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Most long-haul truckers pass the miles with music and coffee. Steven Hay wanted something else: a way to keep riding. He pulled out the passenger seat of his semi truck. In its place he put an ElliptiGO bike, mounted and ready to roll the moment he parks for the night.

Whether he’s riding through the Idaho canyonlands or climbing toward a mountain summit in Arizona, Steven has found a way to keep GOing no matter where the road takes him. Meet ElliptiGO’s August 2026 Rider of the Month, Steven Hay!

A Winding Road

Steven calls Peoria, Arizona home, but his path there wound through half the country. Born in Portland, Oregon, his family later moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, then Chicago, Illinois, before landing in Phoenix, Arizona. In Phoenix, Steven attended high school and then went on to spend four years at Bible college in the area. From there, Steven moved back to Portland to attend Western Seminary, where he earned a master’s degree in counseling.

It was in Portland that Steven met Tami, the woman who would become his wife. The couple recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. Today, Steven and Tami share their home in Peoria with their 19-year-old son, whom they adopted at birth, and their Coton de Tulear dog.

Steven’s career has taken almost as many turns as his childhood moves. He started out as a youth pastor in St. Louis, Missouri, then became a pastor in Michigan. At age 40, he shifted gears entirely and began selling new Dodge vehicles, followed by a stint as a financial advisor with Edward Jones. At age 50, Steven found his current calling: driving a semi truck. He now owns and operates his own trucking company, serving as its sole driver.

From Basketball to Three Bikes

Before ElliptiGO bikes entered the picture, Steven’s fitness life centered on basketball, which he played recreationally for most of his life. Around age 50, he stepped away from the court and decided to give running a try.

“In my mid-50s I decided to start running and loved it, but I had many of the typical runner’s issues. So many that, while searching the internet for help, I discovered ElliptiGO bikes,” Steven says.

That discovery changed everything. “Soon I got one, and before long I quit running. Now I ride the ElliptiGO exclusively,” Steven says.

Today, Steven owns three ElliptiGO bikes: a Signature Series 8S, a Meb Series 8S and an MSUB, Mountain Stand Up Bike. When he isn’t riding straight from home or from his semi truck, he relies on his favorite accessory, the INNO bike rack, to transport his ElliptiGO bike.

GOing on the Road

Steven’s trucking schedule keeps him on the road for a week at a time, followed by a week at home — a rhythm that once meant a week away from his ElliptiGO bike, too. That didn’t sit well with him for long.

“Once I started riding an ElliptiGO bike, I really missed riding during the weeks that I was out driving my truck. Finally, I removed the passenger seat so I could take my 8S on the road with me, mounted horizontally on the ElliptiGO Fluid 365 Stationary Trainer stand,” Steven says.

No, Steven doesn’t pedal in the truck’s cab. Instead, he uses the stationary trainer as a convenient stand. After he parks, Steven shares, “I take the bike out of the passenger door of the cab and go for a ride!”

Steven recently got a new truck, and now his bike is mounted vertically. He  explains, “This time I used the ElliptiGO stationary trainer’s front wheel stand to place the rear wheel on the floor. Above, my bike’s front wheel is mounted to a cabinet wall in the truck using a run-of-the-mill bike hook that is most often used in garages to mount bikes vertically.” Steve screwed the hook into a small piece of 2×4 on the backside of the cabinet to ensure it’s sturdy.

“I just returned from my first nine-day trip in the new truck with the new ElliptiGO mount, and both performed flawlessly!” Steve reports.

His driving routes often carry him through Nevada, Idaho, Washington and Oregon, and over the past two years that has meant an ever-growing list of ElliptiGO rides in some remarkable places. Steven has ridden his 8S at the Evel Knievel jump site above Snake River Canyon near Twin Falls, Idaho; through the San Juan Islands in Washington; and around Crater Lake in Oregon.

One ride stands out among the rest so far this year: joining a bike group for a climb to the top of Mount Lemmon near Tucson, Arizona. But Steven is already looking ahead to an even bigger challenge.

In October, he’ll ride up Mount Palomar for the ElliptiGO World Championships. “I am currently really looking forward to the final ride up Mount Palomar for the ElliptiGO World Championships in October,” he says. “I can’t think of a better outlet to let my ElliptiGO passion run WILD!”

Finding His People

For the first year or two of riding, Steven kept to himself, heading out for quick, easy rides straight from his garage. He knew the ElliptiGO community existed, but he didn’t feel a pull to join it. Then he started following other ElliptiGO riders on Strava.

Eventually, curiosity got the better of him, and he showed up to his first ElliptiGO group ride. “When I finally went to my first ElliptiGO activity, I found that I was interested in putting a face to the names of people I had begun to follow on Strava,” Steven recalls.

He began looking forward to planned group rides and getting to know the riders he’d only known online. Joining the Global ElliptiGO Riders Club  (GERC) was the natural next step. Steven says, “ElliptiGO has now become so much more than just an exercise that I enjoy. It is now truly a life passion for me.”

That zeal and community spirit didn’t go unnoticed. In 2025, Steven won GERC’s “Effervescence” award, recognizing his “spirited community engagement, standout riding and infectious enthusiasm.”

He says, “This award was definitely a surprise. However, anytime you are recognized for something you are passionate about, it definitely means something.”

As for shout-outs, Steven says there are simply too many ElliptiGO friends to name. “I would love to give a shout out to all those ElliptiGOers who have affected me in a positive way, but the list would be so long that it wouldn’t fit in this article!” he says. “Most of you know who you are anyway, although some of you have no idea the effect you have had on helping to develop my enthusiasm for all things ElliptiGO!”

“I am looking forward to many more years of ElliptiGO involvement, including engaging with more of the ElliptiGO community,” Steven adds.

The Miles Ahead

Steven rides between 3,000 and 4,000 miles a year, and in contrast to his short-lived running career, ElliptiGO riding has been kind to his body. “Unlike running, since I have been riding my ElliptiGO bike, I have yet to experience any physical ailments or injuries!” he says.

For anyone still on the fence about buying an ElliptiGO bike, Steven notes, “Riding an ElliptiGO bike has the potential to be so much more than just a fun exercise! Why not let getting in shape occur naturally while doing something that you can become truly passionate about?” (We think that’s an excellent point!)

Congratulations to Steven Hay, ElliptiGO’s August 2026 Rider of the Month! From a customized rig that keeps him riding across state lines to a mountain-top finish line still ahead of him this October, Steven’s story is proof that passion finds a way … even from the cab of a semi truck.

Thank you, Steven, for sharing your journey and your love for ElliptiGO bikes. We can’t wait to see you cross the finish line on Palomar Mountain! We’ll be cheering you on.

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