Is Cycling Woke Enough?

Woke means being alert to social injustice, or to some means finding every single instance of social injustice, even if you have to make it yourself. Is cycling woke? Should it be? Take a look around at your next event, cycling is overwhelmingly white, does cycling have a responsibility to do something about that?

[lukepowell]

I see this issue in two different ways. On one hand, I wholeheartedly acknowledge that cycling has a diversity problem, and I think that more diversity would really improve the sport. So I support the efforts for inclusiveness. But if I'm being totally honest, Cycling has also been an oasis for me to escape to during these hyper-politicized times. With one major exception, I have had largely good experiences in cycling where for once it did not matter who I voted for, or how I felt about a given hot button issue, or what my religion was/is/is not. It took a long time for me to even be aware of any of the political leanings of people around me because the group rides were not about that, they were always just about coming together and riding bikes and letting go of all the other crap in our lives. That is a beautiful thing I would really hate to lose.

[CraigEngstrom]

Thanks for covering this. Good question for National Bicycling Month. I first heard the term BIPOC on the Path Less Pedaled. I think it's a useful term. I'm with you, I'd love to see more of everyone on bikes. I like the idea of sponsorship because the barrier to entry for cycling is $. I'd be interested in exploring ways to sponsor underrepresented groups locally if you have ideas.

[Dexter]

Is it the point to know if enough or not enought black persons don't ride bicycle? Do we wonder the same about white men/women into basketball? I think just promoting black people for thinking to do a "good thing" is a kind a discrimination in order to hide a racism behavior.
If some black persons want to ride bicycle then no problem, sports isn't about being white, yellow, black, or whatever else, sports is just a way to forget our problems and not then politize on everyy aspects on the existence. Anyway I wish you good day and hope to watch your future videos.

Greeting from France (so sorry if my English isn't that good sometimes but I try to make myself understand, and my comment has no goal to provocate controversy).

[chrisscanlon]

cycling is TOO WOKE! Ruining the sport.