The Ride We All Left Behind

The Ride We All Left Behind

Every one of us in India has a childhood memory tied to a cycle. Those early morning rides, neighbourhood races, the feeling of wind on our face, cycling was once a universal part of growing up. And then, at some point, we all stopped. We chose engines over pedals, convenience over effort, and routine over passion.

Before diving into his story, it’s important to know the young rider behind this journey. Sandeep Munda, known to most as Googlu, is an 18-year-old from Haratu, Tatisilwai in Ranchi, Jharkhand, whose world still revolves around something many of us left behind years ago, a cycle. Quiet in nature yet fiercely determined, he has the kind of self-driven spirit that turns an ordinary bicycle into a symbol of discipline. As an MTB freestyle rider and dedicated wheelie enthusiast, he doesn’t treat cycling as a childhood memory; he treats it as an extension of himself, a part of his identity that has grown with him instead of fading away.

The Beginning: A Simple Wheelie That Changed Everything

It didn’t start with a dream or a plan, it began with a moment. A friend would visit his house every day with a cycle, and one afternoon, out of pure instinct, Googlu tried a wheelie. It wasn’t perfect, but it lit something inside him. Most kids try it, laugh, fall, and forget about it the next day. But he didn’t.

He kept thinking about the rush it gave him, the balance it demanded, the focus it required. Soon, practicing on his friend’s cycle wasn’t enough. He bought his own cycle, sometimes even adding small stickers to it, not for design, but as tiny reminders of moments, falls, and milestones only he understood. That became the turning point, where curiosity slowly turned into commitment.

When a Cycle Became a Calling

One unplanned trip with his friends changed everything. They rode out together, no fixed destination, no big expectations, just the road, the moment, and a sense of freedom that only a cycle ride can give.

That experience stayed with him long after the trip ended. For the others, it was a fun outing. For him, it was the beginning of something far deeper. He realized that cycling wasn’t something he could do only on weekends or when the group was free. It was becoming a kind of escape, a kind of truth.

Adventure, for him, wasn’t a break from routine, it was the routine he was willing to build his life around. Sometimes he'd even wear the same old t-shirt on every ride, not because it was his favourite, but because it had been with him since the early days of practising wheelies, a small, personal ritual that only true riders understand.

Riding Alone in a World That Moved On

As his passion grew, his circle grew smaller. The same friends who once practiced with him slowly drifted away from the sport. Life pulled them in different directions. But he didn’t stop.
He practiced alone. Rode alone. Progressed alone. And in that solitude, he found clarity.
This is where Googlu becomes unforgettable. We all grew out of cycling. He grew deeper into it.
The real test of passion isn’t how loudly you start, it’s how silently you continue. When the world around him stopped pedaling, he kept moving. His discipline wasn’t romantic or dramatic. It was simple, persistent, and internal.

Sometimes he’d personalize his cycle with a small sticker after a good practice session or keep a torn riding t-shirt as a memory of an intense training day. These weren’t decorations, they were markers of a journey only he was committed to continue.

That consistency is what separates a hobby from a lifestyle, a memory from a purpose.

The Rider Who Finds Peace in Motion

For many, cycling is a workout. For some, it’s adrenaline. For him, it’s Shaanti, peace.
This isn’t about proving something to the world or chasing applause. It’s about the quiet satisfaction of balance, the controlled rise of a wheelie, the smooth glide of the tyres, and the meditative silence of early morning or late-evening rides.

He rides because it centers him.
He practices because it calms him.
He continues because it defines him.

What makes his journey inspiring is that he doesn’t chase motivation externally. He built his own. And now, without aiming for it, he has become an unintentional inspiration to others, especially those who once loved their cycles but never returned to them.

A Vision, a Message, and a Future on Two Wheels

Googlu’s message is simple, but it speaks volumes: “Look at everyone equally. Stay humble. Stay kind.”
Adventure taught him humility, perseverance, and a certain emotional maturity that becomes rare as we grow older. His dream isn’t to compete with anyone, it’s to make his name remembered, to carve a space in people’s hearts through dedication, not noise.

For anyone wanting to begin their own cycling journey, the essentials are minimal, a solid cycle, basic protective gear, and the mindset to keep showing up. A helmet, gloves, knee guards, and even a small safety sticker on your bike or helmet can make you feel a little more prepared. And that old t-shirt you love? It will become part of your story, just like his did.

But the real requirement is the willingness to start and the courage to continue.

Googlu’s story is not just about a cycle.
It is about a choice, to hold on to something the rest of us left behind.
And that is what makes his journey worth following.