Nature rides: Hyderabad Bicycling Club

Over 30 cycling enthusiasts were seen enjoying an early morning ride through the scenic Narsapur forest on Sunday. Organised by the Hyderabad Bicycling Club (HBC) as part of their weekly rides, the group drove through the by-lanes of Gachibowli, where they began, to reach the forest area, covering a total distance of 96 km.

Abhinandan Malhotra, a member of HBC says, “One of the primary criteria we look for before we select any location is whether it connects us with nature. Narsapur fits the bill perfectly as it has tremendous amounts of greenery.” Talking about the experience, Souvik Saha, an employee at a construction company in the city and a member of the club, says, “After working for most part of the week, amid maddening pollution in the city, it’s such an amazing experience riding through the Narsapaur forest. We got to enjoy the gentle breeze in the forest area in the early morning hours.” The ride wasn’t physically tasking either as he cycles regularly.

Having moved to the city from Kolkata two years ago, these bicycling rides help him learn not just about the city but also about the forests. He says, “Also, come weekends, we ride out together as a pack, which helps kill the monotony we would otherwise feel when travelling solo.”

For homemaker Jyothi Bezawada, riding to the forest gave her a break from her otherwise mundane routine. She says, “I don’t get to go on all the rides that HBC conducts as I have to make time for my children. But this week I was very excited as it was a ride into the forest area. Also,the fact  that good  weather played an important role in going for the ride.” The Hyderabad Bicycling Club, established in 2007, happens to be the largest online club in the world, with over 7,000 members. They have now collaborated with the Hyderabad Metro Rail and will be setting up bike stations at every metro station. D.V. Manohar, chairman of the club says, “We plan to provide first mile and last mile connectivity to all metro rail commuters.  We are doing this as per international norms.”