Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had a fascination with bicycles, a fascination that grew as I got older. I distinctly remember buying my first serious bike, in 1993. I bought it used, and it didn’t fit me well at all.

Each year I have a goal of riding 1,500 miles, and each year I pretty substantially surpass that. Last year I rode over 3,000 miles. And I don’t ride in the winter.

John sized me up, completely. He considered every aspect of me and what I enjoy about riding. Even down to my pedals: “Put your cycling shoes on. You walk, and I can adjust” was how he even helped me find the perfect alignment of my feet on the pedals.

This is my third year of riding on my Sotherland. I love it. My bike fits me like a glove. My Sotherland has transformed how I feel when I ride. I can literally ride all day, and the only aches and pains I feel are from hard exercise, from pushing my body. There’s no strain, no stress.

My son and I refer to John as “The Lama,” like the Dalai Lama. His knowledge is vast, he understands so much, and he is so perceptive about bicycling and enjoyment