What’s your ride?

“This is a hybrid bike; it’s a four-speed internally geared bike, so I don’t have as much maintenance as I would have with another bike. It’s suitable for the Chico area because Chico’s really flat, but I have ridden it to Centerville, and to Durham, I’ve done some hills with it. I built the box on the back—it’s my funky trunk.”

—Jim Picard, certified nurse assistant

“I can fit a whole grocery bag in each one of the baskets; we have carried 40 pounds of groceries on my bike. The baskets in the back are collapsible. It’s a commuter bike. It’s a multigeared bike so it can do some hills. I’ve done some distance rides on it. It’s very sturdy; it’s made out of aluminum, so it’s a stiff ride. It’s purchased at a local bike shop—I added the baskets, added a drink carrier, created my own bag for the front. And it’s been with me for probably at least 10 years.”

—Venus Picard, cook

“It’s a mountain touring bike. I just use it for everything. It’s kinda my work; we make bicycle bags. They’re specifically geared for bike camping. There are a few companies that make them, but this is my version. We just moved here, so we’ve mostly been riding in the park, Upper Park.”

—Brian Laplander, bike-bag maker

“It’s so old that I love it. I’ve done traveling so much with it all over the place. I try to ride my bike everywhere, even though I live about 20 miles out of town. When I’m here, I like to just ride around. Instead of working out I try to use a bike ride—your bike paths are great! The rack on the back is just so I can go grocery shopping; I don’t want to try to park everywhere.”

—Dawn Rossi, traveling physical therapist assistant