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Some riders discover ElliptiGO bikes by chance, and others find them right when they need them. Theresa found ElliptiGO bikes at the perfect time, when her body was telling her she needed to find an alternative to long-distance running. She was determined to stay active, and ElliptiGO offered a way to keep moving without giving up the outdoor fitness she loved. Meet our December 2025 Rider of the Month, Theresa LaPera!

Shifting From Running to Riding

Theresa grew up in New England and lived in several states before settling in beautiful Colorado Springs, Colorado. Her career spanned many years in healthcare administration and consulting. Today she enjoys semi-retirement while taking on occasional consulting projects as a proposal writer.

Theresa ran long distances for 40 years. Then, in 2018, she broke her ankle. “Between that and some issues with my hips, I knew I would need an alternative to running as I got older,” she says. “I had a vague idea that there were various elliptical-type bikes out there, so I started Googling and found ElliptiGO,” she explains.

Theresa was slated to travel for work to Virginia Beach, where she found a store that sells ElliptiGO bikes. She decided to take a test ride.

“I knew it would be a big leap for me to make riding a part of my routine,” she says, “but I bought one almost immediately to make sure there would be no going back to just running!”

That purchase turned out to be exactly what she needed.

Riding for Recovery

Theresa now rides several ElliptiGO bike models: an 11R, an 8C that stays on a stationary trainer for indoor winter rides, an RSUB, and an original SUB. “They are all awesome in their own way, but the RSUB is my favorite for a quick and intense workout,” she shares. She credits the RSUB with helping her return to full strength after her injury. Theresa explains, “It really became an important part of fully recovering from the broken ankle and subsequent surgery. My feet have never been so strong!”

For Theresa, ElliptiGO bikes didn’t just make movement possible. It helped her maintain fitness at times when other forms of exercise were no longer an option.

After recovering from her ankle injury, Theresa needed both hips replaced. Before surgery, she says she could barely even walk around the block. “But I could ride an ElliptiGO bike pain-free up until the day before each operation,” Theresa notes. After the surgeries, her recovery was brisk: “I was back riding on the trainer within two weeks and out riding on the streets at six weeks with my surgeon’s blessing.”

A Community That Makes Every Ride Better

Theresa says the ElliptiGO community has been one of the highlights of her experience. “It has been such a welcoming community,” she says. “Even though I don’t ride nearly as much as many of them do, everyone I’ve met has always been so friendly.”

She gives warm shoutouts to Ron Richardson, Justin Duke, Tina Schmitz, Greg Hallerman, and Nikki Shoemaker for helping her feel supported and included.

GOing the Distance

Today Theresa mixes ElliptiGO riding with hiking, strength training, standard cycling, a little jogging, and plenty of walking. She typically rides an ElliptiGO bike between two and four times per week, depending on the weather and season.

One particularly noteworthy ride took place during a road trip to a wedding in Wisconsin. When they drove through Iowa, Theresa requested a detour. “I made my husband stop by the High Trestle Trail,” she says. She just had to experience it, so they stopped the car and Theresa rode a short segment of the trail. It was a brief but memorable ride.

For anyone considering an ElliptiGO bike, Theresa offers clear and enthusiastic advice: “Do it! You won’t be sorry.”

As for the future, Theresa’s goals are simple. She plans to keep GOing and enjoying every mile that her ElliptiGO bikes make possible. Congratulations on being named our Rider of the Month, Theresa. We’re excited to see you continuing to GO strong!

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You can contact ElliptiGO with nominations to Rider of the Month or share your own story. It may just be the next feature!