Fully Alive (and grateful!)

June 25, 2018/ Maria Parker

Jeffrey Ritter is an author, speaker, cyclist and Cruzbike owner. In 2015 while training for a qualifier for Race Across America on his traditional bike, he had an accident and fell 20 feet down a ravine, breaking his neck. Jeffrey is lucky to be alive. Five neck vertebrae are fused together now.

Jeffrey borrowed a Cruzbike Sofrider from us in February of 2016, determined to find a way to start cycling again. In December of 2016, he bought an S30. Since then Jeffrey has told us again and again how appreciative he is for Cruzbike.

Jeffrey and the many customers who take the time to write us and tell us how Cruzbike has made their lives better so encourages all of us at Cruzbike. Thank you.



Here are some excerpts from his notes to us over the last couple of years:

Finding Cruzbike has, literally, saved my life. I am pleased to report that I have just this week completed a 35+ and 53+ mile ride here in the Triangle region of NC, along with 56+ miles out on the Outer Banks last week…

The bike and I are becoming one. I feel strong, confident, in control, and totally safe. Every ride is a bit faster, a bit stronger, a bit more steady, and, just today, I finally felt like I was an athlete on a bike again!

Just wanted to give you a quick update that I am now riding 150+ miles a week, will do my first century (Bikefest, here in the Triangle) on Saturday, and have entered the Mid-Atlantic. My first endurance race ever!!

Last week Jeffrey sent us the following letter:

Today was a fun day on my Silvio. A bit of perspective. We had moved to Durham, NC, just weeks after realizing that, despite a year of healing, my neck would never allow me to ride a real road bike again.

Tough enough to move to a new place, lose my friends, and lose my cycling life. Jane was a valiant warrior helping try to improve my mood and took me to a local ice cream shop that sits on a ridge overlooking a rolling valley of farms with a road ribbon weaving from near to far.

As we sat there, the sun setting, it was glorious, only to then see two cyclists floating along the road. I broke into tears, nearly sobbing–I had lost that beauty, that grace, that strength, that freedom.

Then, I discovered Cruzbike and I began to dream–Would it be possible? Could I be able to ride again?

Today, the sun shone here, a perfect day that seduced me onto the roads. And, without even thinking about it, I found myself on a road ribbon-weaving through a rolling valley over which an ice cream shop could be seen on the ridge above.

As if it was yesterday, I remembered. But now I was strong, I was floating, I was cycling, I was free. I roared out loud with laughter and perhaps a tear of joy. Pure joy.

Cruzbike, and the support and cheers of the Cruzbike Community and each of you, allowed me to fully embrace being alive again.

You can watch a video about Jeffrey Here: (spoiler: it features Cruzbike)