Meet Don
10/12/2019
If you have been in the studio, you have most likely seen or met Don. Today he is the first rider to hit 500 rides! Check out his story below!
It was Thanksgiving time and I was thinking about training for the Five Boro Bike Ride in NY the following May. Living in Maine there aren’t many options for winter rides, so… Why not try spinning?! I visited Jibe Cycling Studio and they were doing Epic Rides (ONLY) the next day - 90 min rides- no way was I doing that to start!! I signed up to for a ride in early December and never looked back!
I spun almost every day that I was in town through the holidays, and then picked up the pace a bit. Next thing I know t's March Madness - no not a basketball tournament, it’s a Jibe challenge. I did more than 60 rides that month (first to the Championship Round but edged out by 3 riders for 1st place in the end). More important than the top podium spot were the many new friends and comrades to celebrate with! WE (and I mean WE), celebrate ride landmarks (my 500th in October), celebrate birthdays, celebrate every day of the week (Friday eve - Thursday - is my new favorite), celebrate new riders, and celebrate ourselves, whichever self it is. This is a community led by the inspiring Joanna Pease, her first-rate crew of instructors and other team members, and all the riders!! We work hard, ride hard, and dance on a bike that may not move while you are on it, but it does bring you on a satisfying journey. Your body, your mind and YOU feel better after a “little” spin. #jibetribe is not just a hashtag, it’s a spirited community of people with a purpose. I think even those who visit once or occasionally feel that as well.
I have learned a lot at Jibe: many “quarter turns” equal a lot of resistance; moving the spring shift lever always means to the right; sometimes the saddle is not needed; soft voices can mean the most intense rides; you can waltz and ride at the same time; it’s your body and your ride, but don’t touch that resistance (no reset on this track my friend); country music has a great beat; there’s lots of great music out there; you can do a double with the same instructor and not know it was the same playlist; never be sorry; and lots more!!
Jibe is just what the name says. The trip is fun and there are many waypoints along the journey. Move yourself in new directions, think about what you’re doing, set out for new accomplishments. Challenge yourself, never get bored. Strange that training for the NY Five Boro Bike Ride became such a great metaphor…
Keep on riding!