Cyclists mix it up with fun, distance

Cancer fundraiser is combined with more leisurely activities

Ann Skye traded in her running shoes for a bicycle about the same time she swapped her Subaru Outback for a Toyota Prius.

As it turns out, the Durham resident was ahead of the curve on both fronts. In the three years since, largely because of skyrocketing gas prices, she shares the road with more hybrid cars -- and with more amateur cyclists on their way to work or out enjoying the ride.

"Everywhere we go now, we see people on bikes," said Skye, who took part in a 50-mile ride at the Jimmy V Ride for Research on Sunday. "You can ride for a longer time, you burn more calories and see some of the world while you're doing it."

The bike ride, starting and ending at Koka Booth Amphitheatre, held in conjunction with the Cary Cycling Celebration, united novice and experienced cyclists for charity rides ranging from 15 to 100 miles. There was also an equipment exchange, bike safety drills and other events aimed at the cycling set.

Organizers said turnout for the event has tripled in the three years since the ride began. This year, more events were added to draw in novice bikers, including options for shorter rides and a swap meet to trade used equipment.

"I saw a guy this morning dropped off by a taxi," said Pete Donahue, who helped develop the idea of a charity bike ride into the Jimmy V event. "His tires were deflated, and he was wearing street clothes. Then you see these guys with all the gear. We have both extremes."

Of course, there are conflicts as amateurs ride alongside the pros. Skye, who was training for a 150-mile ride in September, said she narrowly avoided an accident in a previous race when a novice biker stopped on a hill -- a no-no any serious cyclist would know to avoid.

And cycling presents a host of hazards to those just starting out, including dangerous roads that avid cyclists say can make most commutes to work close to suicidal.

During Sunday's races, one cyclist was taken to WakeMed with a concussion after what appeared to be a mechanical failure on his bicycle. Though it's not clear exactly what happened, the victim was a beginning cyclist, officials said.

But the chance to exercise and save some gas money is worth the risk to cyclists such as Lori Bush, 44, who rode 50 miles with her 13-year-old daughter, Morgan, on Sunday.

Sunday was Morgan's first time joining her mother, who rides with a team of cyclists from Cisco, at a riding event. But their family is often found on two wheels. Morgan's brother rides to school, and Lori often rides her bike to the store. The pair said they less often find themselves with the only bikes, including on a recent ride to Grandma's house, seven miles from their Preston Village home.

"Some neighbors of ours were doing the same thing," Morgan said. "We see a ton more people riding in our neighborhood."

Nick Valvano, CEO of The V Foundation, said the universal appeal of cycling helped prompt the nonprofit group, better known for its national golf classic, to add a cycling event. Proceeds from the ride, which Valvano estimated at $40,000, will go to cancer research in the Triangle.

The foundation is named for Jimmy Valvano, the late N.C. State University basketball coach who died of cancer in 1993.

"We had volunteers tell us they don't play golf, but they can ride a bike," Valvano said. "We want to try to get into activities that appeal to everybody."