News Stories

World Jewish Digest

Issue Date: May 2008, Posted On: 4/23/2008

Back in the Saddle
by Felisa Billet

Having trouble shaking the winter blues? Well, it's time to get in gear because National Bike Month is here.

For the fitness buffs among us, you might already be in good enough shape for Bike to Work Week, from May 12 to 16, or simply Bike to Work Day, on May 16. But for those of us who haven't ridden a bike in, oh, say, 20 years, it's still no problem - it's just like, well, riding a bike.

Take Michael Kastner, for example. Five years ago, the 54-year-old business owner participated in the Israel Arava Institute/Hazon bike tour in Israel - but before that, he hadn't been on a bike in two decades. To train for the 250-mile ride from Jerusalem to Eilat, Kastner used the heavy bike his son received for his bar mitzvah. Once back from Israel, more pumped and motivated than ever, Kastner invested in a lightweight carbon road bike.

"It was like the bike had a rocket in it," Kastner says. "I pressed on the pedal and it exploded."

What's more, his newfound passion for cycling led him to open a one-of-akind bike shop in Teaneck, N.J., called 3rd Nature, which focuses on enhancing the lifestyle of passionate cyclists - offering everything from nutrition and physical therapy to creating biking opportunities and selling clothing and cycling gear. These days, cyclists gather at 3rd Nature, located next to a kosher coffee shop in the heart of "Jewish Teaneck," to go out on weekly rides or to cycle on computerized trainers that simulate terrain on flat-screen TV's.

"Biking is one of the most gratifying things I do," Kastner says.

With that in mind, World Jewish Digest decided to ask a few avid cyclists for some tips on how the rest of us can get back in the saddle. After all, it's like Kastner tells the people who visit his shop, hoping to make biking a bigger part of their lives: "Just get out there and keep riding. Don't worry about anything else - just ride." Recognize the benefits

Riding a bike is a great way to exercise. Engaging in light to moderate physical activity reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and other chronic and life-threatening illnesses. Physical activity can also improve mental health.

"Biking is a great way to get the juices flowing and the brain thinking," says Neese Azose, a bike commuter from Seattle, Wash., and a prominent member of the city's Jewish Syrian community. "If I have a problem at work, I'll [mull] over it on my way home. It's amazing how many problems I solved biking home from work."

Azose is so enthusiastic about biking that he has friends and family members hooked, too. When his cousin, Jack Babani, a long-time jogger, wanted a new form of exercise, Azose took him bike shopping.

These days Babani puts more miles on his bike than he does on his car. The retired high school math teacher used to bike to work five days a week and now, as an educational director for Apex Learning, he still bikes to the office.

"Biking does wonders for my mood," Babani says, adding that he notices how cheerful and bubbly he feels after a ride. Indeed, he once overheard two students debating how much coffee they thought Babani downed in the morning to be so peppy.

In addition to benefiting your health, however, biking can also boost your bottom line. According to the League of American Bicyclists (www.bikeleague.org), owning a car accounts for more than 18 percent of a typical household's income. In a side-by-side comparison, operating a bicycle for one year averages $120 for upkeep, compared to approximately $7,800 for a sedan.

Keep it local

When you first start riding, pick destinations within a few miles of your house, advises Craig Sundstrom, a program specialist at the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center.

Sundstrom, who says his fondest memories of growing up in Carey, N.C., include biking to the neighborhood pool, library and shops, points out that biking around your neighborhood to places you enjoy is a great way to stay motivated.

Also, be sure to stop by a local bike shop for a regular tune-up. Besides air for the tires, bikes also need a little TLC and proper outfitting to maximize performance. Stores like 3rd Nature use the Wobble Naught system, which means that once the flexibility and measurements of a person are determined (height, length of arms, legs and torso), the bike is adjusted according to the rider's body.

"Through the Wobble Naught system, riders are able to generate more power and ride faster immediately," says Kastner, whose shop is one of three places in the country that use this specialized method. "This setup has the bike make as efficient use of the rider's muscles as possible."

Once you're ready to explore beyond the confines of your neighborhood, consider combining biking with other methods of transportation. For example, you could drive or take a bus halfway to a destination and bike the rest of the way.

"If the alternative is not to bike, do something so you can bike even part of the way," Babani says.

The most important thing, however, is to set reasonable goals and to build gradually. Cycle regularly with a group

Riding in a pack is a great way to boost confidence and increase motivation. Group rides also introduce new bikers to the local bike paths, something they may have a hard time finding on their own.

Kastner looks forward to the weekly bike ride he takes with the 3rd Nature gang. Every Sunday, three rides leave from the shop at 9 a.m. - beginner, intermediate and advanced - and they cycle between 30 to 80 miles, depending on the level.

"People love the exercise and they love the outdoors," Kastner says. "It's liberating. We've got riders who go out every week as a group, in rain or shine. Believe it or not, in snow, too." When the snow gets really bad, however, the 3rd Nature group meets inside where they set their bikes on computerized trainers that simulate a ride on flatscreen TV's.

Group rides can be a powerful experience. The annual Israel Ride for the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies/ Hazon, which got Kastner into riding, is a great way to experience the Holy Land while supporting two environmentally important organizations. The Israel Ride has become so popular that this year, bike tours will be offered from May 20 to 27 and from Nov. 11 to 18. The Israel Ride, which runs nearly 300 miles from Jerusalem to Eilat via Ashkelon, is divided into three riding groups: Shomrim, who ride about 40 miles a day; Tzofim, who ride about 60 miles a day; and Chalutzim, which is geared toward the more experienced riders who take on the most challenging routes at a brisk pace. During the ride, tour guides and environmental educators talk about the history and geography of Israel, and all of the groups gather together for a meaningful and restful Shabbat experience.

For those of us who can't make it to Israel, the New York Jewish Environmental Bike Ride, also sponsored by Hazon, will take place this Aug. 29 through Sept. 1 and goes through the Hudson River Valley to Manhattan. But, if you're not quite ready to sign up for a challenging group ride, biking with a friend or as a family can be just as rewarding as hitting the road in a pack.

"If I could change one thing in my adult life," Babani says, "that would have been to go out on a weekly Sunday bike ride with my family."

Even so, Babani can take solace that he has passed his passion for cycling to the next generation. Recently his granddaughter called and asked him stop by her house to put a bell on her pink two-wheeler. "Nothing could have made me happier," he says.

Felisa Billet is a food and travel writer in Long Island, N.Y., and a contributing writer to World Jewish Digest.

© 2008 World Jewish Digest

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