Baltimore Bikelife Youth Development
In 2020, during the early pandemic, I started riding my bike around Baltimore city. Shortly after, I met the “wheelie boys”, the youth of Baltimore bikelife. I started filming videos of local rides with my iPhone and quickly got to know “the pack” of riders who’d meet daily after school to ride their bikes. We also started a sticker shop, but that’s a different story.
As a 42-year old white woman, I am an unusual sight at one of the youth-led rideouts that are typical of many local bikelife scenes. Bikelife is a rich culture that includes dirtbikes and pedal bike rideouts in many cities around the world. The riders perform stunts like wheelies and complex tricks that involve jumping to different parts of the bike, all while traveling at a high rate of speed.
In late 2020, I started shooting iPhone videos of the group rides I participated in. I’ve spent many afternoons riding in the city with the youth, and I was amazed by the athleticism, grit, and sportsmanship that these young men demonstrated. I also noticed the tension that existed in the city around these kids. Many people in Baltimore saw these youth in a negative light. Even many adults in the wider bike scene didn’t seem to want them around or respect them, even though I was learning so much from them every time I’d ride with them and they were a huge part of the bike community here!
I hosted or facilitated many events including rideouts, cookouts, free art workshops, and trips to the Crashboys games. I mentored several youth in practical skills that helped them start their own micro businesses: video editing, graphics production, merchandise creation, and more. I also worked with youth organization Byke Collective to lead bike tours for schools and created custom graphics, flyers, and merchandise for their programs.
I believe to this day that the youth of bikelife (in Baltimore and beyond) are largely misunderstood. The brotherhood and belonging that these youth find in bikelife, as well as the dedication they bring to practicing and learning new tricks reminds me of the culture I have seen in other communities like skateboarding and surfing. Riding bikes is a positive and healthy activity that keeps our youth focused. I truly believe that if more adults showed support to these kids by showing up at their rides and learning their ways, it would promote more understanding in Baltimore and beyond.
