Different spokes for different folks

More people find niche in biking world as campus bike use increases; riders take pride in sport

By Daniel Luscombe (Last updated: 05/25/09 11:04pm)

Bicycles of all shapes and sizes can be seen rolling down the streets of East Lansing, and the riders of the bikes are just as diverse as the two-wheeled, pedal-powered machines that propel them. The MSU Department of Police and Public Safety reported in fall 2008 a 273 percent increase in campus bike registration since 2003, indicating more people are getting geared up to ride bikes.

“To each person, it’s really a different sort of thing,” said Hunter Seyfarth, owner of Evergreen Cycles and Repair, 314 Evergreen Ave. “For some people, riding is transportation, some people that just want to go out and cruise around the neighborhoods.”

Seyfarth opened his shop about two and a half years ago and the wide variety of bikes awaiting repair reflect his different clientele. A vintage women’s cruiser with a bad brake cable sat on his workstation last week across from an upscale mountain bike getting tuned up in time for a customer’s upcoming race. Seyfarth said freshmen make up a large portion of bike users because they can’t have cars on campus.

“They all ride; they don’t really have a choice I guess,” he said.

Destined to ride

Trek Vandecar said there is little coincidence that he shares a name with a bicycle manufacturer.

“I was named after the definition of the word, but being that my dad works here and my grandpa owns it, it’s like I’m living up to the name,” Vandecar said. “I had no choice but to ride mountain bikes.”

Vandecar is the third generation to work at his grandfather’s store, Denny’s Central Park Bicycles, 1805 Central Park Drive, in Okemos. Vandecar competes in the sport of downhill mountain bike racing, a timed trial that begins at the top of a mountain and ends at its base.

“The course includes anything from two- or three-foot natural terrain drops and a couple jumps to just really tight, sandy switchbacks,” Vandecar said.

Spending majority of his life working in a bike shop has given Vandecar an insight into the culture that surrounds these human-powered machines and why people choose the bikes they ride.

“You can personalize your bike like you can personalize your car, but it’s just so much easier to do with your bike,” he said.

Simplified cycling

Unlike bikes with many gears, fixed-gear bicycles have a single gear ratio and cannot coast, meaning the rider must keep pedaling. Single-speed bikes also have only one gear ratio but possess the ability to coast.

Although many different types of bikes can be manufactured or modified in this way, many fixed-gear bikes have light frames and tires meant for road or track use. For some that ride fixed-gear or single-speed bicycles, aesthetics are important. Neon rims, custom paint and expensive modifications and parts help create a bold and flashy bicycle. This is not the case for urban and regional planning junior Sam Ceckowski.

“I nicknamed it the Apocalypse Bike, because it came from hell and back.” Ceckowski said about his Schwinn fixed-gear conversion that had a frame that was scratched and speckled with rust.

Ceckowski began riding fixed-gear bikes a year and a half ago after his road bike was severely damaged in a traffic accident. Curiosity and the desire to get back to riding led him to his initial decision to switch to fixed.

“I started because there (are) less parts you have to replace,” Ceckowski said. “It’s really fun and it’s good for commuting, I found. (I) just stop at (a) light, do a track stand and then get going.”

Automotive alternative

Lou Hillman, an East Lansing resident, rides a vintage three-speed Raleigh Sport, a type of bicycle most commonly used for commuting and leisure. Though he has been offered money for the bicycle by collectors and enthusiasts, he holds onto it because, for him, it is comfortable and reliable transportation.

“I don’t drive,” Hillman said. “I have a truck, but I leave it at home, I just use (the bicycle) to go everywhere. I actually really enjoy riding a bike, whereas I don’t particularly enjoy driving that much.”

Hillman said aside from the enjoyment he gets from riding, a bicycle also is economical.

“It’s almost free. I did have to do a little repair. This year … my gear shifter cable broke and it cost like $20 to fix,” he said.

Hillman said his style of bike suits his needs because it allows him to sit more upright to see traffic. The bike’s fenders protect him while riding in wet conditions.

Rigorous riding

Carol Prahinski, an MSU business professor, began seriously cycling when she was 21, when she had the experience of riding in a benefit for multiple sclerosis.

Riding an older, heavier road bike while training, Prahinski uses a modern multispeed light road bike when riding long distances. The bike’s multiple gears assist her in being more efficient in different terrain and the lighter, thinner tires are designed to interact with road surfaces.

“I thought I could do it, and it was hard,” Prahinski said about riding in the benefit. “It was a struggle. I didn’t prepare right and that was part of the learning process.”

Following the ride, Prahinski read an article that inspired her to ride her bicycle across the United States. It took her 10 years to accomplish her goal.

“In ’96, I biked across the United States,” she said. “I quit my job to do it and that was in itself a beautiful thing.”

The ride took about three months, but since then Prahinski has remained an active cyclist.

“I do road cycling and road distance and I also do touring, which means I carry my gear on the bicycle,” Prahinski said.

Family fun and philosophy

For some, cycling is a much less serious endeavor.

On Sunday afternoon, Doug Hearit, a Mason resident, rode his bicycle with a group of family members through downtown East Lansing.

“(It’s) just a family tradition on Memorial Day, so we’re just biking around town going to eat.”

Though Hearit said he usually does not ride his bike, he does see merit in the activity.

“It brings your family together,” Hearit said.

Vandecar said when he rides, the experience is more than just exercise. He also finds a deeper meaning in the activity.

“It helps me clear my head, just to get out and ride, get out there and be one with the bike,” Vandecar said.

Vandecar explained how cycling allowed him to gain insight into himself.

“It’s kind of a zen thing, I feel like,” Vandecar said. “You know, I get out there on a long road ride, and it’s just you and the bike.”

Originally Published: 05/25/09 10:45pm