By Evan Mugford
NEWBURYPORT — As gas prices and obesity rates continue to inflate, there seems to be a rather simple and cost-effective solution.
Pedaling a bicycle.
Owned by Aaron Millet, Newburyport's Riverside Cycles — located in the Tannery Mill at 50 Water Street — is one of the leading reasons why Newburyport is becoming a greener and more health-conscious community.
Millet's leading technician and store manager for five years, 44-year-old Dave Ricker of Plaistow, N.H., is a bike enthusiast who splits his time cruising scenic routes and shredding in and out of wooded terrain.
Working as a chef for a portion of his life, Ricker left the stressful cuisine business and switched to his other hobby and more "fruitful" passion of bicycling nearly a dozen years ago. He started out working at REI in North Reading and took part in a very thorough and in-depth training course, under the Barnett Bicycle Institute located in Colorado Springs, Colo. There, he graduated from a budding bike practitioner to a legitimate and professional bicycle mechanic.
After working at REI for a while, Ricker moved his talents to North Salem, N.H., and began working as a store manager at Cycles Etc. Ricker eventually made his way over to the North Shore and Riverside Cycles, and he hasn't left since.
"This is a great area and community for bike riding," explained Ricker, who makes the 15-mile bike trek to and from work at least once a week. "There are more and more families riding bikes together, and the bicycle lane to High Street and the bicycle lane to Plum Island — a five-mile round trip — are both really nice examples of routes families can journey."
The Newburyport area is also a very scenic, historic and easily accessible bike ride that offers a learning experience as well as an aerobic one.
"Riverside and the Coastal Trails Coalition co-sponsor the Newburyport History Ride," said Ricker. "It's a short and relatively easy bike ride that starts and ends at our shop, and it's always a fun time.
"Our store's motto is 'fun at any pace,'" said Ricker. "We do our best to cater to every skill level, and I think the region we live in offers terrain and routes for both the casual and professional bicyclist."
The store also offers morning family rides every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Riverside offers road rides for the more seasoned bicyclist — a 35-mile loop through the River Rival region that starts and ends at the shop's parking lot.
Amesbury, Salisbury and many other neighboring towns offer great trails as well. Amesbury's River Walk, which runs along the Powow River, is a beautiful and easygoing ride. The Willowdale Forest in Wenham, the Georgetown-Rowley State Park and the Bradley Palmer State Park in Topsfield all offer solid mountain biking and trails along Crane Pond in Groveland that extend into West Newbury.
Ricker explains that regardless of where you're going, you should be prepared for the worst.
"It's always smart to make sure your bike is in proper working condition, so maintenance is essential," said Ricker, who added that you should also check your tire pressure before you go cruising. "Buy a helmet, a pump and an emergency kit that includes a tube and a patch set. And plenty of water is the main ingredient you should have while riding."
The majority of people who ride bikes are seasonal riders, but Ricker explains that every season is prime for bike-based exercise.
"Though it's a predominantly fair-weather sport, it's really like any other activity," said Ricker. "With the right equipment and clothing, you can ride all year long."
One of Ricker's fellow mechanics is Newburyport native Jon Bernhard, 33, who isn't surprised with the surge in bike riders.
"It's the most efficient and fun way to get around, and for some people, it's just a nice change of pace," said Bernhard. "I love the competition of biking. The challenge is another reason why I love the sport. There's always going to be someone faster than you and that can definitely help drive a person."
So why is biking suddenly becoming so relevant?
"You can do it from wherever you are. Your house, your work," Ricker said. "If you compare the cost of cycling to some sports, like hockey or golf for instance, it's really not that expensive. And coupled with the price of gas, it helps everyone's bank accounts."
Based on information on the Riverside Web site, in 1964 50 percent of American kids rode their bikes to school and the obesity rate was at 10 percent. According to the site, in 2004 just 3 percent of American kids rode their bikes to school and the obesity rate was at 45 percent.
