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Worth the Wait: Kathi Gabriel-Karen’s ElliptiGO Journey, Seven Years in the Making

Kathi Gabriel-Karen first learned about ElliptiGO bikes in 2011. Right away, she was interested — but she felt she was too busy to ride regularly. She made a promise to herself: when she retired, she would give ElliptiGO bikes a try. Learn how our April 2025 ElliptiGO Rider of the Month kept a promise to herself and found a new passion that keeps her moving forward every day.

Kathi grew up in Bay Village, Ohio, a small town outside of Cleveland on the shores of Lake Erie. When she was a teenager, her family relocated to La Jolla, a beach community in San Diego, California. The move from the Midwest to sunny California was a culture shock at first. “I missed my friends and knew no one in my new city,” Kathi recalls. 

But she fell in love with the beautiful weather, and today she and her husband of 38 years call San Diego home. Kathi and her husband have one son, Bradley. He now lives in Bend, Oregon, where Kathi and her husband have a second home, which allows them to spend quality time together despite living in different states.

Kathi spent her career in sales, business development, and staffing, specializing in connecting companies with top talent. Between her career, raising her son, and managing eldercare for family members, there wasn’t time for much else. When Kathi spotted that article about ElliptiGO bikes she remembers thinking, “When I retire, I’m going to test ride one!” 

True to her word, in 2018, just one week into retirement, Kathi visited ElliptiGO Headquarters. Keri Cleeremans and Erin Whiting helped her with her test ride. Kathi immediately enjoyed her ElliptiGO experience. Still, she wasn’t sure how often she would ride, so she purchased a used 8C to start out.

Kathi began riding almost every day. She quickly fell in love with the complete body workout that riding an ElliptiGO offers. Today, she owns an 11R (her favorite), an RSUB and an 8C that stays at her house in Bend, OR. 

Now she says, “ElliptiGO 11R, where have you been all my life?! It makes me feel so happy getting on the GO, getting a great workout and moving my body.”

Fitness had always been part of Kathi’s life — swimming, skiing, kayaking, hiking, and more — but ElliptiGO elevated her health in ways she didn’t expect. She rides five or six days a week, and she also takes weekly cardio jump and stretching Pilates classes back-to-back. Over time, she’s lost about 20 pounds, gained strength and improved her fitness. 

“I feel I am in the best cardiovascular shape now,” she says, “and my strength from riding has really improved my skiing. I used to have to stop halfway down runs to rest. Now I can ski an entire run without stopping — and ski all day if the snow is good!”

One of Kathi’s proudest ElliptiGO moments came in 2024 when she conquered Palomar Mountain, a steep, challenging climb in Southern California (and the site of the annual ElliptiGO World Championships). She tackled the ride with fellow ElliptiGO riders Bill Pinnell and Erin Sterenson. “I NEVER EVER thought I would accomplish this ride,” she says. “It got hotter and steeper near the top. I had just gotten back from a trip the night before, with only five hours of sleep, and I almost backed out. But Erin was there to encourage me, so I was motivated to do the ride. And Bill was our ‘Sherpa’ up the mountain, encouraging us when things got tough.” The ride wasn’t just a physical challenge — it was a celebration of friendship and perseverance, and proof of how much farther you can GO with others by your side.

Kathi’s achievements on her ElliptiGO are even more impressive considering that she is a brain tumor survivor. “It was over 20 years ago. I had constant migraine headaches,” Kathi explains. Her doctor referred her to a neurologist. After an MRI, she was diagnosed with a meningioma, and she had surgery to remove the tumor just four days later. “I haven’t had a headache since,” says Kathi. The next year, she raised $25,000 in the National Brain Tumor Society Walk in San Diego.

Beyond fitness, Kathi has found something equally important through ElliptiGO cycling: lifelong friends. She shares, “This community is so unique. I’ve never met such a fun, enthusiastic, welcoming and kind group as this. Everyone helps one another, encourages each other, and congratulates successes, no matter how big or small.”  

Through the Global ElliptiGO Riders Club (GERC), she’s added rides to her calendar and built fun memories. Kathi participates in monthly group rides in San Diego, as well as annual events like the Winter Classic in Phoenix, Arizona; the Tucson ElliptiGO Day and Tour de Cookie in Arizona; and Coronado ElliptiGO Day and Bike the Bay in San Diego.

As an ElliptiGO Enthusiast, Kathi loves sharing her passion with others by offering test rides, advice and encouragement. Kathi says, “If someone is on the fence about the ElliptiGO purchase, I would say do it! It’s a better cardio, core and all-around great workout than seated bikes. And if you love other sports, it can help you cross-train to improve your endurance in other activities.”

Looking ahead, Kathi has a busy year filled with trips, family gatherings and, of course, plenty of rides. “I don’t have any specific goals except for getting out and riding as much as I can,” she says. “My bike path now connects to rides that can include Torrey Pines, so I’m hoping to ride more elevation this year.” What’s most important to Kathi is to enjoy every mile.

For Kathi Gabriel-Karen, ElliptiGO isn’t just about exercise — it’s about freedom, joy, friendship … and living life to the fullest. Congratulations, Kathi! We’re so glad you took that test ride. It sure was worth the wait! We’ll see you at the next monthly San Diego ride!

 

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