My proudest moment on my bike

For some time now, I have been reading the Fat Cyclist’s blog. His latest post asked for people to tell the story of their proudest moment on a bike.

And that got me thinking…

So, where do you start?

Should it be the longest ride I’ve ever done? After all, it always feel good when you’ve done that extra mile!

The one with the most climbing? Maybe one for the roadies, but does anything feel better on a bike than getting to the top of a big climb – legs burning and nearly coughing up a lung?

What about the quickest? Surely, if you like riding a bike, you like riding it fast.

All good contendors.

What about something less literal. The proudest moment on my bike was my first ride on my new carbon bike (or titanium or aluminium). Or how about.. I was never more proud than when I was last on my bike, just because it was the most recent.

Well actually, my proudest moment on my bike was nothing like any of those.

I didn’t go anywhere, didn’t move in fact for over 8 hours. I rode my bike all the time (apart from the odd toilet break) on a turbo in the foyer of my local supermarket. With a banner behind me promoting a ride I did for Diabetes UK and my family around me with collecting tins. We asked the local shoppers to drop a bit of loose change in the tin as they came past. We talked to some of them about Diabetes. We talked to others about cycling.

We raised over £500 in one day. That made me very proud. I love riding my bike and picking out any one moment based on any or all of the above criteria would be impossible. Any ride is a good ride, after all.

The reason I chose this ride was we made a difference. Not a big one, but the money raised will go a small way to helping others who (like my son) are diabetic. And nothing makes me prouder than being able to make a difference whilst riding my bike!