‘Cycling is a sport where you can spend time with kids’

American born Gary Fisher is considered to be one of the inventors of the modern mountain bike. He started competing in road and track races at the age of 12. Fisher has won many accolades in his professional cycling journey and was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 1988. The avid cyclist is in the city to talk about the importance of cycling and how a person can take it up as a profession. 

“My father bought me a road racing bike when I was 12. I was happy about the prospect of going cycling with other children (who are elder to me) from my neighbourhood. When I expressed my wish, they said, ‘You can’t come with us, you are too little.’ But I went with them and at the end of the ride, they said, ‘Gary, you are an okay rider. You can be a mascot of our club!’ Hearing this, I started to cry — I didn’t want to be a mascot but want to be a part of the riding club. They pacified and welcomed me to their club. I got a jersey which my mother had to cut down to fit me,” Fisher reminisces.

He was suspended from racing in 1968 because race organisers cited a rule that his hair was too long, and he refused to cut it. By 1972, the rule had been repealed and Gary’s racing career continued. “I always wanted to start a company on my own.  My roommate, Charlie Kelly and I started the company, MountainBikes, in 1979 with $600. I didn’t know how people were going to take it. But to our surprise, Americans liked cycling in the woods. It was like getting away from the cops, cars and concrete!” he smiles.

Gary observes how mountain biking and cycling have caught a lot of attention in India. “There is a great number of cyclists representing India in international competitions. I love coming to India because I am fascinated with the country’s culture — it’s the birthplace of a lot of ideas and philosophies. There are tremendous opportunities for people to enjoy the sport. It is one of the few sports a person could spend time with the kids,” he shares. 

The pioneer in the sport of mountain biking, Gary gives a piece of advice for adventure enthusiasts. “Find someone who is a little more experienced than you while venturing out for mountain biking. That way, you will get to challenge yourself,” the rider sums up.