Last year, the “Pandemic Bike Boom” was a topic of discussion on Reddit. Wikipedia added 2020 to the periods in history when the bicycle was “rediscovered”. The pandemic with its punctuation on fitness and social distancing was just the inflection point the humble bike needed. During the closings, the closed gyms had left a void that the cycles rolled around to fill.

Raghu Vishal, current representative of Audax India Randonneurs, believes that the “pandemic cycling boom” would not stop at grassroots cycling, but would inspire many people, including women, to move towards ultra cycling.

Aarthi Lakshminarayanan, senior hiker with city-based Madras Randonneurs, reports an increase in the number of female hikers who are attempting the coveted Super Hiker title. “There must be 12 to 15 female trekkers in Chennai,” elaboartes Aarthi.

Qualifying as a super hiker is the pinnacle of ultra cycling, as it requires the rider to complete 200 km, 300 km, 400 km and 600 km (as hikers call “rides”) cards at the top. during a year of hiking (November to October), relying on little outside of themselves, except of course the cycle.

To encourage women to take up ultra cycling, the different sections of Audux India Randonneurs – recognized and empowered by the international governing body Audax Club Parisien to supervise all Brevets de Randonneurs Mondiaux (BRM) and Audax events in India – would have engaged. their own programs. To illustrate, Raghu names clubs across the country that have offered participants discounts on patent registration fees.

Reduced fees would help, but women find it difficult to cross two firewalls – personal and family security considerations.

A majority of female hikers are content to be just a hiker – which is accompanied by obtaining a 200 km certificate – and balk at the idea of ​​having to go on night hikes, essential in the patents. of 600 and 400 km.

Divya Iyer, one of the new hikers who is about to pass a 600 km certificate next week, points out that a 400 km would require a rider to spend a night on the road bike; and a 600km, two nights. This would raise questions of security and time.

Aarthi puts the problem into perspective: while men also struggle to reconcile demanding sport like this and other commitments, women are hit harder because they are seen as “caregivers”. The absence of a woman from the house for four days due to a 600 km patent is more severely felt, Aarthi points out.

Security vehicle

The issue of safety is indirectly addressed by a policy implemented by Audax India Randonneurs with the authorization of the Audax Club Parisien.

Raghu explains: “The former national representative of Audax India Randonners, Ms. Divya Tate, had made a special request to the Audax Club Parisien to authorize for India the concept of a security vehicle that would not follow the rider. at any time, but would jump in front of the rider to keep an eye out for them. The rider is not allowed to take supplies from the vehicle or any type of physical medium from it. This provision is not limited to women to ensure their safety, but rather was put in place because some roads in the country are isolated and lack emergency services, and some others which are not safe – we have the Gwalior club. which operates near the Morena district. where Dacoity often looks up. The Rourkela club face a challenge when they organize a 600 km, as they have to cross territories dominated by the naxals. Thus, this exception has been made for India for this purpose. The facility is not just for women, but the safety of women is one aspect of the multiple reasons the safety vehicle concept was allowed on BRMs at night and in dangerous sections.

He continues: “It is entirely at the discretion of the organizer to extend this facility to the runner. If this is only a daytime BRM, 200 km, and there is no safety issue on this route, and there are enough marshals and volunteers on that day- there the organizers may not be inclined to extend it to one of the runners.

The option of a safety vehicle stays with you as a heartwarming thought, says Aarthi, who has exercised it on several occasions.

She says: “A few times when I was driving alone I asked my safety car to meet me at checkpoints or follow me remotely. They cannot provide any support; they’re just there for security reasons.

Raghu explains the scope of the security vehicle:

“The safety vehicle is often driven by a relative of the rider, and we educate them on what they can and cannot do. What they cannot do is provide any support to the rider. What they can do is get ahead of the rider every few miles and keep an eye on him as he crosses his position and goes to the next point along the route. They must maintain a minimum distance specified in the policy; the rule even mentions very precisely that the motorcyclist is not supposed to circulate in the headlights of the car either. The rider must have their own cycle lights – tail lights and front lights. These checks are carried out before the journey is signaled.

Hiking gurus would recommend that the safety vehicle be kept as a last resort. The presence of other runners is the first line of safety.

“If there are a few women riding, they could ride with the group, which is good. If they can’t, then they can have their security vehicle, ”Aarthi explains.

What puts her at ease on the next 600 km patent is what she experienced during the 400 km patent (Chennai-Jamunamathur-Chennai route via Vandavasi).

“When I did the 400 km it rained non-stop for seven hours and we had blinders in our cycles. The lights on my bike had gone out due to the downpour. And on top of that, the dogs were chasing us, ”recalls Divya, and what shines through the memory of that tough race is how the male riders made sure they were there so the women didn’t. are not hurt.