"Life constantly presents its greatest opportunity brilliantly disguised as its worst disaster" ..

My mental illness has played havoc with my life. Cycling has been a stable rock. When I was unable to do anything. I could always get out on a bike. The excercise. The endorphins. The feeling of achievement. The motivation. The forward planning of a ride. Having to dig deep to get through big rides. Helps build psychological resilience for when days seem dark. Cycling has been a positive influence and a saviour. Still, some days are occasionally crippling and debilitating. It's just the way my brain is wired. But I have bikes. And they make a huge difference.

These comments are just so lovely!!!! Thank you for listening and again being an all round amazing and supportive bunch xxx

this took real guts to film and post : thank you so much.

Lovely video Kate, im 70 started cycling at 60 and always reminds me ' Sometimes it takes a life time to find a life' I couldn't be happier especially as i have a partner with the same interests. Take care.

Thank you. I just got my first bike. I’m about 50 lbs overweight and I have no idea what I’m doing but I’m going to ride and it’s nice to hear your story.

Still remember that time you met me out at Steve Hoggs place. You should move back to ADL

Bikes are genuinely one of the best inventions. They are an amazing machines and as we get older the ebike will allow us to ride long into our futures.

You have nearly 100,000 views on this video , YOU have helped nearly 100,000 people , I have a story about childhood stuff , being heavy or thinking I was and my bike was all I remember having , then addiction , suicide , institutions (help) recovery , a pension for PTSD and other disorders , now I'm 56 , I love bikes , I have sold many during Covid , and re-invested in new bikes , I was looking for the best bike shoes and I found you . You're are an instant inspiration , Thank You .

The thing that struck me was how the smile appeared as soon as you reached the part about buying your 1st Bike there is something so uplifting about cycling impossible to explain what it is unless it's just fun. Well done for sharing we should all learn that it helps and no one should ever be embarrassed about what troubles them, most people will respect you for showing who you really are.

Leaving with a big bag and coming home with a bike, a big smile and a small bag! Thats simply awesome!

I can relate.. At 41 years old, And having a heart problem. I was told not to ride again, as I used to ride indoor cycling at the Manchester velodrome on a weekend. My doctors said I was nuts, after having a pacemaker implanted. I got back on my bike in January 2022 only a few months after leaving hospital, and I'm literally 💯 better for it!!. "Sometimes we're tested, not to show our weakness, But to discover our strengths"

My toughest time has lead me to Jesus, thank God. But I love cycling too. And thank you for your videos. Very inspiring 👍🏿

Kudos for opening up, Katie. Respect. "You can't buy happiness, but you can buy a bike and that's pretty close"

Coronary bypass surgery at 39 years old was the start of my cycling obsession. I know exactly how you feel. Thanks Katie for sharing.

I'm a digital nomad and an asperger autist - my story is a little bit different but last year with coronacrisis, I started to bike - it is as you say just amazing - to build up my strength again - and as an autist it's a safe space where I can clear my head - thank you for sharing

“One of my favourite things about cycling is that it can reward suffering with joy.”

"It's the downhill thrills, that make the uphill slog worthwhile..."

Just found your channel. I know EXACTLY what you mean! Substitute alcohol/drug/tobacco addiction for eating disorder and you just told my story. The biggest surprise was that I was really good at cycling and I had never done anything even remotely athletic in my life. It's amazing what the body will recover from.

I started cycling when I was 14. Found out I was visually impaired when I was around 16. Stopped racing around 18. Now at 50 still cycling and still enjoying it. I don’t feel comfortable cycling in bunch’s. It’s kept me mentally healthy in ways I never thought possible.

I cannot remember who quoted it, but it goes something like this, "By sharing our deepest vulnerabilities, we heal not only ourselves, but give others what they need to heal." As is said many times here Katie, it's brave to be vulnerable, open and honest about our deepest personal traumas. I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you for having enough courage to put yourself and your story out there with purpose of helping others. I truly believe that's what life is about, being of service to others to help them be their best. I've cycled on and off for 40 plus years and have had some mental health issues and also discovered I am borderline Asperger. I can't pretend I know what it's like to have an eating disorder, but I do know that when I had anxiety depression and anger issues, some of the therapies I had helped. One particular time I remember was that the counsellor asked me if there was anything I had done as a child that really gave me a lift, that really made me feel good and happy. I thought about it for a couple of minutes, and I said "cycling, I haven't cycled for a couple of years and I really loved it as a child." That's when it hit! I need to get into cycling again. So I bought a second hand racing bike from a workmate, and got back into it again! Two months later, I was off medications, depression and anxiety had become easy to manage with all the other things I learned like meditation, mindfulness and yoga. Ten years now depression free, medication free and out on the bike. I am now at the point of having 5 bikes and no car, I cycle pretty much everywhere for everything. I'm so grateful you shared Katie, because it has reminded me just how far you have come, which reminds me how far I've come. Good on yer our kid!

There’s so many enjoyable moments in a single bike ride. The first is that feeling you get as you throw your leg over, sit in the saddle and begin to spin those legs. Riding through landscapes that make you think just how small you are in the world yet lucky enough to be in it. Enjoying a well earned coffee stop. Getting to the top of that steep hill and rewarded with the views and the downhill. Finally pulling up outside your house at the end of a great ride. Exhausted and hungry but elated and content at the same time. Man I love cycling soo much!

Katie, Not only do you have 50,000 cheering you on from behind you but you also have 50,000 who love you.

I literally had to cry watching this - in a good way. Thank you. Durian Rider? I thought he was worth nothing, but apparently he helped once. A surprise.

As a high school physical education teacher, I am always trying to encourage my students to live a healthy lifestyle. This is usually easier said than done. I used to use scare tactics. This approach was not effective in the long run. So, now I am trying to help them find something that they can get passionate about. That is the key in my opinion. Just like you and your passion for riding. Find your passion and everything will be okay. Thanks for sharing this story. It takes a lot of courage.

❤️ all the love from Denmark. Cycling saved my mental health to. Skipped the job as a manager of a store, loads of succes but i was not happy, after i skipped it in went cycling.. maybe i lost some in the Wallet but i gained more in the hearth. I hope You understand. I also lost weight from 98 kg to 86 kg. In less that a year.. no punishment.. just less junk, Less alcohol and eating fruits and drinking water.. fealing aflive and energetic.. i feel You and understand the battle You went through.. thank You for beeing honest and tell us your story.. 🙏

Thank you. I was close to diabetic and my doctor sent me to nutrition education and they spent 80% of the time talking about the E word, exercise! I bought a Schwinn, shed close to 50 pounds and that was 10 years ago. I'm 72 and still ride every chance that I can, I just love the freedom and fresh air. And I have kept the weight off.

Love how you speak about cycling. Its like true love. Its how I feel about riding. ❤

Your channel is an inspiration to women cyclists like me because you're so warm and human and relatable - and all the more so now that you've shared the struggles which you went through to get here. You should be proud of yourself for being such a lovely person and having the courage to pull yourself out of that dark place. I gave up cycling in my 20s because I got scared of the traffic, but then in the first lockdown last year, overweight and staring into an abyss of depression, I bought a bike on ebay. I completely fell in love with it and couldn't believe how good I felt from riding it and how quickly the depression evaporated. I now cycle at least 100 miles a week and have lost nearly 2 stone without even thinking about calorie deficits. I love it so much and I completely agree with you that cycling is the best thing ever!

ive tears in my eyes. inspirational and thank you for sharing. im going through a hard time lost my job but my bike makes me feel better

Thank you for sharing your story and this crazy ride!

That was so brave of you. Thank you for sharing your story.

Wow. That took so much courage. Thank you for sharing. You give so much back to this community. I actually had tears in my eyes watching this video.

Thanks for sharing, that was truly inspiring.

Thanks Katie , that msg straight from the heart , xx

Glad you keep telling your story. It has great value for those that will listen and heed the advice.

You have come a long way, you must be very proud on yourself. An example for many people. Awesone 👊🏻

Katie that was a beautiful thing you just did!!! I know there’s highs and lows even in cycling. You are so awesome for keeping your channel real. Take care Katie and you were always beautiful.

katie i love your honesty and openess ! what a loveley human soul you are happy new year ! god bless you. and may

Most of all I love and respect your honesty and guts.

Katie, that was amazing! Also amazing that it was all filmed in one take. It reminds me of a Richard Nixon quote which is metaphorically appropriate to cycling: ...Only if you've been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain.

That was so interesting. It is a totally different story to mine and yet there are so many areas where I was saying, "Yep, know that feeling" and "Yep, I did that". I bet a lot of people found their own similarities. Thanks Katie.

Thank you for sharing your story. 🌱

I’m so proud of you Katie 💕

Thank you for being vulnerable enough to share this. I love that we can have this cycle of give and take through social media. Parts of your story resonate strongly for me. As someone fractionally taller than you, I was always told how “big” I was. I think that word has been quite damaging. In hindsight, I was a healthy weight, but I just saw myself as fat. I still (at 41) have a very complex relationship with food and control, but rather than going down the purging and binging route, my self-loathing played out in self harm for a very long time. Cycling for me has given me a joy I haven’t felt since I was a little kid. Those destructive thoughts and feelings aren’t super far down inside, but cycling and this community gives me a focus and joy that keep me in balance. Thank you for sharing. It makes a real difference for so many of us💚

Doing any exercise you really enjoy often, virtually guarantees becoming miles better physically & mentally,well done pal👍

Thank you for this video Katie!! I needed this 💓

Thank you for sharing your story. I'm very proud of you. Hugs from Tucson, Arizona!

Brave girl, bearing your soul to us.✌️Ride on.

Well done, the bike and cycling really are the best thing for physical and mental health

Thank you for sharing, Katie!

Oh my days. That was a tough watch, but a brave and inspirational one. Thank you, Katie.

You are such a brave and inspiring person, to revisit your past and demons to help and inspire others is truly commendable. It is such a lonely and dark place when you are at rock bottom, and so so difficult to find the help and energy to get your mind to restructure itself. EFT helped me so much, and I’m sure your are helping many others out there. Thank you so much Katie

You've come out the other side the better for it. Good on you. The breakup of a 20yr relationship and the end of my 12yr marriage got me back on a bike after 25years off one. I just needed to get out the house and occupy myself.

I really loved hearing this story. Thanks for sharing.

i cant thank you enough for making this vlog. i know exactly what you went through.

Honestly you’re pretty much a badass. Anyone who craves a good healthy dish of hill climbing over and above just about anything else is a badass. Keep doing what you do. It has a positive impact.

In getting yourself to where you are now compared to where you were just a few short years ago you've QOM-ed the toughest mountain you'll ever stand at the base of - you changed your life for the better and you're absolutely glowing because of it. Congratulations Katie, it took a lot to make that video but that's just a drop in the bucket compared what you did for YOU! You're an inspiration to so many and loved by all!

Thanks for sharing! So glad you found cycling.

We love you for you. Thanks for sharing! Hopefully you can see how far you have come!!!!

Thank You so much for this: I'm 65, and cycling has been a recurrent "go to" in my life. Having been involved in so many adventure sports (surfing/windsurfing/paragliding/scuba diving/ climbing, etc.) Cycling has been by far the most reliable, healthy motivating and uplifting recourse. I can relate to your story, albeit for different reasons. Thank You again. You are incredible.

Hard to find someone who can express better what cycling does to us. Not easy to do what you just did in this video. Great journey. Keep it going!!!

Fair play to you for getting out of that dark place and turning things around for the good. Vive le vélo!

Thank you for sharing your story!

Thanks so much for publishing this Katie. So much resonated with me and - so importantly - inspired me. I was a very keen cyclist as a young adult, but recent years and battles with mental health, work pressures, job losses and family illness made me seek out quicker fixes. Around this time, I got caught in a mental cycle between “I hate my body” to “I really don’t care” - now I realise both perspectives were destructive and somehow feed into each other. Well guess what - tomorrow I’m going to dust off my poor forsaken Bianchi and head out in the sun 😊 It’s due for 24*C, my daughter is back at school so I’m going to ride like I’m 16 again. No cares, no worries, just a couple of bidons and a few little treaty things. Then we’ll see where I go from there. Keep up the amazing work - your channel is wonderful and clearly inspires so many :)

Thank you so much for sharing your personal story Katie! It takes a lot of courage to do this. I started watching your videos last summer when I started cycling. I was so touched by your openness, inclusivity and genuine love for cycling. You have always been a beautiful person no matter what the scales said. That kind of inner and outer beauty never goes away, it just keeps on shining 🌟

What an amazing story Katie. So brave to share that

Wow Katie, that was so honest & inspiring. Thank you so much. x

Why do we torture ourselves ? Time we all decided “No more secrets”. Great that you are living your life in the light and thanks for sharing. ♥️ your channel keep those pedals turning

As I already said that you have a beautiful heart, yes we do have difficulties with weight, I am 156 kgs and many other health issues, but your journey is amazing and so motivating, you are doing a great job. I am from India in last few months, I started watching you videos and you have motivated many of us. Thank you so much

Great to hear you share your story Katie, sure it’ll help others who are in a similar situation.

You are my inspiration. i am in the process of getting more and more serious with my riding. Totally relate to everything you say.

Life can often be so hard & I think many of us suffer in silence thinking there is no one to turn to. The loneliness is ever present even if surrounded by friends or family as no one could possibly help or understand - or so they might think. It's awesomely brave & honest of you to open up like this and takes guts. So many struggle with issues alone thinking bad thoughts about themselves if they open up or admit their pain. Kudos & the insight is humbling.

EVERYBODY has inner demons which some overcome easily and some struggle with. don't beat yourself up. give yourself a break. we are none of us perfect.

So glad you came through all that, your such a strong person to do that, now you help and give lots of inspiration to others. well done to you ! take care..

Thank you for sharing! Takes a lot to be so open about something so traumatic. Glad you've found joy in cycling! Great channel and content!

all I can say is: you were beautiful before and after... though now you look amazing

Even more of an inspiration if that's possible.

Katie, your story is so moving. Thank you for being so brave.

You’re amazing Katie.

Your struggle is what got me watching as I was fighting my own demon. I use to think if I could only tell that young girl how much she is helping me. So now, years later and living a different life, Thanks Katie!!

This is your best clip ever. I don't know where 2 start. I've always thought things had been bad 4 u before, you could tell. Your a beautiful lady and, more importantly a genuine lovely person. It's made me sad what you went through and I don't like to think of anybody feeling they have to look a certain way or have certain things....... We should run our own race. People judge us, and, maybe more importantly, we judge ourselves. I've never had an eating disorder, but boy do I know what it's like to have zero self esteem and all that entails. I actually genuinely don't believe I will get out of this horrible, horrible situation I'm in, mentally, and that is really scary. Thankfully nobody knows me on here as I've never really said how bad it is. But you showed some real guts doing this and hopefully I can fi D some of that strength and belief.

What a legend Harley and u Katie! Fantastic job

keep up the good work, its always hard to admit you're struggling, but like you, the bike has been not only my escape but my go to sea place.

Tell you what - the 'Katie that came back from Oz' and 'Katie now' look like two completely different people... fair play for putting the story out there, it takes some guts to do that.

When you ride a bike guaranteed at some point it will make you smile.

You are so brave for sharing your story.

Extremely brave to tell your story in such an open and honest manner, massive respect! ❤️

It's important to never focus on your weight as a number that needs to go down. Instead focus on the improvements such as how you look and feel even if it's small progress it's still progress.

How the heck can you thumbs down this, for goodness sake people .

I'm really happy for you. Thank you for sharing this. 😊

Thankyou for your honesty. Love your channel.

Your to blame for global warming.... cause you could melt icebergs with those eyes.. Joking aside Koo, You have done a few videos on this topic now, are you still worried about weight? you look in great shape, seem bubbly and healthy and have a great loyal following. Feels like a grey area you can't let go of?

Incredible story, thanks for sharing. You can even see your eyes light up when you mention getting the bike! 👏

Absolutely wonderful - this helped my day more than I first realised. Thank you.

Well done for sharing Katie, your passion for cycling and what it can do for people both mentally and physically always an inspiration.

This was really brave enough of you. I have just started cycling and having bumps or facing obstacles on the way, so your story is really hopeful and inspiring, it's like the light at the end of the tunnel!

Good on you Katie, what an inspirational story.

Beautiful, eloquent and honest account of your story Katie. Keep on keeping on.

Thank you so much for sharing your story Katie - it's so real and heartfelt and it takes tremendous courage. The bike really is an amazing thing, it pulled me out of the darkest time of my life too and it is basically what has been keeping me afloat. Love your videos and keep riding on