Recently we’ve partnered with Rapha as they support our community and Bike to Work Day’s Bike-home Happy Hour! Community Cycles’ Development Director Craig David had a chance to sit down with the Floor Lead, Sommer, and chat about the community, bikes, and why it all matters….
Tell us about the work you all are doing in the community at Rapha Boulder – what does the summer look like?
For the past 5 years, Rapha Boulder has served as a hub for cyclists old and young to come together and share their love for the sport and culture of bike racing. This summer is the first time post-pandemic that we are able to operate at full capacity with community events, group rides, and race viewings. We will be putting a huge emphasis on these events this summer by hosting race viewing parties for the Giro and the Tour de France, group ride collaborations with other cycling organizations, and offering a wider range of group rides to appease any cyclist at any level. We aim to bring Rapha Boulder back to its roots by putting everything into the community that makes us who we are.
Why does it make sense for Rapha in Boulder to partner with a bike-focused non-profit?
The vision of Rapha is to make cycling the most popular sport in the world. This is the guiding mission that defines our company culture, working environment, and the organizations we work with. The values of Community Cycles align with our goals for getting people on bikes. Cycling should be accessible to all, and this year we’re shifting our focus on the inclusion of the community in the sport of cycling.
Supporting the community you live and work in is critical to supporting access to resources, and in our case access to affordable bikes and clothing. We’ve seen a lot of upcycled clothing from Rapha move through CC. How does this fit in with Rapha’s culture?
One of Rapha’s core values is that the community is everything. Our upcycling program with CC allows us to continue the life of slightly defective clothing that we can’t sell on our floor. It gives Rapha the opportunity to lessen our clothing waste and tie in with our values of improving sustainability in our brand.
What else do you want our community to know about Rapha Boulder?
We are far more than just a clothing store! We are a community hub that serves everyone in the front range area. We have regulars coming in ranging from passionate cyclists to those who just want a fun and enjoyable working space (with pretty good coffee, too!). We encourage anyone to stop by and check us out and hear more from our staff about the opportunities in the area. We have plenty of group rides and community events. We also offer a Rapha Cycling Club (RCC) membership which comes with many perks from discounted coffee to more group ride access and so much more. Come by and say hi!
Thanks to Rapha for their sponsorship of Walk and Bike Month. We’re also excited that they’ll be hosting a Breakfast Station on Bike to Work Day at their store in Downtown Boulder + donating some sweet gear for a giveaway at Bike Home Happy Hour!