Nitanshi Goel: Cycling feels like freedom on two wheels

Hindustan Times

03-06-2025

Cycling for many might be just a physical activity, but for Nitanshi Goel it is liberation. 'Cycling has always felt like freedom on two wheels,' the actor tells us on World Bicycle Day today, adding, 'It started out as a fun way to play as a kid, but over time, it became something more personal—a space where I could just be with my thoughts, away from everything else. It's one of those simple joys that never really goes away.'
Adding on to how the activity helps her be more at peace, Nitanshi Goel says, 'Cycling gives you that quiet time where your body is moving but your mind gets the space to breathe, it's a bit like meditation for me. Especially on days when things feel overwhelming, a short ride really helps me declutter my thoughts and reconnect with myself.'
Remembering her first bicycle ever, the actor shares that it was a 'little pink cycle with shimmery tassels on the handles'. She adds, 'I had even given it a name, I was that obsessed with it. It felt like my first real step toward independence. It's one of the first things I truly learned by myself. The tiny victories like finally riding without support wheels or learning to brake properly and then gradually riding with one hand, they meant the world back then.'
While she misses cycling regularly in Mumbai as she used to do in her hometown Noida, Nitanshi remembers one of her most adventurous rides on two wheels. 'I remember riding on a muddy slope during monsoon. I probably wasn't supposed to go that far, but it was such a thrilling little escape. The rain, the laughter; I came back drenched, but with a memory I'll never forget,' she recalls.
With the busy lifestyle we are leading today, Nitanshi insists that cycling is becoming more of a necessity than a hobby: 'We spend so much time indoors, glued to screens, and somewhere we've forgotten how refreshing it feels to just be outside. Cycling gives your body movement, your mind space, and your heart a little joy. It's such a simple thing, but it makes a big difference. It's such a gentle way of reconnecting — with nature, with movement, and with yourself. It doesn't take much, just you and a cycle. And in this fast-paced world, where everything is about productivity and speed, cycling reminds you to slow down and breathe.'