Peter Scott (@pete_scott__) is our International Reid Rider of the Month for February!
Peter from Australia, has become our International Reid Rider of the Month for February catching our eye on Instagram using #reidbikes with his Vantage Comp 1.0, however, we then found out he has a Boss and an Urban X2 too! We caught up with Peter, to find out a little bit more about him and his bike...I grew up on the Mid-North Coast of NSW playing Rugby League and then Basketball. I was always active as a kid and have also worked in an industry with a fair bit of physical activity. However, over the years a few niggling injuries slowed me down and life just seemed to get busier and busier. In 2015, realising I had put on a lot of weight I decided that I wanted to buy a bike to try and get some fitness back and loose some weight. I'd read a few articles here and there about the benefits of cycling, and the fact that it is low impact was really appealing.
Next came the search for a bike. I had no idea about group sets, hubs, spoke counts, or anything really. I started searching the internet for 'best value bikes' and other similar phrases. Reid Cycles came up time and again. There were a few reviews from cycling magazines where Reid bikes received great reviews and as I became a little more comfortable with the options available I decided that I was confident enough to visit the Reid shop and discuss what was best for me.
Due to my size, weight, and what I wanted to use if for, I was recommended the Urban X2. It was a great first bike again (after many years without one). I planned a route from home that was about 13km and tried to do it at least once most weekends. I kept up the occasional riding from October 2015 until February 2016 and then life got in the way again. In the June / July school holidays I found myself taking the kids to a local bike park where they had heaps of fun. Wanting to join the kids, and perhaps relive my youth, I decided to buy a Reid Boss Fatbike to follow the kids around, it was absolutely awesome.
In September I noticed that I had reached an unfortunate milestone, I was 22 kg over the weight I should have been. After reading more articles about the fat burning benefits of riding between 1 and 2 hours, I planned my biggest ride ever - 36km going up the Goat Track to Mt Nebo in Brisbane and also climbing up to the Camp Mountain Lookout. This turned out to be over 1000m of climbing which at the time was epic. That was the proper start of me loving cycling and making it a big part of my life. Between the Urban X2 and the Reid Boss I had gained enough fitness to hire a bike on a trip to Hobart and ride up Mt Wellington. In December 2016 I'd lost enough weight to be able to ride the new Carbon Disc Reid Vantage Comp 1.0.
During 2017 I tried to ride 3 times a week most weeks, using the X2 to ride to work, and the Vantage Comp on the weekends. After a year of fairly solid riding I felt confident enough to want to ride with others and attempt a group ride. I joined a club and did my first group ride just before Christmas 2017. In 2018 I gradually built up to riding 6 and sometimes 7 days a week clocking over 12000km for the year. In April 2018 after many hours on the Reid Vantage Comp, I hired a bike in France on a family holiday and climbed up the iconic Alpe du Huez, a climb used often in the Tour de France. I had my first local C grade criterium race and managed to get my first win on Boxing Day on the Reid Vantage Comp 1.0.
In the family we have 6 Reid bikes: my X2, Boss, and Vantage Comp; and an Escape, Scout, and MTB Sport. They have proved to be outstanding value for money and incredibly reliable bikes. My 2015 Reid X2 Commuter has done 5802km, the 2016 Reid Boss Fatbike has done 724km, and the 2017 Reid Vantage Comp 1.0 has now done 18393km. The X2 has done many Mt Nebo, Mt Glorious, and Clear Mountain climbs as well as many trips into Brisbane. The Boss has been taken up the steep way to Mt Glorious as well as many local pony trails and lots of time following the kids around on their Reid bikes. The Vantage Comp has done everything I've asked of it. In 2018 the Vantage Comp comfortably carried me for a 202km ride with nearly 3300m of climbing.
I'm planning on buying a dedicated race bike in 2019, but the Reid bike will still be used for commuting, training, and following the kids. 2 years ago I didn't own one set of lycra (and had no intention of ever buying a set), spending any longer than an hour on a bike seemed ridiculous, and buying a racing style road bike was quite daunting. My advice for those considering buying a great value Reid bike to regain some fitness, remember the fun and joy of riding a bike, or for whatever reason you have for considering it - don't wait! Do it now.