I grew up surrounded by fervent mountain bikers in central Pennsylvania, I toed the line with gaggles of aspiring pros in junior races near Lancaster, and I watched Penn State's cycling club expand from a dozen members to hundreds in less than a year. Now, I split my time between the avid roadies who live near Bicycling's office and the quirky, resilient city riders of Philadelphia, where I live. At a glance, these communities don't have much in common beyond a love for bikes, yet I've loved being part of all these communities just the same.
So, what gives? How do scenes like these form on their own without some sort of blueprint for success? Is it infrastructure? I've seen mountain bikers form a community next to 10 miles of trails just as easily as others did next to thousands. Is it an abundance of cyclists? I've seen riding groups form in towns with populations as low as 3,400. Does a local event bind the community together? Most years, my college's cycling club had to travel to other states just to race.
Bu hikaye Bicycling US dergisinin Fall 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Bicycling US dergisinin Fall 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
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I'VE ALWAYS HAD A LOVE FOR SPORTS, starting with the usual team ones such as football and baseball. But that faded in favor of more individual pursuits. Watching my dad roll down the driveway to go for a ride, I wanted to do the same. The bike was my first taste of freedom, a freedom to do it my way.
THE RIGHT SADDLE CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE
UP UNTIL RECENTLY, I WAS, AT BEST, A TWICEa-month cyclist.
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CYCLISTS OF ALL LEVELS GO THROUGH various phases or eras over the years they spend in the saddle. For the vast majority of riders (myself included), these things happen privately, without fanfare.
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LIFE'S A BEAUTIFUL PUZZLE THAT COMES in all sorts of shapes, colors, and sizes.
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I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF INVOLVING myself in a few populous and dramatically different cycling communities.
CHOOSE GEAR THAT INSPIRES YOU TO HAVE FUN E
EVEN THOUGH I TEST LOADS OF CYCLING gear for a living, sometimes I get locked in on particular items and find it difficult to enjoy competing products, even if those products have obvious advantages.
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