Lum said that his road to progress in cycling was a slow one, yet he was not discouraged.

"I started out finishing in the bottom 10 percent of the field, but enjoyed riding in the main group of riders until I would get dropped," he said.

Through the years, Lum improved as a rider, and last year he won the Masters State Championship road race for the first time.

"Man did that feel good ... I wanted to share the experience with all riders," he said.

Lum said he enjoys cycling because of "the friendships created with the riders, the good fitness it creates ... and the feeling I get when I'm riding in the peloton (lead pack of riders)."

As to the benefits of joining a cycling club, Lum said that one can gain "knowledge from other teammates, group training rides, support in races and riding as a team."

Smith moved to Hawai'i in 2003 to pursue a Master's degree in kinesiology at the University of Hawai'i, and has been riding only three years.

"It's hard to list all of the things I enjoy about cycling, but mostly I like the efficiency of it — the ability to move yourself through space time, using only your power," he said.

Smith also uses cycling as a means to combat stress.

"Every time I get off the bike (after a ride) everything around me seems brighter," he said.

Bird, a U.S. Army intelligence officer, started cycling to evade consistent injuries she endured in running.

"Biking is great because it is very low impact on the shins and knees, and it's a great way to keep in shape," she said. "It's so fun that it doesn't seem like exercise."

Bird, an Illinois native, also enjoys the outdoor experiences cycling offers.

"It really gives you the opportunity to explore an area, whether you've been there numerous times, or it's your first time," she said. "You can see so much more when you're not in a car with the radio on, and the windows rolled up."

Bird has been a competitive rider for nine years. As an active duty military member, Bird returned from a one-year deployment to Iraq in February, and was back in gear, racing in last week's Tarlavsky's North Shore Triathlon, where she won the military female division and placed 28th overall.

Cambio was founded in the late 1980s by a small group of riders who wanted to form a team.

"Right now we have approximately 20 riders ... with a broad range of riding levels and backgrounds such as 'roadies' (riders who usually stick to road racing), triathletes and mountain bikers," Lum said.