Pedal power: Meet the Reed’s Crossing Cycling Club

Need a cycling buddy? Look no further! Recently, we chatted with members of the Reed’s Crossing Cycling Club for our blog series about the unique resident clubs that have popped up in the community. A growing group that explores far and wide—including stops for their favorite burritos—these 15 cyclists are always ready to welcome new members. After all, from walking to puzzles to books to wine, there’s a club for most hobbies here!

Studies have shown that the benefits of cycling are as varied as the routes you can ride. Among the myriad ways that exercise can boost health, one of the most well-known is the release of endorphins, or hormones that are known to lower stress, improve mood, and enhance well-being. Even better, cycling combines physical exercise with being outdoors, yet another confirmed mood booster. 

And here’s a surprising fact: When a study by the Healthy Air Campaign fitted air pollution detectors to a driver and a cyclist in central London, the results showed that the driver experienced 5x higher pollution levels than the cyclist—which means a two-wheeled commute may be better for your lungs. 

Cycling also has some lesser-known and unexpected benefits, like improving spatial awareness and navigation skills. Or, as one Reddit user put it, “I know the location of all the best cafes in a 50-mile radius.” Joining up with a local cycling club is an excellent way to expand your social circle, and if you're new to cycling you’ll find a supportive, knowledgeable group to help you learn. Read on to learn more about our local cycling group, their favorite rides so far, and why they believe in the power of forming clubs in your community. 

First, tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Ryan; my wife and I (and our two cats) have lived here since November 2019. We were looking for an eco-friendly home in the Portland metro area, and a walkable community that featured greenspace. Our search brought us to Reed’s Crossing, and we knew it was exactly what we were looking for!

What inspired you to start a new club at Reed’s Crossing? 

The details are a bit fuzzy, but at some point during the pandemic, I posted on our community Discord server that I was looking for other cyclists in the community to ride with. That led to the start of the club!

How has the club enriched your life? 

I’ve met so many great people in our neighborhood and made some fantastic friendships through the club. We’ve had several club gatherings, at members’ homes and at the park. And cycling with friends is always more fun—not to mention safer! Further, the club has become a support system. Whether it’s picking up someone's packages for them, giving them a ride, or simply checking on their home when they’re out of town, we all support, encourage, and celebrate each other.

Have you heard about any other clubs at Reed's Crossing?

Yes! We have so many great clubs here in the community. There’s a walking/running club (which meets every week), and we’ve also got a book club, a wine club, a game club, and probably more that I’m missing!

Tell us a bit more about your club and its members. 

Currently we have 15 members in our group, and it’s open to anyone that lives in Reed’s Crossing. We also welcome guest members and have had parents or friends from out of town ride with us when they’re visiting. One thing the group wanted to make sure I share is that the club is open to all genders. We are always looking for new members and encourage anyone to join, no matter their skill level or experience.

What has been your favorite ride, and why? 

For the past few years we’ve made sure to do a group ride every year on the Banks-Vernonia trail. We carpool to the start in Banks and then do the 42-mile round trip to Vernonia and back, with a stop in Vernonia for breakfast. It's always a super fun, casual ride and the breakfast burritos at The Black Iron Grill are delicious!

Has the club grown since it started? How did people find out about it? 

We started with three or four members, so we’ve definitely grown! People have found out about our group from Discord and word of mouth, and I’ve also had people reach out to me from my posts that have been shared by the Reed’s Crossing Instagram account.

How often do you meet?

We don’t really have a schedule. Most of us ride a few times a week and will generally ride with other members of the group. Sometimes that’s just a couple of us going out for a ride on a weekday, sometimes it’s a larger group going out for a Saturday ride. Even with 15 members, I think our largest group ride has had maybe eight riders.

Anything else you want to share? 

We’ve been asked if we would consider doing a class or workshop to help people get started, and we’re working on being able to offer something like that for the community. Additionally, besides Discord, we have a dedicated WhatsApp group for the club where we communicate regarding rides. Anyone who is interested in joining can also reach out to me directly at @reb_tri on Instagram!

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