Columbia bike club rides easy

[Note: this story has been modified since its original posting.]

When Bob and Jane Smith moved from Omaha to Columbia four years ago, they brought their love for recreational bicycling with them.

The Smiths had been members of the Omaha Bicycling Club, but there was no group for recreational riders in the Columbia Bicycling Club, even though the club was divided into groups based on the style and speed of riding.

Bob Smith wanted to make bicycling available to everyone in the Columbia area, so he joined the club and organized a group called the “Easy Riders,” the first group for non-racers. “We set up an infrastructure for a lot of different people who like different kinds of rides,” he said.

Bob Smith said that anyone can have fun on a bicycle.

“Biking is a frame of mind,” he said. “It’s like anything else that you do — you figure out how to make it fun. Anybody can ride.”

Bicycle Club president Jill Mackey said that the motto of the Easy Riders is “ride to eat,” and they always enjoy a hearty meal after riding. Mackey said this is one of her favorite parts of the club, but she also enjoys being on her bike.

“It’s a great way to stay fit,” she said. “We do it a lot for socializing. It’s a lot of fun.”

Dan Stookey, a member of the club for about 10 years, said that the social aspect is one of his favorite parts of the club.

“It’s a lot of fun just being with people who know about the sport you do,” he said. “People to talk bike talk with.”

Members of the club ride together two to three times per week. Mackey said most groups begin with 20-mile rides and work up to about 60 miles by the end of the summer.

Mackey said a Bicycle Club membership costs $20 per household, and about 100 families have memberships. The entire club meets at 7:30 pm on the first Tuesday of every month at the downtown Shakespeare’s Pizza location.

However, the club is about more than having a good time.

“What we exist for is to promote bicycling at all levels,” said Mackey.

This includes children on tricycles to Katy Trail riders and mountain bikers.

Mackey said people do complain abut cyclists on the road, but few people are aware of the positive effect bicycling has not only on health, but also the local economy.

There are four bicycle shops in Columbia. A road bike typically costs between $500 and $5000, and accessories are expensive as well.

“A good pair of biking shorts cost $120,” Mackey said. “Of course, you don’t have to spend that much, but the better quality

course, you don’t have to spend that much, but the better quality and better materials cost more.”

Bicycle safety is one of the most important issues the Bicycle Club is concerned with, Mackey said. It sponsors rides to support organizations such as the Missouri Bicycle Federation and the League of American Bicyclists, both of which lobby for

safer road conditions for cyclists.

Members ride in several fundraising events throughout the cycling season. On May 14, a group of cyclists, including Mackey, sponsored a “Poker Ride” to raise money for the club. Participants paid a $20 fee and rode 20 miles, stopping several times to draw a playing card that was traded for a prize at the end.

On June 25-26, the Bicycle Club will participate in an event called the Arrow Rock Ride-and-Camp. Participants will bike 62 miles to Arrow Rock where they will camp and rest before riding back to Columbia the next day.

Smith said that he had an interesting experience as he scouted the Arrow Rock route with Mackey and two other members last year. A dog began chasing him, so he pulled out his pepper spray to stop it. He accidentally sprayed himself instead, stinging his arms and exhausting his pepper spray supply.

Smith said that dogs are one of the things bikers experience.

“You get a whole spectrum of things going on when you bike,” he said. “I remember one day we stopped to fix a flat tire, and a woman brought some peaches out to us because it was so hot.

“It’s just one of the good memories I’ve made on my bike.”