YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Out-Spokin’ Wheelmen is a recreational bike club of mostly senior citizens who travel 30 miles on a weekly basis, exploring rural areas in Trumbull, Mahoning, and Columbiana Counties.
“After the pandemic, I’ve not gone back to the gym, but I’ve gotten more into biking,” said Lori Swan, president of Out-Spokin’ Wheelmen.
“We do the different rides. We do like a Taco Tuesday ride, we do ice cream rides. We’ve got cheeseburger rides. As you can see, we like food also besides riding,” said Swan.
Swan is one of more than 200 paid members ranging in age from 20 to mid-80s, to carry on a tradition that started with two college friends in 1973.
Since riding with Out-Spokin’ Wheelmen more than a decade ago, Swan said she’s challenged herself to take biking to a new level and help fight for a cause.
“I did an MS Benefit ride, and I rode 100 miles in the scorching heat. And you think of the people that you’re actually riding for, you know people who have MS who can’t get on a bike and ride,” said Swan.
Canfield native Fred Payne was part of Out-Spokin’ Wheelmen in high school and rejoined five years ago after returning to the Mahoning Valley.
He said besides seeing the Ohio countryside, riding has also helped improve his overall health.
“Since I retired, I’ve lost over 100 pounds and a lot of it is due to the bicycling. It’s just changed my life dramatically. You come back, you just feel so much better. It’s just physically and mentally uplifting,” said Payne.
Swan echoes that sentiment, and said she looks forward to the Pan Ohio Hope Ride to honor cancer survivors next month in Cleveland, a four-day event where she’ll tally a grueling 328 miles for the first time.
The group is always accepting new members, and Swan has this advice riders for those no matter your skill level.
“Every week, just add a few more miles and work it up. Not that you have to do a hundred miles or anything like that, but you know if you can get up to maybe 30 miles or so, that’s not too bad of a ride. To be with your friends, I mean it doesn’t get much better than that,” says Swan.
