Needing a workout and frustrated by the Arizona Cardinals losing on television, Randy Flora left his house Sunday for a spin around Reid Park.
Flora, 56, wasn't riding a bicycle. Instead, he was atop an ElliptiGO, an elliptical machine with wheels.
Standing on it, he measured about 7 feet tall. He figured passengers in two out of every three cars to speed past him on Alvernon Way looked directly at the odd silhouette.
"You wouldn't believe the number of looks," he said.
More Tucsonans will see the device Saturday; Flora - who teaches spinning, rides bicycles, hikes and plays basketball - will be one of four men riding an ElliptiGO in El Tour de Tucson.
El Tour is open to alternate forms of human-powered transportation. The event gives an award for the most unique bicycle. This year's ride will feature unicycles and even a "quad," a bicycle built for four.
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The ElliptiGO found its way to Tucson earlier this year, in part, because of Steve Burton.
Burton and his wife traveled to the Napa Valley Marathon expo in January.
An ultramarathoner for 11 years, Burton had started to experience back pain, and was fearful his running days were limited.
There, he first saw the machine, which has eight speeds, a hand braking system and allows riders to stand while swaying their legs as if on an elliptical machine.
"I was transfixed," said Burton, 37.
He figured it would be easier on his knees and back. Burton and his wife each bought a machine, which retails for $2,200 apiece.
He was so sold on the machine that he began working part time for the company as an Arizona salesman.
Burton will ride the 109-mile route Saturday, while Flora and Robert Cobb will do the 40-miler. Matt Baldwin is riding 66 miles.
Burton said the ElliptiGO can cruise at 15 mph, maybe half the speed of an elite bicycle.
"You're about as aerodynamic as a Coke machine," he said. "You're burning more calories because you're not as aerodynamic."
Burton figures fewer than 10 Tucsonans own one. So if you do a double-take Saturday, you won't be alone.
"I have people stop and ask me all the time," Flora said. "I'm glad I'm not shy."
On StarNet: Find a searchable database of several years' worth of El Tour results at azstarnet.com/eltour
Up next
• What: El Tour
• Where: Around the perimeter of Tucson
• When: Saturday
