Santa Ynez Cycling Club Promotes Biking And Community Outreach

Drive through the Santa Ynez Valley and you may notice lots of cyclists, as it has become a popular destination for bike riders.

A local cycling club is working to support not only its recreational pasttime, but also community programs.

The Santa Ynez Valley Cycling Club has just over 60 members, who they pride themselves in cycling and community outreach.

SYV Cycling Club president Peter Thomsen said, “We’re in the business right now of promoting cycling and just to get more people involved because for those who do it, know how much fun it is and know how healthy you can become.”

The club is nonprofit, using its membership fees to help local programs.

“The more people that we can get in our club, the more we can give back to the community,” Thomsen said.

Last year the club donated several thousand dollars to local programs, including the Santa Ynez High mountain biking team and Buellton’s “Trips For Kids,” which takes underprivileged kids mountain biking.

Cycling club member Corey Evans said, “We really try to make an effort to give back to the community and to show that we do care about the bigger community as well.”

The group hopes to get everyone out on bikes, no matter their skill level.

“They don’t need to be serious riders or racers,” Evans said. “Most of us our recreational cyclists so we are really looking to bring everybody together to be one unified cycling community.”

As tips for riders who are just starting out: “Beginners should know, just ride your bike, ride it just as much as you can,” Thomsen said .

For more information on the club: http://www.syvcc.org/