(Subhajyoti Sen Sharma is a founder-member of Discover on Wheels. A former national-level kick-boxer, he took up cycling as a passion, which took him to places from Sunderbans to Hyderabad.)
I started cycling when i was in Class V, and certainly it was not easy to keep the balance initially as it happens with every other person.
Back then, my cycling was primarily for going to school and tuition but when i was in Class XI, i started to fall in love with my age-old Indian cycle. Lately, i found it enjoyable to the core and most importantly the freedom during my rides.
When i learnt that it maintains blood pressure, sugar level, and also build our legs strong like steel, i made a determination to not leave this --- as a mode of transport or as a sport. Before taking up cycling as a sport, i was a kick-boxer at national level. I completed my kick-boxing career and converted my stamina and endurance into cycling.
On a sultry summer morning in 2013, i met Supratim Pal, a senior cyclist in our city and we had a good ride in various terrain in and around the city. Our common love for bicycles made our journey enjoyable and smoother.
After some days i met Nishant, who also is a good cyclist. Both of us rode several long kilometres to build our health and stamina better. We love to travel and tour on bicycles. I pedalled on to various places like Bakkhali, Bhalkimachan, Jharkhali, Sonakhali (Sunderbans), Bandel, Bansberia and several other places regularly.
In the first part of my bicycle touring, my touring partner was Biplab with whom i rode all the way to Bakkhali. Later, i found good company in Joynath'da, Supratim, Nishant, Chandranath, Anirban and my brother Sabyasachi.
After some successful trips beyond the boundaries of Kolkata, we decided to open an active cycling club in the city late last year. Thus born Discover on Wheels on the first day of 2014. As i said my focus has always been on sports. With Discover on Wheels, we added cycling to my sports career. In March, we thought to start duathlon in Kolkata. Planning went on for hardly 10 days before we launched it at New Town on April 6, 2014.
Kolkata Duathlon has been our flagship event. The main criteria of the event is that all participants have to run 5 km followed by 15 km of cycling. In the first event only, we got very good response. We continued the duathlon spirits in May also, when i had a podium finish!
In June, when the duathlon was put on hold because of monsoon, i started preparing for 200 km brevet in Hyderabad. Brevet is nothing but long-distance bicycling that has to be completed within a stipulated time. On July 11, we landed in Hyderabad as a team of Discover on Wheels --- Nishant, Supratim, Abhishek, Chandranath, Ashish and me. That evening i tasted what success is all about --- i learnt i am on the right tracks in cycling as i promoted myself to a randonneur.
I like speed and hopefully one day we shall witness many more youngsters taking up performance cycling as a serious sport like me.
I started cycling when i was in Class V, and certainly it was not easy to keep the balance initially as it happens with every other person.
Back then, my cycling was primarily for going to school and tuition but when i was in Class XI, i started to fall in love with my age-old Indian cycle. Lately, i found it enjoyable to the core and most importantly the freedom during my rides.
When i learnt that it maintains blood pressure, sugar level, and also build our legs strong like steel, i made a determination to not leave this --- as a mode of transport or as a sport. Before taking up cycling as a sport, i was a kick-boxer at national level. I completed my kick-boxing career and converted my stamina and endurance into cycling.
On a sultry summer morning in 2013, i met Supratim Pal, a senior cyclist in our city and we had a good ride in various terrain in and around the city. Our common love for bicycles made our journey enjoyable and smoother.
After some days i met Nishant, who also is a good cyclist. Both of us rode several long kilometres to build our health and stamina better. We love to travel and tour on bicycles. I pedalled on to various places like Bakkhali, Bhalkimachan, Jharkhali, Sonakhali (Sunderbans), Bandel, Bansberia and several other places regularly.
In the first part of my bicycle touring, my touring partner was Biplab with whom i rode all the way to Bakkhali. Later, i found good company in Joynath'da, Supratim, Nishant, Chandranath, Anirban and my brother Sabyasachi.
After some successful trips beyond the boundaries of Kolkata, we decided to open an active cycling club in the city late last year. Thus born Discover on Wheels on the first day of 2014. As i said my focus has always been on sports. With Discover on Wheels, we added cycling to my sports career. In March, we thought to start duathlon in Kolkata. Planning went on for hardly 10 days before we launched it at New Town on April 6, 2014.
Kolkata Duathlon has been our flagship event. The main criteria of the event is that all participants have to run 5 km followed by 15 km of cycling. In the first event only, we got very good response. We continued the duathlon spirits in May also, when i had a podium finish!
In June, when the duathlon was put on hold because of monsoon, i started preparing for 200 km brevet in Hyderabad. Brevet is nothing but long-distance bicycling that has to be completed within a stipulated time. On July 11, we landed in Hyderabad as a team of Discover on Wheels --- Nishant, Supratim, Abhishek, Chandranath, Ashish and me. That evening i tasted what success is all about --- i learnt i am on the right tracks in cycling as i promoted myself to a randonneur.
I like speed and hopefully one day we shall witness many more youngsters taking up performance cycling as a serious sport like me.
Nice work Subhajyoti, any work done with love and passions is always satisfying. Congratulations and wish you all the very best.
ReplyDeleteThanks you Sirji.... You are an inspiration for me in my real life
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