#morekidsonbikes

With core values of fun, inclusivity, equity, respect and community, NICA’s programs enable many young riders to get the opportunity to seek their first adventure on a bike, make it to a starting line, celebrate new friendships, experience joy and have fun. 

Through NICA, more than 25,000 student-athletes, 14,000 coaches and countless volunteers across America help create safe spaces for youth to encourage, have fun and build community around cycling.

“Your commitment to youth development allows NICA to continue our philanthropic mission of building strong minds, bodies, character and communities through cycling,” said Carey. “The impact you can have on a NICA life can not be underestimated.”

NICA is welcoming both one-time and recurring, monthly gifts. Those who commit to monthly, recurring gifts will be entered into weekly and grand-prize drawings to receive prizes.

Donate to NICA’s Share the Ride campaign before the end of the year, and remember that you can also donate year-round to NICA, Trips for Kids, Little Bellas and the International Mountain Bike Association through BikeFlights’ Buck Up For Bikes program by contributing a dollar whenever you book a shipment.

We share five of our favorite tips to help you get motivated to go pump your tires, lube your chain and start pedaling!

Ask an old friend to ride. There’s nothing better than catching up with a longtime cycling buddy while pedaling. And they’ll double as an accountability buddy for helping you get out the door on time.

Invite a new friend to ride. Perhaps the only thing more satisfying than enjoying your own awesome ride is sparking that same joy in someone else. If your new friend is relatively new to the sport, consider how you might encourage them along their own cycling journey.

Ride to work or errands. One way to get in more riding is to do something you were already going to do anyway, but instead of driving, ride a bike. You’ll not only feel more invigorated upon arriving, but you’ll get the added mental and physical health benefit of pedaling away your stress on the way there or back. For those with longer commutes and a lack of time or fitness to pedal both ways, consider driving or taking public transit one way and riding the other. The flip the script and do the opposite the next day. 

Leave your bike computer at home. It’s easy to get so focused on your mileage, speed or watts that you spend all of your time looking at your bike computer and none of it looking around. So once a week, just go out and ride without it, or at least take it off your bars and stuff it in a pocket. Yes, your ride still counts even if you don’t actively Strava it, and you may be surprised at what all you notice when you pay attention to your surroundings.

Go explore. We human beings love routines, and we also thrive off novelty, at least occasionally if not more often. Look at a map, and pick a road or trail you’ve never ridden before, and go check out it out. Even if you don’t have any trips planned or have been riding in your local area for years, simply following a regular route backward or coming up with an original way of combining your favorite roads or trails can help you mix it up.

Here at BikeFlights, throughout May, we’re (virtually) riding together with our colleagues to raise money for Trips for Kids through their Save the Earth, Ride a Bike Campaign. Many of us will also be riding with our local bike clubs, friends and family or even taking on local events. A few of us will be training for upcoming bucket list events later in the season, and some of us will just be training for life, but one thing we’ll all be doing is riding for fun. 

We hope you’ll join us!