A Little Background

It had certainly been quite some time since venturing out on a bicycle but the time had come that I was wanting to get out and maybe get a little more exercise and away from the computer. So in 2004 I bought a Trek hybrid bike and would carry it up and down 3 flights of stairs when I decided to go out for a ride. I did a little riding on the roads and some local Rail Trails but never truly did any significant distance. Still, I did enjoy getting out when I could.

As is typical in life, things changed and my bike took a back seat to other things that consumed my time. As the years went by I found myself having purchased a home and suddenly having more projects and chores than time. Combined with a nice desk job and I was now in serious need of taking control and actually doing something about it. I had a cheap exercise bike which had done little more than take up space that was now sitting unused in my basement. So I started riding it. I found it to be quite uncomfortable but I pushed on. Every time I completed my exercise I was so sore but didn’t want to invest more money into something until I was sure I was truly committed. After about a month of riding that uncomfortable beast I finally decided to “upgrade” and purchased a Schwinn recumbent style exercise bike. What an incredible difference! I found myself much more comfortable and as such didn’t absolutely dread going to exercise.

Happily all my effort was paying dividends and I started shedding some weight. 5 lbs became 10 lbs. 10 lbs became 15 lbs. 15 lbs became 20 lbs. Before I knew it, I was about 35+ lbs lighter and happier for it. That recumbent bike was getting boring though and so I dusted off my Trek hybrid and started mixing it up by riding out on the road in the better weather.

Fast forward a bit to late 2018. After numerous conversations with a friend about the Pan–Mass Challenge I found that they had several routes to choose from ranging from 25mi through the full monte of 192mi which my friend had done a few times. The PMC was established in 1980 by Billy Starr and raises money for life–saving cancer research and treatment at Dana–Farber Cancer Institute. Like so many, I too had a personal reason for my desire to help with the fundraising for such important research. So in early 2019 I decided that in addition to my donations to PMC in support of my friend’s ride, I too would ride and fundraise. I signed up for a 50mi route and set forth to training. It wasn’t long before I was riding 30 and 40mi rides on the weekends and achieving what had been so daunting. As PMC weekend approached I was feeling ready. I raised more than my goal for a total of $1,405 and completed a 50mi PMC ride! With all the riding I had done in training and on the ride itself, it was clear that I was in need of new wheels more suited to what had become my normal riding. After much research I settled on a Trek Domane road bike and in early 2020 signed up to do my 2nd PMC ride, again 50mi. I continue to ride in the PMC and raise money for Dana–Farber Cancer Institute now looking ahead to my 7th year.

Bicycles and gear

Shimano XC502 MTB Shoe

The right shoe to “clip” me onto the pedals and lock me into the correct position for more efficient cycling.

Shimano PD-ME700 Pedals

These pedals have more platform and adjustable tension. Just the thing for my first foray into riding with clipless pedals.

2020 Trek Domane AL3 52cm

Following my first ride in the Pan–Mass Challenge (PMC) I decided I wanted to add a dedicated road bike to my stable.

Schwinn 270 Recumbent

Fitness even when the weather is less than ideal.

vívoactive® 3

What’s a geek to do without a way to actually track those walks, rides, etc.

See & Be Seen

Currently I use NiteRider lights when riding to help be seen day or night. The Swift 350 headlight provides up to 350 lumens to light my way when the sun goes down and the Sabre 50 taillight is bright enough to ensure it’s visible in daylight. And they’re both USB rechargeable!

Bontrager Interchange Digital Combo Sensor

Simple combo sensor to capture speed and cadence data. Supports ANT+ and Bluetooth® Smart which allowed it to pair quickly and easily with my vívoactive® 3.

Garmin® Edge® Explore 2

Cycling computer to provide course planning and turn–by–turn directions as well as capturing metrics of my rides.

Retired gear

2005 Trek Navigator 100 Hybrid

Basic all around bike. Good for riding on packed trails as well as roads around town.