Put Me Back on My Bike

New Cycling Club Hopes to Unite All Cyclists at AHS

Jessica Dosanjh

Staff Writer

     During Rush Week this school year, students at American High School were surprised to see other students advertising the “Cycling Club”, a club never seen before.

    The Cycling Club is new this year. Club President Justin Chan (11)  had the idea of starting the club, in hopes of creating a community in which all the cyclists from the school can come together.

    “I realized that the passion and knowledge that I have for bicycles and cycling could be applied to something that could help others,” Chan said.

    The club officers also have a desire to produce an environment where members can discuss cycling, help each other with bicycle related problems, and ultimately ride together.

    “The main events will consist of group rides that will center in Fremont and branch into other cities,” Chan said. “These group rides will vary from 20 to 40 miles in length and will include fun routes.”

    In addition to the group rides, small contests such as time trials and endurance rides are planned on being held, with prizes being awarded to the winners.

    “We hope to plan at least one trip per month and engage in fun activities such as races to make the club as interesting as possible,” secretary Brandon Leung (11) said.

    But the club is not just for advanced bicyclists; beginners are encouraged to join in on the fun as well.

    “We encourage biking as an important physical and recreational activity and want people to share our love for it,” Leung said. “As a community, we hope to freely help each other learn more by sharing bits of information and holding sessions to teach beginners the basics.”

    One of the club’s goals is to be able to raise enough money to pay for its biggest event of the year, the San Francisco ride. The money will be put towards paying for BART ride tickets to San Francisco.

    “We’ll mainly be having a small tour of San Francisco, and we will explore the basic trails and roads near the Golden Gate Bridge,” Chan said. “We also plan to eat there and enjoy ourselves as a reward for the end of the year.”