I Feel 38 Years Younger!

Khadija Patel didn’t get on a bike for 38 years. Now the Walthamstow Senior Inclusion Assistant is making up for lost time—having fun with new friends, inspiring her school colleagues to cycle, and taking on the Mini-Holland critics. 

Interview by Carolyn Axtell, edited by Rosalind Grainger.

What are your first memories of cycling?

I had a brilliant childhood—and riding bikes played a big part. I grew up in Barclay Rd, Walthamstow and the local streets of Walthamstow Village were my playground. My brother Mohammed and I were outside as often as possible, cycling up and down our street, playing conkers in the alleyways.

There were no mosques or madrasas in Walthamstow back in the early 1980s, so every day from 5 to 7 pm, we’d go over to Leytonstone for our Islamic education. Then we would ride over see our friends at weekends, just my brother and me. He knew all the back routes, but on reflection I do think there was a lot less traffic, so the roads were quieter. 

Mum didn’t speak much English when I was young, so she wasn’t confident about going shopping. Mohammed and I would bike to Bakers Arms to buy all our fruit and veg from the market stalls. 

Why did you stop riding a bike?

Once I reached puberty Dad was worried what people in our community thought - it wasn’t normal for girls to cycle. In the holidays my brother and I would go out on our bikes at 11 am and come back at 9 pm and hang out with our friends, but as I was becoming a young woman he thought it wasn’t appropriate. 

Although he was quite open-minded, I think other parents would make comments to my dad when they noticed me out riding – it was unusual for young Asian women to have that kind of freedom. I was busy with studying, so I just got on with life, as young people do, and don’t remember giving it too much thought.

Pedal forward 38 years…

I only started cycling again because Carolyn Axtell kept pestering me about it! She kept asking when I was going to come on a ride or have a lesson and I kept saying “I’m too stressed and too busy with work”.

She’d say I could cycle to work instead of taking my car, but I didn’t feel ready. Secretly, I did rather like the idea of getting back on a bike but kept telling myself I was too busy. Then about two years ago, my friend Soriaya, who had started going on led rides, encouraged me to come with her and before I could make the excuse that I didn’t have a bicycle, she told me bikes were provided as well and she’d already booked me a space!

I thought “why not, my kids are all grown up now. I need to make time for myself, have my own time after work instead of running around looking after everyone else. I need my own bit of freedom.”

I was scared as I hadn’t cycled for 38 years and worried I might fall off, but I quickly felt confident again. My body still remembered what to do!

We went to the marshes and it was amazing. I’ve lived in Walthamstow all my life, but I’d never been to the River Lea or Springfield Park - I’d heard of Coppermill Lane but I’d never been up there to the river. I loved it. 

I was shocked to see all this natural beauty was so near and I never knew about it! I wanted to start riding more as a hobby, as something for myself. So I borrowed my daughter’s old mountain bike and off I went.

Did you need help to feel confident on the road?

I started cycling to the school where I work, and I realised the bike I’d borrowed from my daughter was quite heavy. Once it was raining heavily and I slipped, hit a ridge in the church yard and came off – I realised I needed some lessons to keep myself safe.

So I booked some training with Vieve from JoyRiders. My lesson was at 8am, before school, and it was pouring with rain. We considered cancelling but I wanted to conquer my fear of slipping and falling off. I learned about primary and secondary position on the road and I felt much more confident. She taught me to own the road, to “take the lane”. I would still get off and walk near Wood Street junction as it was too busy for me.

My husband bought me a lighter bike, although it was a bit small. I did the maintenance course as well. I started cycling to the market and putting my fruit and veg in the basket, cycling to my mum’s at the weekends, my sister’s house, my brother’s house – all those journeys I used to do by car. I started getting other people to cycle, other family members, cousins, colleagues. I even encouraged one colleague to start cycling to work and we started cycling there together as she wasn’t confident to go on her own. 

I found out about the Cycle to Work Scheme and got the school I work for to sign up for it. Many of my colleagues said they couldn’t afford to buy a bike outright so I persuaded them to get one through the scheme and I’m proud to say that now four of them have applied and bought bikes that way. 

Has your opinion of the Mini Holland project in Waltham Forest changed since you became a cyclist?

I’ve done a U-turn now I’m a cyclist! As a driver I thought, "how will I get to see my parents in the village? Oh My God - there are no shortcuts, just going round in circles!" I stopped visiting them for a while because the drive was so long that it didn’t leave me time to get home and cook for my family. So I did resent mini Holland because it felt like it was the reason I couldn’t see my parents as often. I’ve got a 4x4 and can’t get into small parking spaces either!

But once I started cycling I realised it would be so much quicker to stop off and see them by bike, and I can cut through all the back roads. I don’t have time for the gym, I don’t do any other exercise. But now I can get my exercise and get from A to B as well. 

I’ve gone from signing petitions against the road closures to saying ‘Mini Holland benefits us, because more cyclists means less cars on the road! And the new cycle paths keep cyclists safe!” The Lea Bridge Rd cycle lane from Whipps Cross all the way to Hackney is just brilliant. I would definitely vote for more road filters now though, because it would help more people to cycle. Before, I used the car for everything – for work, shopping, drop the kids to school, to get the kids to madrasa, to see my family. 

When did your feelings change?

When I started cycling on the roads on my own I realised how much safer it is. And it’s so friendly – other cyclists wave and say hello and smile and you don’t even know them – when you’re driving you don’t get that from other drivers! I get drivers behind me honking on Queens Rd and passing too close, I know what it’s like for cyclists now. As a driver I’m more careful now, I always check side streets for cyclists. 

I’ve been cycling in Amsterdam in February with a group of local women as well and that was great too (although it was a bit cold)!

I like the fact that I’ve been able to help other women by sharing what I have learned and passing on tips such as how to get a bike, where to ride, how to book a lesson. 

How does cycling benefit your relationships with other people?

With my friend Soriaya we have a laugh, we meet up and cycle to the market, get our shopping done, go for lunch, have a bit of social time and exercise, all rolled into one - it’s an excuse to meet up more often than we used to!

It’s brought me closer to other people I knew before. Two of the women who come on the rides are distantly related to me – our husbands are cousins. I feel so much closer to them through going on the rides together. It’s helped us to bond and develop relationships away from the rest of the family. Being a ladies’ cycling group is such a bonus, because we can relax and talk about whatever we want to. There is a sense of solidarity and community because we support each other and share information about bikes and routes and rides. 

Born and bred in Walthamstow I know so many people just to say hello - but through the group rides I’ve got to know so many of them. And I like meeting parents from the school where I work on the rides and getting to know them away from school - it’s social time, not work time. 

I’ve made plans to go cycling with colleagues from school during the holidays, it’s a chance to get to know them better. And all my cousins from Hackney, they are all in their 40 and 50s and many of them wear niqab (face veil) and their kids are grown up now, so they are really keen to start cycling and they can’t wait – they want me to teach them!

How do you feel when you’re cycling, especially with friends?

It’s like a weight is lifted, I feel happy, as if I’m free, I’ve got no worries!

What was your experience of Covid19?

I was really, really ill for about 6 weeks. I lost my sense of taste and smell. I couldn’t get out of bed for several days. I’ve never been so ill before in my life. I started feeling better during Ramadan.

How has JoyRiders helped you during lockdown?

I found the online coffee mornings really useful because I was just stuck at home feeling ill and not seeing anyone. It was lovely to see the other women and catch up, it gave me some sense of normality. The virus left me feeling vulnerable and anxious about going out, as I worried about getting ill again. 

Once I recovered enough, I was just working once a week and would avoid going out apart from that. I would go food shopping on the way home to avoid having to leave the house again. If I had to work on a Tuesday, I would log on to the coffee morning for a bit during my break, as it was so great to see everyone. And learning more about how to use navigational apps like Komoot was really useful. 

JoyRiders supported me to motivate myself. I’d see other women posting their pics of rides with their families, saying how happy they felt cycling around London. After Ramadan was over I thought, “it’s now or never, I need to get back on my bike and get out into the world.” I hadn’t been out on my bike for three months - I was terrified in case I fell ill again.   

So I persuaded some of my colleagues to meet up after school and cycle to the Olympic Park together – at a social distance of course! It was my first ride since before the lockdown.

How did it feel to be back on your bike?

Fantastic! I felt happy and confident again - it boosted my morale. I felt proud that I took my colleagues as it was a good antidote to the challenges of working in a school during all the Covid 19 difficulties. The ride really lifted our spirits - and so did the ice cream!

What does your Dad think about your cycling now?

He’s really proud of me! He loves it. Times have changed! He just says, “ring me when you get home so I know you’re home safe!” 

What kind of cyclist will you be in future?

More challenges, longer rides, charity ride, trips into the city. Hopefully all of those, during the six week summer holidays, when I have more time. A good 30-40km ride somewhere!

What would you say now to the woman you used to be, who hadn’t cycled since childhood?

I’d say, “You might think you are going to fall or look silly but we all feel like that at first. Just give it a go – forget home life for a while, enjoy yourself and meet some new people!

“You get to exercise, you get to socialise and make new friends, you can explore your surroundings. It’s great learning all the shortcuts and different routes. And you’ll have brilliant fun—so what are you waiting for?!”

What about your brother, Mohammed – does he still cycle?

Well, he hadn’t cycled since we were kids either, he’s a big fan of fast sports cars! But with my influence and the Covid19 cycling boom - that’s now changed.

He bought a brand new bike yesterday! Today we went cycling together for the first time in 38 years and we had a wonderful time – but this time it was my turn to lead the way and show him all my favourite routes!”New paragraph