Dr. Lifschitz, an endocrinologist hailing from South Africa, has been commuting by bike in Denver for 25 years. Though he owns several bikes for recreation and has participated in Ride the Rockies many times (five times as medical personnel), he makes his eight-mile daily commute to Rose Medical Center on a 20-year-old Diamondback. Lifschitz lists three reasons for his commitment to cycling: 1) better health, 2) to decrease air pollution, and 3) to decrease foreign oil dependence. He calculates that he has ridden at least 120,000 miles since he was a child. “That’s the lifetime of one automobile!” he says with a smile.
Dr. Lifschitz’s wife, Ann, tells us her husband is always saying, “‘What does not kill makes fat,’ meaning that if he doesn’t bike with the risks of biking, he will become fat and gain weight.” She says his commitment to cycling has not only inspired her, but also the couple’s daughters, sons-in-law, and two young granddaughters to take up a two-wheeled lifestyle. So, while his peers select Dr. Lifschitz as one of 5280 Magazine’s Top Docs each year, we think he also deserves to be recognized as one of Denver’s top bike heroes. Way to ride, doc!
BikeDenver’s Bike Hero of the Month Awards highlight different people each month, and help encourage other people to bike by telling the Hero’s personal story. The goal of the Bike Hero Awards Program is to showcase the diversity of citizen-cyclists and the people who support them in Denver. 
BikeDenver’s Executive Director Piep van Heuven says: “We introduced the Bike Hero awards because we want to encourage a friendly environment for and public image of bicyclists in Denver. One of the ways we can do this is to showcase the different faces of and great stories about people in our community, like Dr. Lifschitz, who ride bikes or help others get out there and ride. Through the Bike Hero awards, BikeDenver honors bicyclists of all ages and walks of life, from the first time bicyclist to the rain or shine bicyclist! We all know people (our neighbors, co-workers, family members or community leaders) who inspire us to reach for the handlebars instead of the car keys. Take a moment to look around you and help BikeDenver recognize the people in our community who are making a difference for Denver, one ride at a time!”
To nominate a Bike Hero, please send a photo and a brief description of why you think they should be recognized (100 words or less) to info(at)bikedenver.org.
We started naming Bike Heroes in January, meet them here!
September Bike Hero – Curtis Caldwell!
August Bike Hero – Liz Riviere!
July Bike Heroes – Highland 4th of July Kids Bike Parade Organizers!
June Bike Hero – Sherry Sampson!
April Bike Hero – Peter Thulson!
March Bike Hero – Broox Pulford!
February Bike Hero – Rocio Rowland!
January Bike Hero – Chad McKeehan!
Our Bike Heroes get a nifty certificate, the public notoriety of being named a Bike Hero, and a $50 gift card from supporter Bicycle Village!
BikeDenver is Denver’s bicycle advocacy organization. BikeDenver promotes and encourages bicycling in and around Denver and works to make Denver a better place to ride your bike for fun, recreation and transportation. Why? Because it’s healthy for you, and healthy for Denver. www.bikedenver.org
Bicycle Village has been a Colorado owned and operated business for more than 30 years. From modest beginnings in an 1800 square ft. building in West Denver, Bicycle Village has grown into the largest bicycle retailer in the Rockies. www.bicyclevillage.com
Fun Stuff:
See BikeDenver’s PSA’s and learn about the great reasons to ride in Denver: “Priceless” “Why I Ride”
You can help make Denver’s streets safer for people like Curtis by becoming a BikeDenver member: Join BikeDenver!
People like Mervyn and Ann Lifschitz make our community very wealthy. May he ride for many more years!!
I traveled almost 3 hours last week to meet with Dr. Lifschitz. I came upon this article while I was checking out following my appointment. What an inspiration! Already impressed by his kind, gentle, wise spirit; his commitment to biking, our environment, and his own health clearly distinguish him as a care provider who only helps us make changes for the better!