For Brad Serot, clipping into a road bike and hitting the pavement is personal, and it became a key emotional outlet for him.
Now, he’s hoping that outlet can benefit others.
The Winnetka father of four picked up cycling about six years ago, in the middle of a divorce and the COVID-19 pandemic. He had never been on a road bike before.
“It is an emotional outlet, a release for me, personally,” said Serot.
At home, he was also raising his four children, including his daughter Ava, who lives with both cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
“She is resilient and an inspiration to me, her brothers and sisters, and she’s a fighter,” said Serot.
What started as a way to clear his head turned into something bigger. Serot had an idea: build a team and ride for a cause.
“Yes We Can Cycling” launched with just five members, all riding to raise money for Easterseals, the Cerebral Palsy Foundation and the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago.
For team member Michael Berger, the mission hits close to home.
“I think about others who live with a physical challenge, and they don’t get the choice when they wake up in the morning as to whether or not they want that physical challenge to be there,” Berger said.
The team has kept growing. It is now more than 20 riders strong, with a goal of raising $3 million this year. Serot says that kind of expansion was never the plan. Asked whether building an entire team was his original goal, his answer was simple: “No.”
Now the group is preparing for its biggest challenge yet, the SBT GRVL race in Colorado, a course of more than 100 miles. Every pedal stroke, Serot said, brings the team closer to its goal.
“I can try to make a difference for her, and if we can help others in the process, even better,” he said.
For Serot, the ride goes far beyond the course, with his motivation always in mind.
If you would like to support the team, click here for more information.
