There is a weird psychological barrier that stops a lot of us from getting on a bike: One is the necessary gear, and the other is the attitude.
You drive past a group of cyclists on a Sunday morning, and they look intimidating. They are wearing matching Lycra kits, dark sunglasses, and shoes that make a loud clicking sound when they walk. They look serious. They look fast. They look like they are training for the Tour de France.
If that is what “cycling” looks like, it’s easy to feel like you don’t belong unless you have $5,000 to spend and 4% body fat.
What this blog post is about is to remind everytone that there is a massive difference between “The Sport of Cycling” and the joy of casual cycling. You don’t need to join the first group to enjoy the second. In fact, the casual side of cycling is where the real magic happens.
If you have been thinking about riding but feel intimidated by the “Pros,” here is why you should start anyway—on your own terms.
1. It is the “Cheat Code” of Exercise
If you have already tried running, you understood quickly that is hard work every single second. If you stop moving your legs, you stop moving.
Cycling has a magical feature called coasting.
You can pedal hard up a hill, sure, but you also get to fly down the other side without doing a single thing. It feels more like play and less like a workout. You can cover 10 kilometers in the time it takes to run 3, and you get to see way more of your city while doing it.
2. The “Bad” Bike is Fine
Don’t let the price tags scare you. Marketing will tell you that you need a carbon fiber frame, clipped-in shoes, and an aerodynamic helmet to have a “good ride.”
This is a lie.
A rusty mountain bike from your garage, a second-hand hybrid, or a heavy city bike will get you from point A to point B just fine. As long as the tires hold air and the brakes work, you have everything you need. The wind in your face feels exactly the same, no matter how much your bike costs.
3. You Can “Try Before You Buy”
What if you don’t even have a rusty bike in the garage? You still don’t need to buy one yet.
Before you commit space in your home or money from your wallet, just rent one. Use one of those heavy city-share bikes docking stations for a quick spin around a park, or rent a decent comfortable hybrid from a local shop for a sunny weekend.
It’s the perfect low-risk way to see if you actually enjoy the feeling of pedaling before you commit to ownership.
4. Expanding Your Radius
When you walk or run, your world is small. You generally stay within a few kilometers of your house.
When you ride, your world expands. Suddenly, that park across town is reachable. That coffee shop in the next neighborhood is just a quick 15-minute pedal away.
Cycling hits the sweet spot of travel: it’s faster than walking, so you can cover real distance, but it’s slower than driving, so you actually see things. You smell the pine trees; you feel the temperature drop near the river. It turns your local area into a map of adventures rather than a list of chores.
5. You Do Not Need the Spandex
There is a time and place for padded shorts (they do help on long rides), but for a 30-minute loop around your neighborhood? You absolutely do not need to dress like a superhero.
Wear your gym shorts. Wear a t-shirt. Wear your normal sneakers. The bike doesn’t know what you are wearing. The most important piece of gear is a helmet. Everything else is optional.
Stop waiting until you feel “ready” or “fit enough” to be a “Cyclist.”
Just grab a helmet, pump up the tires on whatever bike you have—or rent one for the afternoon—and go for a ride. Go slow. Coast when you want to. Stop for coffee.
You don’t have to be an athlete to enjoy the ride.