During the challenging last couple of years, the value of fitness and getting outdoors came to the forefront. Whether you gained the “COVID 15” or simply needed a way to get out of the house, you likely discovered or rediscovered a fitness routine. This month, we’re showcasing a pair of ElliptiGO riders who found their love of stand up cycling amid the pandemic. Now, they’re about to mark 10,000 miles ridden alongside one another. These two show that, when we GO together, we can get through anything. Meet our May 2022 Riders of the Month: Allen and Sasha Crisp!
This Florida couple are both Navy veterans. Allen retired from the Navy after 31 years of service, and Sasha served 8 ½ before entering the civilian world. They met at one of their post-Navy jobs and have been married for nearly a decade.
Before discovering ElliptiGO bikes, most of this couple’s prior fitness experience was tied to their military service. They do love to hike together and Allen would occasionally participate in a 5 or 10k – but it’s safe to say they discovered their favorite form of movement in ElliptiGO bikes. Allen says that he first became aware of the bikes when he saw an ad for ElliptiGO in a magazine.
“When I saw the ElliptiGO I knew I wanted one and that I would enjoy it but it wasn’t until several years later that we finally got one,” Sasha told us. They picked up a used 3C in early 2019.
“The bike needed a little work, which we never seemed to get around to doing, and just made excuses for it sitting and collecting dust in the garage. Like so many others we both started working from home in March of 2020 and within a few weeks had already gained 10-15 pounds. April 3rd, 2020 was my first ElliptiGO ride, we decided Allen would run and I would ride next to him.”
From this very first ride, they were hooked! They purchased a second ElliptiGO the very same day to ensure that they could ride together from now on. Today, the couple owns quite the impressive fleet – 13 ElliptiGO bikes including both our elliptical and stand up bikes.
Allen and Sasha shared with us that they almost exclusively ride together, only logging solo miles on rare occasions. How sweet is that? They try to get in about 2 hours a day, average about 18-25 miles on each ride.
While Sasha and Allen make a great pedaling pair, they have also become an active part of our worldwide community of ElliptiGO riders. They are members of the Global ElliptiGO Riders Club (GERC) and can be found interacting with other stand up cyclists in the customer-run ElliptiGO Facebook group.
They told us, “It’s always nice to be part of a group that shares knowledge, information, and passion for the same thing. We have learned maintenance tips and shared some of ours along with our favorite riding accessories. We are happy to have found a really great community that really celebrates the ElliptiGO. The GERC challenges are enjoyable and we have met some great people and made friends along the way.”
They’ve even had a chance to meet their fellow ElliptiGO riders at some in-person events!
Sasha recalled, “Our first event was the shortened Spring Classic in 2021 and then the full Spring Classic in 2022. We really enjoyed meeting other ElliptiGO riders and riding with them.”
“Someday we would like to do the TD 5 Borough and the DC ride. Allen is always up for donuts so Tour de Donut is probably on the list too. We certainly want to get out to San Diego to cheer on the Palomar riders and meet the ElliptiGO staff as well as the Winter Classic in Scottsdale.”
The couple is about to hit the 10,000 mile mark, which is a huge accomplishment after just a couple of years of riding. When they’re not riding their ElliptiGO bikes, Allen can be found tinkering with them in their garage – performing maintenance on their newer bikes and fixing up used bikes in need of a refresh.
We asked this dynamic duo – what would you tell someone who is on the fence about buying their first ElliptiGO bike?
“Get GOing! What are you waiting for? ElliptiGO has a great team and the community is terrific, everyone is helpful and supportive answering questions and offering encouragement. Plus the ElliptiGO is so much fun it’s hard to believe it is exercise.”
Sasha, Allen, you’ve really dove headfirst into the world of ElliptiGO! Your enthusiasm for our products and the way you’ve made it a part of your love story makes us smile. We can’t wait to celebrate these 10,000 miles you’re about to complete…and many thousands more after that!
Contact ElliptiGO with nominations to Rider of the Month or share your own story. It may just be the next feature!