Sports

Suwanee Cyclists Are on a Roll

The Outlaws regularly take long rides through the area.

With nicknames like Crash and Dizzy, you get the impression this sport is not for the weak.

With an NFL player and a corporate pilot in their ranks, you know that the activity has wide appeal.

And with equipment costs running into four figures, you know that road cycling is not for just anyone.

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The Outlaws roll on, regularly meeting and riding from a Suwanee strip mall off Peachtree Industrial Boulevard. Their treks cover either 30 or 50 miles and last several hours.

The group numbers about 60, and 15-20 will show up regularly for rides, said Anna Ball, who has been riding about three years. Her husband, Greg Fuss, also is a regular rider. The group recruits by word of mouth, and through their Facebook site.

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The Outlaws have about four routes they regularly ride, and they run through several cities, such as Buford and Duluth. When they finish, they'll adjourn to Starbucks for social time.

Is there intra-marital competition? "Once in a blue moon I'll try to beat him," Ball said of her husband, "but it doesn't work."

It can get rough. Rick Dobson, a.k.a. "Crash," remembers an incident that required a 911 call. The lead cyclist stopped rapidly to avoid an oncoming car, and another Outlaw cyclist then crashed into Dobson. Though unconscious, Dobson recovered, but it cracked his helmet.

Another rider, Rick Ittner, remembers a dizzy spell during a rest stop on a cold morning. An emergency call was made, though he never had to go to the hospital.

But it's not all danger. There's chatting that goes on as speeds reach about 20 mph. The cyclists have to travel two-wide, per the law, and one of them will be a "draft horse" to lead the way.

And the fitness appeal is enough that it attracts a current NFL player, Bryan Scott of the Buffalo Bills. A former Atlanta Falcons defensive back, Scott still makes his home in the area. "(Cycling) keeps you young," he said.

Scott, by the way, played at Penn State for Joe Paterno, who is now 85 and has just completed his 45th season as Nittany Lions' head coach. He feels Paterno is still going strong. "He taught me many life lessons," Scott said before a recent ride.

Another who finds the time to ride regularly is C.J. Nguy, a mother of four. "I have the world's best husband," she said. She got involved after meeting Anna Ball and when Nguy was having hip problems.

It's challenging, and expensive. The bikes have 12 gears, for front and rear wheels, and are made of either carbon or aluminum. A routine bike will cost $3,000, and the apparel can run into several hundred dollars for one outfit.

But it's somewhat addictive.Β Ron Lee, a corporate pilot and Outlaws rider, said cycling is "like flying down the road."


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