A Lesson in What Biking Could Be

I’ll be honest - it’s a tough time to be in the nonprofit space, especially in a niche like ours that sits at the intersection of two challenged sectors. The bike industry is still recalibrating after the post-COVID boom, while nonprofits continue to stretch every dollar further amid declining public support. Recently, I heard rumblings that some major bike brands are pulling back from kids’ bikes entirely due to the pending tariff crisis. This comes after several of those same companies have distanced themselves from community partners like us as they weather their own storm. I get it. It’s hard out there. But if it’s hard for the major players with global reach and robust infrastructure, imagine what it’s like for small, community-based bike nonprofits like ours.

We’re the ones leading after-school programs, hosting weekend bike rodeos, teaching bike safety in school parking lots, and getting kids ready for their first ride. We’re often stuffing bikes into the back of an SUV because we love it, and we fiercely believe in the power of a bike as a tool for confidence-building, inner strength, and self-reliance.

But here’s the reality: If kids don’t grow up seeing people who look like them riding, or if they never feel like they belong in bike spaces, they’re probably not going to be as likely to walk into a shop 20 years from now and buy that four-figure carbon frame. Industry growth depends on inclusion - and inclusion depends on access.

Even while facing down these headwinds, Girls in Gear just wrapped up our first week of free summer camp in Richmond, VA where our local bike shop served as our biggest cheerleaders and home base. Every day, the staff met us with cold drinks and warm smiles. They let us take over a wall with Polaroids and Post-its of our accomplishments. They helped one of our counselors fix a Facebook Marketplace bike so she could ride back to her dorm. Another shop stepped in when we needed a helmet that fits over a camper's hair (bike industry, let's talk about how you can do better for riders with textured and curly hair), brought us ice pops, and led a hands-on lesson in maintenance.

And yes, they both sell high-end bikes. But they also see the bigger picture - and they show up for it. This is what the bike industry can look like when it works in the community. These small acts are big statements: kids belong here. Girls, especially.

Anything else sends a message - whether intentional or not - that unless you look a certain way, ride a certain type of bike, know the lingo, or spend a certain amount of money, you’re not a "real" cyclist. This culture excludes the very people the industry needs to survive: those who ride for joy, connection, utility, or community.

So, if you’re in the bike world, the nonprofit world, or somewhere in between - this is your call-in. Don’t wait until the storm passes to show up for the future of biking because so many of us are out here building it right now, one rider at a time, and we may not be around much longer unless we have your support.