How people ride their footbikes in Spain

 

I would like introduce you the life of two sports enthusiasts, a beautiful pair, great people and travellers above all: Chití Martínéz living in Austuria in Spain and her partner Nacho Fernandez El Islandés Errante who lives in Oviedo in Spain. These two rode their footbikes through Iceland and gave us an exclusive interview (not only) about this journey.

 

Let us speak Chiti first. She wrote us this email with beautiful pictures in attachment:

It’s relatively not a long time, since I familiarized myself with the footbike. It’s about three months.

I was just making a great cycling tour from Wien to Tilburg, when I saw a footbike for the first time. It was in Köln, there was a man rapidly approaching, riding “something” that looked like bicycle but he kicked his leg off the ground. As we met, I noticed that it’s something between the footbike and the medium-sized bicycle. I thought immediately: “What a great machine” I love it!”

Some months later I could try footbike riding during the international bicycle show which was taking place in Amsterdam.

My first model I started to ride was the Big Wheel Hudora Gc205 wheel which is ideal for short trips or children’s initial training. Yet not enough for my aspirations.

After some time, we got the footbikes made by Hannu Vierikko to whom we would like to thank for all his support for our Iceland expedition.

  

Recently, I ride the footbike Cross Max 20 D+. It’s a wonderful machine.

It’s my favourite footbike because of its design, lightness and streamline. Although it’s robust, it’s very easy to make it almost fly with each kick.

I train two hours a day and at least four days a week. Footbike riding to work is now a part of my lifestyle.

Now I just know only one person riding footbike – it’s my husband Nacho. In our country, ie. in Asturias in Spain, the footbikes are not very popular yet. Actually, I have never seen anyone else riding this fabulous invention.

  

It’s always great to see people being motivated into footbike riding and enjoying it just as bicycle riding.

With the footbike you can travel anywhere. You can make either tours nearby or make some shopping or go on medium-distance trips to the woods or go on big trips lasting several days with luggage – just as we did in the land of Fire and Ice – the Iceland.

Travelling by footbike is a wonderful and unique experience. Not only you can strengthen your physical health, after the travelled long distances, it will make you mentally stronger as well. And such experiences give only positive impression. With all the observed sunrises, undulated landscapes, the scent of flowers, that all can inspire you. The potent life, good health and new hopes, footbike riding gives you all of that.

  

We made a journey to Iceland this summer (2015). I rode more than one thousand kilometres. We enjoyed it, although we went through some storms or cold weather. We wrote an article about that on our blog:

http://footbikeiceland.blogspot.com.es/

If you like landscapes, wilderness and sports, follow us and we’ll make you know about everything from our various great adventures.

We were probably the first people who rode the footbike through whole Iceland. We got probably through all types of terrain.

Currently we are planning a new action – much shorter but more focused on sporty performance issues. Now we are the footbike enthusiasts – lovers of this great invention.

We follow in the greatest footbiker’s footsteps, as its creator, Hannu Vierikko or Alpo Kuusisto, a record holder, Jim Delzer etc. and we would like to continue to watch them because we want to stay in contact with this sport.

  

The cycling, swimming, jogging, hiking or kayaking – these sports are my favourite and I practise them regularly.

The footbike riding made my muscles stronger – the muscles I didn’t use in any other sport, so I couldn’t exercise them. My legs are stronger than ever. My cardiopulmonary system has undergone a significant amplitude. I do believe that health is an extraordinary thing, therefore I recommend footbike riding.

 

The other day I was footbike riding to work, I imagined how it would look like if many people did so as well – the cities would be less polluted, quieter and generally calmer. The people would be healthier so that there would be less health expenditures. All these things are closely related – I would like to see footbike riding become widely popular.

  

I am not member of any club. But I wish that I could meet more people someday and organize some sporting events or free time trips for footbike riding men and women alike anytime and anywhere.

Thank you for your time and I wish you a lot of power to kick off!

Chiti Martínez