access for all:

breaking barriers to ride

The Georgia Cycling Association has developed COMMUNITY partnerships aimed at MAKING SURE ACCESS ISN’T A PRIVILEGE - IT’S THE BASELINE.

Mountain biking has the power to change lives—but only if young people can access the trail. That’s why Georgia Cycling partners with community-rooted organizations like Bearings Bike Works in Atlanta and U Create Macon to help bring the sport to places where it is traditionally out of reach.

Based in urban neighborhoods, these partners provide meaningful opportunities for youth to discover cycling in a supportive, team-based environment. Together, we are working to lower barriers to entry—like equipment, awareness, and access to trails—so that more kids can experience the joy, challenge, and personal growth that mountain biking offers.

These partnerships create opportunities where access has historically been limited. By connecting with organizations embedded in their communities, we help open the door to mountain biking for youth who might not otherwise have the chance to ride, grow, and thrive in this sport.

By teaming up with organizations already invested in their communities, Georgia Cycling is able to create authentic pathways into the sport—pathways that lead not only to stronger riders but also to stronger neighborhoods.

BEARINGS BIKE WORKS

Creating Access and Opportunity Through Bikes in Southwest Atlanta

Bearings Bike Works is an Atlanta-based nonprofit that helps urban youth discover their strengths by building bikes and building confidence. Through hands-on, bike-centric programming, Bearings equips young people with meaningful life skills rooted in responsibility, problem-solving, and community engagement.

Georgia Cycling partners with Bearings to expand mountain biking opportunities for youth in Southwest Atlanta. Together, we’ve created a model that combines Bearings’ deep community roots with Georgia Cycling’s proven team structure and coaching support. The result is a system that provides both education and access, including quality bikes, safe storage, maintenance, and a pathway to structured riding opportunities.

Bearings supports two teams within Georgia Cycling’s programming:

  • South Fulton County Trail Rangers engages 3rd–5th graders in our elementary-aged Trail Rangers program. This program serves families across southern Fulton County.

  • Bearings Composite Team provides 6th–12th grade riders from across 10 Southwest Atlanta schools with access to our TeamMTB program.

Bearings ensures that every rider is ready to participate on day one—equipped with the gear, skills, and encouragement needed to succeed. When families face financial barriers, Bearings steps in to fill the gap, making sure no young rider is left out because of cost or access.

Together, Bearings Bike Works and Georgia Cycling are working to cultivate a culture of cycling in the heart of Atlanta—one that empowers youth, builds community, and energizes the next generation of riders and bike enthusiasts.

u Create mACON

Pedaling Potential in the Heart of Middle Georgia

“We strive to eliminate all barriers to participation by providing bicycles, safety gear, transportation, and race day support to any student in need. This commitment ensures that every participant can engage with the enriching experiences the Georgia Cycling programs offer.”
— Charise Stephens; Founder

U Create Macon is a nonprofit that uses the power of the bicycle to connect, engage, and inspire youth across Greater Macon. The organization, founded by Charise Stephens, offers hands-on programs that blend cycling with mentorship, life skills, and community service, creating opportunities that extend far beyond the trail.

In partnership with Georgia Cycling, U Create Macon has brought the sport of mountain biking to a new audience—kids who might never have imagined themselves on a trail, let alone part of a team. The result is that Middle Georgia youth in grades 3-12 have the chance to ride, race, and belong.

U Create Macon supports two teams within Georgia Cycling’s programming:

  • Bibb County Trail Rangers engages 3rd–5th graders in our elementary-aged Trail Rangers program. This program serves families in Macon, Payne, and all of Bibb County.

  • Middle Georgia Composite Team provides 6th–12th grade riders from Gray, GA to Centerville, GA and all points in between, including Macon, with access to our TeamMTB program.

The U Create Macon team is more than just a sports outlet—it’s a safe space, a support system, and a launchpad for personal growth. Riders are equipped with bikes, gear, coaching, and transportation to practices and events, demonstrating that access isn’t a privilege—it’s the baseline.

With a mission rooted in empowerment and equity, U Create Macon continues to show what’s possible when you meet kids where they are and give them the tools to move forward, on and off the bike. Together, Georgia Cycling and U Create Macon are forging new paths for youth development across Macon and all of Middle Georgia.