Bill Rickman
Bill Rickman’s life has been intertwined with bicycles for as long as he can remember. The training wheels came off early, and to this day Rickman prefers two wheels over four when given the choice.
From spending his childhood riding his Huffy BMX bike into the ground to surviving as a New York City bicyclist to commuting to work in downtown Cleveland, Rickman continues to appreciate biking as a simple yet essential part of his livelihood. It is no wonder Blimp City Bike & Hike has proudly selected Rickman as its August Cyclist of the Month.
“Sometimes I think I’m going to be that crazy old guy who’s still riding his bike at 75 years old with a long gray beard,” said Rickman, a thirty-something free spirit. “But I guess that wouldn’t be all that bad, so long as biking remains fun.”
Rickman currently resides on Cleveland’s westside in the Ohio City neighborhood and commutes via bike regularly downtown to work at PR Newswire Association, a global leader in news distribution services. When not making use of his 1996 Marin mountain bike, he can be found navigating his vibrant neighborhood aboard his 2010 Felt Slant cruiser – a ride courtesy of Blimp City Bike & Hike.
Rickman enjoys all things biking, including attending “Bike Night” at Buckeye Beer Engine in Lakewood and participating in an occasional long-distance ride. He has twice completed a 275-mile bike trek from Boston to New York City. More recently, Rickman became involved with 2 Mile Challenge, an organization that supports bike advocacy in the fight against climate change.
“The idea behind 2 Mile Challenge is the majority of car trips take place within two miles of your home, yet 80 percent of the population uses cars for that. They want people to cut back on cars,” said Rickman. “It’s nice to be environmentally friendly and to get exercise, but I also enjoy saving money from biking. I haven’t had to put gas in my car in almost three weeks.”
But Rickman’s biking career long predates today’s outrageous gas prices. The Latham, New York native grew up building bike jumps on woodland trails with his friends, and once attempted the ambitious goal of biking every street in his hometown. Remarkably, Rickman never endured a biking-induced trip to the emergency room.
“My friend and I would have competitions to see how far we could get our bikes to ghost-ride,” Rickman said. “I remember being on my Huffy, racing around the playground and grabbing the monkey bars while letting my bike go. No helmet and no parental supervision…I probably should’ve ended up in the hospital from that.”
Despite obtaining his driver’s license and later having a bike stolen during college, Rickman’s passion for biking prevailed – and he even discovered the value of wearing a helmet. Rickman moved to New York City after graduating from Marist College, and he quickly became adept at biking throughout the hazardous streets of the city that never sleeps.
While in New York City, Rickman particularly enjoyed morning bike rides across the Brooklyn Bridge, which offered stunning views of the Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty. Since then, however, Rickman has traded the Brooklyn Bridge for the less- celebrated-yet-still-scenic Detroit-Superior Bridge, which crosses the Cuyahoga River into downtown Cleveland.
“There are some mornings where you come over that bridge and the sun is shining just right on downtown Cleveland,” Rickman said. “It’s a cool town with the lake and the river, the warehouses and the high-rises. Cleveland sometimes gets a bad rap but it’s not a bad place at all, and it tends to be fairly biker-friendly.”
As for his future biking endeavors, Rickman would not rule out attempting a cross- country bike excursion someday. But his more immediate goals include investing in a road bike and continuing to promote biking for the greater good of humanity.
“The big thing with biking is just to get out there and do it,” Rickman said. “I think almost everyone rode a bike when they were young, and I think that feeling can still be there for adults. I don’t really know anyone who’s ridden a bike who’s said they don’t like riding. Just get some friends together and make it into a party on wheels.”
The Bill Rickman File:
Hometown: Latham, New York
Current Town: Ohio City, Cleveland, Ohio
Birthday: April 20
Employment: Editorial Manager at PR Newswire Association
Favorite Pop Culture Biking Reference: Pee Wee’s Big Adventure
Alma Mater: Marist College
Hobbies: Biking, Skiing, Music, Western Reserve Rowing Association, Blimp City Bike &
Hike Soccer Team
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