Lucky to Ride is dedicated to empowering youth through equitable access to cycling. Our programs offer the power of bicycling to engage youth, build new skills, and spark interests all while supporting youth physical and mental wellbeing.
We believe: Everyone should feel like they belong. Cycling can contribute to overall physical and mental health and wellbeing Everyone should have access to a reliable bike and the knowledge needed to continue cycling as a lifelong activity.
Testimonials
"it was an incredible experience for many of the kids. It was good for our staff and for me to have an opportunity to relate with them in a different way. It was powerful to have such a dramatic shift in their surroundings." - Staff, Denver Family Crisis Center
"Each and every day I am inspired by what the students accomplish and I am proud to be a part of this program." - Teacher @ Denver School of Science and Technology
What did you like about the ride today? "I loved it. I loved every single thing about it!" Anonymous, from Girls Inc. " I like when we went through the stream." Anonymous "Fresh air." Dwain, 18 "Mountain biking is fun, cool, hard, easy at the same time. You rock! Julie 11.
Mission
LTR programs offer the power of bicycling to engage youth, build new skills, and spark interests all while supporting youth physical and mental wellbeing.
Objectives include:
Improved self-esteem
Increased willingness to try new things, especially in outdoor recreation
Build confidence in trying new activities and exploring outside
Enough experience outdoors to consider career/lifelong participation in outdoor recreation
Lifelong sense of belonging in the outdoor industry
Background Statement
Cycling can be an expensive and difficult activity for new people with limited experience to get into. It also requires a lot of knowledge and can feel intimidating to start. Inequitable access to cycling, outdoor recreation, and the outdoor recreation industry is a persistent challenge.
Many factors make cycling and especially mountain biking hard to participate in, including a lack of diverse representation in the outdoor industry and in professional cycling.
Financial barriers are also a significant obstacle for new young riders. Big Box store bicycles, while the most accessible, they are the most detrimental to the cycling experience. They are built to fail, difficult to repair, and are less enjoyable to ride.
Lucky to Ride wants everyone to have access to a reliable bike and the knowledge needed to continue cycling as a lifelong activity.
Long term success for us looks like the outdoor industry and recreation community reflect the population in all its diversity. We want everyone to feel like they belong and own the community and have a say in its direction. We want more residents to become regular riders with access to bicycle knowledge and infrastructure. They will be able to use cycling to contribute to their overall physical and mental health and wellbeing.