Gravel biking has a somewhat nebulous definition. It does not mean biking solely on small rocks, but rather exploring any variety of unpaved surfaces, with conditions ranging from smooth forest service roads to rutted out double track. The bikes are multipurpose — lighter than mountain bikes but burlier than road bikes — combining road bike geometry with mountain bike capabilities. With more than two million miles of unpaved roads across the U.S., there are opportunities for gravel riding nationwide. 

Gravel racing, one of bicycling’s fastest-growing sectors, features courses ranging from 30 all the way to 200 miles, many winding through smaller towns. Legendary competitions are held in places seldom heard of nationally: Emporia, Kansas; Stillwater, Oklahoma; and Cable, Wisconsin, to name a few. These small towns are uniquely situated for gravel riding because they have old farm roads, nearby public lands, and a sense of mystery that many big city riders are attracted to. Small towns offer many benefits for gravel racing, but gravel racing has reciprocal positive effects on the communities — towns that play host for a weekend can see economic, cultural, and conceptual benefits year round.

Outdoor recreation is not often associated with Kansas, even less so with the small town of Emporia, located about an hour’s drive southwest of Topeka. Visitors love the community in the Flint Hills because of the stellar quality of gravel, the people, and the big annual race. Unbound, a 100-mile race, began as a small ride of 34 people. It has since blossomed into an entire week of celebration with 4,000 riders at the starting line. It is called the world’s premier gravel event and attracts pros from around the globe. LeLan Dains, founder of Unbound and a bike shop owner in Emporia, said the biggest gain from this race is the sense of pride locals now feel as a “destination” instead of just a dot on the map. 

People, businesses, and nonprofits have all felt the effects of the event, Gravel City Roasters being a prime example. Operating under their current ownership since 2011, the downtown coffee shop has witnessed the changes in both Unbound and the city as a whole. The owner, Angela Baker, has developed relationships with returning riders throughout the years. As a safe space for the local LGBTQ community, the cafe seemed like a natural option for a fundraiser. The cafe partnered with pros Yuri Hauswald and Molly Cameron to raise funds for Bloom House Youth Services, an all-inclusive shelter for at-risk youth. When they held a shakeout ride on the Thursday before race weekend, the cafe expected 40 or 50 people at most. Instead, hundreds showed up and rode in support of the local shelter. The feeling that Unbound has brought to the town is unique. “Anytime a town organically builds what turns into an international event, there’s a lot of community pride that comes with it. The whole town looks forward to it every year,” says local Jeremy Johns. His brewery, Radius Brewing Company, in turn helps sponsor a smaller gravel race in nearby Americus, Kansas. These community-cycling partnerships are common, and can often reach farther than the small town itself.

Kansas is also home to a burgeoning NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association) league, currently in its second year. There are more than 200 competitors, with two dozen in Emporia alone. Cycling is becoming a sport starting at younger and younger ages in Kansas. Bikepacking routes are also being developed across the Great Plains, creating more access to the unseen natural beauty of the region. People have moved to Emporia solely for gravel biking. A prime example is what Dains called “the tale of two Bobs.” Two remote business owners from opposite coasts moved for the friendly small town and the Flint Hills. The draw of small towns, for cultural and recreational reasons, has only grown since the COVID pandemic with the explosion of remote work.

Gravel biking creates economic change, especially in small towns like Emporia. 4,000 riders race, but the actual number of people coming into town for the event is much higher. The Flint Hills of Kansas become engorged for race weekend with more than 25,000 out-. A 2018 study by Penn State put the economic impact of the weekend at $5.5 million. The sales tax, restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, and of course bike shops all share in the dollars flowing for Unbound weekend. This doesn’t count the number of people who come for a week before or after, as all of the professional riders interviewed for this story did. Visitors often return as well, both annually and more frequently. 

Gravel riding can bring people to small towns for both sanctioned events as well as training rides. Training for longer rides usually involves getting off the beaten path, meaning riders get to become familiar with small towns, and see changes that most people in a city wouldn’t otherwise notice. The small Texas town of Castell hosts the Castell Gravel Grind, a 550-person race that sells out within the first hour or two registration is open. The unique Hill Country topography and proximity to Austin and San Antonio make Castell a hot-bed for out-of-town visitors . Many stop at the local gas station/saloon/restaurant, the Castell General Store. This historic building is in turn supported by the race’s nonprofit partner, the Castell Preservation Association. This community ethic is reflected in the races themselves.

The biggest difference many professional racers note from road events is that gravel races feel egalitarian and community-driven. Everybody lines up at the same start line at many races, and people are there to complete a race with their friends instead of competing. In the words of professional racer Ryan Standish, “Gravel is much more communal. People are there for fun and to race with their buddies at the end of the day.” This communal feeling means tight-knit communities provide a perfect stage.

The cultural and economic changes gravel cycling brings are abundant for these small towns. Community members can have a positive local event to hang their hat on and urbanites gain a new appreciation for small towns off the beaten path. This appreciation can be expressed in return visits for training rides, learning new history, and interacting with people they wouldn’t run into in  everyday life. Gravel cycling has grown 109% over the last few years, and the opportunity to ride in safer, but still wild, environments means it is more than a passing trend for those looking to get out there explore by bike.

Gravel Biking Is Transforming Small Town America

Lauren Hall didn’t grow up with a bike, and didn’t get into cycling until after college. Her first exposure to professional riding came as a result of some crafty Googling by a friend, who found a team offering guests spots for a race. Though Hall entered the sport through a less traditional avenue than some of her peers, she now makes her transition to retirement following a career as a top performer nationally and internationally.

Hall originally had her sights set on a career as a professional soccer player. She found soccer at an early age, played through high school, on scholarship in college and semiprofessionally after graduation. But the professional contract never came, and in 2001 she started considering other options. Hall enrolled in culinary school, got a dog and, in an effort to keep herself and her yellow lab fit, took up running.

Not long after she started running, Hall completed her first marathon with her brother. Marathons got her thinking about giving triathlons a shot — but she needed a bike. “It took me a good 6 or 8 months to even go into a shop,” Hall says. “When I finally did, it was a store with a huge rack full of bikes and I was so overwhelmed that I walked out before the sales person even made it over to me.”

After some research, she finally returned to the shop and, with guidance from staff, bought her first bike: a red Masi. The shop team encouraged her to attend a weekly group ride. As a new rider, the group helped her learn routes, get comfortable changing flats and adjust to the dynamic of riding in a pack.

Hall’s experience has been that cycling is welcoming, but not recklessly so. “Other riders are generally interested in keeping you and the whole group safe,” she says. Her advice to new riders? To spend some time hanging at the back of the pack and learning as much as possible.

A few months after Hall started attending regular group rides, she started racing with the Louisiana and Mississippi Bicycle Racing League, LAMBRA. The summer of her first season, Hall raced Criterium Nationals. “To be a part of a team again was really exciting to me. It was fun to go every weekend with friends and race bikes, talk about bikes and get to hang out.”

Hall’s first exposure to pro cycling came when a friend Googled “professional women’s cycling” and learned that former World Time Trial Champion Amber Neben was offering guest spots on a team at the Redlands Classic.

“I had raced maybe a season back in Mississippi and had tried nationals at the end of the year, but I was still very much on the fringe of professional cycling and had no idea how it worked,” Hall says. “But I knew I was lucky to have made it on this squad so I didn’t want to mess it up. I got time cut on the first day, but having Amber there to help talk me through it was great. It was eye-opening and I found out I needed to go back and train a whole lot more!”

After the Redlands Classic, Hall kicked her training up a notch and continued to enter races. And her efforts started paying off. As she progressed in cycling, she built a support system from the other riders she trained and raced with. Hall says some of these riders became mentors by being there on the other end of many, many phone calls: “After a race, in between seasons or just talking about team stuff.” Hall names Jade Wilcoxson, Lauren Komanski, Rachel Heal and her coach Corey Hart as people that entered her life through the sport. “I’m very thankful to have met them.”

She takes a similar approach with riders she encounters now. Hall is friendly and easy going, and women know they can come to her if they need anything. She spends the winters training in Tucson, Arizona, and gets to interact with riders from various teams. “I’m super comfortable in the peloton and very approachable. I don’t think I’m intimidating at all. I am out there having a good time and I’m not afraid to joke with people or give advice in a race. I’m not trying to be a jerk about it I’m trying to help out because I have been there!”

Hall is active with the Home Stretch Foundation in Tucson which gives female racers an opportunity to have a home base for training. In her approachable way, Hall offers support by just being there and being herself. “It’s just a matter of hanging out every day and saying ‘hey how you doing, you need anything?’ That lends itself to a lot of good conversations.”

Hall has no firm plans for what she will do now that she is retired. She does know she wants to remain connected to cycling and to the Homestretch Foundation, continuing to assist women in reaching their professional cycling goals. With a reputation as someone who is helpful, friendly and easy to get along with, an opportunity is sure to come her way.

From Mentee to Mentor:  Lauren Hall Reflects on Her Professional Cycling Career

Thanksgiving is past, holiday decorations brighten dark winter days, snow dusts towns across the nation — and many bike riders are hanging up their helmets and spandex for the season. But for some bike racers, the fun is just beginning: Cyclocross season is in full swing and landmark mountain bike events, like the Old Man Winter rally, are still to be enjoyed.

While the prospect of racing in cold, wet, muddy or frozen conditions may not excite everyone, many riders embrace these obstacles and feel the nasty weather gives them an advantage. We called up three of those riders — Troy Wells, Katerina Nash and Georgia Gould — to share a few tips to get you to the starting line and finish the race with a big, mud-flecked smile.

Know your body and wear what you need to finish the race safely.

Georgia Gould: “For me, the priority is my hands and feet. I wear gloves heated by a battery pack and winter-specific cycling shoes. I was skeptical about these things at first, but they really do make a difference. It’s not the lightest set up, and the shoes are not as stiff as a racing shoe, but being able to feel your hands and feet is nice.”

Katerina Nash: “Coming from a skiing background, I think I have a higher tolerance for the cold. My preferred technique is to use embrocation [i.e., “water-shedding burn balm”] instead of leg warmers that may bunch or sag. I always put a little embrocation on my toes too — it probably doesn’t help much, but I always do it.”

Troy Wells: “I am a big fan of the having a windproof undershirt. I am also careful to have spares available to change into after my warm up so I can get to the start line dry. If you get cold waiting for the start, it is really hard to come back from that during the race.” 

Wells: “I love racing in terrible conditions because it adds another dynamic to the race; it’s not just a tractor pull and the person who can put out the most watts wins.For me, the more technical the conditions, the better.”

Nash: “Given my longevity in the sport, I have trained and raced in a lot of bad conditions and I think I have built a mental toughness that gives me an edge over some other riders who may be anxious about the weather.”

Gould: “I don’t get bummed out and I think of the race as a crazy adventure. The result is not predetermined, everyone is making mistakes so you have to keep your wits about you and be as smooth as you can. We usually don’t like to feel out of control on the bike, but in some conditions you have to let go of that. I try to think to myself ‘It’s going to be a little sketchy, just go with it.’”

Gould: “I remember just sliding on my butt down a descent in a German World Cup because it was so slippery and technical I couldn’t ride it anymore.”

Wells: “As much as I like racing in awful conditions, I get really anxious about the mess during warm up and the clean up after the race. I usually just leave stuff in a pile for a day until I can face cleaning it. Sometimes my clothes are still frozen when I pull them out!”

Nash: “I don’t mind mud, but I am not a big fan of riding in snow or ice. I slipped out on ice at the Cyclocross Worlds in Tabor and it cost me a medal. When I see snow on the ground I would rather be skiing.”

Wells: “I won an Under-23 Nationals in bad conditions and got third in the U.S. Gran Prix of Gloucester in what was, basically, a blizzard. Some fond memories for sure.”

Nash: “At the UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Namur there was so much mud they had ropes on the hill for spectators to steady themselves. I thought, ‘Is this for real?’ but the crowds love it and it makes for a great atmosphere.“

Gould: “I will never forget the USGP Portland Cup races where the whole course, tape to tape, was just mud. So much mud, it was insane.”

At 8,300 feet above sea level, the yellow-rock canyons of Dara-e Azhdahar (“Dragon Valley”) provide a stark yet stunning backdrop for visitors in the Bamiyan Province of central Afghanistan. Last Friday, Sept. 28, locals gathered in the canyon to watch one of the country’s first-ever mountain bike races: the Hindukush MTB Challenge. Unlike most inaugural events, where mishaps, pushback and lack of interest are common, the Hindukush MTB Challenge proved to be a lively event packed with 50 racers, twenty of whom were women.

The race had an even better spectator turnout. Eager crowds gathered along the course — from the starting line to the tops of mountain ridges — thrilled to see their town transformed to a sporting venue. The success of the event and the show of support by the locals exemplify a progressive young Afghan population with a deep desire to unburden their country from narratives of war, and, for this niche crowd, to make a name for themselves in the international bike racing community.

The challenge was organized by Mountain Bike Afghanistan (MTBA), a nonprofit aiming to promote mountain biking in Afghanistan and build the necessary infrastructure for its expansion. This summer, MTBA club members in Bamiyan started weekly rides to discover the trails around their valley. Shortly after starting weekly rides, the idea for a race began to form: Club members could share their favorite local trails with other Bamiyan riders, and add hype by making the event competitive. The race also supported Mountain Bike Afghanistan’s goal of engaging young Afghans in biking competitions.

Afghanistan National Cycling Federation sanctioned the race and sponsorship was provided by Etisalat, one of the country’s leading telecommunications companies. Competitors raced along a 2.5-mile loop of loose dirt trails in the Dara-e Azhdahar canyons, jockeying for position through long, steep climbs and speedy descents. Men completed three laps around the track and women completed two.

Sajjad Husaini, manager of MTBA’s cycling team, said the goal of the race was to introduce cross-country Olympic-style mountain bike racing to an already burgeoning interest among young people for the sport. “We hope this event becomes a spark for more interest, and an avenue through which we can discover talented Afghan cyclists and prepare them for future Olympics.”

Mahdi Mohammadi, who won the men’s race, urged his fellow athletes to work very hard, and deliver strong performances in national and international events. He also expressed excitement at the prospect of cross-country mountain biking becoming more popular in Afghanistan.

The event was also among the first in Afghanistan to host both men’s and women’s races. Until very recently, women’s cycling was frowned upon in the Afghan society. While the sentiment persists in much of the country, women can ride more freely in Bamiyan, without facing threats of physical harm. The supportive environment has led to the formation of several female-led cycling clubs.

Tahira Shayagan applauded the organizers for including a women’s race — in which she took first place. Shayagan said, “Many people think mountain biking is very hard, so women shouldn’t do it. This event proved them wrong, and it encourages more women to ride.” Masouma Shayagan, Tahira’s mother, advocated for other parents to let their daughters ride: “I hope more girls and their parents will draw interest from my daughter’s performance.”

Though the race was simple compared to the production and competitiveness of European and North American events, the Hindukush MTB Challenge is only the beginning for Afghanistan — and one that was met with tremendous enthusiasm from locals. The positive response by the Bamiyan community suggests a bright future for mountain biking in Afghanistan. It may not be long before Afghanistan becomes a major player — and, hopefully, destination — on the international mountain biking stage.

Farid Noori founded Mountain Bike Afghanistan, and hopes to compete in the Olympics for his country. He currently trains in Vermont, where he is a senior at Middlebury College.

Racing in Dara-e Azhdahar: Mountain Biking Gains Popularity in Afghanistan

For mountain bikers who want to compete, half the challenge is choosing which races to do. From the local XC series to multi-day stage races abroad, there are disciplines and a destinations for every rider. Electric mountain bike (eMTB) options are also beginning to appear on the race calendar: a series of inaugural events were held this year.

In April, the Sea Otter Classic hosted its third eMTB race with a pro and six amateur age categories on a redesigned course. One of the principal sponsors of the Sea Otter race, Bosch eBike Systems, presented the third annual Boogaloo eMTB race at Mammoth Mountain’s Kamikaze Bike Games in September. Troy Lee, the co-presenter of the Boogaloo and founder of the namesake company, credits the Sea Otter race as inspiration for his Mammoth event.

“After Sea Otter in 2016 we put together a little invite race,” he said. “It was eMTB racing in a heat format, on a fun short circuit, with some obstacles to make sure we weeded out the pure horsepower fitness guys, all within an area that spectators could watch the action. It was amazing.”

Now, the Boogaloo Class 1 eMTB race series offers three categories — pro, amateur and youth — and is a main spectator event at the Kamikaze Bike Games. According to Lauren Burke, Mammoth’s communications manager, the Boogaloo was instrumental in the resort’s decision to allow eMTBs at their 80-mile bike park starting this summer.

“The permitting for that race was the first time we talked with the U.S. Forest Service about e-bike access in the park,” said Burke. “And from there the conversation continued. Those races were important tests and all parties came away comfortable that our trail system was suitable for e-bike use.”

Over the summer, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) featured eMTB races at some of their sanctioned events. Four of the six rounds of the 2018 AMA EnduroCross series featured the EnduroCross eMTB Challenge Series, which was held in the same indoor arena as the EnduroCross races, but on separate courses. eMTBs from various manufacturers were also available for demo.

“We’re excited to bring this rare opportunity to fans where they can test ride the same machines that will be used in competition,” said Ron Askins, senior vice president of international trade show organizer E.J. Krause & Associates. “Fans can ride a pedal-assist mountain bike for themselves, and then see what the same bikes are capable of in the hands of racers during Sunday’s eMTB Challenge.”

The AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series, an AMA National Championship, also added Class 1 eMTB bicycle races to four rounds of its 13 round series this summer. After eMTBs were used in the pre-race course inspection last year, interest in the bikes exploded and organizers decided to add them to this year’s festivities.

As the popularity of eMTBs continues to grow, we can expect the race calendar to keep filling up as well.

“We broker suffering.” That’s one way Todd Sadow describes Epic Rides, the company he founded to produce mountain biking events. Epic is now in its nineteenth year of sharing the joy, as well as the pain, of mountain biking. “We give people the chance to show up at a start line where they know they will be well-supported, and safe, to go out and push their boundaries.”

Sadow waxes poetic about suffering, but it’s only one part of the Epic ethos. Early on, he noticed that Epic events weren’t attracting beginners and he recognized an image problem: too hardcore. Sadow saw that gap as an opportunity, one where, he says, “We could give beginners a place where they would feel welcomed and we would be able to encourage entry into the sport.” Expanding their customer base this way also offered the nascent business a possible path to sustainability. Epic added shorter rides to its banner event, the Whiskey Off-Road, and Sadow has never looked back.

Although he has made a point of attracting pros by offering generous prize money (a welcome change in a world where big cash payouts are rare) Sadow is adamant that Epic continue to offer something for everyone. “There is only one first place, but there are so many more people that don’t care about first or top twenty, but just want to finish, and we’ve always wanted them to feel comfortable.”

Even the choice to plonk Epic’s rides and parties into mid-sized downtowns is a long-term strategy to expand mountain biking. How? Many casual visitors to these smaller urban cores are bound to wander near an Epic event, and Sadow thinks that’s great for the sport. “It gives mountain biking a chance to be seen by non-mountain biking people and be understood.” They realize, Sadow says, “’I can be a mountain biker? I don’t have to go huck off a cliff? I can just ride down this pleasant dirt path and that’s mountain biking?'” The company also raises money at every event for direct advocacy efforts that advance mountain biking—typically for International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) or National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) chapters that are helping to develop and maintain local trails.

Communities have always welcomed Epic Rides, according to Sadow. Partly that’s because Epic works closely with them to help create traditions. “We want to build cycling events for communities that they can take ownership in and that represent the experience that they want people to have.” And, no surprise, the events are also good business for these cities. A three-day weekend event that signs up around 2,000 riders, like the Whiskey, could attract five or six times that number of friends and family to join the party and cheer on the riders. Perhaps most important, Epic works to leave behind enduring tangible benefits, Sadow says. “We’re going to contribute every year back to your trails so that you have a year-round legacy and tourism draw.”

At PeopleForBikes, we believe we can all do more to grow the cycling community. We’ve been doing the work for nearly 20 years and we want to keep the momentum going. We’re committed to improving inclusiveness in our messaging, broadening the audiences we reach, and increasing our staff diversity. Join us as we learn from various voices in the cycling community. Together, we can turn what we learn into action. 

Ayesha McGowan is an elite-level bike racer on a mission to become the first African American pro female road racer. She’s coached by Carmichael Training, and has a growing list of top sponsors. She’s recently contributed to Bicycling Magazine and has been featured in Outside Magazine, and in ad campaigns by Jeep, Oakley and Nike.

McGowan created a virtual ride series called Do Better Together, complete with printable bib numbers and prizes. The idea is to join people from near and far to share an experience. The focus is especially on empowering women of color, but anyone is welcome to join. She does actual in-person rides for folks are in her geographic area (Atlanta, Georgia), and encourages everyone else to join in virtually.

“I’ve added Zwift rides so that I can ride with people all around the world in real-time.” McGowan encourages people to be part of something bigger.

McGowan continues to put her whole self into racing and achieving her professional cycling goals, but she’s also endlessly excited about her role in widening the field. “Racing is really exciting, but I’m just as excited about representation projects that I’m able to be a part of.” McGowan is fueled by recent conversations around representation — positive and negative — just the fact that people are talking about it. “Things are happening, and I’m really proud of and excited for all of it.”

She appreciates the ability she’s had to tell her story, but admits she doesn’t want to be the only one driving the progress. “I want people of color to be hired, to make decisions about how to tell the stories. What I’d love is to work with creatives — people of color — who can do the important work of representation with me.”

In addition to telling her own story, McGowan has a mission to help everyone realize that there are a lot of incredible people of color constantly doing awesome and impressive feats. “It’s great to get all of the exposure — I love it — but what I love even more is to spread that around. There are so many people out there doing amazing things.”

Even beyond her own goals as an athlete, McGowan thinks a lot about how she can influence the whole experience for others. “I think about Althea Gibson. She was awesome at tennis — the first one to cross the color line — and that was great. But then you get the Williams sisters, who come along and just knock all of that out of the park.” McGowan says that doesn’t make Gibson any less awesome, it just means she helped break down the door, and now so many others get to stomp all over that door. “That’s my dream and goal. I think I’m cool — I work super hard and I’m still not the best bike racer in the world — but there’s somebody who’s going to be a much better athlete than me, and that’s what I want to see.”

There are a lot of assumptions made all the time about who would want to ride a bike, or race a bike, or try something new. “If you have an opportunity or an extra bike, don’t assume what people can do or what people want to do. Invite someone. Don’t decide for them that they aren’t going to be into it or that they’ll say no.” McGowan says — as most people can — that she’s tried plenty of things simply because someone asked if she wanted to. “Just ask: just give someone the opportunity to say yes.”

How to Grow the Bike Community: 3 Ideas from Athlete and Advocate Ayesha McGowan

At PeopleForBikes, we believe we can all do more to grow the cycling community. We’ve been doing the work for nearly 20 years and we want to keep the momentum going. We’re committed to improving inclusiveness in our messaging, broadening the audiences we reach, and increasing our staff diversity. Join us as we learn from various voices in the cycling community. Together, we can turn what we learn into action. Follow our series on inclusiveness.

Tamika L. Butler Esq., a civil rights attorney and former executive director of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, recently joined Toole Design to serve as the Director of Planning in California and as the company’s Director of Equity and Inclusion. With a background in nonprofit leadership and transportation equity, Butler believes better listening, thoughtful language, and ongoing courage are vital for improving city infrastructure.

Butler says it’s important to meet people where they are when it comes to inclusiveness. “When I came on [at Toole Design], I spent a lot of quality one-on-one time with the folks…to get their sense of where things were.” This sentiment holds true for both the people she works with in the office, and the people she works with in the field. “I would never go into a community and say, ‘you should do this, you should do this,’ without first spending time there and getting to know the people, and trying to understand where they are and where they want to be.” Coming into a situation and pointing out everything that’s wrong is counterproductive. “I’m really [about] trying to listen and assess.”

Much of Butler’s work with equity starts with language. Low-income communities and communities of color may have different definitions of stress. When building a low-stress bicycle network, traffic, lane size and crosswalks are only part of the issue. “For me to be a queer black woman riding a bike that some people think is too expensive to be my bike, with a hoodie on — what kind of stress does that bring?” Butler asks questions about different causes of stress. “Where one area might be calmer when it comes to traffic, it might not be calmer when it comes to gang territory and street harassment. The stress of being a young person or a woman in that area is the reality of knowing why you don’t go down certain streets — no matter if there’s a bike lane there or not.”

There’s logic in borrowing best practices from European cities, but sometimes those comparisons can be overwhelming, especially when state and local programming isn’t working the way some hoped it would. Thinking about Vision Zero, Butler says, “In a lot of ways it’s a great name: who doesn’t want to get down to zero deaths and be visionary about it. But in other ways we can already see that it hasn’t worked out the way we planned.” Infrastructure in another part of the world can’t necessarily speak to the deep historical issues and context present in the United States when it comes to something like enforcement. That’s why approaching transportation work with a justice lens is so important. More people are starting to be aware of mobility justice, but Butler says because it is relatively new, there’s no single city to point to that has truly integrated mobility justice into their transportation work. What we can do is continue to work with an equity lens — be creative and thoughtful as we think about changes to laws and infrastructure moving forward. Maybe most importantly, keep inviting a variety of voices to the conversation about how a city works and how to make it fair, equitable, and safe for all.

How to Grow the Bike Community: 3 Ideas from Tamika Butler

Max Fennell is a pioneering African American professional triathlete. He’s also known as “The Machine” on the CBS elite-athlete challenge show Million Dollar Mile, and in his spare time he mentors young minority athletes through Tri-Masters out of Chicago.

Encourage — don’t discourage — kids

If you rode a bike as a kid, you probably remember the charge of excitement you got doing a wheelie or riding off a curb to impress your friends. And you probably remember someone telling you to stop — that it’s dangerous. Instead of discouraging kids from doing tricks on bikes, Fennell thinks the industry should foster it. “If you’ve got kids in every neighborhood of the country ripping around the streets on BMX bikes like I used to, what better way for the industry to market to those kids then to support things like bike parks,” Fennell says. If you keep kids interested in bikes from the beginning, they’ll likely transition into other versions of biking. “Kids who get a thrill out of doing a trick on a BMX bike might get the same thrill out of jumping on a fixie, or racing a mountain bike. There’s a progression.”

Create inclusive events and find new partners

When he was getting his start in triathlon, Fennell volunteered with Tri-Masters out of Chicago, and wants to start something similar where he lives in California. The organization started in 1987, when triathletes Bernard Lyles and Alvin Hartley decided to do something to actively get more young African American and Hispanic Americans into the sport. Now that Fennell has found success in triathlon, he feels like it’s even more important to support Tri-Masters. Fennell believes that investing in minority athletes is crucial in order to grow the sport, and in order to grow the community.

MAX FENNELL Triathlete

According to Fennell, it’s not tough to appeal to a broader audience — especially when it comes to young people. “Reggie Miller rides bikes. LeBron James rides bikes to warm up for basketball. Football players are getting into bikes.” Fennell says there’s room to target different demographics — to get lots of kids excited about bikes. Marshawn Lynch has already supported SE Bikes with roll-out events in Oakland and beyond. There are all kinds of bikes and all kinds of people at these rideouts — it’s about having a good time. Fennell believes this kind of ride, promoted by people who kids already look up to, can get cycling into the hip-hop urban community in a really positive way.

How to Grow the Bike Community: 3 Ideas from Top Triathlete Max Fennell

Gloria Liu, writer and editor-at-large for Bicycling Magazine, and champion of diversity, didn’t grow up thinking she’d one day charge down mountains racing enduro, or go speeding around tight corners in a crit race. But her love of snowboarding, nature, and speed served as the gateway to various forms of biking.

Liu approaches her writing with  a diverse audience in mind. Her vision is an industry where everyone feels comfortable and welcomed — where going to a bike shop or on a ride is fun and engaging for all.

 Three ways bike businesses can boost diversity

 1. Representation matters: cast a wide net when hiring

“One of the biggest things an organization can do to promote diversity is hire a diverse staff,” Liu says, believing  a more inclusive bike community makes us all stronger. Liu’s experience with Bicycling Magazine has shown her that people of color bring unique experiences and insights to any organization. “People of color are irreplaceable resources in helping an organization navigate the tricky nuances of representation,” Liu says, “so you do things the right way, and signal a good intention to your audience.”

Some might argue that a diverse staff can’t happen overnight, or is more difficult to achieve in certain parts of the country than others. Liu suggests that meaningful actions can still be taken. For example, she says that she wanted to do something for Black History Month this year. “So we did a post about awesome black cyclists who folks should follow on Instagram. It’s possible some people thought, ‘Oh, they’re just doing it because diversity is a buzz word.’ That wasn’t our intention, but a more cynical audience might think that.” Liu says the alternative is taking no action — not elevating people of color and allowing them to continue to be less visible. And that’s not acceptable. “So we did it, and we asked Ayesha McGowan to write it and pick her favorite black riders to spotlight, and it got a really great response. Basically, you can’t be afraid to do things and not contribute to this movement just because you think you might mess it up. If your intentions are good, it will come through.

Inclusiveness takes work. For a group that isn’t internally diverse, inclusiveness might seem forced at first. “Bicycling [Magazine] has long made it a priority. So when anyone has an idea for a story about a cyclist from an underrepresented group, everyone from edit to art rallies to make it look and feel really great. That’s huge and makes it sustainable and consistent.”

Liu says it might take a conscious effort at first. “It might feel like ‘checking a box.’ But if you keep making the effort, you will naturally open your eyes to more great stories from underrepresented groups.”

There is strength in sharing stories and making connections. Liu proved this at the recent Women’s Off-road Cycling Congress event in Boulder, CO, where she gave the keynote address to a packed room. Sharing her experiences with other women and those under-represented in the bicycling community is her way of connecting and passing on knowledge. It’s how she helps others get the most out of their equipment and their riding.

How to Grow the Bike Community: 3 Ideas from Gloria Liu

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