And as expected from apna Salman, he will participate himself. Others who will be riding besides Salman, will be amateur cyclists, enthusiasts, professionals, housewives and schoolchildren, lending muscle to the charity event.
Salman is no stranger to cycling, this is something he’s been doing even while learning to walk, and now he owns several professional bikes that he uses to get around the city. Some are with 28 gears, some with 14, though he doesn’t use the gears so much. “Cycling gives me a kick,” he says recalling his BMX days as a boy when he would perform stunts, jumps and bunnyhops on the bike.
“Anything that increases momentum is a high, besides which it’s a damn good form of cardio and the best way to prevent pollution. Everybody in the city can afford a cycle. Go on, get one, it keeps you fit, and in Mumbai’s peak hour traffic — you reach your destination faster. When I travel by car, I’m on the phone, but when I cycle to a shoot, I get my workout done on the journey, and my evening is free.”
People have often seen Salman cycling from his Galaxy Apartments residence in Bandra to location shoots at Film City in Goregaon. “It takes me around 54 minutes,” he says, “which is less than a cardio workout. And I cycle like the postman or a doodhwala, slowly, I don’t bhagao the bike.” He has advice for first time cyclists. “The first three-four days, your butt will be sore, but that’s like in any other exercise. Don’t give up.”
He believes cycling helps people retain their youth for the longest while. “People past their youth, get it back once they get onto a bike,” he says. “For anything in life, if you have the enthusiasm and interest, there’s no way old age will get you.” And there’s one more thing cycling does for Salman Khan. It keeps him rooted and gives him a sense of being connected with life and reality. “In the future, if all that I have is gone, the cycle will still be there... so it’s best that I get used to it,” he smiles as he mounts his bike for a practice ride.
