Traditionally，businesspeoplewouldgettoknoweachotheroveraroundofgolf．Butroadcyclingisfastcatchingupasthepreferredwayofnetworkingrecently．"Whenyouplaygolfwithsomebodyyouhavetodecideifyou‟regoingtobeat

　　Traditionally，businesspeoplewouldgettoknoweachotheroveraroundofgolf．Butroadcyclingisfastcatchingupasthepreferredwayofnetworkingrecently．

　　"Whenyouplaygolfwithsomebodyyouhavetodecideifyou‟regoingtobeatthem，orletthembeatyou，"saysPeterMurray，achairmanoftheNLAcentre．"Ifthey‟reyourcustomersandyoudon‟twanttobeatthem，sometimesyoumighthavetomakesomekindofcheatinginordertolose．Thatseemstomenotagoodwayofdoingthings．"

　　Groupcycling，andespeciallylong-distanceriding，isasharedexperience，MrMurraysays．Ridersoftenworktogetherandhelpeachotherout，takingturnstobeatthefrontsothattheridersintheirgroupcansavealmostathirdoftheeffortneededtotravelatthesamespeed．

　　Howsomeoneridesabikecangiveyouarealinsightintowhatapersonislike，saysJean-JacquesLorraine，foundingdirectorofMorrowLorraine，ateammemberofCycletoCannes．"Someridersareverysingle-minded，othersmorecollaborative；someareskillful，othersanopenbook．""IfIwalkintoameetingandsomebodysays„I‟vedoneCycletoCannes‟，it‟sadonedealreally，"saysMrLorraine．

　　MrMottram，CEOofRapha，believesitiseasiertogettoknowpeoplebycyclingthaninothersituations．"Thereisaneasyenvironmentaboutconversationsonabike．"MrLorrainemakesthepointmoredirectly："Ifeelopenandhonesttoothers．IoftenfindI‟msayingthingsonabikewhichIwouldn‟tnormallysay，andequallyI‟vebeenconfided（吐露秘密）inwhenIwasn‟texpectingit．"

　　Whydocyclerideslendriderssowelltonetworking？"Gettingaquicklunchordrinkafterworkdoesn‟tgiveyoulongenoughtogettoknowsomeone，"Mr．Murraysays．Hebelieveslongridesgetpeopletogether．"Ayoungerridercanbecyclingalongwithabossandhelphiminsomewayandyougetareversaloftherelationship．Thischangestherelationshipwhentheyareofftheridetoo．"

　　Perhapsthemainreasonwhycyclingisagoodwaytonetworkisthatit‟sapassion（激情）andawayoflife．"Gettingoutonthebikeiswhatwe‟realldreamingofdoingwhilewe‟resittingatourcomputers，"saysMrMottram．Andasharedpassionisafantasticwaytostartanyrelatio