Personality of the Month - Simon Geller
What is your job or other main activity that involves cycling?
I am voluntary CTC Right to Ride for Sheffield, Chair of Sheffield University Cycle Forum (a BUG), Secretary of cyclenation, National Liaison Officer for cycleSheffield, secretary of the Northern Rail Cycle Forum, Cycling Lead Officer for Yorkshire and the Humber Transport Roundtable, and Sustrans Liaison Ranger for Sheffield & NE Derbyshire.
How long have you done that?
Over ten years.
Where do you live?
Sheffield.
What most encourages you about cycling where you live?
In Sheffield even mundane utility cycling keeps you fit because of the hills.
What most discourages you about cycling where you live?
The traffic and the occasional inattentive driver.
How would you describe yourself as a cyclist?
Primarily a utility cyclist although I enjoy leisure cycling as well.
What is your earliest cycling memory?
I learnt to cycle quite late, when I was about 10, which is perhaps why I have stuck to it, and remember my brother pushing me along the back lane where I lived and letting go so I sailed off by myself for the first time.
Where is the best place you have ever cycled?
I recently cycled in and around Santa Cruz, California which is very cycle-friendly.
What is your greatest achievement, in terms of encouraging more people to cycle?
Assisting in the formation of Pedal Ready, Sheffifeld’s cycle training co-operative.
What single thing do you think would do most to encourage more cycling in the UK?
More 20mph zones.
What has been your favourite cycling experience?
Cycling down to the cyclenation conference in Cambridge last year, and back via Leicester where I caught a train back to Sheffield.
What was your worst cycling experience?
Trudging around Eastern Europe in February with a Brompton.
What is it about using your bike that you like the most?
The sense of social inclusion when you exchange greetings with fellow cyclists.
The answers given are the opinion of the individual and do not necessarily reflect those of any organisation they may represent.
