ElliptiGO has been fortunate. Our customers are enthusiastic believers in our products. Though, here at HQ, it’s about so much more than just our bikes. We look at the bigger picture and are simply proud to be leading the way for a new category: stand up cycling. One ElliptiGO rider has been bringing greater awareness to the category through competition, and his efforts to bring attention and understanding to stand up cycling has earned him the title of Rider of the Month.
Meet Steve Loewenkamp from Fort Collins, CO. Once sidelined by injury, Steve sought out ElliptiGO as a way to cross-train with no impact. Steve is a seasoned and versatile athlete, competing in road cycling, inline skating, duathlon, snowshoeing, paddleboarding and ultrarunning. With this love of putting his body to the test, it’s no surprise that ElliptiGO bike riding was soon added to that list.
Steve says the transition to using his ElliptiGO was easy. “Once a running injury dictated I take some time off of running, I quickly committed full time to the ElliptiGO in order to maintain my fitness. It only took a few months before I was ready to tackle my first 100 mile ride.”
Steve has brought exposure to the stand up cycling category through his participation in events. He’s tackled such feats as the Triple Bypass and Ride the Rockies on his ElliptiGO bike. Triple Bypass travels over Juniper, Loveland and Vail pass, covering 120 miles and 10,000 vertical feet of climbing. Ride the Rockies is a week-long ride that winds through 400 miles of Colorado. Some days, Steve and the other participants climbed over 11,300′ high passes.
In these storied and extreme events, you can imagine Steve sticks out amongst the traditional cyclists. He rises high above them, standing tall on his ElliptiGO bike. Though, he does blend in in one way: he rises up the mountains right alongside them, tackling the same route and challenges along the way. This showing of the abilities of our bikes is invaluable to the category as a whole…and race directors are taking notice.
As an ultrarunner, Steve was looking for a ride that would mimic an extra-long-distance run. He found the Texas Time Trials, where he competed just a few weeks ago in the 24-hour race. He and a couple of other ElliptiGO riders entered the event – and something outstanding happened. The race created a category just for elliptical cycling and even offered a trophy for the top performances in the group.
The weather was grueling. Through torrential, relentless downpours, Steve completed 265 miles and 13,000 feet of climbing in just under 23 hours.
Through it all, he was not alone. Steve says the ElliptiGO community has helped push him to new heights and to make lasting connections. “I have been a member of the Global Elliptigo Riders Club for the last two years which has been a great source of friendly ‘virtual’ competitions that generate some added motivation and new and challenging goals each month. I’ve also met some great people through various events and rallies put on by the organization.”
Thank you for making us a part of your journey, Steve, and for helping us elevate and spotlight this category on the race course.
Ready to see the power of stand up cycling that Steve has helped showcase at events across the country? Tell us about your goals and preferences to find the model that fits your needs, and schedule your test ride today.
Already own and love your ElliptiGO bike? Join the Global ElliptiGO Riders Club to enjoy the fun with fellow riders! Visit elliptigoclub.org.
