• ERIK’S COMMUNITY SUPPORT & ADVOCACY

At ERIK’S, supporting the community has been a pillar of our company since Erik first opened his shop in his parents’ barn in 1977. From those earliest days, Erik was a pioneer supporter of groups like Bike MS and the Minnesota and Wisconsin High School Cycling Leagues.  

This dedication to promoting safe, enjoyable cycling in our markets remains a guiding principle for us today. ERIK’S employees demonstrate a hands-on approach to supporting the cycling community.

Below are just some of the organizations we proudly support through trail building and maintenance, educational outreach, and other endeavors. These organizations further our mission to foster youth engagement in cycling, support community well-being, and create safer, more accessible environments for cyclists of all ages.

ERIK’S KEY ADVOCACY PROGRAMS

BIKEMN (BICYCLE ALLIANCE OF MINNESOTA)

In 2008, BikeMN was launched with a commitment to making Minnesota more bike-friendly. BikeMN advocates for bicycle safety, education, and infrastructure improvements, working to ensure everyone can enjoy biking safely and confidently across the state. Their vision is “a Minnesota where every person everywhere can easily walk, bike, and roll as ways to move in daily life.”

BikeMN's current initiatives include education, such as open access to public safety education campaigns; advocacy, including bike-friendly policies, programs, and infrastructure; and community engagement that connects residents, businesses, and educational institutions, fostering walking and biking through uplifting events.

ERIK'S has supported BikeMN from the start. We're proud to contribute to BikeMN's safety education efforts and to service their bikes every spring to make sure they're ready for another year of fun and learning.

MINNESOTA CYCLING ASSOCIATION (MCA)

The Minnesota Cycling Association (MCA) was launched in 2012 as a way to get more kids on bikes. They're devoted to building strong minds, bodies, and characters in student-athletes from grades 6 to 12.

The MCA's initiatives include Trailcrafters, which provides opportunities for trail advocacy and maintenance, and the GRRLS outreach program, which is dedicated to attracting and retaining female student-athletes, coaches, and volunteers. While the MCA does boast a popular racing series, their youth development programs go well beyond racing, with Try It Out sessions that introduce young cyclists to mountain biking and a “Dirt School” that teaches students the basics of bike handling, repair, and maintenance.

Guided by the principles of inclusivity and equality, they now have over 2,600 cyclists and 1,300 coaches participating, all working toward a thriving and engaged cycling community! ERIK'S is proud to have been a founding supporter of this league in Minnesota.

PEOPLE FOR BIKES

People for Bikes makes cycling better for everyone by uniting riders, businesses, and communities to make every bike ride safer, more accessible, and more fun. The coalition has more than 325 supplier members and 1.4 million supporters in its grassroots network.

People for Bikes focuses on three pillars: infrastructure, with its nationwide Great Bike Infrastructure Project; policy, with government interventions in the areas of transportation, mobility, and recreation; and participation, especially with its One Ride at a Time climate solution efforts.

ONE TRACK MIND FOUNDATION (OTM)

The One Track Mind Foundation (OTM) is dedicated to engaging local youth in building, maintaining, and enjoying mind-blowing singletrack trail projects that lead to great outdoor adventures. Their mission is to “provide youth with projects that create a sense of accomplishment, an understanding of hard work, the skills to be a leader, and the power of teamwork.”

OTM's groundbreaking work in trail construction and maintenance includes Monarch, Paradise Trail, and Split Rock Wilds in Minnesota, and Timberland Hills in Wisconsin.

From youth involvement with hands-on trail projects to the design, building, and maintenance of mountain-biking trails, OTM works to encourage us all to adventure together.

WISCONSIN INTERSCHOLASTIC CYCLING LEAGUE (WIN)

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Cycling League is a chapter of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA). It invites all youth in grades 6–12 to be part of a thriving and engaged cycling community.

The association was founded in 2013 and held its first race season in fall 2014. Since then, WIN has grown to over 1,000 student-athletes and 500 coaches, all committed to embracing the organization's “FIERC” values: fun, inclusivity, equity, respect, and community.

KANSAS INTERSCHOLASTIC CYCLING LEAGUE

Like its Wisconsin counterpart above, the Kansas Interscholastic Cycling League was founded in 2019 as part of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA), whose mission is to develop interscholastic mountain biking programs for student-athletes across the United States.

The Kansas chapter promotes the development of middle- and high-school cycling teams by providing education, training, licensing, and insurance for coaches and volunteers, and by organizing mountain biking events that emphasize the value of participation, camaraderie, sportsmanship, and physical and mental health.

THE LOPPET FOUNDATION

The Loppet is a Minneapolis-based nonprofit that connects people to the outdoors through experiences that foster community and promote active living. Through public events, year-round programs, and clinics for youth and adults, as well as school-based initiatives, the Loppet is set to engage over 20,000 people in outdoor activities this year!

The Loppet offers programs designed for all ages and abilities across a variety of outdoor sports, including cross-country skiing, mountain biking, trail running, and orienteering. In the winter, participants can enjoy ski lessons, races, and events, while the warmer months bring mountain biking adventures, trail running races, and outdoor clinics to keep everyone active and engaged. These programs create opportunities for participants to improve their skills, enjoy the outdoors, and connect with others who share a passion for outdoor recreation.

With a mission to create accessible, inclusive experiences that encourage people of all backgrounds to enjoy the outdoors, the Loppet is committed to making a lasting impact on the Minneapolis community. Whether you're new to these activities or a seasoned athlete, the Loppet has something for everyone. Learn more at www.loppet.org.

LITTLE BELLAS

Little Bellas is a national organization mentoring young girls through the sport of mountain biking. Launched in 2007, “Little Bellas creates opportunities for girls to experience success using mountain biking as the platform and pathway to personal growth, building community, and competency,” according to their website. (The website also mentions that the name comes from a women's riding club in Vermont called “Bellaship of the Wheel”!)

Over the years, Little Bellas has built a curriculum based on experiential learning, expanded its infrastructure, and emphasized the importance of teamwork and goal-setting. From 2007 to 2022, the organization served more than 8,500 young female riders.

Other cycling clubs supported by ERIK’S:

Read more about the teams we support on our blog!

We are not currently accepting applications for grants, sponsorships, or new partnerships. 
For all other community inquiries, please contact donations@eriksbikeshop.com.