After 15 years of dedicated (/obsessive?) leisure cycling, it’s time to get a life! To pursue other outdoors hobbies, and to face the myriad tasks that need doing around the house. I’m not quitting, just halving my cycling.
Total 208,000+km, av/annum 13,867km, av/mo 1,156km, av/day 38km. I have little evidence, Strava or otherwise, besides my monthly diary entries and the pile of my dead tubes!
I tried reducing my cycling after 10 years, even writing a similar article for News. But along came Covid, and cycling seemed the best way to stay healthy: body and mind.
Below I ponder what has made leisure-cycling such a great retirement hobby for me ….
The scenery of Sydney and surrounds
In the day-trip arc through Newcastle, Katoomba, Moss Vale, Kiama, there’s a terrific range of scenery to cycle through or aside. Variety is my spice!
Sydney’s Climate
I’ve long used a guideline of 10 to 30 degrees C for comfortable cycling, with low to moderate humidity. Sydney and surrounds, particularly near the coast, can deliver that for many hours most days of the year. Compare that to other cities, even in Australia.
Train & Ferry network for Sydney and surrounds
For most cycling day-trips, I use the train network and occasional ferry.
Transporting bicycles on trains/ferries/light-rail is free, and there is no peak-hours restriction. These are huge advantages over many cities, worldwide.
Another advantage of the train network is being able to catch a train upwind and cruise comfortably downwind.
My proximity to trains & ferries
I live a pleasant, quiet one km from train and ferry. And now, two km from Metro.
$2.50 Seniors Pass
The deal whereby 60+ year-olds working half-time or less can travel for 24 hours in the aforementioned arc for $2.50 TOTAL is, again, a huge advantage over most cities, worldwide. The cost of “commuting” to/from varied, enjoyable cycling is a non-issue.
Good use of transportation time is key. If alone, and maybe even if not, I read news etc. from my phone while “commuting”. And sometimes nap!
Cycling Infrastructure
Although there’s plenty of room for improvement, especially compared to Western Europe, there ARE many good shared paths and cycling lanes in Sydney and surrounds. And it’s a buzz to see the improvements over the years. Much credit to Bicycle NSW and the many advocacy volunteers in BUGs!
RidewithGPS and Smartphones
Navigational tool RidewithGPS (and similar) developed just in time for my hobby. Route planning became a sub-hobby. Then smart-phone navigation was available, phone screens and handlebar mounts kept improving. Creating routes on the phone became possible, adding “real-time” route flexibility.
e-Bikes
e-Bikes developed at a good time to prolong my dedication as the body aged, and grinding away uphill hurt more. I’ve always cycled for fun, the scenery, the freedom, the breeze on the bod. Fitness was a “biproduct”. I didn’t want my “cycling world” to shrink, as I’d seen with some pedal-powered “oldies”. Accusations of “cheating” are water off a duck’s back. I’m still fit for my age, but must manage “e-bike belly”!
Influencer-free
No domestic partner, pet, or pesky kid to perturb my priorities, impede my pedalling!
Cheap Travel
I’ve been lucky to “spend the kids’ inheritance” on travel, particularly for cycling. Cheap airfares and Airbnb have helped. I’ve enjoyed numerous trips to New Zealand and Europe, with a smattering of other countries. New Zealand has a vast network of easy-ish MTB trails, with scenery quite different from Oz. IMO, cycling is the right speed to see Western Europe.
Ride Buddies
Last but not least, lots of great people have been beaut company along the way. And leading hundreds of rides in BUGs and other formal/informal groups has satisfied my keenness to contribute. Thanks, ride buddies, for the help, bonhomie, and memories!
Richard Kelly, Oz Wanderer