Not Just Spinning Wheels
62 MARKETPLACECONTRACOSTA.COM DECEMBER 2018
By Jeannie Howard
Founded with goals of improving the health—mental
and physical—of Richmond community members as
well alleviating strain on the environment, Rich City
Rides (RCR) has been using the bicycle as a catalyst for
change since 2012. Since the organization’s inception, more
than 6,000 individuals and families have participated in the
variety of cycle-centric programs RCR offers.
Working in conjunction with the organization’s
community programs, the Rich City Rides Bike Shop
is the only visible entity of its kind servicing bikes in
the immediate area, according to Nakari Syon, program
coordinator for RCR. At the bike shop, community
members are able to not only purchase new and
refurbished bikes and cycling equipment but they can
also learn trade skills from the various workshops RCR
hosts. “The bike shop is how I fell in love with Rich
City Rides,” Syon shared. “I’ve witnessed Rich City really
become a pillar in the community as far as providing a safe
zone for the children and offering lessons in a trade that is
not heavily taught or acknowledged in this community.”
The most popular program offered, and often the first
encounter many participants have with RCR, is the Self-
Care Sunday social bike rides. “Every Sunday we meet
in the same place, at the bike shop,” Syon said. “But each
week the mileage and the course will change.” Rides are
usually between eight and twenty miles and, while that
may sound like a long ride to some, Syon assured that no
one is ever left behind. “I find humor in telling people
how many miles they road and how they realize they’re
not so tired or that their body doesn’t hurt as much as they