Long-distance cycling has increasingly become a pastime for many Kenyans. As a non-cyclist, you would wonder why you would want to spend your Saturday or Sunday riding over 180 kilometres. However, for those who have deeply fallen in love with cycling, the motivation varies; to stay fit and active, to enjoy the scenery or to see how far they can push their bodies.
BDLife spoke to ardent cyclists who have done 800 kilometres feat, and others 60km.
Jack Siro is a software developer and an avid cyclist living in Nairobi. Two weeks ago, he cycled alone to Kenya’s border with Ethiopia via Moyale. An 800km feat took him three days to complete, riding on his specialized Aliez road bike.
He made three stops; Archers Post in Isiolo, Marsabit and Moyale. His is a professional bike similar to what you would find in a professional race. He does not do any offroad rides hence his choice of bicycle.
“I left Nairobi on a Friday and was back on a Monday. I took time to rest and recover and got back to work the following day,” he says. He had wanted to cycle up north for some time and this trip presented the opportunity for him to achieve his dream. He cycles to work as well and every week, he covers between 200km-250km. He cycles to maintain his bodily fitness as well as his mental wellness.
Wendy Sigey, 27, has been cycling since 2021. A hobby she started as a way of killing boredom. She first joined a cycling community, Spinkings Kenya, for motivation and support, and to learn her way in the cycling world. She later founded her own community; Baisikeli Safaris. Wendy and her friends cycle 30km to 40 km every Tuesday.
Weekend rides are longer as there is more time and more people to ride with. Her longest ride was from Nairobi to Malindi with her cycling friends. The trip took them six days broken into four cycling days and two resting days with stops in Kibwezi, Voi, Mombasa and finally Malindi.
For Wendy, the social ties she creates and maintains while cycling are her biggest gains.
Wendy Sigey poses for a photo on October 16, 2023. She was a few kilometers from Emali headed to Kibwezi on her Nairobi-Malindi ride. PHOTO | POOL
“I love the social aspect of cycling, I meet people and build important friendships while at it,” Wendy who rides a BTWIN Decathlon road bike says.
For 23-year-old Kevin Kariuki, a professional cyclist and a professional bike mechanic in Nairobi, cycling has been a lifelong practice. He remembers cycling from as early as when he was five years old. He currently rides a Giant Road TCR ideal for his road races. He is part of many cycling communities, the most notable being Mama Cycling.
“For me, cycling goes beyond physical fitness. Every ride leaves me better mentally. My mind is very active after every ride,” he says.
"I also ride to create awareness. I have done a 57km ride for breast cancer awareness," he says.
Kevin was part of a cycling community that rode to Mombasa in under 24 hours in 2021 to raise awareness for sickle-cell anaemia.
Kevin Kariuki during the Nalendi Breast Cancer Awareness Road Race in Meru, on October 2023. PHOTO | POOL
How do they balance their busy lives with their cycling? Discipline is the codeword.
“For me, since I cycle to work out daily, I don’t struggle much with discipline. But one needs to be disciplined to keep at it,” says Siro.
For Wendy, it is dedicating time to ride. She is currently a law university student and a social media content creator both of which take a lot of her time. “Tuesdays for me are days to push myself even when I am not feeling like it. Cycling calls for discipline,” she says.
Dealing with bicycles daily is enough motivation for Kevin to always look for another opportunity to cycle.
“I think competing professionally and winning has also motivated me a lot," he says.
They spend weeks preparing for the long rides. “You need to build endurance and build muscle memory for the long rides. For instance, to ride the 800km, I had to take shorter rides to say Namanga and back to allow my body to acclimatise to such a stretch,” Jack says.
Other aspects of preparation are research on the route, finances, servicing of the bike and planning for accommodation and food.
“Come up with a realistic budget. Factor in all costs and include an emergency kitty. Punctures, repairs, accidents, fare back home," Jack adds.
For Wendy and the team, it included having a chase car drive behind them to carry their travel essentials, change of clothes, and emergency kits
For these three, the ride was one way, Jack came back to Nairobi by bus, Wendy and her team, used the train from Mombasa similar to Kevin and the team. The budget varies with the number of days and on-route activities. For a solo rider on a budget, Jack puts the estimate to be about Sh30,000 all-inclusive.
The ride is not always as smooth, the weather, fatigue and loneliness in the case of a lone rider like Jack, rank high among the challenges faced during these rides. For Kevin and his team, to cycle to Mombasa in under 24 hours, they had to ride in darkness for parts of the journey which is dangerous as the route goes through sections that have wildlife. “I was rained on three times on my journey.” quips Jack.
“For us, headwinds and crosswinds were a challenge we encountered on our way down to Malindi. Winds reduce your speed and you end up using more physical strength when you are riding against them,” says Wendy. This has however not discouraged any of them as they plan to take on even greater rides with time.
What does it take for one to take on cycling? First and so, you need a bike. If you prefer to cycle off-road, a mountain bike would be your best pick. Pick a road bike if your preference is roads. Bike prices range from as low as Sh15,000- to upwards of Sh1 million. You need cycling attire and gear, this includes helmets, proper shoes, sports gloves, cycling goggles, etc. Have your bike serviced and fitted with lights, water cages, etc. Joining a cycling community is encouraged especially for beginners.
