I often ride my 2024 Triumph Speed Twin 900, aka Lucy, to my local beach, Folly Beach, for a cup of coffee, gas if I need it, and a chance to decompress from life. Folly Beach, also know as, “The Edge of America”, is a wonderful little beach community that offers so much. From a vibrant bar scene, to wonderful foods and coffee, each corner of Folly reveals a hidden playground. The Folly Pier itself, recently renovated, is a great spot to cast a fishing line, walk the pier, and watch the local surfers catch waves. My trips to Folly Beach by motorcycle, are often my starting point for a longer ride. The Circle K, the only gas station on Folly, is my hub for setting the mood for my motorcycle tours of the Lowcountry. Yet, my last trip to Folly, I witness something wonderful that has pushed me into a new world of fitness. It was not the first time I had seen cyclists on Folly. On any Sunday morning, groups of cyclists appear and then quickly disappear from my view. I always enjoyed watching the flash of cyclists move by but about a month ago, I started to think, “maybe I should get me a road bike and join them”. In full disclosure, I had not ridden a bicycle in over 20 years. Why in the world would I want a road bike? As I saw a cyclist ride by on this particular Sunday morning, dressed in a full kit, gears echoing with changing, the cyclist lifting his body up to pump his legs harder, I knew right then….I must get a road bike.

My history with cycling is varied. I really began my cycling journey in college at Virginia Commonwealth University, with getting around campus made sense on a bicycle. This evolved into mountain bike adventures on the weekends in rural Virginia with my roommate. Living in Richmond at the time, offered a wild bicycle community, and trips to the James River allowed me to feel the rush of descending down hills that built my love of mountain biking. When I moved back to Charleston, and started living downtown, I bought a beach cruiser bike, reggae colors of course, and rode bar to bar every weekend. Living close to Hampton Park, allowed me to come home from work, hop on my bike, and escape for a few hours. Traveling by two wheels in Downtown Charleston is a great experience. When I moved to Los Angeles, I used the bicycle service provided my the City of LA, where you would rent e-bikes to cruise around Downtown LA. I would often get carried away, having so much fun, that I would find myself on Skid Row, on a bicycle, maybe not the smartest thing, but very memorable to say the least. Moving back to Charleston, right during Covid, I didn’t have much to do. Still in a bit of a culture shock after 4 years in LA, I would ride my Mom’s Giant bike and love every minute of it. Time passed on, I stopped riding my Mom’s bike, switching between jobs, and finally landing on my feet in 2021, I became my corporate career with my current employer. The Summer of 2024, I started my motorcycle career, and this blog was born. But owning a bicycle had not really crossed my mind.

Then this year, I decided to improve my lifestyle. I began a diet and by the summer started my fitness journey. Then about a month ago, I saw a cyclist, on a road bicycle, and knew my next step in my fitness journey had arrived. But reaching that moment, to want a road bike, was because I am thinking about competing in a local triathlon this coming summer. And part of a triathlon, is riding a bike. But not just any bike, but a road bike.

My first idea of buying a road bike was searching websites of local bike shops. Immediately, the price of a new road bike made me realize, this was NOT the way to go. Spending over a thousand dollars on a bicycle, that I didn’t know if I would like, was not the move I wanted to make. I then turned my attention on Craigslist and found some great deals, or so I thought. During my Thanksgiving holiday, I reached out to a few listings but came up short. No one replied back to me. I really didn’t want to wait because I knew my timing was just right. I was off from work for a few days, had a window, had the desire to ride, and just needed the bike. So where should I go? I returned to my Mom’s Giant bicycle and saw the bike shop sticker on the frame, “Mike’s Bikes”. “Let’s go there,” I thought. On Black Friday, I pulled into Mike’s Bikes hoping that maybe, just maybe, they had a used road bike for sale. The first thing I noticed about Mike’s Bikes is that the vibe is just my style. Part showroom, part shop, and helpful staff. “We have a few used road bikes for sale,” the Mike’s Bikes employee told me as I stood looking at a new model way out of my budget. Walking to the showroom, I immediately set my eyes on a large gray frame road bike. The employee let me know that it’s previous life was as a rental bike but all the components had been upgraded as well as the tires. I noticed the water bottle holder, beautiful gray color, white seat, funky grip tape color, and thought, “that is the one!”

My test ride at Mike’s Bikes was hilarious. For one, I had to figure out how to mount this road bike. Then, I had to understand how to change gears. Lucky for me, the pedals where traditional, and not clip-ins. Yet, a few minutes later, I was rolling about the parking lot, and it was like I had rediscovered and old friend. I did manage to switch the gears, use the drop down handlebars, and feel the rush, if only for a second, of the potential of what it is like riding a fast road bike. I walked back into Mike’s Bikes, bought the Giant Contend road bike, a few other items like a helmet, gloves, and lights, and drove my new road bike home. I was very excited. But what would I call this new bike of mine? It must be named because a strong relationship is built upon a shared connection. Then, the name came to me….“Urik”. A German name meaning “enduring leader”. This was perfect for my new road bike.

This past Sunday, I ate breakfast with mom, mounted Urik in all my new gear, and started pedaling. This being the second ride I had a great route planned and the possibility of riding to Folly Beach for the first time. I reached Folly Road, took a deep breath, and started heading to Folly. What occurred over the next hour was triumph and tragedy. Reaching Folly Pier while riding Urik was an amazing experience. I sat on a bench, looked out at the Atlantic Ocean, and felt a wave of emotions. It was as if all the years of riding bikes, those important experiences, came flooding back. I looked over at Urik, and knew I had made the right decision. And I knew my dream of competing in a triathlon had just begun. Yet, as quickly as the ride crested to a new height, Urik reminded me, that bicycling is a sport that can quickly fall apart. Heading home, I noticed Urik wouldn’t change gears. Then arriving back in my neighborhood, the right pedal had become loose and was about to fall off. I called this experience, “baptism by the road”. Allowing my emotions to settle, and eating some left over pizza, I headed back to Mike’s Bikes and immediately the staff did an amazing job. I left Urik overnight and the next day got the call that he was “good-to-go”. The front derailleur fixed, and a new crank installed. I rode Urik a few minutes in the neighborhood last night and honestly, Urik felt faster. Or I am just getting better?

What was really fun was the the next morning, I rode Lucy into work and found that my 2 days of cycling had improved my motorcycling. In a way, my form on Lucy was stronger, I cornered more confidently and I was more at peace on Lucy. It was as if I took my aggressive riding experience with Urik, which then allowed to me have a peaceful experience while motorcycling. More on this idea later. For now, Urik is fixed, resting in the garage next to Lucy, and I have rekindled my love of cycling again. My triathlon dreams are fully alive.

Rolf