The Inspirational Bicyclists of Instagram
Cyclists in Los Angeles know the ups and downs of riding through the City of Angels on two wheels. The weather almost always cooperates for a ride. The wide variety of scenery and cityscapes is almost unmatched by any city. You just have to know when to brave the Southern California Traffic, when to escape the traffic altogether, and when to just stay put and prep for your next ride.
No matter how much you love clicking through the gears, we could all use a little extra inspiration now and then. Someone who’s taken a similar path to ours, or even a totally opposite approach, can sometimes highlight the beauty and triumph of cycling in ways we hadn’t thought of. Their posts can give us a quick jumpstart when we feel drained.
Without further delay, we offer up five different pedal poets and inspirational bicyclists of instagram we suggest giving a follow.
Spreading Inspiration Across America @youthbikeamerica
A trip can sometimes get you motivated. That’s what a group of seven students and one teacher from San Francisco’s Ruth Asawa School of the Arts are hoping. They started in June 2020 on a cross-country ride. They are calling this quest “Pedal Towards The Future.”
The ride is expected to take 48 days and roll for around 3,500 miles. The goal isn’t just to burn calories as they explained to the San Francisco Examiner. Emmet Forde, 17-yr-old rider, “This isn’t just a bike trip. We’re also going to spread our environmental message along the way: pedal power over gas power. It’s as much about the journey as it is the destination.”
These same teens are no stranger to epic journeys. They’ve also hiked the 220-mile John Muir Trail as a group.
You can follow their journey on their Instagram account. At last check, they had made it into Colorado. Go Pedal Power!
Women’s Cycling Team Inspires With Sweat @la_sweat
A cycling team with style as you’ll see from their website and Instagrams. These 10 ladies enjoy cocktails and nail maintenance, but when they suit up it’s all business.
They’ve been racing criterium courses, or crit, together for six years since their start in Los Angeles. A crit is a race consisting of several laps around a closed circuit. This is where the sweat part of the name comes in. In 2019, they raced in nearly half the states in America and parts of Canada, Spain, Italy, and Australia.
These amazing racers also want to make a difference. They push diversity in cycling for women and everyone else. Recently the rode to raise money for the Black Lives Matter movement.
Check their website and Instagram for some inspiring stories and some amazing photos of the fun they have riding together. They even feature favorite snack recipes from time to time.
Warrior for Accident Victims Triny Willerton @trinywillerton
She’s a Colorado biker who has lived through a terrible cycling accident and felt compelled to prevent future accidents for her fellow biking community.
In 2018, Triny Willerton was on her bicycle when she was t-boned by a pickup truck. You can see the video on her website of her bike’s snapped fork to see the incredible force of the impact. Triny spent six days in the hospital with six broken ribs, a pelvis fractured in three spots, and a fractured shoulder blade. Despite the incredible setback, a few days later she filled out a registration form for an Ironman Competition.
Since the accident, Triny has taken prevention to the next level. She started up the #itcouldbeme movement. Other cyclists are encouraged to make short videos of them themselves talking about why they love biking. Then they make a plea to drivers. They ask drivers to take more care around cyclists on the road, saying that “It could be me.”
The awareness campaign has touched thousands of lives and led to real change. Triny was present when the Governor of Colorado signed a bill that increased the consequences for drivers who hit cyclists.
Cycle On, Triny!
Diversity In Cycling and Life @danteyoung_
Dante Young is full of energy and ideas. He helped start a top-level racing team called L39ion @l39gion.la (using numbers to spell Legion) in Los Angeles. They ride to promote diversity in the sport so that everyone feels included. Legion has set a goal for 2021…to become the first black-owned cycling team in America.
Dante and Legion have started a fundraiser in 2020. It’s a gofundme for junior programs and to help make sure riders have all the equipment they need. Dante is also a part of the Outride Initiative to get more children into cycling.
He’s so dynamic he’s even selling his own brand of coffee beans. If you want to match his energy, you might have to try several cups.
Young BMX Rider With World Champ Medal @ellieacarey
If you see this 8-yr-old girl zip past you, don’t challenge her to a race. You’ll probably lose. Ellie Carey started riding at one and a half years old. She won her first BMX race at four. Then she beat out almost 40 racers to win the UCI World Championship in 2017.
She may be tiny, but her inspiration extends to any sport. Her most recent posts are about Track & Field accomplishments. Last year her team took Gold in the 4X100 relay at USATF Championships. She also placed 4th in the nation in her 400-meter race.
Who knows what this little superhero will conquer next.
We Are Bay Area Bicycle Law
Bay Area Bicycle Law has spent years advocating for the bicycle community. We want safer rides for every cyclist, but in the event of an accident, we want to help protect the victim. We concentrate our practice solely on bicyclists who have been injured as a result of the carelessness and negligence of others. We’re dedicated and effective bicycle accident lawyers. If you were injured in a bicycle accident in or around San Francisco or anywhere around the bay area, contact us right away for a confidential free consultation and case review.