Riding my bicycle helps me get centered. Besides helping to keep me relatively fit (and non-sedentary!), riding my bicycle alone, in small groups, or in larger club rides helps clear my head. I derive considerable joy from having the road pass beneath my tires, and riding a Sotherland makes the experience all the more joyful.

I learned from my brother John that designing and building a quality hand-built bicycle frame takes technical skill, attention to detail, patience and confidence, and knowledge of riding and the rider. John clearly demonstrates that he has the skill: he pays very close attention to every detail in design and construction, he is patient with those for whom he builds bicycles and confident in his own ability to build the highest quality bicycles, and he wants the rider to enjoy riding even more on a Sotherland bicycle. From the synergy of those practices emerges a riding experience second to none.

I’ve enjoyed riding bicycles for several decades, thanks to John, and I’ve had the pleasure of borrowing and riding several of his bicycles. But it wasn’t until I rode MY new Sotherland that I felt like I was “in” the bicycle — almost part of it — instead of “on” the bicycle. I will always remember my first ride on MY Sotherland. And every now and then, even though I’ve ridden it for thousands of miles, I am reminded of that first “in” feeling and just grin a big one.

Simply put, John loves bicycling and building bicycles that will foster that love of bicycling in other riders.