AUSTIN, Texas (BRAIN) — Route-finding app Ride Spot has teamed with Black History Bike Ride to raise money and create more routes and expand the city bike tour.
If 500 riders complete the self-guided 8.9-mile Austin OG Route through the Ride Spot app by March 31, SRAM will donate an undisclosed amount to the Black History Bike Ride project to improve the route and aid in expansion and creation of other similar routes in the city.
Developed as a route-finding and storytelling platform, Ride Spot was created by PeopleForBikes to help break down the barriers to bicycling.
Talib Abdullahi started Black History Bike Ride last year to educate friends about Austin Black history with a ride around the city. After being shared on Instagram, the ride attracted more than 400 riders in June.
That was the only Black History Bike Ride in 2020, but the interest remained for it to continue. So Abdullahi created the website and self-guided OG Route — including information and links — allowing anyone to complete it on their own time.
"Local history isn't really discussed in elementary or middle schools," Abdullahi said. "I created the ride to give people the tools to learn the history themselves and to understand their own city a little better. My hope is to inspire more people to get out in their own communities and learn about the Black, Latino and Indigineous stories that exist all around them."
The challenge is free with every completed ride getting Black History Bike Ride closer to its goal, but cyclists need to download the Ride Spot app. After downloading, tap "Join" on the Black History Bike Ride Challenge.
"We're so excited to partner with Talib and the Black History Bike Ride," said Ride Spot's Tobie DePauw. "Not only will the ride help Austinites learn about Black history in their city, it will help support the creation of more historical and educational rides in other cities across the U.S. Rides like this are what Ride Spot is all about."
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Black History Bike Ride was created by Talib Abdullahi.
