Cyclist riding to Mazar-e-Quaid on 14th August to pay tribute. ( Image courtesy CMK FB group) In the past 5 years, a lot of cycling groups have sprouted in the main cities like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. These are generally open to newcomers to join and enjoy the group rides organised by these groups usually free of cost. Here is the list of some of the major groups in the country. Critical Mass Karachi (CMK) : This is definitely the mother of all cycling groups. Established in the mid 90's October 2009 by a handful cycling enthusiasts on the basis of Critical Mass ideology , CMK has become the largest recreational cycling group in the country. Its fortnightly ride is typically joined by 300+ cyclist comprising of people of all ages and gender. It is mainly operated via CMK facebook group . They also have a dedicated group for newbies and children called Critical Mass Karachi Junior . FreeRiders (Karachi): FreeRiders , as the name suggests, are free souls w
We have all been there in the beginning, made a silly mistake or did not do something really simple needed, ending up with the same result, an abandoned ride or, in the worst case, an injury. So let us take a look at the common mistakes that new cyclists need to look out for & try to avoid when starting out. Ride with Incorrect Saddle Height This is by far the most common beginner's mistake. Due to fear of falling, new cyclists generally set the saddle height too low to be able to put both feet flat on the ground. While this gives us a sense of security, it also puts extra strain on the knees which eventually results in painful knees. Continuing to ride like this will cause knee injury. Refer to our earlier post on Basic Bike Fitting to know how to properly set up your saddle. Pushing Hard Gears / Not Using Gears at all Bicycles today generally come with multiple gears to help the rider cope with elevation/terrain changes while maintaining comfortable pedaling pac