Collinwood Bicyclist of the Month

Stephen Love, Collinwood resident and February Bicyclist of the Month.

This month we recognize Stephen Love, Collinwood resident. To nominate yourself or someone you know for Bicyclist of the Month, contact us at bikeEuclid@gmail.com.

Where do you enjoy riding? Is it for transportation, recreation, or both? Describe the experience.

I enjoy riding from Collinwood to downtown Cleveland for work.  The ride features quite a diversity of experiences from Collinwood to Bratenahl to industrial Cleveland to Playhouse Square.  I particularly enjoy the ride in the summer when I get to ride along the lake at Gordon Park (minus the midges and Mayflies...)!

If you have a roadside emergency or need to repair something, how do you handle it? For example, are you able to fix a flat?

To be honest, I've only fixed a flat once. Not very confident in my ability to fix one again!  I think I would just opt to hop on the bus with my bike if it were to happen again

Do you ride year round? How do you dress for the weather? Do you wear any special clothing?

I tried riding year round for one year - it just happened to be the winter we experienced the polar vortex!  Needless to say that was the only year I rode in the winter.... just too many layers to take on and off!  Still riding from about March until whenever it gets too cold in December though.

Do you ride your bike to work or school? Describe the experience.

Riding to work is my most common ride experience.  I most enjoy the ride in the early morning when its really quiet in the neighborhood, deer, fox, and turkey are roaming around, and the sun is just starting to come up!

What one cycling experience stands out most in your memory.

Probably riding along the lakefront at Gordon park right after the implosion of the coal power plant across the freeway.  After years of riding my bike along that stretch of Gordon Park with the same view, the absence of the power plant provided me with a totally different perspective of what a more connected Gordon Park could look like!

If you could change or improve one thing about your cycling experience, what would it be?

Cleveland has certainly come a long way - from bike lanes on Lakeshore to a motorist culture that is more accepting of cyclists on the road but trust me, we have a LONG way to go - creating truly protected bikeways, and elevating the mobility of cyclists and pedestrians to be equal to that of motorists is paramount to creating a more connected and equitable Cleveland for all residents.

Why do you ride?

For the planet, for health, for a different perspective!

Kath Sonnhalter

Bike Euclid is your local advocacy group working to promote a comprehensive stress free bicycling network for transportation and pleasure, and to encourage and connect bicyclists to resources which support safe and legal use of the bicycle. Bike Euclid is a chapter of Bike Cleveland. This close working relationship benefits residents of both communities as well as bicyclists throughout the region. Join us! Go to www.bikecleveland.org. In your Bike Cleveland membership application, you may also check that you also want to be a member of Bike Euclid. In doing so half of your membership dollars will be spent directly on outreach and programming within the City of Euclid. Check out our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/euclidbikes for event details and ideas shared by our community of members.

Read More on Bike Collinwood
Volume 10, Issue 2, Posted 2:06 PM, 02.10.2018