Abu Dhabi corniche is playground for cycling enthusiasts

Abu Dhabi: Summers might be harsh in the UAE, but this has not deterred cycle enthusiasts from hitting the pedal.

Every evening there is a rush at the Abu Dhabi Corniche with people thronging to rent bikes and karts. “There is a huge demand and people love cycling. Demand has not dropped despite the summers,” said Hassan Olawale, assistant marketing manager, Fun Ride Sports.

Fun Ride Sports offers cycles for rent at four rental stations along the corniche boardwalk. “We recently introduced four-seaters. It mixes fun and fitness for a family. So they can go around together and enjoy the evening.

Olawale said specially designed bikes for ladies who wear abayas have become a big hit. “We wanted to encourage women in abayas to also enjoy cycling. We provided them with a bike called city bike, with the chains covered and a low frame so they can climb and ride the bikes easily.

Promoting cycling

“Our vision is to aim at promoting cycling sport and making it a part of the lifestyle for people in order improve the quality and value of life,” said Olawale.

“We also have a group called Abu Dhabi Cycling Group. Initially not many were keen on the idea of cycling here largely because of the weather, but once we provided people with safety measures and educated them on the benefits of cycling, many embraced the idea. Even schools, organisations and hospitals have joined in to encourage cycling,” he said.

Fun Ride Sports also conducts Yas Cycling at Yas Marina Circuit. “We started in February, 2012 to introduce cycling on the track. We started with 50 hybrid bicycles and in four months, we had to increase the number to 200. We also included road bikes because customers said they needed racing bikes.

Women’s day

This motivated them to have an exclusive evening only for women. “This year we approached the municipality. Every Wednesday is kept aside for women, who are allowed to ride bikes, run and exercise through the evening with their friends and family. The numbers kept growing and now a large number of Emiratis and expats are there every Wednesday,” he said.