The Roam Collective Launched by Community Behind Roam Fest

 Yep, title took me back to watching those over and over again, I still workout to Seasons. I didn't even read the article, think I'll watch Roam right now lol.

 I definitely assumed there was a connection when I read the title. But you'd think if there was, they would mention it. Either way I know what soundtrack I'm listening to at work this afternoon.

 100!

 Interesting point, never saw it like ths

 “…Cannot get behind stuff that creates division and acts like its progress.”

Damn, this statement hit me hard. I always got an uneasy feeling when I saw this kind of activism in our sport, but couldn’t quite articulate why. You summed it up perfectly in a single sentence.

Injustice needs to be confronted and opposed, of course, but it’s possible to have your “injustice detector” set so sensitively that you find some kind of civil rights struggle in almost any situation. That’s what this looks like to me, and like you said, creates needless division.

 Well said.

 Can you elaborate on how this creates division? Mountain biking in the areas I've done it/lived in (Southern/Northern California, PacNW, Southeast, BC) tend to be overwhelmingly white male dominated. What on earth is the problem with trying to foster a more welcoming and inclusive community for groups that historically have not managed to penetrate the white male bro culture to find the same excitement and joy in mountain biking as I do?

I donno, I'm struggling to get my head around it. Did I read the same press release as you? Are they trying to take away your access to trails? Break up your riding group? This seems like a genuinely puzzling critique, and I can't figure out what I'm missing. What division are they trying to foster here?

The way I read the press release was "Hey here are some groups that haven't really had inroads to see how cool this sport is, so we're building a non-profit to reach out to them and tell them they're welcome here and that mountain biking is awesome!"

Some guy on pinkbike "absolutely the f*ck not, f*ck that shit!"

There's a lot of exclusive shit going on in Mountain biking that I get - and am even on board with, when it comes to trails. Nobody who uses strava or social media allowed on the fun trails that have questionable legality. Keep the punters off them too, don't want injuries and attention. But I hardly see how a group of women, or LGBTQ+ or minorities or differently abled showing up at some public trails is gonna f*ck things up for the rest of us.

Seriously, what kind of negative energy am I not getting from this?

 @William42:
This group literally targets people based on their gender, race, or sexual preferences.

None of that crap should matter, but they hone in on it like a fly on shit because it's seemingly the only thing society seems to give a shit about nowadays. Division is a freaking cash cow for these activist groups.

I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. - MLK JR.

 @keithshred I feel like you feel like it's causing division because it's trying to help groups that you don't identify with... which if you are feeling excluded, I'm genuinely sorry. It can feel pretty sucky to be on the outside looking in.

 This is a pretty hilarious lack of self awareness.

"This community is great for me! If other groups of people don't feel welcome, that's their problem! f*ck anybody that tries to make inroads to communities that don't haven't felt welcomed!"

Its always so interesting to see the people in positions of power and "in group" start quoting MLK when they try to justify why things shouldn't change. I genuinely can't figure out how it's possible to get so far from the spirit of the guy you're quoting and think that its justified.

That's an aspirational quote. We're pretty far away from that as a matter of 'current state of things.' It'd be awesome to get there. I hope the non-profit we're talking about makes some inroads towards putting us there - despite opposition from some white guy who apparently think his riding enjoyment is going to be reduced because some black person or LGBTQ+ person or woman shows up at their public trail system and ruins things with their 'divisive' presence.

Seriously. Step back from the bullshit culture war shit you've been sucked into and take a look around the trailhead next time you go. See how many different groups of people you spot. If you look closely, you'll notice about 2-3 woman for every 7-8 guys, and that'll be about it.

Our sport is f*ckin cool. Let's help share it with groups of people who don't know that and make them feel pumped to come ride bikes with us.

 Here is my issue. Lack of representation does not necessarily mean lack of inclusion.

For example; yes, there are far fewer black people in mountain biking. However, that does not automatically mean they are not welcomed or not accepted. It simply means, for whatever reason, they don't chose to mountain bike.

I would love to see more color in our sport and I've never met a mountain biker who was opposed to that.
As a former bike shop owner, if a black, blue, purple, or green person came into my shop, I'd be thrilled to sell them a bike, get them out on it, and ask them to refer their friends. I've never met a bike shop owner who felt differently.

IMO, a more likely cause for the lack of minority representation is geographical, not racial. Black populations tend to be far more urban centered. Mountain biking is a very rural-centric sport.
Mountain towns themselves have very low minority representation. They also tend to be liberal minded and, as such, are very anti-racist. These facts kind of fly in the face of all the supposed racism in outdoor sports.

 @roxtar: I agree, lack of representation does not necessarily mean lack of inclusion, and they're important distinctions in a lot of situations

But they don't really apply here.

You can't seriously mean to look me in the eye and tell me that the reason minority representation is low is geographical. I drive 3 hours each way every weekend to go mountain biking because thats where the closest trails I like to ride are. The biggest mountain biking hotspots I've ever lived in where *heavily* populated areas, and the further away I've moved, the fewer bikers and trails there are. Go up to Seattle or Vancouver and tell me there isn't a shitload of trails up there.

Great, want to handwave "well minorities don't live there so that's why they don't show up on the trails there but that's not a related circumstance of its own" away? We shouldn't - because our sport should be on the leading edge of inviting people to to these places they don't have a lot of representation by making them feel included. We should be the reason that minorities who haven't felt included want to move to a place like Seattle, or any number of places in Colorado etc.

But lets do it anyway and focus on just mountain biking. Go check out the parking lot at Northstar or Big Bear or China Peak, and see how many people drove in from the bay or from LA or Fresno? Demographics trends clearly show minorities living there, so why aren't they showing up at the trails?

The thing that's so baffling about this entire conversation and argument is that the nonprofit group in question is just out there with a message of "hey we don't think that these groups have been reached out to before, we want to reach out to them and provide them with a more familiar space to their own that they can feel comfortable in and we can act as a bridge so that they can come and check out how cool this sport is and feel the welcome." It's literally just a message of "we want to include these people so we're gonna reach out to them."

It won't effect in any way shape or form your own mountain biking experience. But there's still this weird attitude of "give em an inch and they'll take a mile" or some shit.

Weird, and definitely a bummer.

 @William42: I hope I didn't give the wrong impression. I truly want to see everyone on a mountain bike.
However, the fact that there is far less minority involvement isn't because groups are being "shut out" or excluded. It's because, for whatever variety of reasons, they don't choose to come out.

When I listed geography, I'm referring to the lifestyle of where you live, not the actual location. More of an urban vs rural. For instance, if you live in the middle of NYC, your exposure to mountain biking is far more limited than if you live in upstate NY. Those limitations also create lack of interest in getting into certain sports.

For example, I didn't get into mountain biking till my mid 30s. Before that, basketball and soccer were my things and I played in several leagues. I enjoyed my sports, I didn't know any mountain bikers, and had no interest in doing it.
My wife actually got me a mountain bike to get me off the couch between seasons. I tried it and really liked it but I had no one to ride with until I sought others out. Eventually, it became my passion.

My point is that no one was keeping me out of mountain biking. I just had limited exposure to it, hence, I didn't care to do it. It wasn't the industries fault. It wasn't other mountain biker's fault. It was entirely my choice to not get on a bike. The same goes for anyone else.

Also, I'm tired of hearing, "I never see anyone who looks like me at these things".
So what.
When you say something like that, you're the one creating the barrier, not us. When I played in soccer leagues I was often the only non-Latino on the field. If that fact really bothers you, invite your friends next time.

Lastly, I'm not against Roam, or anyone who is trying to get more diversity into our sport. I'm very much for it. What I'm against is this victim mentality that says it's my fault that you don't do something and my responsibility to get you to.

 @roxtar: Right but isn't that exactly the point? This group isn't trying to exclude or create any divisiveness whatsoever.

They're going out to the people without exposure who have experienced some marginalization and being pushed to the edges by society at large and saying "hey, this is a cool place to be and you'll be welcome here."

Are you upset that you didn't get exposure and they will? What's the contention and problem?

 @William42: Dude, please reread my post. I said I'm all for what Roam is doing. I have no problem with anyone reaching out to any group whatsoever. The more the merrier.

What I'm against is the attitude that, since this sport is white male dominated, it must be because we are exclusive or don't welcome other groups. If you're BIPOC and don't ride bikes, it's somehow my fault, or the industry's fault, or the marketing department's fault.
I've been riding mountain bikes for 30 years and have always welcomed anyone from any background (except a*sholes) and I've never known any other MTBers that feel differently.

 Roamfest has been around for years now. They are really well run, fun events. Mrs Roxtar attended the Fruita one last Fall and had a great time.

 @roxtar: years? LOL

 @Spetsa: ?
Uhm, yeah, years.
My wife first rode with them at the 2019 Sedona Festival.
Again at Sedona in 2021.
Last Sept in Fruita.
According to their website, they started in 2016.

So yeah, years. No laughing.

 @roxtar: almost as long as the movies whose name they ripped off. LOL

 @Spetsa: Dude, saying common words like "roam" and "collective" can't ever be used because of a couple 20 or so year old movies is just silly.
Do you get this butt-hurt when words like "godfather", "alien", "psycho", "breathless", or "airplane" get used outside of their movie reference?

 @roxtar: butt hurt. That's a good one.

 @Spetsa: Thanks, I try

 cycling in general is nothing but a kook fest now lol maybe i've turned into the get off my lawn old guy, still doesn't mean the whole lot isn't fuckin KOOKS

 @mtnbikermaniac. Not even in the expo area. If you have no marginalized employees, your product isn't welcome.