Cycling enthusiasts taking their bikes out to explore Noida are a familiar sight on weekends. The cycling culture in the city has evolved over the years, driven by growing awareness of cycling’s benefits and the efforts of clubs such as the Noida Cycling Club to popularise the sport. If there’s one club that stands out in its endeavours to promote cycling, it’s the Noida Cycling Club. Over the years, the club has become one of the most recognisable names among cycling enthusiasts in Noida, thanks to its free-of-cost weekend group rides and the novel cycling experiences it creates for riders through landmark rides, Delhi-NCR explorations and pitstops at iconic eating joints.
A little over a decade ago, organised cycling was still a niche activity across most of Delhi-NCR. While individual riders could occasionally be spotted on city roads, large group rides, structured training sessions, and cycling-focused communities were far less common than they are today. The transformation began in 2011 with the formation of Noida Cycling Club (NCC) by former athlete and avid cyclist Aman Puri. His motive behind starting the club was simple: to promote cycling as a way of life among the people of Noida. NCC was among the pioneering cycling clubs in Noida. Many of the city’s other cycling communities were established in the years that followed, with several emerging only after 2015.
At a time when many people viewed cycling primarily as a childhood pastime or a mode of transport, NCC introduced a different perspective. The club helped people see cycling as a fitness activity, a social experience, an endurance sport, and eventually, a lifestyle.
Noida Cycling Club founder Aman Puri states, “When I founded the Noida Cycling Club in 2011, cycling was still a relatively niche activity and very few people viewed it as a fitness pursuit. As a former cyclist who had competed at national-level championships, including the National MTB Championships, I had experienced firsthand how cycling can improve fitness and build mental resilience. I felt more people should have the opportunity to experience those benefits. That’s how NCC began.”
Over the years, our weekend group rides have helped make cycling more accessible and enjoyable for people of all fitness levels. When you ride in a group, you’re more likely to stay motivated, stay consistent, and make cycling a long-term part of your lifestyle.”
More importantly, NCC helped create a culture around cycling. Regular weekend rides became a ritual. Early morning breakfast rides became a tradition. Experienced cyclists mentored newcomers, teaching them road safety, group-riding etiquette, endurance training, and cycling discipline. Riders who had never considered cycling beyond a short neighbourhood spin suddenly found themselves riding longer distances and becoming part of a growing community.
Over the years, thousands of riders were introduced to cycling through NCC. Friends invited friends. Colleagues joined colleagues. Families became involved. What started as a small group gradually evolved into one of the largest and most active cycling communities in Delhi-NCR. From just two members when it was founded in 2011, the club is today one of Asia’s oldest and largest cycling clubs, with over 8000 members. It has organised over 1600 rides across Delhi-NCR so far.
The growth of cycling in Noida was also supported by wider changes taking place across NCR. Fitness awareness was increasing, endurance sports were gaining popularity, better bicycles and cycling gear were becoming more accessible, and more and more professionals, especially millennials, were becoming interested in cycling as a means of busting stress brought on by hectic work schedules and busy lifestyles.
As these trends gathered momentum, cycling communities provided the structure and support that encouraged people to stay committed.
Noida’s wide roads and planned infrastructure certainly helped, but infrastructure alone does not create a cycling culture. Communities do. And NCC played a significant role in transforming cycling from an individual activity into a shared experience for thousands of riders across the region.
Beyond Noida: Building a Delhi-NCR Cycling Community
One of the biggest reasons behind NCC’s influence is that it never limited cycling to Noida’s boundaries.
While Noida became the starting point for many rides, the community’s identity was built around exploring the wider Delhi-NCR region. Riders regularly ventured beyond city limits, connecting Noida with Greater Noida, Delhi, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, Faridabad, the Yamuna Expressway corridor, and countless destinations in between.
Over time, cycling became as much about exploration as it was about fitness.
Weekend rides often took cyclists toward iconic landmarks, scenic stretches, village roads, highway routes, breakfast destinations, and roadside tea stops that became legendary within the community. Sunrise rides, long-distance endurance rides, and destination-based group rides created experiences that members looked forward to week after week.
For many riders, the stories, friendships, and destinations became just as memorable as the kilometres covered.
This culture of exploration helped distinguish NCC from a typical cycling group. It was not simply about riding within Noida. It was about building a community that used Noida as a launch point to discover the entire NCR region on two wheels.
Why Cyclists Love Riding in Noida
Mention Noida to most people and the first things that come to mind are traffic, office towers, expressways, and construction activity. Cyclists, however, experience a very different version of the city.
Before sunrise, Noida’s wide roads, smooth stretches, and relatively calm traffic create ideal conditions for riding. Some mornings are reserved for relaxed recovery rides through quiet sectors, while others see cyclists testing their endurance on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway.
Long weekend rides have become a defining part of the local cycling culture. Riders leave before dawn, chase the sunrise across NCR, stop for chai and breakfast along the way, and return home with stories that often become more memorable than the kilometres covered.
The variety of routes, combined with the camaraderie of group rides, is one of the reasons cycling has continued to grow in popularity across Noida and the wider NCR region.
More Than a Fitness Activity
For many people, cycling begins as a fitness goal. For many NCC members, it becomes something much larger.
Over time, riders often notice benefits that extend beyond physical fitness. Friendships deepen, confidence grows, and weekends gain a sense of purpose and community. For working professionals navigating the demands of NCR life, those few hours on a bicycle often become the healthiest and most enjoyable part of the week.
What began in 2011 as a small initiative by Aman Puri to encourage more people to cycle has grown into one of the most active cycling communities in Delhi-NCR. Over the years, NCC has done more than organise rides; it has helped create a culture around cycling in Noida. Through its weekend rides, shared experiences, and growing community, the club has encouraged thousands of people to embrace cycling not just as a fitness activity, but as a way of life.
