MANSFIELD, Ohio — The sky was spitting chunks of hail and the wind was blowing; but Matthew Stanfield kept pedaling through Mansfield one day in April. Stanfield took the “30 Days of Biking” pledge this year to ride his bike every day in April, rain or snow … or hail.
Through the program, for every 30 pledges taken, one bike was donated to Free Bikes 4 Kidz, a nonprofit organization geared toward providing children with bicycles for a healthier childhood.
Stanfield chronicled his 30-day-pledge on his blog. On day one, he wrote, “During the month of April, i have committed to ride my bicycle every day. Regardless of weather. Regardless of distance. Regardless of time. Why you might ask? Well the short answer is to help provide bicycles to children in need through Free Bikes 4 Kidz.”
Stanfield has used his bike for transportation for quite some time.
His love for bicycle transportation began in high school, circa 1988. One day he decided to ride his bike to school because he was unable to ride the school bus. He said in college he still rode, but it wasn’t until 2000 when he enrolled in Ohio State’s graduate school that he started riding daily and as a viable alternative to driving his car.
“Parking was expensive, to say the least. So rather than pay for a parking permit I got a bike,” said Stanfield.
Now, he said, he rides his bike more than he drives his car. He recently just bought a “cargo bike” that can lug up to 200 extra pounds. The Trek Transport with a long tail is built for commuters who want to carry groceries, work supplies, and if you are Stanfield — three bags of water softener salt and a sawzall, nearly 130 pounds of extra weight.
One day during the pledge, Stanfield said he rode his bike from North Lake Park to Appleseed True Value Hardware. From there, along with the 120 pounds of salt mentioned above, he rode to a friend’s house to pick up the sawzall. And from there, he pedaled back to his home, a total of 15 miles.
“That was the toughest ride. I was fine until coming back out of Middle-Bellville [Road] with the 120 pounds of salt and a sawzall. I had a little bit of trouble there with that hill,” said Stanfield with a smile. He explained that he was stuck at the light where Logan Road and Middle-Bellville Road intersect, so he had to start on an uphill grade from a complete stop.
“I ended up walking through that intersection,” he said.
Although biking is a sport and many enjoy the recreational aspect of riding, Stanfield said biking as a means for transportation takes boldness.
“It takes a certain boldness just to assert your rights on the road. Once you’re too timid in traffic, that’s when the problems really occur,” said Stanfield.
To that end, he advises others who might be interested in biking as a means for transportation to wear bright clothing, to know the turn signals and use them, to have a good mirror and to wear a helmet.
“And be prepared to arrive sweaty. You might want to make sure you arrive early enough to cool down,” he said.
