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lkmsuffastousvilfeth economist sun stouffville tribune leisure setting the wheels in motion for fun or for fitness cycling is the ideal family activity by dawn liersch staff writer before you meet les suter the volvo in his driveway with the bicycle rack on top reveals two of his passions in life as a licensed mechanic with volvo villa in unionville his choice of vehicle is no surprise and where that wont take him his bike will cycling is a whole package a lifestyiea culture it fills a lot of voids in my life said suter an avid crosscountry mountain bike racer from newmarket sometimes when i come home from work my wife takes one look at my face and tells me to go for a ride while cycling is a huge stress buster it also heals him phys ically in fact suter first took up the sport 12 years ago when he was told vigourous exercise might help the asthma that had plagued him all his life he began cycling merely to get into shape but soon joined the thousands of riders across canada who are hooked on the sport the ontario cycling association boasts 2000 direct mem bers and another 3000 members through 90 affiliated clubs according to ralph neumann the associations treasurer cycling really took off a few years ago and has remained strong he attributes the boom to people becoming more health conscious and the fact that cycling is such a convenient sport for suter the desire to ride extends even beyond that the challenge of competing plus the thrill of the wind in his hair have a permanent hold on him i love racing because its an allaround rush theres an adrenaline rush and its a huge personal challenge he said although he was never competitively involved with athlet ic sports before he now dedicates 10 to 15 hours a week train ing for races he uses a stationary bike at the gym in bad weather suter is mainly a crosscountry mountain bike racer plac ing in the top 10 in a past national competition but he also does some road racing and touring his favourites are the 24- hour races that he calls the woodstock of cycling aside from the rush of competing cycling is a great form of entertainment for his whole family jg v v wife shelly often accompanies him on rules bike tours to and around manitoulin island and through england scotland and ireland gave her a newfound appreciation of cycling you see so much more than you ever would driving your car she said recalling the smell of the wildflowers at the side of the road and freshcut hay in manitoulin island or the scent of the ocean in ireland the suters fouryearold son travis holds his own on a small twowheeler and their baby daughter justine is often in tow on a trailer attached to the back of a bike providing the ultimate workout according to suter he has even persuaded his 56yearold father jim to accompany him on spring training tours of utah each year the really exciting thing for me will be the threegenera tion race team he said i hope the kids will pick up on it i dont know how theyd avoid it it has taken over our lives james heaver has seen the cycling craze firsthand a for mer employee at cyclepath in newmarket and president of staff photomike barrett cyclist les suter says biking is a way of life the ellsworth mountain bikingteam he has seen people of all ages and all walks of life buying bikes and the wide range of equipment and paraphernalia that goes with them we have everything from those buying bikes because they have lost their drivers licences to those who are really serious about it and want the top equipment and those who just have a lot of money to spend he said the possibilities are endless one can buy a bike frame for 100 or spend 200 to 500 for some of the popular names heaver once heard about a fancy 25000 frame inlos angeles ca you can compare it to computers the prices are coming down because the market is saturated with companies he said for instance a derailleur for shifting gears can range from 1199 to 250 even a simple bell starts at 699 and works up to 100 for a pressurized one that sounds like a fog horn then theres the style of bike theres the freestyle bike for speed and the bmx bike for dirt races that are usually popular with the younger crowd c3p see mountains page 23 bikers unite in cycling clubs those bit by the cycling bug might want to check out the following resources the newmarket eagles is a cycling club that draws riders of all ages and skill levels from across york region and beyond president tony osborne said the 12yearold club has been growing over the years and now boasts about 60 members from newmarket stouffville bradford and more the ciub has a strong focus on training practicing timed events tuesday evenings and training rides saturdays social rides are held sunday mornings and a ladies ride is slated for wednesday nights on aug 8 the newmarket eagles will be hosting the provincial road race championships north of bradford between the 5th and 10th side roads and the 11th and 13th lines for more information call osborne at 8958567 the ontario cycling association has 90 affiliated clubs across the province the association provides members with a list of clubs a calendar of events and information on safe cycling clinics for more informa tion call 416 4267242 or check out its website at wwwontcyclingorg the canadian cycling association can be reached at 6i3 7485629 or check out its website at wwwcanadiancyclistcom a map of york region bike trails is still in the works according to ralph neumann treasurer of the ontario cycling association in the meantime he sug gests checking out a new book mountain bike here by sue lebrecht safety first whether youre hitting secluded trails or major traffic arteries safety should be a prime consideration never assume anything warns james heaver president of the ellsworth mountain biking team the biggest mountain biking team in canada based out ofkamloops bc and newmarket heaver points out that the most serious riders are usually heavi ly padded but even if you dont get out the heavy armour there are a few basic tips to keep in mind o those younger than 18 are required by law to wear helmets ensure yours fits properly to avoid injury o all bikes should have one working brake and a bell or horn o keep your bike clean ensure theres adequate air in the tires and the handle bars and wheels are secure to prevent mishaps annual spring tuneups through a bike repair shop are recommended o a good lock will help prevent thefts o wear bright clothing and ensure you have reflectors on your bike at night o handy items to carry in your tool bag include money a patch kit a spare tube a multitool kit your hearth card and a cell phone heaver suggests placing your cell phone inside a water bottle with the top cut off for extra protection yimmj saqims support tour community mjul mys t0cccds over 20000 in year round savings yoqm commgjmty free blue jays tickets rland mssyiim mm sa0nfs support your community fis ihiui mys und savings swot tom commywoy free uno 3av0ngs support your community free canadas wonderland pass prizes mm m9ma w 2 m milis free cai tocfkiifs over 20000 in prizi blue jays tickets h mm wyi jays mttiir s o community free blue jay support your community if savings syppotyuik mumb sadim support your community kd yjg jays ioc ass year round savings bflppgir ym mmjdimofy free blue jay want to know more call mark ham economist sun 2942200