Why We Ride: Jamison Hutchins

Name: Jamison Hutchins

Age: 26

Bike: Surly LHT

Local shop: Bike Line

Why: Its fun.
That should be first and foremost. I love being out among the people, not secluded in a little box on wheels. I get everywhere faster in the city. I care about the environment. I always get the best parking spot...and its free. Talking to people at stoplights. I can always have one extra pint before I head home. I fill my gas tank about once every month and a half. Keeps me from moving to the suburbs.

Indy: Potential

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Why We Ride: Andrew Korty

Name: Andrew Korty

Age: 35

Bike: >10-year-old Schwinn mountain bike

Local shop: Bicycle Hospital

Why: I commute by bike to avoid owning more than one car, for fitness, and for enjoyment. We'll see how long I last through the winter, but so far it's great.

If you see Andrew out and about with his daughter, give him a high five for being awesome!

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Why We Ride: Maximillian Apodaca

Name: Maximillian Apodaca

Age: 42

Bike: Avon Ride - Tues & Thur

Local shop: A-l Cyclery

Why I Ride: After being diagnosed with an incurable lung disease. I started riding again to live. The exercise helps me and riding just improves my mood overall.

Indy in a sentence: I love the warmth of the people in Indianapolis.

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Why We Ride: Mike

Name: mike

Age: 33

Bike: lemond alpe d'huez

Local shop: graygoat

Why I ride: Because any excuse to increase my potential for death on the way to work is a good excuse.

Seriously though, I don't really have any problems w/ drivers. The vast majority of folks are pretty friendly. At least the vast majority of folks on the south side (the best side).

I ride because I was fat and then I wasn't (and then I was, but that's because I started drinking). I ride because it means I get to have a knee surgery every year. I ride because there are deer that need to be taught a lesson.

Indy in a sentence: The benefit of having no culture is that it's out there waiting for you to help create it.

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WWR: Neal Bennett

Name/Nickname: Neal Bennett

Age: 29

Local shop: Indy Bike Line-Broad Ripple

Main Squeeze: Gary Fisher Simple City 3

Why I ride: I ride to feel connected to my surroundings. Traveling by automobile is like being a statistic. Statistics should be saved for election polls and economics.

Indy in a sentence: Indy holds enough potential to be whatever you want it to be.

Neal is one of the leading members of Green Broad Ripple that we met with last month - an organization that, in their words, seeks "to enhance the Greater Broad Ripple Community by promoting a healthful, productive, and fulfilling quality of life through; community education, promotion of "Reduce-Reuse-Recycle" practices, and development of a neighborhood "Town Plan" toward a more sustainable future."

Why We Ride: Ben Morrow

This is a bit of an uncharacteristic Why We Ride for this week, but if you know Morrow, you know that he never does anything characteristically.

I'm fast but certainly not the fastest.
I'm risky on the roads but have been hit too many times to be considered excellently skilled.
I'm in shape but smoke and drink to much to be held to the standard of health.

...but honestly I haven't given a second thought to any of that.

The reason riding a bicycle is stuck in my bones forever is the people. I've not met a more diverse, passionate, talented, and hilarious group of people than I have through cycling. In this thing called a bike, I've actually made friends that I would feel no reservation in calling my brothers. A bit dramatic, maybe, but if you knew these people, you'd understand.

I guess the point of this whole rant is to say how I've seen Indy change since I first stepped on my pedals here. Again, I'm a people person, and the influx of personalities has been astounding. I've met everyone from granola-eating hippy types to darn-near homeless fixie kids - all who could party pretty decently hardy.

The point is, I don't care who has the best stuff, who can beat some guy who was in a fixie DVD (Love you Mark, you're fast as shit through a goose), or who has the best ironic mustache, but man, when all these people get together and have a great time, there's not much more fun for the rest of the city to spare.

Why We Ride: Austin

Name/Nickname: austin

Age: 24

Main Squeeze: Red Peugeot Versailles conversion. It's an economical ride.

Local shop: Joe's 4 lyfe

Why I ride: I ride to pick-up girls on Craigslist.

Indy in a sentence: Big hearts, narrow minds. (Not really a sentence, per-say. Also, kill everything before the comma if you ride.)

Shout out to Naptown bike polo.

You guys should come out this Sunday.

Why We Ride: Tool

Name: TOOL

Age: 43

Main Squeezes: RoGeR / Epic

Local shops: Joes / GreyGoat

Why I ride: I ride because I always have. I always will. I have 30 years worth of stories of transporting my self most everywhere I go by bike. You have all heard them..I'm sorry if I have bored anyone to tears.

Indy in a sentence: Indy is quickly becoming a place I can tell people I am from, with pride...

(This week's Why We Ride brought to you by our sponsors at Werther's. Photo taken at the Momentum Magazine ArtBike! photobooth.)

Why We Ride: Broke Back Bryan Wyatt

Name/Nickname: Bryan Wyatt aka Broke Back Bryan

Age: Duece Duece

Main Squeeze: Black Soma Rush, Deep V in the back and a sun rim 650 or Hed-3 in front

Local shop: Joe's Cycles

Why I ride: I ride simply to have fun. I have fun at work delivering, or while riding at the velodrome. Many aspects of bike riding bring me joy.

Indy in a sentence: Indy has treated me well thus far. Oh, and it's also home of THE SHAWN WOLF.

To follow along with more of Bryan Wyatt's chicanery, tomfoolery, and all-around ballyhoo, hit up his blog.

Why We Ride: Dano

Name/Nickname: dano!

Age: twenty-three.

Main Squeeze: bianchi pista.

Local shop: jeremy and christopher, because i fail at having tubes and other bike tools.

Why I ride: the people, the sense of belonging, the sheer thrill.

Indy in a sentence: indy for me has been many firsts and i love it for that.

*Photo by Jeremy Albert

Why We Ride: Jeremy Albert

Name/Nickname: jeremy albert / jer

Age: twenty-three

Main squeeze: 2006 bianchi pista concept

Local shop: joes cycles, though it seems i can never get out of work in time to do any shopping...

Why I ride: i can remember my first bike ride, like it happened just yesterday. it started with slight push down a grassy hill, in the yard at my parents house.

even at that young age, i can still recall experiencing the indescribable feeling that is riding a bicycle.

to this day, nothing about that feeling has changed. every single time i've thrown a leg over my saddle and pushed forward on my pedals, i am almost instantly rushed to the feeling that started so long ago.

Indy in a sentence: indy is boosh, but the people i've met while riding are what makes it truly outstanding.

*Photo taken by Dano Archibee