Everyone has their own story about why they ride. Some of us started as a part of rehabilitation from injury in another sport, others when trying to reclaim their health; some do it for the competition, while many do it for the simple joy of freedom and adventure. We’ve all got a story to tell about why we ride and we asked you to share yours.
Every fortnight, we’re picking our favourite story and giving the person with that story the opportunity to come on a luxury training camp with two full days of riding in Victoria, courtesy of Jaguar. More immediately, winners will also get a copy of Velochef. There’ll be six winners in total, chosen on the strength of their storytelling abilities, with entrants having submitted a short selection of words and a photo explaining why they ride.
There’s only two more chances at winning, so get your #JaguarCycling photos and stories in so you don’t miss out!
Here are our third and fourth winners and a selection of our favourite entries so far.
Winner 3:
“To explore new places and cultures in the non-confrontational way that only a bike allows. People the world over ‘get’ bikes. It’s a leveller.” – Matt
Winner 4:
“Wobbly legs, fingers stinging from the cold, my heart beating through my chest, snot (everywhere), cool air filling my lungs; me, my bike and the climb… And then, when our reps are done, we gather in silence (too breathless to speak) as the sun starts to rise, in a quiet suburban street. There’s just enough energy left to snap a cheeky selfie. All this before thousands of people have woken up. They’ve got no idea what they’re missing… #JaguarCycling
#whyiride” – Bridge
Some of our favourites:
“Today was another reason why I ride. Early mornings out in the Dandenongs are nothing new, but taking a road that you have never been along and uncovering new terrain, new views and new memories.” – Leigh
“Why do I ride? To me, cycling is all about the friendships formed and the freedom it provides. With the ubiquitous nature of technology today, conversations are more often than not done from behind a screen. The bicycle brings back this lost art and enables conversations to flow with the added benefit of getting legs of steel and smiles that no other form of transport can provide. #jaguarcycling” – Dean
“I’m not particularly competitive. I don’t track splits. I’m not gunning for KOM. As long as I am making confessions, I probably couldn’t even name all the components on my bike; let alone their model numbers.
Nevertheless, I am drawn to get up before the rest of my family and tip-toe quietly out the door on a weekend morning. Rain or shine, pre-dawn darkness or sunny afternoon, there is a smile on my face as I power up a hill or white knuckle it through a corner I’ve taken at the edge of my ability.
I can’t tell you #whyiride, but I continue to find joy in the effort to figure it out.
#JaguarCycling” – readerreader
“I ride for the freedom, the solitude, the amazing moments that otherwise would have gone unnoticed. I ride, because I love to.” – Amy
“I ride to catch up with my mates, spend some quality time in the sun and take lots of pics of my bike” – Charli
“Why do I ride? Because I can’t be a MotoGP racer but still want to corner like Vale.” – passioniciclismo
“#jaguarcycling Why do I ride? There’s a real simple pleasure in the mechanics of how a bike works. I love tinkering, fine tuning and refining each millimetre of the bike to make it perfect. Riding with friends becomes a time where you can talk about anything and everything, and it doesn’t matter. Some of the best stories come out whilst on a ride. The camaraderie mixed with the challenge of getting up that hill you didn’t quite do or struggled with last time make it one of the best sports. It never gets easier, you just go faster. #whyiride” – Christopher
“Why I ride: my bike is the place where the bulk of my life stops & the freedom of life begins. The escapism along with the stimulants of the environment I ride in makes me happy! #JaguarCycling. Went in search of dirt & vert this morning, out in the Dandenong Ranges. Was not disappointed. Some gems out there.” – Leigh