When did you realize you were a cyclist? Share your story

The other day my wife was talking with a friend over the phone and referred to me as a “cyclist”. It was a little bit of a surprise to hear that word for the first time because I’ve never thought of myself as a cyclist.

And I’m not…

I just got on a bike again about a year ago, after so many years, now in my late 30’s. But it immediately brought back all these happy childhood memories. Back in the day when my brother and I shared the same little bike and that was pretty much the only toy we had because we were poor (and only because it was a gift from the church my parents used to go to). Days and days of fun riding around the block with friends.

Since then I started riding every day and just couldn’t stop. But of course, up to a few months ago, my bike was still an old MTB and, yes, I was riding with jeans, t-shirt and regular shoes on flats. Smashing those pedals at 70rpm (now I know about all my sins, so what? :slight_smile: ) and simply enjoying time with myself. Eventually, I got a road bike, a trainer, and joined TrainerRoad to start this wonderful journey and hopefully keep on learning from this fantastic community.

But I don’t feel like a cyclist. Yet. And that’s OK. I’m here for the long term.

So, how did you become a cyclist and what was your eureka moment?

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I hate to break it to you, but…you’re a cyclist.

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When my wife bought me a set of cycling bibs and jersey for my birthday. She still calls them “butt shorts” and occasionally accuses me of looking like a mandrill monkey, but her acceptance that this a hobby of mine solidified it for me.

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Now I want mandrill monkey bib shorts.

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My 4th ride. On my 3rd ride I got talked into doing a 60 mile ride. My first two rides were less than six cruising miles with no water bottles or food (I didn’t think I needed “those things” lol), but I was excited to be out riding.

Equally excited to be invited to do a ride like, that, I agreed to do the ride. At about 10 miles in, I crashed into some gravel (not protecting my front wheel) next to the bike trail I was on. I had three gashes on my elbow which still bears the scars. We rode to the store, got some peroxide and bandaged it up (despite being told I should go to the Dr for stitches). I wanted to finish the ride.

At the 40 mile point, I started cramping. I hadn’t drank any water, much less ate any food other than a banana to start the ride. I know. I know. I know, but no one told me I needed it and no one said anything while I was out. Lol That was evil. Lol. Anyway, I started cramping and ultimately my body shut down with about eight miles to go, leaving me hunched over my handlebars - almost in tears. Being a former football player and having ran track, I never had my body do something like that. That was a shock to me and quite frankly scared me. Lol I learned later I had bonked. Lol

When I got home, I started researching nutrition and hydration for cyclists. By the time I did my 4th ride, I was locked in to what I needed and from there learning what works for me. The telltale sign was unbeknownst to me a friend of mine at work went on a similar ride after getting his bike and gave up cycling after one ride. That was 4.5 years ago. I’m still riding (much more smartly) and his bike still sits in his garage, collecting dust. He won’t sell it cause he swears he’s gonna start riding again. Lol

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Just buy a set of bibs with a red chamois and flip them inside out for the win.

The 3rd bike sealed the deal for me on the OP.

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I want people to have to look at monkey ass the whole ride.

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Outside the box thinking. The bright coloration would be more baboon butt than monkey butt.

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When I went to bike shop for bar tape and left with a £3000 time trial bike.

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When I spent my own money on a bike.

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When I realized everything I do is planned around cycling. My wife kind of called me out on it “every time you want to know when I’m working it’s so you can plan your rides”…well, yea!

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I love this haha!!

My wife says I look like an old-timey weightlifter in my bibs!!!

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I can’t take credit for that one. I’ve had a couple people make comments about my bibs when they’re hanging inside out on the washing line.
Mandrill or Baboon. If you see one brightly coloured primate butt, you’ve seen them all.

You know you’re truly a cyclist when a washing line full of multi coloured skin tight Lycra outfits looks totally normal. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::raised_hands:t4:

I realized it, forgot it, then realized it again. I imagine many have a similar story. The first time was when I was 13 or 14. I had been into BMXing in the woods, then skateboarding. I became friends with a kid whose family was into bike touring. That got me into the world of road biking, and I rode the BRAG (Bicycle Ride Across Georgia) a couple times and even tried out racing. I scrimped, saved, earned, and borrowed enough money to buy a Diamondback Master TG with 105 components and clipless pedals (last days of the Centurion label). I was a cyclist. Then I turned 16, and the bike went in the basement.

Flash forward to age 37, and my oldest son is 5 and starting to ride a bike. I decide I should get a mountain bike so we can ride on trails together. I bought an entry level hardtail with a pogostick for a fork, and I take him to some “beginner trails” near our house. It is of course way too tough for him, but I loved it. I’m a cyclist! That was almost six years ago and it has been my big outlet from work and other stress. I plan my life to squeeze in one or two trail rides a week (begging, borrowing, saving and earning time now instead of money), have thrown cash at bikes I didn’t need, fantasized about other bikes I don’t need, started racing mtb, then tried cyclocross, bought a cheap dumb trainer, wore out a cheap dumb trainer, bought a smart direct drive trainer, did long road rides, swore off road rides after lots of discussions with my wife, did Zwift, did TrainerRoad, did some zwift races, more TR, executed a crosstraining plan, planned adventure rides, dreaming about Trans North Georgia, and so on. I wonder constantly why everybody doesn’t do this. They don’t know what they are missing.

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Probably without the big muscles, though :slight_smile:

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everytime i catch myself checking out my own legs :laughing:

I don’t know. Many of my earliest memories are my dad taking me for a ride. I’ve never stopped since.

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I started really feeling like a cyclist when I got clipless pedals and shoes. Before that I was going on group rides with toe straps.

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