The Specialized Podcast
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The Specialized Podcast
Outride | Science Says Ride to Think Better and Feel Better
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What if science proved what riders already know?
That riding clears your head. Sharpens your focus. Improves your mood. Connects you to yourself, to others, and to the world around you.
In this episode of the Specialized Podcast, host Ben Capron sits down with Esther Walker, Executive Director of the Outride Foundation, to explore the growing body of research showing how riding bikes positively impacts brain health, mental well-being, cognitive performance, and human connection.
Outride began with a simple question inspired by Specialized founder Mike Sinyard after reading an article titled Cycling Is My Ritalin: could riding a bike measurably improve focus and cognitive function, particularly for people with ADHD?
That question launched years of scientific research in partnership with institutions like Stanford University and helped spark programs that have now reached more than 400 schools and impacted more than 500,000 students across North America.
Rather than hype or speculation, this episode offers a human and science-backed look at why riding helps us think, feel, and flourish,covering:
- How riding improves focus, executive function, mood, and stress regulation
- Why consistency matters more than intensity when it comes to brain health
- How Stanford researchers measured real-time brain activity while riding
- The connection between cycling, neuroplasticity, memory, and reduced dementia risk
- How Riding for Focus brings bikes, helmets, curriculum, and teacher training into schools
- The power of confidence, skill building, and joy in helping students flourish
- Stories from communities like the Navajo Nation, where bikes are opening new pathways for health, connection, and opportunity
- How programs like Silver Stallion Bicycle & Coffee Works help sustain cycling culture through service, skills, and community
- Why athletes like Demi Vollering, Christopher Blevins, and Haley Batten help amplify the Outride mission
- How riders, schools, communities, brands, and volunteers can all help more people experience the benefits of cycling
- Whether you ride every day, support young riders, work in education, or simply believe bikes can change lives, this conversation is a reminder that riding is more than fitness or speed. It is a powerful tool for focus, connection, confidence, and well-being.
Follow Outride: @outride
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And there was an amazing study that was published last year looking at over, you know, half a million people, half a million brains over time. And they looked at people who drive to work in their cars, people who maybe walk to work, people who um bike to work consistently. And actually what they found is that for the people who rode their bike consistently to work, they had a 20% decrease in risk for developing dementia. And those people also had bigger hippocampal volume. So that's a big word, but that means your hippocampus, which is the area of your brain associated with memory and learning. So there's really transformative benefits that can happen with that consistency over time that are just so powerful, not only as a young person, but throughout the whole lifespan.
SPEAKER_01What if science pointed to something that a lot of us have always felt all along that riding a bike is one of the most powerful ways to clear our mind, to focus, to feel better, and to connect with others? Well, my guest on the show is Esther Walker, the executive director of the Outride Foundation, which has been working hard with institutions like Stanford University and many others, as well as about a half a million kids in school programs, to demonstrate that riding your bike is a very powerful and data-backed approach to improving the way you think, the way you feel, the way you connect with others. And it's just a real pleasure to have you with us today, Esther. Thanks for being here.
SPEAKER_00Thanks so much for having me, Ben.
SPEAKER_01Well, let's let's talk a little bit about Outride. Like what is the mission of Outride? And let's start there.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, at Outride, we're really focused on addressing a number of really important societal issues. So we know there are, you know, rising, you know, levels of poor mental health. You know, increasingly as a society where we're disconnected, fewer and fewer people are getting enough movement. And, you know, cycling exists as this really, you know, underestimated and overlooked tool to address a lot of these um challenges. So at Outwide Outride, we really work to empower all people to experience those social, emotional, and cognitive benefits of cycling. We really know kind of the incredible research behind this work. And so we really work to put that research into action to get more people to experience it for themselves.
SPEAKER_01I remember when the Outride Foundation was actually called the Specialized Foundation, and it started when our founder, Mike Siniard, read an article that said, cycling is my Ritalin. And he read this article, and in it, it was basically saying that riding your bike can have um really positive effects on conditions like ADHD. And and Mike said, Hey, that's me. And you know, reached out to the scientist in that study and from that place provided the initial funding to create a nonprofit, the specialized foundation, which then turned into Outride.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. So, you know, that initial idea and concept that was back in 2012, you know, when Mike kicked off that that initial question and study. And 2014 is when they became kind of the formalized specialized foundation. And then in 2019, you know, right before all things went crazy in 2020, um, we became Outride. And really with that, kind of the idea that, hey, this is bigger than a single brand. This mission is is really powerful enough to change the world beyond just specialized.
SPEAKER_01That's right. And what year did you come on, Esther?
SPEAKER_00I came on uh right in the middle of 2020.
SPEAKER_01And what was your background prior to joining Outride?
SPEAKER_00Right before Outride and, you know, leading up to it, I had been in academia. I was working on my PhD in cognitive science, really interested, you know, always in how our environment, how our interactions with people shape how we think, how we feel. Um, and at the same time, I was really engaged with cycling. You know, I had rediscovered it. Um, and that quickly turned into, you know, discovering its individual benefits for me. And then over time, I became hooked. You know, I got involved in the cycling community there in San Diego. I started racing. Soon enough, I was leading like a women's team because I think I just had this passion of I knew what it did for me and wanted to share that with other people. And quickly you could see, you know, the power it was having to build confidence, to build community and just really improve mood. And so it's just been incredible to be able to pull those threads together at Outride.
SPEAKER_01Such an embodiment, really, of the foundation in that, you know, research scientists by training with this curiosity to see how our cognitive reality interface with what we do and what we're surrounded by, combined with what so many of us, and I think many of the listeners on the show relate to the experiential impact of riding a bike. And so then when you saw the opportunity to join, was it exciting to say, wow, can we really dig into the science behind this?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, for me it was incredible. I still remember, you know, it was 2020, and I was just maybe like many people bored at home. And I came across this posting and I was like, what is this? I had never imagined working in the bike industry. For me, they were kind of distinct things. And the more I read, the more I was excited. I was like, wow, you know, there's there's real science behind this. And not only that, they're they're putting it into action. You know, they're really seeing how to bring this to real life. And that combination really excited me. And, you know, I haven't looked back since it's been now almost six years and just incredible to see how the organization has grown.
SPEAKER_01Amazing. Let's set the table a little bit and talk to me about the different facets of Outride.
SPEAKER_00At the core, really, we've always been research-focused. So, you know, what is that evidence base that really kind of is is driving, you know, how we understand how cycling is impacting, you know, brain health, how we think, how we feel, how we act in the world. And then really we take that and we put that into action. And one of the main ways we we see that is through our school-based program, which is called Riding for Focus. And that actually got kicked off through that, you know, initial study that Mike, you know, worked to commission early on. They found that, you know, if you introduce cycling during the school day, you know, what effects does it have on student focus and academic performance and behavior? And now it's this incredible program where we basically grant a fleet of bikes, helmets, teacher training, curriculum, everything the schools need to get rolling. And then kind of building on that, we started a community grant program. And really the goal behind that is we were seeing all this interest getting sparked at the schools. But often in many communities, they're like, okay, I'm interested now. What's next? So the community grant program was started really to invest in local, you know, solutions, whether that's supporting an after-school club or mechanic training or supporting a local bike park to really help think about these long-term pathways of participation so that you know we're benefiting not just during the school day, but throughout your whole lifespan.
SPEAKER_01Tell me a little bit about what some of those initial findings or later findings, the data-backed approach, like what kind of light did that start to shine on riding for particularly kids with focus challenges.
SPEAKER_00Really, we can think about it as kind of two um, you know, types of research on kind of the res the basic research side. That's maybe what you envision when you think about the word research, like in a lab, you know, maybe somebody wearing a white coat somewhere. And then applied research, you know, what happens in the real world. With Stanford, a lot of that was more on the basic research side. So kind of bringing people in and understanding, you know, a lot of the studies done before that were looking at what is your brain activity before you go for a ride? What is it after a ride? What Stanford did was they actually said, hey, can we actually measure activity while you're actively riding? And that presented an interesting technical challenge because when we ride our bikes, there's a lot going on. There's a lot going on in our bodies, in our brains. And so they needed to come up with a way to measure brain activity to get meaningful cognitive signal, not just kind of all of the noise that comes with moving your body. And so that was kind of their initial work was validating um using what a technology called F NIAR, so functional near infrared spectroscopy to really understand what's going on in the brain.
SPEAKER_01And then once that was validated, that's the cap that you developed together with Stanford University to go on the head under the helmet.
SPEAKER_00Right.
SPEAKER_01To to essentially visualize brain activity while riding.
SPEAKER_00Right. And so it actually captures, you know, yeah, actually live activity while riding. And what they, you know, specialize had been amazing in supporting is kind of customizing a helmet that could fit over the top of those caps so the person was also safe while while riding. And so it was, you know, incredible advancement in that being able to capture brain activity while riding. And then on top of that, they were then able to do additional studies looking at, you know, youth with ADHD, youth with without ADHD, and understand, hey, while you're riding, kind of what changes in the brain are happening while you're trying to do an attentional task. And what they found was that, you know, a lot of that brain activity gets modulated. So areas that are maybe overactive in individuals with ADHD maybe, you know, come back to a baseline, areas that were underactivated come up. And ultimately that's kind of impacting um focus and behavior.
SPEAKER_01Are there some findings from uh from the research that you've done or elsewhere around the impact of riding? Like how long do you need to ride, how many times, and and what were some of the top line, you know, findings?
SPEAKER_00Of course, with this work with Stanford, there's you know a whole scientific community out there that now has been really interested in in this question. And so, you know, in addition to that work and work we see with the schools, really you see a few things on two different timescales. You know, one is like immediately after a ride, just going for even a short, easy ride around the neighborhood, you will see, you know, changes in in your mood. Um, what can also happen, you know, if you go out for a ride, maybe you kind of charge up a hill, get a little bit of an intensity and then come back, you might feel a little bit more focused. Um, and really, you know, again, after just a single ride, you can start to see these changes in what they call executive function, um, which is, you know, your ability to focus and ignore distractions, you know, your ability to remember information. Let's say someone gives you their phone number while you're being asked to do 10 other things. What's so amazing too with the school data is that we can see pretty consistently year over year is that the students who report writing more regularly, especially those riding at least once a week, also report high levels of mental well-being. And also, I think a big area is around um learning a new skill. So they're building confidence. It's like they can do something hard, even though it's so hard to like climb that hill and they'll they'll talk about it. They're like, I hate that hill. But when they get to the top, they're like, I get, you know, this pure feeling of freedom down the hill and it it was worth it. And so I think that qualitative student data that comes with the kind of the numbers is just really builds out this bigger picture of the impact that it's having all across these schools.
SPEAKER_01I want to jump back into the Riding for Focus program. It's about 50,000 kids a year now. Is that right?
SPEAKER_00That is right.
SPEAKER_01And it's been going for a decade or more.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, since you know, some of the early schools, you know, that we weren't formally yet, but there were a couple that started in 2012. And then 2014, we kind of started the first new cohort, and you know, a good chunk of those schools are still going 10 years strong. And it's incredible to see how they've really, you know, made it their own in their community.
SPEAKER_01That's amazing. So it's about a half a million kids cumulatively.
SPEAKER_00Exactly.
SPEAKER_01That's amazing. How does that work? It's an accredited physical education program. Is that right? Yeah. So take take us through writing for focus. Let's click into that.
SPEAKER_00It's been like uh, you know, really amazing to see the the progress of the program over the years. So, you know, Outright has worked with, you know, curriculum developers at Central Michigan University who really kind of dive into you know all things PE, you know, pedagogy and and teaching, and really, you know, what makes a good quality PE program. And really, there's amazing association of you know, PE educators in the US that are doing incredible things to build physical literacy in the students and really develop that lifelong love of learning. And so we really wanted that to be the core of our curriculum. So working with them, you know, have developed this curriculum over time. And a lot of the data we collect not only from the students, but the teachers, is to get that feedback because we're working with schools in, you know, super rural areas, you know, urban, downtown cores, suburban. And, you know, what does it take to, you know, take a program and being able to make it effective in each of those settings? And so how it works is that um it's a grant program. So, you know, schools, particularly Title I schools, so schools serving um students from low-income communities, can apply to outride each year. They get a fleet of Vikes of rock hoppers that are, you know, have these fun um twists to them to make it really great to use for the students. So they're color-coded on the labels to say, okay, this is a small, this is a medium. And one of my favorite pieces is they have actually really large numbers on the back of the seat post. So a student can come in and say, hey, I know I'm a blue three and get set up really, really quickly for the class. So with the bikes, the helmets, we give them uh curriculum and we bring everyone out to do teacher training because we want them to see, you know, what it looks like. You know, what is it going to look like once you suddenly have 30 students all on bikes? It requires a lot of trust and, you know, building up these routines to make sure that the students know, you know, they have that responsibility. They're taking care of the bikes and, you know, get to experience a little bit of freedom during the school day. And for many of our teachers, you know, they might not have touched a bike in five, 10, 15 years. And so bringing them out here, you know, taking them on rides, introducing them to the, you know, the world of cycling is just so powerful to help them envision what this could look like in their community. And, you know, since then we are now in over 400 schools, you know, across the US and Canada, and you know, um, really with with bigger ideas to go beyond that.
SPEAKER_01It's so amazing. I mean, I just think about the impact of that, particularly in you know, in communities where there are schools where a lot of kids don't have access to bikes. So it's also an access element. Learning some of these kids are learning to ride a bike for the first time. And what a holistic effort to, you know, provide, provide the bikes, provide the training, to have done the back-end work so that it's an accredited physical education program. And I bet you dollars to donuts that the teachers are getting benefit out of doing this as well. So it's really a holistic, again, a holistic approach to bring cycling to people who need it through the school system, which is great because each year there's you know more kids coming through and realizing this benefit. Absolutely incredible. So I just want to make a clear like call to action if people are listening and maybe they're in a school, an administrator or maybe a physical education teacher or a community member, who knows who, but how would they apply to be a riding for focus school?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, they just go to our website and apply, you know, check out the riding for focus application. And what's really important to us is that you have, you know, that that teacher buy-in. You know, we want them to be you know excited about the program and you know, thinking about storage, you know, and where they'll ride and and things like that. And we can walk them through that conversation because we know that every community is so different and there are you know incredible resources available in each community, even if you don't see them, uh, that we can help connect them with.
SPEAKER_01And they would apply at outridbike.org. Outridebike.org.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And so how that works, yeah, they apply in the spring. We do our training in the the late summer, and then by the fall, the bikes are there, we build them up and they're ready to go for the next school year.
SPEAKER_01Fantastic. Tell me a story that comes to mind about a young person that was a part of the riding for focus program where the program had a positive impact. Like, what's the story of a particular human that was touched in this way?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, there's so many. I think that's one of my favorite parts of my job because I get stories from teachers and people just reaching out and sharing, hey, this happened. And I think one that I can just think of recently is um we had a student in in Idaho and they hadn't, you know, really picked up a bike and really tried two-wheel riding. And that teacher, you know, worked with that student, said, Hey, we're gonna get you riding, we're gonna make it happen. And over time we got sent this incredible video. I still get chills thinking about it, where the student for the first time just took off down the roadway and there's a bus of his peers, and they are all just cheering at the top of their lungs from the bus. And you just like, are like, oh my God. And that experience for teachers is so meaningful. But I think it's not just that. We got a follow-up video six months later where he's just ripping down the gravel trails, you know, and they were also, you know, now that he's in high school, able to source him a bike so he can keep riding. And it's just stories like that where every teacher will say they didn't realize how many students hadn't learned to ride, even by middle school. And when they get them that hook for the first time, it's just, you know, it's emotional. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01100%. That feeling of riding a bike. You know, the first time you ride a bike and whatever, if you learn with training wheels or you, you know, learn with this driver. Um I read, I rode with training wheels before I rode without, but I'm really feeling that feeling of riding for the first time and the freedom and the exhilaration. And we say, you know, riding light up lights up your brain. It's like it lights up your brain, it lights up your heart. And to think of that boy who didn't know how to ride, learned how to ride, had that experience, right? That is life-changing.
SPEAKER_00Well, and I think what's so amazing about that is that we hear these stories in, you know, so many states all across the country. And teachers are now sending us the students that people have given up on. They're like, you know, they're acting out in class, they've come in, they've started the biking class, and they've really taken to it. And many of those students are now actually becoming leaders and you know, have a new sense of purpose and confidence. And it's just incredible to see that that shift that, you know, these are students that, you know, may have gone down a really different track and now actually have a lot of, you know, purpose during the school day.
SPEAKER_01That's incredible. And then become a role model. There's something I've become proficient in to the point where I can share it. But even if someone doesn't have, you know, attention deficit issues or focus or these other issues, riding a bike still levels up everybody's life experience, you know?
SPEAKER_00Yeah. I mean, and that's the thing is that, you know, outrides started with with ADHD, but really we've saw the impact for the entire classroom. Um, and you know, now not even just with youth, but you know, work with older adults as well. Um, and really kind of the the power of cycling, you know, for yeah, attention and focus, but well-being, brain structure, how that shifts, you know, with long, like consistent ridership and you know, quality of life. So there's incredible benefits beyond just that youth period, that one single ride. And really, I think it's just, you know, there's there's so much more to dig in there.
SPEAKER_01And what do you mean by brain structure? Like, are there is there evidence that neuroplasticity changes with riding a bike?
SPEAKER_00If you go for one ride, there's there's benefits, but there's also incredible benefits to being consistent. So you don't have to be a pro rider and ride, you know, 100 miles every day. Even just, you know, riding 20 minutes every day can release, you know, I know people love calling it like the fertilizer of the brain, you know, that BDNF uh that yeah, increases, you know, neuroplasticity, neurogenesis, so the birth of new neurons. Um and there was an amazing study that was published last year looking at over, you know, half a million people, half a million brains over time. And they looked at people who drive to work in their cars, people who maybe walk to work, people who um bike to work consistently. And actually, what they found is that for the people who rode their bike consistently to work, they had, you know, a 20% decrease in risk for developing dementia. And those people also had bigger hippocampal volume. So that's a big word, but that means your hippocampus, which is the area of your brain associated with memory and learning. So there's really transformative benefits that can happen with that consistency over time that are just so powerful, not only, you know, as a young person, but throughout the whole lifespan.
SPEAKER_01There's something around riding the bike that's helping our brains. So memory loss can be stemmed and it can it looks like it can fend off things like cognitive decline over time. Is that right?
SPEAKER_00That's right. And I think what's really fascinating about, you know, cycling, especially as we age, you know, and maybe have limited mobility, is that you're having to do, you know, a lot of balance. You're able to get your heart rate up a little bit higher than say just going for a walk. And really kind of that that consistency over time has shown to be incredibly powerful for you know preventative lifestyle. You know, getting out, riding a bike is one of the most powerful things that you can do.
SPEAKER_01Do we know what the the cocktail that is riding a bike is that results in these particularly pronounced positive impacts?
SPEAKER_00From a public health perspective, we're like, we just need to get people to move. So anything is good. But I think again, the power with cycling is, you know, what are people gonna do? Um, you know, what's gonna keep them motivated? And that kind of combination of effects for the brain, not only for balance, but also exposure to nature, social connection, green space, all of those factors together are also key protective factors for brain health. So cycling really loops them all into one in a really powerful way that is so beneficial to get people moving.
SPEAKER_01And as soon as I ask the question, it's like we always want to know why, like, why, why, why. It's part of the condition of the brain. We're talking about the brain, like, why, why, why. The other thing is well, it is so. And so you you're All chasing this why with data, which is useful as modern, you know, humans. We like science a lot, and it it's such a powerful approach. Right. At the same time, everybody can do the scientific experiment of, hey, I'm gonna ride my bike and really pay attention to how I feel before and how I feel after. And then maybe if I rode to work and back one day, I'm gonna drive and I'm gonna see how I feel before and after. I will bet you that you feel better when you ride your bike. I also wanted to underscore something else you said, which is the consistency is so important. Often I think that people believe that it has to be really vigorous and then they build it up to this big thing, and then I'm gonna do it. And when they approach riding in that way, particularly if they haven't been riding, it's very difficult to stay consistent. Right. Whereas the power really lies in the consistency. Exactly. You know, make it a practice and just try it. And and over time, the cumulative impact of any beneficial practice really compounds.
SPEAKER_00I think that touches on a really important point because, you know, we think about there's this amazing research out there, right? So we now we know it. We know it's beneficial. Like, how do we how do we get that into you know, people actually riding, right? And I think one thing that comes up a lot is that we often overestimate our individual motivation and we underestimate these other factors like the environment, our social support, our our family. And so, you know, it's it's one thing to say, okay, we know riding is good, go do it. But also I think there's incredible work to say like, is there a social community that's riding that you can be engaged with? You know, how can we also collaborate with others that are saying, hey, we uh really want to make sure there's safe places to ride? Um, because together, all of these pieces of the puzzle will really influence that greater kind of systems change in a really powerful way. And I think that's where, you know, outright has been, you know, so excited to be a part of that broader puzzle.
SPEAKER_01Is there science around intrinsic motivation that you know about, or is there some perspective from your side about intrinsic motivation and how that plays in riding a bike?
SPEAKER_00People are gonna do what they enjoy, right? So, like, is it fun? And another big part of it is like, you know, that, you know, autonomy and like skill building and also, you know, being with others, those are key pieces of of motivation. It's like, you know, do I enjoy it? You know, am I, you know, relating with others, you know, connecting with others, and am I like, you know, building my my confidence? And biking really touches on all of those three in a really incredible way. And, you know, I think when you see people out riding, whether I'm riding with a middle school plat class where you hear all the hoots and hollers of joy, you know, going up and down the paths, you know, to adults riding for the first time, feeling that, you know, wind in the face. Once people experience it, they're like, How do I do this again? And I think that's where that that connection, that bridge lies is you know, bring someone new out to ride, you know, make sure that they they have a good time. And that's gonna go very, very far in, you know, helping to instill that behavior over time.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And take the bike that's in the garage, yeah, pump up the tires, put a little lube on the chain if it hasn't been ridden in a while. That's fine. No shame in this game. But but just ride your bike, you know, ride your bike and maybe do it again the next day or two or three times a week and just see what difference it makes in your life and invite others. Many of the people listening do ride regularly, but we can be evangelists in the most positive way, right? Like lots of people probably emulate folks who are riding, or they they look up to people who are riding, but for some reason they think I can't or it's not something I do, which is a unique opportunity to to make a very easy, you know, invitation to those who maybe aren't riding to ride a bike. It's so it's connecting, like you say, and it's simple. And then also like then keep going with it because I love to hear about the positive impact for folks, you know, who are a little bit older.
SPEAKER_00Right.
SPEAKER_01But it might be challenging to start if you're if you're older in years and you haven't been riding. So if you're riding, keep riding.
SPEAKER_00You know, for us that ride often, you know, we also overestimate like, oh, anyone can just get started. But in many communities, there are these amazing clubs, cycling coalitions that are, you know, designed to get people reintroduced to riding. And so, you know, if you have someone who you want to get started, but they're too intimidated to ride with you, you know, point them in that direction. There's often a, you know, reintroduction to cycling classes, safety, and you know, learn about you know how to navigate your city, your town. And it's an incredibly powerful resource that I think is often overlooked.
SPEAKER_01What could someone search up to find something like that in their community?
SPEAKER_00Yeah. So they could look up, you know, their local bike coalition or local bike club, you know, League of American Bicyclists has an amazing network of uh what they call league certified instructors, instructors, LCIs, who are, you know, ready to bring new people into the fold. And it's really amazing to, you know, if you haven't cycled in 20 years, you know, they're a great group to reach out to and get reconnected.
SPEAKER_01Talk to me a little bit about the work of Outride on the Navajo Nation. You know, our our friend Scotty Nightham has worked with the community and many others through Silver Stallion, but also with the Navajo Nation. And how did that start and and what's Outride's role been in that?
SPEAKER_00You know, at Outride, you know, though we work nationally, we really see ourselves as a you know connector and support. Like where can we help spark something? And it's organizations like Silver Stallion that really take that and and run with it. And really it got started with, you know, we just, you know, I think Scott had reached out and said, you know, can we get a couple schools going? There's no bike shops here. There's not a lot of biking happening. You know, let's see what happened. And so we we started up, you know, four schools. And, you know, sure enough, over time, I actually have to really credit, you know, Lisa Chi at Indian Health Services because she had and her health promotions team were like, saw the power of the bike. They believed in it early. They went and go talk to all the other towns and schools, say, hey, bring this on. Um, so soon enough, you know, we've now um, you know, brought on 13 schools. And then on top of that, you know, Silver Stallion has gone above and beyond deeper to make sure that, hey, across this, you know, expanse of land, there's there's not a bike shop. So how can we make sure these bikes are maintained? And so they took, you know, Big Blue and their mobile van, you know, all over the Navajo Nation to make sure that, you know, these can, you know, stay repaired or connect with a bike shop maybe off the reservation to make sure there's that sustainability. They didn't stop there. They also said, okay, we introduced during the school day what's next. And so after school programs. And now they're actually working with also all the elementary schools. So really this vision has grown and grown and grown, you know, and you know, doing Dine Composite, doing after-school races. And they also are hosting community events where they're now bringing students from all these different schools to just get out and and ride together. Um, and really what's being built there is incredible. It's not just about, you know, competition, it's about really building community and, you know, giving, you know, confidence and skill building and and health and well-being from all different angles. And we've we've been really excited just to be a small part of that. Um, but really Scott's work, you know, Silver Stalin's work have been incredible in really kind of multiplying the efforts there and having huge, huge impact.
SPEAKER_01I mean, it's really beautiful and it's it's a network, and the community has really embraced it. Some of the student athletes have done things like the Res Duro, like on the on the reservation where they're doing events and riding, you know, getting rad on mountain bikes, and like some of them are going that way. Others have really started to embrace, oh, I can learn how to work on a bike. Right. Which then not only turns into keeping the bike going, you know, your bike will take care of you if you take care of your bike, but also now here's a pathway of a of a career direction. I can get a job in a bike shop because I've I've learned these skills. So there's just so many doors that get opened. I didn't know it was 13 schools. It's so beautiful. Like that, and that's just one example of what can happen. This is happening across all these communities.
SPEAKER_00That's a really great point about you know, this broader ecosystem is that, you know, you know, outright, we have, you know, a focus in what we're good at with the school programs. We also, you know, raise awareness around the benefits, and that can really help with local organizations writing grants and advocacy and things like that. But we recognize that, you know, one piece, there's a whole ecosystem around it. And where can we all collaborate and really pull in our strengths, you know, no matter what organization you are, no matter what brand really coming together to build that bigger vision, because you know, this isn't anything one person can solve. It's a whole systems approach to really help these communities flourish in in new ways.
SPEAKER_01It's a critical thing to note. You know, there's a place for a nonprofit like Outride or NICA National Interscholastic Cycling Association, high school mountain biking, you know, coast to coast now in the United States. Like these are nonprofit organizations and they can provide certain things. There's a place for government, like you you mentioned, you know, at all levels, you know, whether it's IHS or federal or state or local, governments can play a role. And a huge part is also volunteers.
SPEAKER_00Right.
SPEAKER_01Like even within NYCA, I I am a coach within the Nica organization in the NorCal League. Yeah, woo.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01But it runs on volunteers. Take the next step and see what you can do to contribute your time, your energy, your mind to organizing, see what's happening in your area, you know, encourage the PE teachers to apply to outride, show up if they need help, because that's when it really gets going. You know, so we all have a part to play in this.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. I mean, that's a beautiful example because even, you know, with with Nica, you know, a lot of our schools, they might have Outride Riding for Focus at the middle school, introduce new students who never even thought of riding as an option, um, get them excited, and then boom, there's NYC available. And so they have that pathway. But what you're saying is, you know, bringing in the community, um, even at the schools, you know, um, people who are retired and they're like, I have mechanic skills, I want to go and wrench on the bikes, you know, once a week at the school have been these beautiful collaborations to really kind of get the whole community involved. And soon enough, you're hosting a you know, family and community ride uh alongside the school.
SPEAKER_01The word that's popping in my head right now is is empowering. Like engaging at any level around fostering riding bikes is extremely empowering. Individually, connecting with others who are riding, connecting with others who are fostering this. And we need to do that. And while on the surface it might seem trivial that riding a bike or helping other people ride a bike is trivial, it is not at all. Right. Because good things come from it mental, emotional, physical, social, environmental, just stop me. But tell me a problem that we're facing in the world, and I'll show you a way that the bicycle is is at least a part of the solution. Right. And it's something we can all do, you know, it's something we can all contribute to, and it's something we love. Yeah. I want to ask a little bit about the role of athletes who have come to a high level. Not everyone chooses to be competitive on a bike, some do. And then some rise to a pretty high level, like Rem Coevanpol or Demi Vollering, Demi, you know, recently won Flanders, Rome von Flandron, like amazing. And when she went across the line, you know, she pointed to her her head, her mind, and she did kind of the Namaste and went across. But say a little bit about how Outride has partnered with top competitive cyclists to support Outride and Shine the Light or in other ways.
SPEAKER_00We've been incredibly lucky to be able to work with, you know, the these really elite racers. And I think what's been amazing, you know, when we have conversations with them around Outride and, you know, what cycling means to them, you know, even above and beyond racing, like at the core of it, they'll say, you know, I'm I'm another human. You know, I also deal with, you know, um, you know, stress, anxiety, um, feeling like I'm not enough. And so them actually sharing those stories can be so powerful to share with our students. And so that's one way is just kind of creating that connection and sharing their story. And also, you know, of course, not everyone wants to be a racer, but there's, you know, immense, you know, pride that comes with the students seeing the outright wheel, you know, at the Olympics, at the Tour de France, and say, you know, I'm I'm part of that. And so I think it's just been incredibly, you know, um, you know, beneficial to have that connection. And then of course, you have those who want to dive deep, you know, people like Christopher Blevins and Haley Batten, they have been incredible in just, you know, getting the outright message out there. And even, you know, Christopher going out to Navajo Nation, getting involved with Silver Stallion and really, you know, living and believing uh the mission beyond just uh their kind of life as a as an elite racer.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and and Christopher's sister, Kaylee, worked for outride. Yes. Amazing, you know, the Blevins family is so amazing. But yeah, I love what you're saying. And, you know, I often say not every rider is a racer, but every racer is a rider. And what you just said goes even further. Every rider is a human being, and every human being has challenges. But the work that you've done to say, you know, what am I outriding? You know, from top-level riders like Demi to kids in school. And the things that people are outriding are really the same. I'm outriding fear, I'm out riding anxiety, I'm outriding depression, maybe, I'm outriding loneliness. The things that you can see that that folks have shared is a commonality that we all approach, and it can really break down the false sense that we're alone, and it can help us connect from a vulnerable and true place, and then and then we have a way to channel that because when we ride and this brings it full circle, those things get better.
SPEAKER_00You know, cycling has immense power to to transform lives. And, you know, I don't I don't say it's necessarily going to solve everything, but it's it's an incredibly power powerful tool to have in your toolkit. You know, if you're having a tough day and you know, reflect and say, hey, I'm gonna go out and ride for 20 minutes and see how I feel. Um, there's incredible power in that. And so just, you know, being able to have that, to access that is just so important for, you know, not only all of us watching, but really bringing that to new people everywhere.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. Yeah. And if you have your body and a bike, and of course, some people have challenges that make riding a bike not possible, cognitive is that. But if you have a body that's able and you have a bicycle, you can ride. And someone said something to me at a time when I was having struggles, and I'm like, I just don't feel like riding. I don't feel good. I was feeling really low. And they said, you know what, Ben? You don't need to feel better to ride. You need to ride to feel better. So if anyone's listening and they're having a challenge, you're not alone. And if you have a bike access to a bike, go for a ride. Talk to me about you, you mentioned a little bit outride is operating primarily in the United States, a little bit in Canada, but I understand that that's changing, right? Like there's an ability for the power of what Outride has been able to cultivate to be taken up in other parts of the world. Can you talk a little bit about that move? Because that's a big deal.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, so again, like you said, we've focused largely on the US and Canada, you know, within our education systems here, but over time, you know, we get outreach all the time from countries all over the world. How can we do this? Right. And so what we started to do initially is just kind of see, you know, who who's already doing great work in their country that we can connect with and collaborate on. And so we've started, you know, collaborations both with, you know, groups in South Africa. Sango is doing incredible work there, um, developing mountain biking in in Scotland, not a school program, but they have a trail therapy program that you know we've partnered with them on that's doing incredible work. So that's kind of the initial steps. But now, kind of our vision is, you know, talking to people in other countries, they all have different education systems, different governmental support, and they say, we just want the resources, you know. And so that's what we're working towards. We're working towards, you know, really making, you know, what we've developed here um publicly available so anyone can access it, anyone can take it and run with it and really build from there. So we're really excited to, you know, build on that pathway, in addition to, you know, continuing to build up collaborations, coalitions, and partnerships, because what we're really learning is that, you know, people all over the world um are doing amazing work. And how can we all share ideas, share resources to really scale and drive that impact further?
SPEAKER_01Outrides here to provide those resources. If you're listening to this and you're not in North America and you're interested in developing or being a part of developing it, reach out to Outride.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, reach out to our team. We're always looking for, you know, early adopters who want to, you know, get involved, learn more, and really, you know, help us, you know, make an impact. You know, Mike, when he you know kicked us off and got it started, you know, has also been clear that hey, this isn't just specialized, you know, all of us should be invested in this, you know. Can we send out invites to, you know, Trek, Giant, you know, all of these competitors to really put um vision and support behind, you know, the future of cycling. Cycling is so incredibly beneficial on so many levels, you know, for our you know, individual being, but also social connection at a time when we're all really stuck on our our phones, right? So creating that real life connection. And so just you know, get out there and ride and bring someone new with you.
SPEAKER_01That's fantastic. I'm glad that you mentioned this is originally with specialized foundation. And one day Mike was like, you know what, we have to change the name because this isn't a specialized thing. Like it's something we believe in and we're gonna support, but it's way bigger than that. So whether you're in the bicycle industry, open invitation to get engaged, this is powerful work that we can do together. And if you're not in the cycling industry, get involved, please, because you can look at the work and the money goes straight through to positive impact for people riding bikes. Like it's very efficient. Like, how many people are on your staff? We have six people. Six people. Six people doing this work that we're talking about. So this is a great place, a great nonprofit, tax deductible to put resources into. You put money in, you get huge benefit out. So please get involved. It's it's amazing. Well, Esther, thank you so much for spending the time with us. I sincerely appreciate all the work you and the team are doing. It's it inspires me big time. And I'm sure that the listeners feel the same way. And thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this, please like us, subscribe to the show wherever you get it. If you're listening to the podcast, you can do so wherever you get podcasts. If you want to check it out in video, if you're listening, you can go to YouTube and and see who's behind the voices that you're hearing. Like us, subscribe, share it with someone else, please. Um, we really appreciate you tuning in. And until the next time, go out, ride your bike, keep the rubber side down, and we'll see you next time. Thanks so much.