Laura MacDonald, volunteer executive director for Start the Cycle, on Tuesday at Provisions MQT stands by two high-tech bikes — an Orbea electric assist bike, left, and a Pivot bike — that will be raffled off on June 25 at the Marquette Trails Fest to benefit the organization. Start the Cycle promotes a healthy lifestyle through bicycling for youngsters. (Journal photo by Christie Mastric)

By CHRISTIE MASTRIC

Journal Staff Writer

MARQUETTE — A local organization continues to promote youth togetherness with bicycling.

Start the Cycle is a group cycling program that introduces youngsters to a better life through summer mountain biking and winter fat tire biking.

To kick off the season, the West End Health Foundation donated $10,000 for the organization to purchase two high-tech bikes — a Pivot Switchblade Team XTR carbon bike and an Orbea Rise H15 electric assist bike — that will be raffled off during Marquette Trails Fest between 4 and 6 p.m. June 25.

Laura MacDonald, volunteer executive director for Start the Cycle, said the fundraiser is the biggest one for Start the Cycle, which has been in service for 11 years. The foundation donates $10,000 for the bikes every year.

“We use that money to leverage to purchase as cool a bikes as we can,” MacDonald said.

The Pivot bike is valued at $12,000 while the Orbea bike is valued at $6,799.

“This is considered the Porsche of mountain bikes, she said of the Pivot, which uses a computer system called Live Valve. “It adjusts the suspension up to 1,000 times a second depending on what terrain you’re riding, so you don’t have to lock it out to go down hills. It does all of that itself.

“But you still have to pedal it yourself.”

The Orbea is an e-mountain bike that does have electric assist on the pedals only, MacDonald said. Also, the bikes, which are carbon framed, are lightweight.

“For a $10 raffle ticket, you could win either with one purchase,” said MacDonald, who noted that the first winner will be asked what bike they prefer, with the second winner getting the other bike.

MacDonald said therapists, counselors, teachers and school administrators refer youngsters to Start the Cycle — “just kids that could a little more support.”

A program goal, she said, is to give the young participants a sense of belonging and of being on the team as well as getting emotional support.

“The kids get a little bit more support out on the trail too,” MacDonald said. “If they’re having problems, they can have somebody to discuss it with.”

Eighteen kids are selected annually, MacDonald said. To help those youngsters, Start the Cycle buys a fleet of new mountain bikes. This year, the program will use Martin 7 trek bikes from Quick Stop Bike Shop in Marquette, she said. Each young rider is assigned items such as a bike, helmet, hydration pack, gloves, and practice and race jerseys.

Youngsters practice from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, she said, with the season culminating in the Ore to Shore Mountain Bike Epic.

This year’s race, which calls itself “Michigan’s largest mass start, point-to-point mountain bike event,” is scheduled for Aug. 12.

“Once they ride the Ore to Shore with us, and they complete it, they get to keep everything,” MacDonald said. “So then the following year, if their equipment is kept in good shape, they can return every year. We have some kids that have been with us for six, eight years.”

Tom Edmark, president of the West End Foundation, said he believes in the Start the Cycle program.

“This will be our fourth year helping them out,” said Edmark, who pointed out that the organization is a great cause that helps youth. The foundation also helps the Upper Peninsula Diabetes Outreach Network and the Marquette County Cares Coalition.

For information on how to purchase raffle tickets, visit https://startthecyclemqt.org or call 906-361-9378,

Christie Mastric can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net.