Page 53 - South Mississippi Living - November, 2021

Many Adults Return
to Biking for Fitness
and Enjoyment
story by John N. Felsher
photos courtesy of Biloxi Bicycle Works
ON As the weather turns more pleasant in the fall, people in South Mississippi might want to get out outdoors and
enjoy it, but they don’t want to spend too much money with fuel prices continuing to rise. Many older people remember the joy, peace and freedom riding bicycles gave them in their youth, but they haven’t sat on a bike seat for decades.
“A lot more people are paying attention to their fitness routine and getting fresh air, especially since COVID,” comments Bart Luther, owner of Biloxi Bicycle Works and a self-described bicycle lifer. “They have gravitated towards cycling. Riding a bicycle is a great way to relieve stress. It’s like taking a mini vacation.”
THE
Adults can’t ride the same bike they rode as a youth. They need something to fit not only their needs, but their comfort levels. First, prospective cyclists must decide why they want a bike and what they plan to do with it. Next, talk to an experienced rider in a professional bike shop to get just the right equipment.
ROAD
“Comfort is the key because if people are comfortable on a bicycle, they’ll want to ride more,” Luther explains. “Sizing is almost the most important part because people need to know there are different bicycle sizes. People need to pick a size that’s appropriate for the person who will ride it.”
AGAIN
Let a bike shop technician take measurements and help select
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living | www.smliving.net
November 2021 | 53
the proper equipment. A quality bike should cost about $300 to $1,000. A good helmet would cost another $200.
“Always go to a bike shop that offers several different bikes that
a person can test ride,” Luther advises. “What people think they want and really need could be different. When just starting out again, comfort and stability is much more important than efficiency and how far or fast a person can go down the road.”
After buying the proper equipment, many people join a bike club, such as the Gulf Coast Bicycle Club and participate in organized rides. Others prefer to do it themselves. For finding good biking routes, download apps such as Strava or RideSpot.
“Biloxi has some excellent roads for riding, and some that
just aren’t conducive to cycling,” Luther says. “When people
aren’t used to riding on city streets, they get a little bit nervous. I recommend getting with some experienced local riders because they naturally pick the best and safest routes to ride. We have some excellent bike routes that originate and end at the bicycle shop. One nice thing here on the coast, we have a big beach sidewalk that gives bicyclists almost 40 miles of uninterrupted riding where we can ride our bikes safely protected from the street.”
Luther also recommends riding the Larue Gravel Loop Route near Woolmarket. It covers about 15 miles. Another route, the Longleaf Trace route runs about 44 miles on pavement from Hattiesburg to Prentiss.
“The LaRue route is a beautiful route through the DeSoto National Forest,” says Luther, who recently wrote an article on the route for a major cycling magazine. “A lot of it is on gravel roads, so people need a bike that’s more suited for that.”