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Reid Rider Of The Month Aaron

Hot Read Hot read Nov 18

Our Reid Rider of the month for November is Aaron, a roadie from Toronto. Aaron can’t get enough of  his Reid Aquila road bike, using it to commute during the week and embark on long distance rides on the weekend. Read on to find out more about his life-long cycling journey.

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Introduce yourself…                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Hi there readers and riders! My name is Aaron AKA @TorontoByBike AKA Toronto street meat vendors’ number 1 customer! Originally from Northumberland county, I moved to Toronto for school and with a vintage Raleigh road bike, and eventually a recycled road bike from a DIY bike shop called Bike Pirates. It with was these bikes that I started commuting for work downtown and fell in love with the city’s growing cycling scene.

When and how did you get into bike riding?

I’ve been riding bikes since I was probably 4 – often on a mountain bike because of the less-than-smooth roads and paths. I gained interest in long distance rides in high school after setting a 55 kM route to the next town and back (on a dual-suspension mountain bike!) Ever since I’ve been hooked and love to ride my bike every chance I get – for shopping/errands, distance rides, and best of all to main my physical health.

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What is it that you enjoy most about cycling?

Okay, that would have to be the feeling of absolute freedom (and speed!) when I hit the road. When I started really loving cycling, I took my bike on short commutes from a subway station near my job, but truly fell for it when I began riding longer routes when the pandemic hit.

How did you get your hands on a Reid?

After some researching online, I found a shop with a full lineup of Reids called Brown’s Sport & Cycle. I had been riding a single speed road bike for a few years, and wanted to upgrade my long distance rides and appreciate the passion I had for the sport of cycling. I saw my bike online, saw that my fitted frame size was in-stock and jumped at it!

Which Reid bike did you ride?

I ride the Reid Aquila road bike – a light all-rounder with Shimano Claris shifting, a slick 8×2 gearset, and 700x25s and stock tubes that have rolled me around for about 1000 kM so far – that’s work commutes and distance rides!

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How has it treated you?    

My Aquila has been fantastic – it had been a handful of years since I rode anything but a single speed, and this bike made it easy to transition back into smooth shifting. My favourite moment with it was on day 1 when I discovered the larger of 2 chainrings – this thing rips!

What have you done and where have you been with it?

I’ve been to work and back every day with it for the past few months, and have regularly ridden long distance scenic and speed rides (with favoured 20, 35, 50 kM routes), and recently to my in-laws and back for a whopping 117 kM on a weekend in September! I’ve changed up some cosmetic parts like the stem and bar end caps, pedals, and some vinyl decals to make it more personalized.

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Do you have any other future adventures planned?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

In the new year I hope to take the plunge of joining in on a group ride or two with one of the city’s many cycling clubs, and would love to take part in a road or cyclocross race (I have larger spare tires and tubes that I can use thanks to the Aquila’s tire clearance!). Until then, it’s work commutes and exploring Toronto’s autumnal beauty with my wife and the bike I built for her (maybe her next one will be a Reid, too!).

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Finally, what advice would you give to those who are considering getting into bike riding or perhaps have never tried it before?

Don’t be the first person to tell yourself no – cycling is fun, it’s challenging, and incentivizing. Take it day by day, skill by skill, and you’ll be riding far and fast in no-time. Follow the rules, and don’t be afraid to ring your bell and communicate, because it’s true that some areas can be tricky or hazardous to bike through. Practice your turn signals and last but certainly not least – ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET!

Would you or someone you know make a good Reid Rider of the Month? Get in touch to share your story!

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