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You’ve probably noticed: we love to have fun here at ElliptiGO! Our riders are constantly telling us how enjoyable it is to be out on their elliptical and stand up bikes. Though, that joyful experience isn’t all because of our bikes. Our vibrant community sets the tone with their welcoming and enthusiastic attitudes. This month, we want to shine a spotlight on the ‘Mayor of ElliptiGO.’ He’s a longtime community leader, he’s hospitable and warm to all, and he recently celebrated his 1600th ElliptiGO ride for a total of more than 37,000 miles. We’re proud to introduce the March 2022 Rider of the Month, Frank Blaisdell!

Frank, who currently resides in Vero Beach, Florida, is a husband, father, and grandfather. Frank grew up on the New Jersey shore. As a kid and young adult, he was involved in plenty of sports: swimming, track (notably 2nd in New Jersey for javelin in ’68 and ’69,) football, and other college intramural sports. 

After a break from fitness, Frank returned to a healthier lifestyle at 38 years old. He considered himself a ‘gym rat.’ By his mid-forties, he was looking to mix things up. He would occasionally go out for a jog in addition to his gym workouts and cardio classes.

“I hated running of any type and jogging was more about trying something different. It only lasted a year or two,” Frank told us.  “My go-to cardio workout was to get on an elliptical machine in the gym and plug in for an hour or two. VERY boring!”

That’s when Frank’s wife Lynn came home from a walk with a discovery to share.

“She saw a woman on an ‘elliptical bike’. She had a hard time describing it and I laughed it off as ‘impossible.’ Later that year, we were in Coronado taking a walk, and down the street came a woman on an ElliptiGO bike! I was stunned and Lynn was yelling, ‘That’s what I was telling you about.’ I was thinking, ‘Holy cow, that’s what I’m looking for.’”

They found out that the local bike shop, rented ElliptiGO bikes. Frank quickly rented one for the week and fell in love.

Frank shared, “When we returned home I ordered my first ElliptiGO 8C, a black one. I rode a few thousand miles between November 2011 and April 2014. I still went to the gym, but supplemented with my ElliptiGO bike.”

Soon, a unique challenge would catch Frank’s attention: the ‘Get on the Map’ program which was an early predecessor of the Global ElliptiGO Riders Club’s GOGO Challenge. He set out to complete Every Day in May in 2014, and that’s when his riding really took off!

Now, Frank has a fleet of ElliptiGO bikes and he’s always sharing them with others. 

He said, “I’ve got plenty for when we have company and, in fact, my daughter while visiting rode one with the Electric Bike Conversion Kit with me one day. British Olympian Elliot Giles borrowed the black 8S for a few weeks of training while visiting Florida last year. What a great guy and athlete he is!”

Frank is currently the President of the Global ElliptiGO Riders Club (GERC,) and he’s served on the board since the early days of the organization.

He said, “I love that GERC gives us all an opportunity to do as much or as little as we’d like. I personally use the GOGO monthly challenges as incentives to move my lazy butt most days. Riding my GOs has become a habit, 12 months a year. GERC is also a great way to socialize and participate in casual, organized rides. At this point in my life, if I’m not having fun doing it, I’m not interested. GERC provides lots of opportunities for interaction with other like-minded people. I love that.”

While it is not an official position, he was dubbed the ‘Mayor of ElliptiGO’ by our beloved customer service manager Keri. We asked him how he felt about it.

“How do I feel about it? I like it. I’m taking it as a compliment… I see a Mayor’s job to be welcoming, warm, hospitable, and a generally good-natured individual… This is supposed to be fun! If you’re not having fun you’re doing it wrong.”

Frank is definitely an early adopter of our bikes, with over a decade of riding under his belt. Our company, our community, and our bikes have evolved along the way, and he told us it’s been a blast to see the growth we’ve experienced. As our reach expanded, the opportunities for our community to connect with each other did too.

“I have literally made friends across the country and around the world as a direct result of my ElliptiGO riding and experiences,” Frank said. 

Not only has Frank made friends in many places, but he’s also racked up miles in plenty of destinations. Frank told us that some of his most memorable rides include:

• Bike the Bay in San Diego, California
• 5 Boro Tour in New York City
• The Winter and Spring ElliptiGO Classics in Scottsdale, Arizona and Clermont, Florida respectively
• The annual Rally Rides in Solana Beach, California
• The Dolphin’s Cancer Challenge in Miami, Florida (Frank is a two-time cancer survivor!)
• The ElliptiGO World Championship ride up Palomar Mountain near San Diego

As we mentioned, Frank recently hit a huge milestone. He just completed his 1,600th ElliptiGO ride. 

“Several days ago I saw on Strava that I had done 1,600 rides. My only thought was, ‘Where did that 600 come from?’ It seems like I just posted that I had 1,000,” Frank told us. “37,000 miles later I’m still GOing strong and enjoying my life as a result.”

We asked him what was next on his list of goals. In 2022, Frank is hoping to keep logging miles, meet more ElliptiGO riders, and stay healthy! 

If you’ve been considering getting an ElliptiGO bike for yourself, Frank says, “GO for it. ElliptiGO has opened up a whole new world for me through exercise and interaction with others. I could not be more grateful for the tenacity and belief of Bryan and Brent and the foresight of Bryce to promote this amazing ‘Fountain of Youth’ machine.”

Frank, we couldn’t be more thankful for you! It is because of riders like you that the ElliptiGO experience is so rewarding, enriching, and engaging. We thank you for taking on your role as both GERC President and our “Mayor” with such charm and grace. We can’t wait to see what you achieve next.

Contact ElliptiGO with nominations to Rider of the Month or share your own story. It may just be the next feature!