersey.
17. // Team kit is for members of the team.
18. // Know what to wear. Don’t suffer kit confusion.
19. // Introduce Yourself.
20. // There are only three remedies for pain.
    • If your quads start to burn, shift forward to use your hamstrings and calves, or
    • If your calves or hamstrings start to burn, shift back to use your quads, or
    • If you feel wimpy and weak, meditate on  Rule #5 and train more!
21. // Cold weather gear is for cold weather.
22. // Cycling caps are for cycling.
23. // Tuck only after reaching Escape Velocity.
24. // Speeds and distances shall be referred to and measured in kilometers.
25. // The bikes on top of your car should be worth more than the car.
26. // Make your bike photogenic.
27. // Shorts and socks should be like Goldilocks.
28. // Socks can be any damn colour you like.
29. // No European Posterior Man-Satchels.
30. // No frame-mounted pumps.
31. // Spare tubes, multi-tools and repair kits should be stored in jersey pockets.
32. // Humps are for camels: no hydration packs.
33. // Shave your guns.
34. // Mountain bike shoes and pedals have their place. On a mountain bike.
35. // No visors on the road.
36. // Eyewear shall be cycling specific.
37. // The arms of the eyewear shall always be placed over the helmet straps.
38. // Don’t Play Leap Frog.
39. // Never ride without your eyewear.
40. // Tires are to be mounted with the label centered over the valve stem.
41. // Quick-release levers are to be carefully positioned.
42. // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
43. // Don’t be a jackass.
44. // Position matters.
45. // Slam your stem.
46. // Keep your bars level.
47. // Drink Tripels, don’t ride triples.
48. // Saddles must be level and pushed back.
49. // Keep the rubber side down.
50. // Facial hair is to be carefully regulated.
51. // Livestrong wristbands are cockrings for your arms.
52. // Drink in Moderation.
53. // Keep your kit clean and new.
54. // No aerobars on road bikes.
55. // Earn your turns.
56. // Espresso or macchiato only.
57. // No stickers.
58. // Support your local bike shop.
59. // Hold your line.
60. // Ditch the washer-nut and valve-stem cap.
61. // Like your guns, saddles should be smooth and hard.
62. // You shall not ride with earphones.
63. // Point in the direction you’re turning.
64. // Cornering confidence increases with time and experience.
65. // Maintain and respect your machine.
66. // No  mirrors.
67. // Do your time in the wind.
68. // Rides are to be measured by quality, not quantity.
69. // Cycling shoes and bicycles are made for riding.
70. // The purpose of competing is to win.
71. // Train Properly..
72. // Legs speak louder than words.
73. // Gear and brake cables should be cut to optimum length.
74. // V Meters or small computers only.
75. // Race numbers are for races.
76. // Helmets are to be hung from your stem. When not worn, helmets are to be clipped to the stem and draped over your handlebars thusly.
77. // Respect the earth; don’t litter.
78. // Remove unnecessary gear.
79. // Fight for your town lines.
80. // Always be Casually Deliberate.
81. // Don’t talk it up.
82. // Close the gap.
83. // Be self-sufficient.
84. // Follow the Code.
85. // Descend like a Pro.
86. // Don’t half-wheel.
87. // The Ride Starts on Time. No exceptions.
88. // Don’t surge.
89. // Pronounce it Correctly.
90. // Never Get Out of the Big Ring.
91. // No Food On Training Rides Under Four Hours.