Country-wide cycling tour for Parkinson’s comes to the mid-Island

“As soon as I started pedalling, the tremor would stop, and the only other time the tremor stops is when I sleep. My symptoms have progressed over the years, and it’s not quite the full erasing of the symptom anymore, but still calms them significantly. It’s remarkable.”

NanaimoNewsNOW spoke with Taylor on Monday, Aug. 10, while he rested just outside of Ladysmith, on only his second day of cycling, making the approximately 80-kilometre journey with his team from Mill Bay to Nanaimo.

A Toronto resident, Taylor and six others will be cycling 425 kilometres over eight days across the lower half of Vancouver Island, returning to Nanaimo on Wednesday, Aug 12, to complete another 80-kilometre loop into Lantzville and Nanoose Bay.

A look at the B.C. leg of the Spinning Wheels Tour, before heading into Alberta by the middle of August. (Image Credit: Pedaling for Parkinson Canada)

Taylor said researchers haven’t been able to pinpoint exactly why cycling appears to alleviate some Parkinson’s symptoms.

“Ballroom dancing is another. Boxing is another. Seems to be anything that combines sort of movements and thought, cardio and balance. And cycling seems to be the leading one. Nobody understands quite why, medically, they can’t figure out why cycling does what it does.”

With a personal goal of $10,000, Taylor raised more than half of that amount by only the third day of riding his bike.

He said community building and spreading awareness about Parkinson’s is his primary motivator to fight back against the disease impacting more than 120,000 Canadians.

“People invariably speak to us as we ride, and after a conversation, kindly, they want to do something, and so we have the opportunity for them to donate. All of the funds get funneled back into communities that we ride through to support exercise programs for people living with Parkinson’s.”

Lloyd Taylor (R) with his Spinning Wheels groups along Coastal B.C. during last year’s tour. (Image Credit: Spinning Wheels 2025)

Along with his fellow riders and a support vehicle, Taylor’s wife Jane is also by his side while he rides.

She said those whose loved ones are living with Parkinson’s are more than willing to speak to them about their experiences.

“It’s a really hard disease, and everyone progresses so differently. So everybody wants to talk about it. It’s your grandpa, or your dad, or your mom, or your sister, or whoever. As a caregiver, I know there’s so many varied symptoms, and you’re watching this person who was perfectly healthy slowly lose things.”

She said the actual number of Canadians with Parkinson’s is likely underreported due to the varying nature of symptoms, and a hesitancy for a person to admit they have the disease.

“There’s something about it that makes people hide. There’s an embarrassment factor. It is the fastest-growing neurological disease in the world, and there’s no known cause, there’s no cure, and nowhere is it growing faster than Canada.”

According to Parkinson Canada, they estimate over 150,000 Canadians will be living with Parkinson’s by 2034.

Age is the primary risk factor, with most people diagnosed being 65 years of age or older.

Around 10 per cent of cases are linked to genetics, while environmental factors such as exposure to certain chemicals also play a role.

The B.C. leg of the Spinning Wheels Tour wraps up in Victoria on Aug. 14, before heading east and completing circuits in all ten provinces before the grand finale in Ontario on Sept. 27, with a national fundraising goal of just over $900,000.

More information on the Spinning Wheels Tour, including how to participate or donate, can be found here on their website.

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by Jordan Davidson

Country-wide cycling tour for Parkinson’s comes to the mid-Island

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