Pleasures of Biking
Through Bangalore

chillibreeze writer — Supriya Sehgal

No – This is not Pondicherry! You do not waltz in into a “Cycle Hire Here” shop and peddle away with a freshly manicured cycle, adjusted carefully for your height and suitable for your colour sensibilities. This is BIG BAD BANGALORE and cycling here is a tough feat.

A self proclaimed, though inactive, cycling enthusiast, I had to undertake this task to renew my waning fervor! So with fresh alacrity I commenced the rather difficult task of finding an appropriate bike, which would last me 40-50 kilometers to begin with or maybe make it to office for a couple of days. My dream destination for a cycling trip in Bangalore was Nrityagrama in Hessarghatta. Buying a new cycle would cost anywhere between Rs 900/- to Rs 4000/-, and the second hand ones were not less either, an investment I was not willing to make as yet. So the search began in the cycle repair shops at Madiwala, Adugodi and Jayanagar. Result – Nobody keeps cycles for hiring due to the falling popularity of cycling.

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After a grueling four day hunt, I managed to get my hands on a dilapidated Trail Blazer from a neighbouring cycle repair shop in Lakkasandra. The hesitant shop owner only agreed to lend me his own personal bike after much cajoling and a promise of Rs 50/- per day. Otherwise the going rate is Rs 6/- per hour but I wanted to keep the cycle for about 2-3 days.

So along with a once black Trail Blazer, sans a stand, a lock and a bell & an excuse for a seat, I began the rather perilous journey from home to office for a trial run. The obvious inconvenience was the overbearing traffic - Riding past zooming cars and the adventurous motorcyclists can be quite hazardous. Another area which I found that was not friendly to cyclists was parking. Since it is not a common practice to cycle to office, one should expect confused scowls and a hapless parking guard to systematically squeeze the drive out of you by his constant badgering about the inappropriate vehicle in his parking lot. I later found a solution which made me walk about ½ a kilometer – a two wheeler parking in the nearby shopping mall (though they were a bit confused on how much to charge me).

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Hessarghatta for the weekend seemed a little ambitious so I settled for a spin to Cubbon Park on a seductive Sunday morning. It’s advisable to take a detour from within the housing colonies to avoid traffic and also appreciate the architectural ingenuity of Bangaloreans on your way. After some furious peddling to conquer the subtle undulating terrain of the Bangalore roads, I reached Cubbon Park, where one can cycle without any obstructions. I cycled past 10 O’clock post-breakfast siestas, formative ball throwing talents and experimental kisses behind well concealed foliage of the trees, to be welcomed by Queen Victoria followed by Edward VII, King of Great Britain and Ireland. Both statues hold great significance in the history of Bangalore and also re-iterate the tolerance of the people, not only now but decades ago, to have the statues of these international figures in the heart of the city.

The road curved into a bumpy lane with the Press Club of Bangalore on my right, standing all bright red and cheerful with the quaint Electoral office by its side. Owing to my bad road sense and loss of direction, I was thrilled to find that the same unassuming lane leads to the towering Vidhan Soudha. Then it was back to Mitra Vihar at the beginning of the park, bustling with activity and squeals of children in the amusement park. The park was well equipped with pineapple and mango vendors, cold drinks and the likes for a suitable break. I rode past St.Marks, Lavelle road, and into the parallel lanes of Museum Road. One such charming lane was the Guest House Road, with typical Bangalorean bungalows in brown stone built around a dense park.

There is no denying that Bangalore cannot boast of good roads to delight walkers and cyclists, but with a bit of caution about the lights and heavy traffic areas, it is the best way to discover Bangalore. The trip, though not long, was a successful acquaintance with the cycling scene of Bangalore and a great prelude to my freshest association with this activity.

Next Stop – Hessarghatta!

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Supriya writes for chillibreeze.