Local bike group raising funds for multiple sclerosis
Oct. 14—Dan Bien has logged in a lot of hours on a road — not in a car, but on his bike. The Brunswick resident first started cycling about 35 years ago when he was working as a state trooper in New York.
"I used to mountain bike on the weekends. But then I wanted to ride more, so got into road cycling," he said.
And boy did he. When he couldn't cycle outdoors, he opted to pedal inside, eventually becoming certified to teach cycling classes. (Today, he's an instructor at Bailey's Gym on Altama Avenue in Brunswick.)
On the road, however, Bien has ridden in more than 10 century rides, which total 100 miles each. He's done plenty of other tours as well but most of them have a common theme — charity.
"Basically, any benefit ride," he said.
His draw to giving back is typical for him. Not only did he serve as a state trooper, Bien is also retired from the United States Marine Corp. He later joined the National Guard as a tanker.
"I served in Iraq as an Infantry ... First Sergeant and in Afghanistan as a Battalion Command Sergeant Major," he said.
He currently works at FLETC, which is what brought him to the Golden Isles. That's where he linked up with the Golden Isles Chain Gang (GICG) — a group of bikers who come together to cycle.
"Many roadies ride laps around Jekyll Island since it is the most (relatively) safe area to ride. It was on Jekyll Island that my small group of riders met up with the Golden Isles Chain Gang," he said.
"Tammy Hassenpflug is the founder and the one who told me about it. It's mostly retirees, but we have had some younger riders join recently. It is very loosely organized. One of us will post the weekend rides on Facebook or Strava. My sub-group usually rides on Sunday mornings."
The Golden Isles Chain Gang was formed back in 2017 and now boasts 180 cyclists. It proved to be a perfect fit for Bien, as the group members often band together to join benefit rides throughout the region.
