Do The Bunny Hop
by Nitya Rao
Indian Express - June 11,
2005
The UK-based biking giant Firefox wants to infuse biking culture in India.
Are the terms ‘Bunny Hop’, ‘Hardtail’, ‘Endo’, and ‘Wheelie’ Greek to you? Well, the launch of the Firefox Bike Station, a showroom that stocks the internationally sought after all-terrain, BMX and mountain bikes, aims to patch holes in your limited knowledge of this niche sport. The store is located on MG Road in Delhi.
“It’s tough to break into Indian market,” says Hemant Dewan, marketing manager, Firefox, as he sets up the colourful bikes outside the Metropolitan Mall at Gurgaon. “For one, there are very few biking trails in Delhi, the heavy traffic isn’t conducive to adventure biking, and the weather here can really sap your energy!” Despite these pitfalls, there’s something to look forward to. “There are some trails you could try.” Dewan adds helpfully. “Sanjay Van near Mehrauli, and the Ridge Road near Gurgaon could be developed into cycling hang-outs.”
Meanwhile, RJ Shamshir Rai Luthra tries to hop onto a sparkling white all-terrain that matches his attire.
“Don’t the seats come in sizes?” he jokes, as he tries to put on the helmet, the wrong way round. “Besides going to the gym, there is no other way for people to stay fit in a city like this. Infact, some of the most romantic Bollywood numbers are picturised on cycles, so cycling can be great couple therapy too!” he laughs. Funny he should say that, for in the entire half-hour he barely manages to pedal a few yards.
A group of curious onlookers gather around the bikes. A biker on the Viper model darts in and out of the crowd, doing ‘wheelies’ (from wheel in the air), ‘endos’ (back wheel suspended) and ‘bunny hops’ (both wheels suspended simultaneously) on a ’hard trail’ (bike with no rear suspension). ¬¬”That’s a four-frame mountain bike, with an alloy frame and 21-speed Shimano gears,” says Dewan.
Priced in the mid-segment at Rs 12,600, the Viper comes in shiny copper, with an adjustable saddle, discbrakes and tubeless tyres. There are kids’ bikes too, priced between Rs3,000 and Rs 4,000.
The high-end stunt bikes cost upwards of Rs21,000. With showrooms planned in Chandigarh. Pune and Bangalore in the coming months, a “political rally” in the Capital from Rastrapati Bhawan to Rajghat on October 2 and a desert rally scheduled to be organized in Jodhpur this winter, the cycle seems to have just begun.
