Using Biking to Break the Cycle of Going in Circles with Your Fitness and Wellness

“At the heart of it, I just want people to experience the joy of biking. Seeing the community from a bike is an incredible experience, and I want to bring more people along for the ride.” Karen Rogers

In the heart of Rochester, where scenic trails and urban pathways intertwine, Karen Rogers leads a movement—one pedal at a time. As the founder of EE Pathways, Karen has dedicated over two decades to reshaping the conversation around health and wellness. Her passion for fitness and accessibility has transformed countless lives, making physical activity a necessity and a joy.

Karen’s personal journey fuels commitment to using movement for wellness. She found cycling to be a transformative tool for her health, and now, through EE Pathways, she helps others lower cholesterol, manage their weight, and understand the importance of monitoring their health metrics. For Karen, biking is more than just an exercise—it’s a way of life. “Being out in the elements rather than in a vehicle allows people to truly take in the beauty of their surroundings,” she shares.

One of her core beliefs is that wellness should not come with a financial barrier. “Biking outdoors is completely free,” she emphasizes. “You don’t have to spend money to enjoy it, and it gives you the opportunity to see your community from a different perspective while improving your health.”

Through EE Pathways, Karen actively works to break down barriers to fitness. She helps individuals find bicycles, educates them on maintenance, and provides guidance on re-learning how to ride.  As a licensed cycling instructor and a strong advocate for inclusivity in outdoor recreation, Karen is particularly passionate about increasing participation among Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities. She recognizes the historical and systemic challenges that have discouraged diverse groups from engaging in outdoor activities and is determined to change that narrative.

“I love biking in this community, and I want more people—especially BIPOC individuals—to experience it. The outdoors belong to all of us,” she affirms. Many people express interest in biking but feel overwhelmed about where to start. Karen removes these obstacles, guiding new cyclists to accessible options like e-bikes and touring bikes, which provide alternative solutions for those with physical limitations. “Biking is for everyone. Everyone can ride. Everyone can do this.”

Her advocacy extends beyond just getting people on bikes—it’s about integrating cycling into everyday life. “You can get anywhere in Rochester by bike in 30 minutes or less—whether it’s the suburbs, downtown, or a grocery store,” she notes. With cycling being an inexpensive, sustainable, and efficient mode of transportation, she envisions a city where more people embrace biking as part of their lifestyle.

Rochester Supports the Biking Way of Life

While Karen has been drawing more people toward biking for fitness, fun, and even commuting, Jesse Peers and others at Reconnect Rochester have been steadily growing cycling resources, including identifying safer routes through the city and building awareness and commitment to a multimodal transportation model. Jesse, serving as the Cycling Coordinator for Reconnect Rochester, also has a personal transformation story related to biking. He wrote, “After not cycling once in my twenties, I got back on a bike at age 31 and it changed my life: getting rid of my car liberated my family’s finances, got me healthier and opened up a whole new community to me.”

With Jesse’s leadership, Reconnect Rochester offers bike education designed to attract more people to discover the health and financial benefits of using a bike to get around. They deliver bike education in a wide variety of settings, including workplaces, college campuses, health care facilities, public libraries, schools, and community groups. Reconnect Rochester is also committed to building more connected, safe trails/riding lanes throughout the City so it’s even safer and easier to integrate biking into all aspects of daily life. Reconnect Rochester offers many resources that help residents and visitors to the area participate in fun biking activities as well as the advocacy and volunteer activities needed to continue to grow Rochester’s biking infrastructure.

Some of the resources available through the Reconnect Rochester website are the Cycling Calendar (visitors are always welcome on rides!), Mobility Action Alerts (an email list to engage folks in actionable, tangible advocacy and volunteer opportunities), bike maintenance classes, a map with easy biking areas and even a fun series of stories, maps, and directions submitted by community members that answer the question, “What’s a destination, that at first glance, would seem quite difficult & stressful to bike to, but is actually pretty easy *IF* you use a certain route, probably an unintuitive approach or easily overlooked back way? (Definitely not the way you’d drive there).”

The Bigger Biking Picture in the Finger Lakes Region

 “I call it a playground around here. It’s just a biker’s Paradise.” Matt Curbeau, Professional Cyclist

The Rochester and broader Finger Lakes region, with its picturesque canal paths and inviting trails, offers an ideal setting for people to rediscover the simple pleasure of movement. Regionally, biking is a very popular activity with cycling clubs, bike races, and interesting events happening across the 14-county region.

A Penn Yan native and winner of the 2025 Keuka Lake Gravel Classic, Matt Curbeau champions the Finger Lakes as a premier cycling destination, advocating for its road, gravel, and mountain biking opportunities. He explains that the region is a hidden gem that many people overlook in favor of places like Colorado or Arizona. But (especially) from May to October, the region offers some of the best riding conditions imaginable. He explains, “What makes the region special is its versatility -riders can enjoy flat, fast roads around the lakes, or they can take a turn and climb hills that last ten to twenty minutes. There’s also an abundance of gravel roads….and lesser-known spots that offer incredible riding, yet many people outside the Finger Lakes aren’t aware of just how good it is. It’s the kind of place where a cyclist can spend a weekend or an entire summer exploring different terrains.”

But don’t take our word for it, come explore it yourself! Here are just a few links to maps, club info, and some fun challenges that will be happening this year (there are MANY more biking resources for the region – this is just a taste!):

Onondaga Cycling Club – Offers ride opportunities in Onondaga County. Also has a catalogue of maps and written directions for a range of road biking trips.

Finger Lakes Cycling Club (FLCC) – Offers a free library of many routes across the region, a couple fun challenges (including the Bike the Finger Lakes 11 Challenge and the Hill Challenge), an active list of rides folks can join, and more.

Central NY Cycling Club– Supports mountain biking in the southern tier of New York; website offers trail maps, event listings, and a list of partner organizations with additional maps and related resources. Can’t find the right thing for you in these links? Reach out to any of the biking clubs and they will be happy to share their favorite tips and locations with you – including their favorite places to fuel up before riding and their favorite places to relax after a long ride.

To uncover even more, visit our FLX Outdoor Experience page and discover the beauty of the Finger Lakes region through exciting adventures and hidden treasures. We’re thrilled to showcase the abundant outdoor offerings and sustainability initiatives that make this area so special.