What inspired me to ride a bike?

What inspired me to ride a bike?

Some people would say, it’s passion for cycling, it’s for fitness, it’s a fun activity, or my friends/buddies got me into this etc. etc. For me, it happened way back around 2010 or 2011, I am with my wife(she was still my girlfriend back then), we were going to Tagaytay with a couple of friends for a sort of double date. I don’t drive even up to this very day, so she was the one driving and I was seated in the front passenger seat next to her. Then I saw this group of cyclists pedalling their way up the road, I don’t know where they are going but they have a good steady speed. We managed to overtake them, but as soon as the traffic slowed down, they caught up and overtook us. Then after a few junctions, we saw them again this time we were traveling at almost the same speed as them and I noticed the old man in the front, top-gone, grey beard pedalling, sweating and breathing hard but with steady cadence. I looked at him and was amazed at him. He’s already old but still lean and can ride at that speed, that far. I said to myself, I want to be like him. (Not that I wanted to be old with top gone) I want to be as healthy as strong as him even when I’m old. My physique back then is bordering on to the side of chubbyness. I didn’t know anything about road bikes back then, all I know about road bike is Tour de France, Lance Armstrong and his Livestrong Foundation. 2012 came and I was able to work with a tv network which aired the 2012 Olympic. I happened to be assigned on the Mens Road Race which is 250+kms long. My co-workers said good luck bro, you’d have to sit there for a while. My curiosity about bike was revived again. Then I realised these are expensive machines, that can go as fast as 45kph on flat roads and over 80kph or sometimes even faster downhill. I know I can’t buy any of these machine. So I forgot about it. But then I saw a bike somewhere on the internet that doesn’t have any brakes. It is vintage with leather grips and saddles and worn out paint. I like it. So I googled bikes with no brakes. There it was fixed gear bikes used in track cycling and by messengers in the US. And was in the movie premium rush. I told myself this is good. I saw that it is cheaper than the road bike. It is simpler cleaner looking and I can wear regular clothing while riding it (as seen on the movie) 2015 came, I finally was able to acquire a fixed gear bike with a flip/flop hub. It means I can ride it like a normal bike or flip the rear wheel to make it fixed gear. I’m using this bike until now for everyday going to work. I think I’ve never been more fit more than ever before. I think this is the way that I can be like the old man I saw going to Tagaytay on his bike.