We’re pleased to renew our support of the BikeFlights Buck Up For Bikes program. Through it, four national non-profit cycling organizations – Trips for Kids, National Interscholastic Cycling Association, Little Bellas and the International Mountain Bike Association – will continue to benefit from our Buck Up For Bikes program in 2022.
“It’s always been important to us at BikeFlights to give back to the sport that has given us so much, and we encourage you to do the same by donating a buck or four whenever you ship with BikeFlights,” said Sue George, Vice President of BikeFlights. “We very much appreciate the efforts of the non-profit organizations in our Buck Up For Bikes program and all that they passionately do to help more kids and adults discover the joys of riding and find more fun places to ride.”
How to Help
It’s easy to help us raise even more money for Buck Up For Bikes every time you ship with BikeFlights.com. Upon checkout, simply 1) Contribute a buck to any of the four beneficiaries; or 2) Contribute a buck to each of the four beneficiaries. We’ll take care of the rest!
We help you save a lot of money on bike shipping, so why not share some of those savings with your favorite organizations that are helping get more people on bikes?
History
Since its inception in 2016 and thanks to our customers, we have raised more than $87,000 for Buck Up For Bikes program beneficiaries.
We at BikeFlights not only collect and track all donations, but also supplement collected contributions and cover the costs of administering and publicizing the program. In addition, BikeFlights is a corporate supporter of all four organizations.
Learn more about BikeFlights’ Buck Up For Bikes Program.
Photos courtesy of our Buck Up for Bikes partners.
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We are pleased to announce that our Buck Up For Bikes program has donated $16,000 to Trip for Kids, the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA), Little Bellas and the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) to help get more people on bikes and riding. The money was raised through our BUFB program during 2021.
A Trips for Kids rider pedals on a ride. Photo courtesy of Trips for Kids.
“It’s important to help support groups that encourage participation in cycling, especially during these past couple of very difficult years,” said BikeFlights President William Alcorn. “We’re happy that we have our Buck Up For Bikes program in place to do this and that our customers continue to donate to these groups.”
Originally created in 2016 to benefit NICA and the Amy D. Foundation, our Buck Up for Bikes program has been growing ever since. Since the program’s inception, we’ve raised and given out more than $85,000.
"Who knew that such a selfless idea would become such a powerful source of support for the nonprofits that BikeFlights' Buck Up for Bikes program generously supports each year?" said Amy Carver, Trips for Kids Director of Community and Development. "We are humbled to be a recipient of these funds which will enable us to educate the next generation of riders and wrenchers in the New Year. BikeFlights helps bring our community together. Thank you."
NICA’s Idaho League student-athletes race at Bogus Basin. Photo by Adam Haynes.
"It means so much to NICA to have BikeFlights' continued support through their Buck Up for Bikes program," said Amanda Carey, Acting NICA President. "Our partnership with BikeFlights helps us build and grow thriving cycling communities across the country and furthers our mission to build strong minds, bodies, character and communities through cycling."
"IMBA is honored to be part of the BikeFlights Buck Up For Bikes program. Our work for great places to ride is integral to the fantastic programming provided by our fellow Buck Up For Bikes partners: Trips for Kids, NICA and Little Bellas. This work to get kids outside on bikes warms our hearts and underscores the importance of having more trails close to home. More trails for more people in more places—especially for kids!" said David Wiens, IMBA Executive Director
IMBA’s many programs help both kids and adults to be able to ride in more different places. Photo courtesy of IMBA.
Sabra Davison, Director of Little Bellas said, “The Buck Up For Bikes campaign has been supporting our organization for years. It's amazing to see the groundswell of support that comes from the BikeFlights community. We are grateful for those that add a dollar at checkout, as they add up to accomplish a lot."
Girls enjoy learning skills and riding together with Little Bellas. Photo courtesy of Little Bellas.
To participate in the Buck Up for Bikes program, you have two options upon checkout when booking your bike shipping online: 1) Contribute a buck to any of the four beneficiaries; or 2) Contribute a buck to each of the four beneficiaries. We not only collect and track all donations, but we also supplement collected contributions and cover the costs of administering and publicizing the program.
Buck Up For Bikes Renews Support For Four Cycling Nonprofits
We’re pleased to announce our continued support for the four beneficiaries of our BikeFlights.com Buck Up For Bikes Program: Trips for Kids, National Interscholastic Cycling Association, Little Bellas and the International Mountain Bike Association. All four national nonprofit cycling organizations will continue to be part of our Buck Up For Bikes program throughout 2021.
“This past year of pandemic living has highlighted the important role that bikes play in our physical and mental health,” said Sue George, Vice President of BikeFlights.com. “What we love about the organizations that we support through our Buck Up For Bikes Program is their passion for and effectiveness in helping more people discover the joys and benefits of riding a bike.”
How to Help
It’s easy to help us raise even more money for Buck Up For Bikes every time you ship with BikeFlights.com. Upon checkout, simply 1) Contribute a buck to any of the four beneficiaries; or 2) Contribute a buck to each of the four beneficiaries. We’ll take care of the rest!
We help you save a lot of money on bike shipping, so why not share some of those savings with your favorite organizations that are helping get more people on bikes?
History
Since its inception in 2016 and thanks to our customers, we have raised more than $76,000 for Buck Up For Bikes program beneficiaries.
We at BikeFlights.com not only collect and track all donations, but also supplement collected contributions and cover the costs of administering and publicizing the program. In addition, BikeFlights.com is a corporate supporter of all four organizations.
Learn more about BikeFlights.com’s Buck Up For Bikes Program.
Photos courtesy of our Buck Up for Bikes partners.
BikeFlights.com donated $12,000 to the four non-profit beneficiaries of its Buck Up For Bikes Program, which was originally created in 2016 to get more people on bikes. This month, Trips for Kids, Little Bellas, the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) and the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) each received contributions of $3,000 per organization.
“We are pleased to have been able to continue our support for Buck Up For Bikes throughout what has been a challenging year for programs that rely on fundraising and donations,” said Sue George, Vice President of BikeFlights.com. “Trips for Kids, Little Bellas, the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) and the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) all do great work, and we’re proud to help them nurture and grow our cycling community.”
“I can’t overstate the importance of our partnership with the BikeFlights.com team and their public support through their Buck up for Bikes program,” said Patricia Gallery, Trips for Kids Board President. “As a key sponsor and collaborator, they are helping to propel the Trips for Kids movement forward as we bring new chapters onboard to run more trail rides and earn-a-bike programs across North America. Thank you, BikeFlights.com, for helping us use the power of the bike to impact the lives of young riders from all communities, especially those most in need.”
Per the Buck Up for Bikes program, BikeFlights.com customers have two options upon checkout when booking their bike shipping online: 1) Contribute a buck to any of the four beneficiaries; or 2) Contribute a buck to each of the four beneficiaries. BikeFlights.com not only collects and tracks all donations, but it also supplements collected contributions and covers the costs of administering and publicizing the program.
“We are incredibly grateful to BikeFlights.com and their support of NICA through their Buck Up for Bikes program. Now, more than ever, mountain biking and the ability to get outside and ride is important for youth across the country,” said Steve Matous, NICA President. “The support we receive from BikeFlights.com helps enable us to continue our mission of building strong minds, bodies, character and communities through cycling and provide quality mountain biking programs."
IMBA Executive Director Dave Wiens said “We're grateful for the continued support of BikeFlights.com and the Buck up for Bikes program, which funds partners who introduce kids to the joys of mountain biking. BikeFlights.com knows keeping kids riding requires great trails and more trails close to home. Supporting IMBA supports trails, and more trails means more kids on bikes."
Since the program’s inception, BikeFlights.com has raised and given out more than $74,000.
“We have benefited from BikeFlights.com’s Buck Up for Bikes campaign year after year,” said Sabra Davison, Cofounder and Director of Little Bellas. “This type of sustaining support is the most impactful to an organization like Little Bellas. It's allowed us to reliably offer financial assistance and bikes to girls who need them the most.”
BikeFlights.com is also a corporate supporter of all four organizations. Learn more about BikeFlights.com’s Buck Up For Bikes Program.
Spotlight on the National Interscholastic Cycling Association Programs
Many of us are familiar with what the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) does to introduce student-athletes across the United States to bike racing, but NICA, which is one of four beneficiary organizations of BikeFlights.com’s Buck Up for Bikes Program, does far more than just get young riders into racing. It runs a range of programs that empower and inspire youth and develop strong minds, bodies and communities without racing. NICA’s Vice President of Programs, Amanda Carey, gave us the inside scoop on how those programs have developed and grown.
“The mission of NICA Programs is to create life-long cyclists and to give really safe and really fun exposure to different parts of mountain biking other than racing,” said Carey. “Racing is not a requirement of NICA; there is a pathway to participate that exists off the race course. Programs provide youth with the opportunity to pursue the NICA mission through outdoor educational, experiential and social activities.”
Coach Licensing
The Coach Licensing Program is the most important of all the programs because coaches have direct contact with student-athletes. The number of licensed coaches has risen 19% in the previous year to an impressive 13,000, which allows for a reduced number of athletes per coach and a more personal experience. The purpose of licensing is to provide comprehensive training to NICA coaches so that they are equipped to offer quality programming to NICA student-athletes.
Adventure
“The cycling experience is not always the racing experience, and NICA Adventure widens the athlete’s toolbox to pursue NICA’s mission,” said Carey. “ Activities within Adventure range from skill development on and off the bike, scavenger hunts, bike soccer and, my favorite, sandwich rides - which is a name for longer duration rides that may require a snack.”
NICA Adventure allows youth to experience the benefits of mountain biking, camaraderie, community and the outdoors. The program reinforces core values while building health and strength, learning new skills and being part of a team of like-minded people through outdoor education. A progression of activities and skills training is the focus of the NICA Adventure Program. In providing this training, NICA Adventure will transcend the physical and prepare the student-athlete to pursue their own lifelong adventure.
Girls Riding Together
“Currently, girls represent 21% of NICA’s overall national student-athlete participation. NICA GRiT (Girls Riding Together) Program seeks to increase that number to a goal of 33% by 2023,” said Carey. “That number is key for social science because it is a tipping point number at which time a group no longer feels like a minority - it creates a trickle effect.”
The GRiT Initiative is less prescriptive than other NICA Programs. Its retention rate is higher among girls within the program, yet recruitment is shorter. GRiT aims to reach more girls by providing welcoming environments through girls-only events, rides, camps, clinics and socializing opportunities.
“The barrier generally among the industry is that mountain biking is perceived to be for boys. Encouragement and invitation to join are how we tear down those barriers.”
Carey concluded, “2020 has provided NICA with an opportunity to use our programs as a bright spot. NICA continues as normal as normal can be with smaller groups, masks and few large scale events, and we still have ten of thousands of kids out riding bikes safely.”
Founded in 2009 as a 501c3 nonprofit, the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) develops interscholastic mountain biking programs for student-athletes across the United States. NICA provides leadership, services and governance for regional leagues to produce quality mountain bike events and programs, and supports every student-athlete in the development of a strong body, strong mind and strong character through cycling. NICA is one of four non-profit organizations supported by BikeFlights.com’s Buck Up for Bikes Program. You can donate to NICA and help get more kids on bikes via our Buck Up for Bikes Program every time you book a BikeFlights.com shipment of your bikes, wheels or gear. Simply select the option to donate while you are checking out.
To learn more about supporting NICA or information on programs and leagues in your area, please visit nationalmtb.org.
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A Little Bellas Scholarship Bike Takes a Trip via BikeFlights.com
BikeFlights.com Buck Up for Bikes partner Little Bellas needed to get a bike from their headquarters in Vermont to a program in Asheville, North Carolina. It was boxed up, adorned with a BikeFlights.com label and shipped to Motion Makers Bicycle Shop in Asheville to be professionally assembled and ready to make a positive impact on a Little Bella.
Little Bellas is an organization that seeks to employ mountain bikes and mentorship as a tool for inspiring empowerment and self-confidence in girls ages seven to 18. They currently run camps of various structures and schedules with 40 programs in 16 states, and a newly-announced goal of hitting 60 programs by 2022.
A focus of the organization is to remove barriers between young girls and the sport of mountain biking, including and especially financial barriers. Through sponsorships Little Bellas is able to provide scholarships and scholarship bikes.
Forty scholarship bikes have been distributed to Little Bellas programs so far this year, including the most recent shipment to Asheville for a Little Bella giving mountain biking a try for the first time.
While typically more at home participating in musical theater and working her mental muscles at math camp, the Asheville scholarship bike recipient stepped out of her comfort zone to join the Little Bellas camp and is having a great time.
"This Little Bella wouldn't have been able to participate in the program without the support of BikeFlights.com shipping this bike," Little Bellas Executive Director Sabra Davison tells us.
Find out more about Little Bellas, including starting a program in your area.
And don’t forget to Buck Up for Bikes next time you place a BikeFlights.com order and contribute to the Little Bellas mission!
The Amy D. Foundation, a BikeFlights.com Buck Up for Bikes partner and beneficiary, is excited to officially bring on an executive director thanks to a grant from the just-announced Rapha Foundation.
The Rapha Foundation, which was just announced on Wednesday, May 29, seeks “to build a better future for the sport of cycling by inspiring, empowering and supporting the next generation of racers,” through grants to handpicked non-profit organizations. The Amy D. Foundation was targeted for the foundation’s inaugural round of grants.
“The funding will allow us to hire an executive director to oversee operations and help ensure the future sustainability of the programming. We are very excited about it,” says Amy D. Foundation founder and president Daniel Dombroski.
The Rapha Foundation, which does not accept unsolicited applications, sought out the Amy D. Foundation, which “encourages and supports young women through cycling, inspiring the celebration of healthy challenge and empowering the confident pursuit of lofty dreams” as a quintessential organization for the foundation’s mission and the program’s announcement.
With the grant in place the Amy D. Foundation Board of Directors will meet in July. “The focus of the meetings will be to hash out a general plan for how we will proceed with the hiring,” says Dombroski, with the goal of having the new executive director ready to hit the ground rolling for the 2020 season.
Congrats Amy D. Foundation! All of us at BikeFlights.com are exciting to see what the future holds.
Nearly all of our BikeFlights.com staff traveled from throughout the U.S. to Reno, Nevada, last week for Interbike and our first-ever staff retreat. In this blog post, we recap a great week of meeting partners and customers and getting to spend quality time with each other on and off the bike.
A small group of us flew to Reno early to get everything set up ahead of Interbike, including our brand new BikeFlights.com booth and our onsite ship center, which we were operating at the show for the first time.
With some weekend time to spare between setup and the start of the show, a few of us headed to Downieville to experience firsthand the classic downhill course. It was a blast!
We then officially kicked off Interbike by giving away $16,000 from our Buck Up For Bikes program to four beneficiary organizations: Trips for Kids, National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA), Little Bellas and the Amy D. Foundation.
We were proud to hand out the most Buck Up For Bikes money that we ever have to date: $4,000 to each group.
One of the best parts about Interbike is the opportunity to meet face-to-face with many of our partners.
After a very full day one of Interbike, we enjoyed our first staff dinner together.
When you run a business like BikeFlights.com, you can’t just stop shipping bikes because most of your staff is away at Interbike. So we set up mobile Support operations all week to keep our customers’ bikes shipping on schedule.
While at Interbike, we also enjoyed an evening of racing and spectating at RenoCross, one of our partner events.
Our female staff crushed it in the women’s Wheelers and Dealers race, sweeping all three podium spots. We also clinched a runner-up spot in the men’s industry race.
Our Ambassadors put on a good show, too, with podium appearances by Sofia Gomez-Villafane and Clara Honsinger.
When Interbike wrapped up, it was time to head to Incline Village, next to Lake Tahoe, for our staff retreat. We did some riding on beautiful nearby trails like the Tahoe-Rim Trail and the Marlette Flume Trail.
When we weren’t riding, we shared meals together and some R&R time on the beach.
And as with most of our trips, we wrapped up by packing our bikes so we could ship them home.
All in all, it was a great time being and riding in the Reno-Tahoe area. There’s plenty of excellent local riding - we suggest you check it out next time you’re there!
