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Named after Marshall ‘Major’ Taylor, the country’s first black cycling champion, and the US Army’s 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps, an all-black unit known as the ‘Iron Riders’, Major Taylor Iron Riders Club of New York City is made up largely of Black, Latino and Asian American riders. These riders shed light on the outlook on what it means to be a person of color on the American cycling scene. We are honored to share their thoughts in a regular column series on velonews.com over the coming months.

There will be many moments that will define how you will live the rest of your life. I’m grateful that cycling has been this time, time and time again, for me.

When I was a kid, a college breakup was the reason I almost had suicidal thoughts. Then on June 30, 2019, after ending a five-year relationship, I was afraid I would have those thoughts again.

What did I do? I got out of bed and decided to go 100 miles on my own. When I got home I felt victorious and my problems seemed more manageable. That day, I accepted that life is made up of victories and defeats. Sometimes losses take hold of your emotions. Every bike ride that tested my limits became a victory and an experience that helped me balance these daily struggles and overcome life’s challenges.

I owe my happiness and probably my life to a simple bicycle.

However you think of cycling, riding a bike is also a metaphor for life. No matter what happens in life, such as cycling, I have learned to keep pedaling to move forward. I also learned to know when to go hard, when to coast, and how to enjoy the ride. Most importantly, I have learned to look back, appreciate and be proud of how far I have come. It’s something that has helped me a lot over the years, and I try to show people the peace of cycling long distances.

My name is Daniel Kofi Morteh and I was born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey. I raced on track in high school, but wasn’t introduced to cycling until much later. I graduated from college in 2008 as an aspiring filmmaker. It’s hard to navigate the industry, so I accepted an opening job at Starbucks in Hoboken. Public transport was not available, so with my first salary I bought a mountain bike. It was the start of my cycling and to this day it remains my primary mode of transportation. In 2013 I took a job at a fitness center and found myself taking many spin classes taught by professional cyclist Sebaj Adele. I came to admire Sebaj who was my cycling mentor.

In 2015, my father’s passing took a mental toll on me and I needed a distraction. I bought a used one-speed bike for $ 250 and did the Five Boro Bike Tour. It was surprisingly easy for me to finish. I found the tours invigorating but relaxing; that year, I participated in as many cycling events as I could, including the New York Century.

Cycling has become my therapy. It was pure, pure hedonism – a pursuit of pleasure. When you ride a bike, your problems are left behind. Your bills, your rent, or your relationship problems all seem to go away. After each outing I told my colleagues about the experience and was finally convinced to get my spin certification. In less than three months, I was teaching Spin lessons. It gave me extra money and more importantly I enjoyed what I was doing.

Still, I was hesitant to go on long outdoor hikes. In 2015, I accepted an invitation from Sebaj to participate in an 80 mile event departing from Newark, New Jersey. When we arrived I was completely amazed to see over 100 black men and women looking like superheroes. I had heard of Major Taylor Iron Riders, but never saw them together. My immediate response to my exhausted arrival was, “When’s next?” Shortly after, I joined Major Taylor New Jersey and the Iron Riders.

I felt like cycling allowed me to free myself from my perceived limitations and allowed me to explore my physical abilities. I became obsessed. This new confidence has spread to other areas of my life. The issues that had been problematic have become manageable. Unequivocally, I believe cycling helped me out of the depression I was secretly struggling with.

Cycling has given me opportunities that I never would have had. I taught spin three times a week at a senior program in Jersey City. I got involved in alternative transportation issues and started to build a lucrative career that I enjoyed. When the pandemic closed the gyms, I started running over 200 kilometers per week until I found a way to make a living. One day I walked past a friend’s bicycle store; the line circled the block. I offered a day of help and that favor turned into a full time job. Four months later I got a call from Grove Street / Giant Bicycles, one of the best shops in the area, and was offered a great job. I have since joined the Bike JC board of directors and have led several hikes to Bear Mountain and Philadelphia.

Cycling has been a social outlet during the pandemic. Countless people have started riding as an alternative to activities that are no longer available. At a time when activities were limited, cycling offered an element of normalcy.

On June 14, 2020, my friend Jeff and I decided to go to Philadelphia. We opened the invitation and I was surprised to see 12 runners from various backgrounds and experiences eager to participate. A 100 mile bike ride can create lasting friendships that can transcend a global pandemic and civil unrest. When we entered Philadelphia, I looked at my companions and said, “Wow, bikes could save the world now! “

Isolation is torture for an extrovert. In the age of social distancing, cycling is an activity that allows people to connect while remaining separate. The website BikesWillSaveTheWorld.com was initiated to record testimonials from cyclists about what they gained while riding during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic inspired one of my cycling partners, Aliya Barnwell, to start Ride Upgrades, a non-profit organization that introduces young people to competitive cycling. Ride Upgrades is why this year’s Philadelphia Anniversary Race is now a 200 mile and night fundraiser. Cycling has provided the means to stay healthy, physically and mentally, and has even provided a few friends. Cycling even brought joy, happiness and a feeling of well-being.

2020 will be surreal for everyone, including me. 2020 ended one of the most controversial presidential terms in US history; it has seen civil unrest, BLMs, police shooting citizens and a global pandemic that has endangered my livelihood, if not my life. Throughout the uncertainty, cycling has offered a lot to many and has become the core of almost everything that has come into my life. I feel stronger mentally and physically than ever. And just riding with friends brought peace, normalcy, good health, camaraderie, employment and good vibes on top of that. Every day, I meet cyclists on the road. There is no insecurity, prejudice or anger on their face, just an appearance of peace and serenity. It’s so simple; “Bikes will save the world”.