When we reached out to Ton de Bruyn with questions for this article, he asked for more time to respond. He said he was very busy at work, “and I also have to do my riding for the Global ElliptiGO Riders Club (GERC).” So we knew we’d chosen the right person to be our September Rider of the Month! Find out how Ton discovered ElliptiGO bikes, the compelling reasons he rides 250 kilometers (155 miles) a week and how he brought the first-ever elliptical bike to the island of Bali.
Ton was born in a small town in southwest Holland. His family included his hard-working parents and an older brother and sister. Today he lives in The Hague in the Netherlands, close to the village where he was born. He has a partner, as well as a son and a daughter from a previous relationship. “They both are university graduates with good jobs, and I’m a proud father,” says Ton.
Ton loved to run long distances. He ran 15 marathons, but in his 50s he realized that his high-mileage training was leading to injuries. He began looking for something that provided the same movement as running but without the impact on his knees, hips and tendons. As he and his partner drove to their summer home in the middle of Holland, he passed two people riding elliptical bikes.
Immediately curious, Ton began a Google search, trying to find out more about the bikes. He found out that an ElliptiGO dealer was located near his summer house, so he made an appointment for a test ride. Fifteen minutes into the ride, he knew this was the low-impact solution he’d been seeking. He decided to buy his first ElliptiGO bike—a green 8C that Ton affectionately called “my green monster.”
That was six years ago. Ton’s second purchase was a black 11R, which is the bike he now rides most often. Today, Ton’s collection includes three 8Cs and three 11Rs, each in a different color. He enjoys matching his outfit to his elliptical bike. “I always try to find a helmet, shirt and gloves in the same color as the ElliptiGO I’m riding,” he explains.
“Holland is a fantastic bike country,” notes Ton. “We have 153,000 kilometers (95,070 miles) of bike roads.” He’s ridden more than 51,500 kilometers (32,000 lifetime miles), including more than 8,500 kilometers (5,282 miles) so far this year. However, hill training is difficult, he says, “because Holland is flat like a pancake!”
“Doing sports is part of my lifestyle,” he shares. “I do not drink alcohol or smoke, and I really look at calories before I order or buy food. My goal is to live to be 100 years old and to be healthy my entire life.” His fitness regimen includes a half hour of exercise with a kettlebell, dumbbells and an ab roller every morning before work, plus riding an ElliptiGO bike at least five times a week.
But Ton rides for more than just a healthy lifestyle. He is an army veteran who did a tour in Lebanon in 1982, during the war between Israel and Lebanon. “It was a war I didn’t ask to be involved in,” Ton says. His wartime experiences left him with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
He credits therapy and exercise with helping him overcome PTSD. Ton describes it this way: “I zipped away my PTSD in a quiet part of my body. Sometimes this part opens up the zipper, and the PTSD comes out—but the rest of my body can control the bad feelings.”
Ton finds peace and happiness in his rides, especially when his path takes him close to the beach or a forest. He participates in rides organized by Run2GO, an ElliptiGO dealer in the Netherlands, and he looks forward to the annual Benelux ElliptiGO Championships. (Unfortunately, the race was canceled this year. ElliptiGO riders in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg are encouraged to contact the event organizer to express their interest in a 2025 championship event.)
He also enjoys connecting with the ElliptiGO community through GERC, a group of people who love to ride ElliptiGO bikes as much as Ton does. He participates in GERC’s September Team Tournament because it gives him the opportunity to team up with ElliptiGO riders from all over the world.
Ton also is helping to share his ElliptiGO joy by introducing elliptical bikes to new riders. He travels regularly to Bali, Indonesia, and he always misses riding his elliptical bike while traveling. Three years ago, he decided to bring a bike along with him, and that was the first ElliptiGO ever in Bali.
“You can imagine what kind of rides I had in the beginning. Everyone wanted to take pictures. People were filming me,” he recalls. “The police even stopped me because of all the attention the bike was getting!”
Ton wanted to give more people in Bali the chance to experience elliptical cycling themselves. First, his friend Herry asked to try it out. Ton obliged, and Herry greatly enjoyed his ride. So Ton asked Herry to take care of his ElliptiGO—and ride it, of course—while Ton was back in the Netherlands.
When Ton returned to Bali, he and Herry talked about how they’d like to introduce ElliptiGO bikes to locals and tourists. And so, earlier this year, GoBaliGo by ElliptiGO was born. Herry (and Ton, when he’s in Bali) offer ElliptiGO rentals, riding lessons and tours to white sand beaches, hidden temples and cities. Next year they plan to launch multi-day ElliptiGO tours in beautiful Bali.
The business isn’t a moneymaker for Ton, but he says, “I hope my friend Herry can make enough to support his family. COVID was really tough on Bali because almost everyone there works in tourism.”
If you’re in Bali, Ton and Herry invite you to rent an ElliptiGO and explore the island, or take a tour to an unforgettable location. “We are ready to make it happen!” Ton says.
Whether you’re in Europe, Indonesia or anywhere else around the world, Ton encourages everyone to try an ElliptiGO bike. He says, “Feel the movement. Feel the freedom. Experience the wind and the sun. Hear the birds. These are things you don’t feel or hear in a gym. Going for a ride always gives me a boost of energy and a whole lot of satisfaction.”
He pauses, then adds, “Life is beautiful, especially when you’re riding an ElliptiGO.”
Ton, thank you for sharing your story. And thank you for bringing ElliptiGO bikes to Bali. Keep riding, keep smiling and keep sharing your ElliptiGO joy with the world!
You can contact ElliptiGO with nominations to Rider of the Month or share your own story. It may just be the next feature!
