Bike For Humanity Free Bikes 4 Kidz Ride

Bike for Humanity, the global initiative co-founded by NBA Hall of Fame Center Bill Walton, joins forces with Free Bikes 4 Kidz and USA Cycling in a collaborative effort to put 1 million underprivileged children on bicycles

Bike for Humanity, the global initiative co-created by Basketball Hall of Fame member Bill Walton, has joined forces with Minneapolis-based Free Bikes 4 Kidz (FB4K) and USA Cycling in an effort to help put 1 million kids on bicycles in the next five years.

The first initiative in this collaborative effort is the Free Bikes 4 Kidz Ride, a socially-distanced virtual bike ride set to take place on Saturday, May 1. Bicyclists can ride their bikes anywhere around the globe to participate, and they can register for as little as $25, the same amount it costs Free Bikes 4 Kidz to put a child on a gently-used and beautifully refurbished bike. And many of those bikes will go to kids who participate in USA Cycling’s Let’s Ride Camps, which are designed to teach kids about bike safety, while providing bikes to many kids who would otherwise not have access to them.

“Together with USA Cycling and Free Bikes 4 Kids, we’re on a mission to give away a million bikes,” said Bike for Humanity co-Founder Tony Finn.

There are several ways to sign-up and participate in Bike for Humanity’s Free Bikes 4 Kidz Ride. Most importantly, you can ride for as long or as short as you choose, so long as you sign up and get out and ride your bike on May 1. For people who simply want to participate, there is no cost required to sign-up and register, however there are multiple options for participants to contribute as little as $25 to Free Bikes 4 Kidz and receive commemorative keepsakes, including official t-shirts, medals and more. There are also VIP experiential opportunities available, as well as chances to register and win great prizes. Riders can visit www.BikeforHumanity.com to register and learn more.

Individuals are encouraged to get out and ride their bikes for as long as they like in an area where they can practice social distancing. Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines continue to recommend a minimum of six feet of social distancing in an effort to stem the coronavirus pandemic. It is CRITICAL to note that Bike for Humanity is NOT a group ride and riding in clusters is PROHIBITED due to the coronavirus.

Free Bikes 4 Kidz (www.FB4k.org) is a national organization that collects used bicycles, rehabilitates them with the help of volunteers, and then gives those bikes away to kids in communities around the country. Since its launch in 2010, FB4K has already given away 100,000 bikes and their goal is to give away 1 million bikes in the next five years. Their method is simple. They collect gently used bikes from people looking to donate them. They then receive donated or low-cost parts from bike manufacturers, and secure qualified bike mechanics to refurbish the bikes. And they then deliver those bikes, with helmets, to kids all across the country.

“We are looking for every child in America without a bike—we see you and we have your wheels,” said Terry Esau, Founder and Executive Director of Free Bikes 4 Kidz.

USA Cycling (www.usacycling.org) is the national governing body for the sport of cycling in the United States and oversees the disciplines of road, track, mountain bike, cyclocross, and BMX. With a mission to develop the sport of cycling in the United States at all levels and to achieve sustained international racing success, USA Cycling supports cyclists from enthusiasts just beginning in the sport to seasoned professionals.  

“My first experiences of riding bikes shaped my life,” said Mari Holden, Olympic silver medalist and USA Cycling’s Community Director. “I am excited to be working with organizations who share the same vision of getting more kids to ride. Nothing compares to joy that comes with your first bike.”

Bike for Humanity was launched by Walton and Finn in 2020 during the global COVID pandemic. The duo hosted three events in which more than 5,000 people signed up and rode while raising more than $200,000 for a host of nonprofit partners. Outside of essential costs, one-hundred percent (100%) of all net proceeds will support Free Bikes 4 Kidz. 

For more information, visit www.BikeforHumanity.com