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PLATTSBURGH — Frank Cavaluzzi is biking the entire perimeter of Lake Champlain with one thing setting him apart from the average cyclist — he is doing it standing up.
When curious onlookers ask about his odd biking methods, he enjoys directing people to www.standing
cyclist.com to raise awareness about donating money to Stand Up To Cancer or help in other ways.
The organization hopes to raise $5,000 from his tour, which began in Burlington.
"It's nice to be able to point people to something beyond yourself," Cavaluzzi said.
DETERMINED
A project manager hailing from Lord's Valley, Pa., Cavaluzzi began cycling standing up after being couch-ridden with asthma.
After gaining weight and "feeling horrible," he started tinkering with different methods of bike riding until realizing he was able to bike best while standing up.
Being able to ride again boosted his morale, and he began to lose the weight he had put on.
Slowly, he did away with his asthma medications and now uses only an emergency inhaler.
CANCER CAUSE
When doing similar tours in Ireland and Iceland, he noticed his riding method was generating a lot of attention.
Not wanting the focus to be on himself, he decided to re-direct that energy toward fundraising.
The tour around Lake Champlain is his first trip for a cause, he said.
Non-cyclists think he's "absolutely crazy," he said, and when people realize he has asthma, they just can't wrap their heads around it. He likes surprising people like that.
He was once able to provide hope to the parents of an asthmatic child in Iceland by proving that great things can be done by those with the affliction, and he hopes to provide similar inspiration to others.
"It's not hopeless," he said.
NO SEAT
His 35-pound Salsa Fargo 26er bike is modified especially for stand-up riding and includes a higher cockpit and pedals that allow Cavaluzzi's back to remain close to vertical.
The seat post is removed, "so I can't cheat."
The main difference with this kind of biking is mental, he said, being more akin to marathon running.
"I have to think and eat and use my body in a similar way. When the mind starts to tire, technique on the bike suffers."
When that happens, an "avalanche effect" is created where certain areas of the body take on unnecessary strain, expending extra energy.
Riding 40 to 60 miles a day, he must stay "super crisp" mentally, but this is not to say he thinks of himself as some sort of amazing athlete.
"I am not any kind of fitness freak. I'm a little overweight, I like pizza and beer, and I don't go to bed at 8 o'clock."
TAKING HIS TIME
Cavaluzzi, who started Monday, was close to passing the halfway mark as he passed through Plattsburgh on Thursday. The trip should take eight to nine days, but he isn't in any hurry to meet that goal.
"I'm not punching a time clock."
He really enjoys meeting like-minded people on the way. While half the time he stays at cycling-friendly establishments to sleep, he is fully loaded with equipment in order to set up a camping site on other nights.
Among the 40 pounds of gear are natural, organic energy bars, as well as Hammer energy powders he mixes with Gatorade for sustenance while riding.
Cavaluzzi also eats one to two substantial meals a day. After riding, he takes protein supplements to help with his aching muscles.
"My legs actually hurt to the touch," he said, a sign his body needs more protein.
He is able to keep himself hydrated during long periods of riding by stopping just long enough to gulp down some water, which he said can be dangerous while biking standing up. Taking a break, he said, is like stopping in the middle of a marathon — it really hinders his progress.
FOLLOW HIM
A satellite tracking system attached to the bike allows Cavaluzzi's location to be displayed on a map over the Internet at regular intervals, so people can follow his progress through the Web site.
"It's important to stand up and make a difference any way you can," he said. "This is just my way."
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