[Waterloo, WI] – Throughout the past year, the biking industry has seen a “bike boom” like none other, with certain bike categories like mountain biking tripling in growth and a wave of newfound interest in cycling taking the nation by storm as Americans retreat to the outdoors for exercise, mental health, and solace. Additionally, mountain biking is seeing a large increase in student participation as the sport inspires confidence and a love for the outdoors. Global bike leader, Trek Bicycle, has introduced the Pathfinders Scholarship, which aims to bring greater diversity, equity, and inclusion to youth mountain biking, helping reshape the fabric of the cycling industry.

The Trek Pathfinders Scholarship launches in partnership with the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA), an American non-profit organization that promotes middle and high school mountain biking in the United States.

“By teaming up with NICA to launch the Pathfinders Scholarship, we have high hopes that this program will not only broaden the access to mountain biking, but also help attract kids from diverse backgrounds and underrepresented communities of the country, exposing youth to the joy of cycling and creating lifelong riders,” says Trek Bicycle’s Bob Burns, Director of Advocacy. “We’ve supported NICA throughout the years and have seen firsthand the physical and psychological benefits cycling can have on today’s youth, so the Pathfinders Scholarship is a natural next step as we seek to make cycling more inclusive and reflective of our country’s diversity.”

Through the Pathfinders Cycling Scholarship, Trek is investing in the next generation of riders, providing the bikes, gear, and resources needed to overcome historical barriers to entry for diverse and underrepresented communities.

“Trek has been a long-standing partner of NICA and their commitment to broadening access to mountain biking for all youth aligns with our mission, vision, and values,” said NICA President, Steve Matous. “NICA is committed to inclusivity, equity, and diversity across all our programs and we are excited to have Trek join us in this commitment.”

Last year, Trek Bicycle announced an “All in” plan, detailing actionable steps toward racial equity, including the company’s commitment to helping get more kids on bikes by expanding the NICA program to more kids with diverse backgrounds who are interested in participating in the sport. Through the Pathfinders Scholarship, up to 250 kids from underrepresented backgrounds will be provided the bike, gear, funding, and resources needed to succeed. Trek is dedicated to making the kids of NICA the future of cycling through the Pathfinders Scholarship. Anyone interested in referring a rider can learn more here.

This past year, NICA has seen an 11% increase in student-athlete participation including over 25,000 student-athletes, 13,400+ coaches, and 1,100 registered teams as of 2020. In addition to providing startup funding for new leagues and offering discounts for NICA student-athletes and coaches, Trek Bicycle donates $10 from the sale of every Trek full suspension mountain bike and $1 from the sale of every mountain bike tire directly to NICA.

About the National Interscholastic Cycling Association
The National Interscholastic Cycling Association’s (NICA) mission is to build strong minds, bodies, character, and communities through cycling. Founded in 2009 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit, NICA develops interscholastic and community-based cycling programs for student-athletes and coaches across the United States. NICA provides leadership services and governance for local leagues to produce quality mountain bike events. NICA has served almost 64,000 student-athletes since 2009. Currently, NICA has 29 state and regional leagues and over 13,000 registered volunteer coaches who are working annually with over 25,000 student-athletes from over 1,100 high school and middle school teams in the USA.

NICA exists by virtue of generous sponsors, donors, and partners. For more information on NICA visit www.nationalmtb.org, follow @nationalMTB on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, or call (510) 524-5464.