Slow Rolling: A New Beginning

If you didn’t know our Positive Spin youth cycling program has been turning wheels since it began as a program of MGR Youth Empowerment in 2010. That is over 9 years of hard work, consistent growth, reshaping and implementation, and more importantly 9 consistent years of youth engagement and education throughout Pittsburgh.

Hundreds of students have graduated from the program, spreading their knowledge on bike safety, civic engagement, bike repair, and other valuable resources. There has never been a better time to bring together alumni and friends, current students, and new partners for a Slow Roll to share experiences, stories, and the road to celebrate so many years of Positive Spinning to come.

The Slow Roll was created as a way to increase youth engagement outside of the school environment, bring together program alumni, current staff and students to share stories, and more importantly, give bikes to students that need them. 

This exciting new series would not be possible without our amazing ride participants, the Homewood-Brushton YMCA for hosting our first ride to Highland Park Reservoir and the world’s largest bicycle museum, Bicycle Heaven, for having us on our second ride. We thank you for your hard work and dedication to making a greater and more engaged Pittsburgh.

Through the first two rides, 22 people were engaged and 11 bikes were given to students and alumni of the program. BikePGH hopes to continue the success of the rides by extending the reach of Positive Spin to riding with additional youth, families, and friends.

The youth that we work with are truly inspirational and deserve as much support as possible so please volunteer, donate, and more importantly join us for our next ride this spring (date, time, and destination, tbd – email positivespin@bikepgh.org with your suggestions)!