Cyclists on cross-Canada trek to raise funds for Parkinson’s research have bikes stolen in Edmonton

An unexpected obstacle has put the brakes, at least temporarily, on a fundraising trip across Canada.

Two cyclists travelling coast to coast to raise awareness and funds for Parkinson’s disease research and treatment had their bikes stolen in Edmonton Monday night.

The Spinning Wheels relay team tells CityNews the bicycles were custom made to alleviate conditions unique to a Parkinson’s diagnosis; the specifications are costly and don’t come easy.

The bikes were stolen off their vehicle during the Edmonton leg of their 60-day trek across Canada.

“We were supposed to leave (Tuesday) morning for Vegreville, and it was like, I don’t know what to do now,” said Jim Redmond, co-chair of the Spinning Wheels relay. “I was in total shock, and my Parkinson’s symptoms flared. Parkinson’s comes out when you’re stressed, and it took me about 20 minutes to walk 50 feet to get inside.”

The overnight theft has put the team’s campaign on hold as it finds replacements for the rest of the ride. But the ride is not shutting down, Redmond vows.

“We have an event in Saskatoon coming up that it’s a firm date, so the organizer of that event is saying, ‘well, do we have it without you?’ And the answer is no, we’ll be there. So it might mean we have to cycle a little bit more per day, which makes it just a little bit harder, but we’ll get there.”

The group’s final destination is Ottawa at the end of September.

The duo is receiving some help from people who follow along their journey, and they expect to be back on the road soon. They hope the interruption doesn’t negatively impact their fundraising efforts, and want to bring attention back to Parkinson’s disease.

“Cycling is medicine for people with Parkinson’s and I guess it’s also a good thing that Canada is so beautiful,” Redmond said. “We’ll get to see an extra 30 or 40 kilometres a day for the next two or three days, but we’ll get to where we’re going.”

More information on the Spinning Wheels’ campaign and fundraising opportunities are on the team’s website.