Milwaukee cycling celebration teaches kids, looks to bridge gap
MILWAUKEE - Cycling is a popular sport around the world, but it can be hard to draw new people to it – especially because it's a predominantly white sport.
Milwaukee Recreation and a yearly bike race hope to change that. The Tour of America's Dairyland is 11 straight days of competitive cycling in southeast Wisconsin. Some kids from the community had an opportunity to learn more about cycling Thursday, and hopefully it lasts a lifetime.
"Bike racing isn't for everyone, I'm not going to lie to you," said professional cyclist Rasaan Bahati.
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Kids can be a skeptical bunch, and it seemed there was some initial hesitation. Once they got kitted up, that hesitation disappeared. They learned basics of cyclocross, bridged the skills to mountain biking and built confidence along the way. They learned how to safely ride on the road, too.
"I’m used to it, but I never did tricks on the ramps," said 14-year-old Yhajoslynn Zissler.
Milwaukee Recreation and others hold youth cycling event
Zissler said she normally rides bikes with friends but didn't know she could do this. It won't be her last.
"I never took advantage of biking and actually did anything like this, this is my first time," she said.
"This is the first time this has been done," said Andrew Rossa, Milwaukee Recreation coordinator.
The cycling celebration in collaboration with Milwaukee Recreation, Tour of America's Dairyland, Wisconsin Bike Fed, DreamBikes and Wheel & Sprocket showed kids there's more to riding a bike.
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"Having a pro racer, here, in person, and interacting with them means the world to us," Rossa said.
"Growing up in Compton, the trajectory to be a cyclist wasn’t in the cards," Bahati said.
A school punishment in sixth grade put Bahati in the saddle. Decades later, he knows the importance of his skin color in a predominantly white sport.
"If you’re really trying to have a lasting impact on this community, I think it resonates more when you put someone in front of them that they can relate to," said Bahati.
Milwaukee Recreation and others hold youth cycling event
"Let’s continue to spread the awareness of getting kids on bikes that look like us," said professional cyclist J.P. Primm.
Primm went from being a pro basketball player to picking up cycling during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two weeks later, he rode his first criterium. It's why events like Thursday's are so important to him.
"Jumped right in to it and haven’t looked back since then," he said. "It’s OK to get in the mix and change the culture one stroke at a time."
Between races at the Bay View Classic, Primm and Bahati rode alongside and kids put their new skills to the test – taking a couple loops on the track. While they may not be ripping around at 30 mph, it's no doubt an experience and day they won't forget.