I’M A RIDER JOHN AMAECHI

The 6ft 10in former NBA basketball star doesn’t let gravity ruin his morning spins around London’s Regent’s Park. But, yes, he does hate hills

I like to ride first thing in the morning. I live by Regent’s Park in London and I get up at 4.45am a couple of times a week, ride round in circles and watch the sun rise. Some people enjoy seeing new scenery but I have no problem seeing London Zoo zip by five or six times. Cycling towards the sunrise is an amazing way to start the day. I love it when I turn a particular corner in Regent’s Park and face the sun. It’s like having your brain illuminated. I find that moment of meditation blissful. I’m the biggest cyclist anyone’s ever seen. Even when I’m not fat I carry a lot of weight because of my height and build (Amaechi weighed 19 stone as an athlete). Most cyclists are built like small birds, my right leg weighs more than them. Hills are my kryptonite. I weigh 25 stone so they are very difficult for me. At my weight you feel every increment up or down. I hope they never put speed bumps in Regent’s Park. My tyres are under enough pressure without extra bumps. NBA athletes were ahead of the cycling curve. I used to go on rides with my teammates (NBA team Utah Jazz) in 2002, way before the crazy popularity of cycling. That was in Utah so you can imagine the hills, but I was in better shape then so it was less painful. I got into cycling because of my broken body. After my professional career ended in 2003, basketball was a non-starter because of the pain. I haven’t played competitively for four or five years. Cycling isn’t load-bearing so it was a perfect fit. A carbon bike bends under my weight. I was very lucky to meet the Dolan people and they offered to make a bike for me. I