A B-cyclist will tackle 2016 BP MS 150 on bike-share heavyweight

When thousands of 2016 BP MS 150 riders set out on the annual fundraiser ride on Saturday, April 16, Houstonian cycling enthusiast Doogie Roux will be saddling up a sturdy B-cycle bike from the popular bike-share program. less When thousands of 2016 BP MS 150 riders set out on the annual fundraiser ride on Saturday, April 16, Houstonian cycling enthusiast Doogie Roux will be saddling up a sturdy B-cycle bike from the popular ... more Image 1 of / 360 Caption Close A B-cyclist will tackle 2016 BP MS 150 on bike-share heavyweight 1 / 360 Back to Gallery

When thousands of BP MS 150 riders set out on the annual fundraiser ride this weekend, Houstonian cycling enthusiast Doogie Roux will be saddling up a sturdy B-cycle bike from the popular bike-share program.

Right about now, experienced cyclists familiar with the rigid, rent-ready bicycles in Houston are probably groaning in pain. Most people riding the BP MS 150 do it on lightweight, finely-tuned street bikes that weigh less than 20 pounds.

B-cycles, basket and all, weigh around 50 pounds. The bikes are generally used for running errands, sightseeing or riding relatively short distances around the city, not riding from Houston to Austin.

Roux, 26, has been riding bicycles since his youth in Louisiana and is a big part of the Houston cycling family, not to mention a connoisseur of fine Bayou City taco trucks.

An operations leader with B-cycle in Houston, he’s on top of maintaining the fleet of about 200 bikes found at kiosks around downtown, Midtown, the Museum District, Montrose, the Third Ward and Buffalo Bayou.

RELATED: Riders' journey serves as exercise in hope for those with MS

People can check out a bike with a pass – daily, weekly or annual – and use the bike without charge for 60 minutes. After that, the bike costs $4 per hour. B-cycle rentals increase when Houston’s temperatures rise.

The 180-mile charity ride starts Saturday morning in Houston and ends Sunday in Austin, after an overnight stay in La Grange. For Roux, the ride begins early Saturday at Waller Stadium in Waller.

Proceeds of the fundraiser go toward research to find a cure for multiple sclerosis, which damages the covers of nerve cells in a person's brain and spinal cord. What causes the disease, whose many symptoms can include paralysis, vision and speech problems and a host of other conditions, is unknown.

Riding in the BP MS 150 also has a special meaning for Roux, who has raised a little more than $400 so far.

RELATED: B-Cycle pumps up San Antonio bicycle renting station network

"I personally know several people with MS. I'm inspired by how they overcome such a challenge and go about their daily lives,” Roux says. “Those people are mothers, fathers, athletes and hardworking individuals that don't allow the disease to prevent them from providing for their family, reaching goals, and enjoying life.”

He’s ridden the BP MS 150 for three years in a row, but he’s done it on a lightweight Cinelli fixed-gear bike. Even on that sort of precision vehicle, the ride is a challenge, he says.

“I struggle at times throughout the ride but ultimately persevere. This reflects the everyday challenge for those with MS,” he says. “This choice of bike signifies my shared support of the MS community as well as the bike-share community. Our goal is to promote health and community outreach through cycling."

Roux has modified his B-cycle by exchanging the existing pedals for road pedals, tilting the handlebars forward, and setting the saddle seat back a bit further than usual. The tires will stay standard.

He’s keeping the basket on the three-speed bike intact to stow away snacks and water.

“After all, it’s a long ride,” Roux says.