Straight from our Stortford store, we talk to adrenaline junkie, Nida, about her passions in the cycling world.
Originally from Lithuania, Nida grew up in Enfield, and always had a passions for bikes.
“From a young age, I was riding out with friends as much as I could – which made me fall in love with the bike world. I love football, riding, anything active, really. I also have a strong creative streak, making customised trainers, apparel and more recently learned to tattoo.”
Nida has worked a while in the cycling industry, originally at Evans Cycles, before she heard about Highway Cycles through a mutual friend.
“I was craving a little more of a hands on approach to my work with bikes. So, landing a job at Highway Cycles has been amazing. The fact that I get to work on bikes and learn more each day as a mechanic has been huge for me.”
Riders begin their cycling journey for a multitude of reasons, for some its convenience, for others it’s to improve their overall health. For urban rider, Nida, it has become a way of life for her; encompassing her free time and social circle.
“Riding for me started as a reason to leave the house. I always longed to be outside and I was constantly chasing the high from learning tricks with friends. It has become a more social thing over time, too, as some of my closest friends, I have met through being out on the road. I ride for fun, and love developing my skills and style of cycling. Wheelies are my go to favourite move. When I’m not riding in the city I’m out in the countryside or in nature reserves.”
Nida, currently rides ride a Specialized Turbo Levo SL full carbon, an SP Rockhopper Expert 29, and an SP Rockhopper Pitch, which she states she does her best tricks on.
A strong advocate for getting more women into cycling, Nida feels that women should feel encouraged to get out there and chase their passions, and particularly on her cycling journey, she has felt part of a strong community.
“It’s amazing that there are more and more women being promoted in cycling- we deserve it! It serves as an inspiration to me to stay true to something I love so much, and to keep riding. Even in in my everyday bike life, such as my ride outs with friends in London, it’s an incredibly male heavy dominated community and I’m often the only woman there.”
She added: “They see me as one of the group, which is great because we have that love for each other and such a bond over riding together, but I can’t help but sometimes feel we need more women in these communities, to level the field. Seeing more women’s cycling in the media is so exciting, and I can only hope we carve out even more of a space to be seen.”
Ready to start your cycling journey?
Pop into one of our stores, or visit: www.highwaycycles.co.uk
